LSU's Kragthorpe has Parkinson's

Published Aug. 5, 2011 1:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

LSU offensive coordinator Steve Kragthorpe announced he would step down Thursday after being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.

Kragthorpe will remain on head coach Les Miles' staff as quarterbacks coach.

"I want to thank [Miles] for the opportunity to stay here. We're a family of great faith," said Kragthorpe. "I hope for the next eight to 10, or 14 years I can be here coaching quarterbacks. [The condition] is more nuisance for me than anything else."

According to Scout.com, Miles said offensive line coach Greg Studrawa will take over the gameday play-calling duties from Kragthorpe, who will still help with play-calling strategy and game-planning.

Miles said he would still look to Kragthorpe to handle "long-range" tasks in helping run the team's offense, though Studrawa will make the final decisions during games on what plays to run.

Kragthorpe, 46, was hired as the Tigers' offensive coordinator in January. Studrawa is the longest-tenured coach on Miles' staff, entering his fifth season after serving as offensive coordinator at Bowling Green.

Kragthorpe was at Tulsa from 2003 to 2006, taking a program that had won only one game in the previous two seasons and making three bowl appearances. He bolted for Louisville in Jan. 2007, but struggled to a 15-21 mark in three seasons.

LSU is expected to be among the contenders for the national championship this season, and is ranked fourth in Thursday's USA Today Coaches Poll.

LSU opens its season Sept. 3 in a highly anticipated matchup against last year's national runner-up Oregon at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.