Santa Rosa’s Adam Froman has been beaten out by Justin Burke in his bid to be the starting quarterback at the University of Louisville.

Froman, a former star at Maria Carrillo and Santa Rosa Junior College, has battled Burke for the job since the start of spring drills.
But Froman, a junior, has been sidelined for about two weeks by a pulled muscle in his upper back, which caused him to miss a scrimmage on Saturday. He is expected to resume throwing in about a week.

But even when Froman returns, Louisville coach Steve Kragthorpe said that Burke, a junior transfer from North Carolina State, will be the starter. Kragthorpe named the starter for the Cardinals’ Sept. 5 opener against Indiana State after practice Tuesday night.

“Justin’s the starter right now,” Kragthorpe told the Louisville Courier-Journal. “He doesn’t need to look in his rear-view mirror at anyone behind him. He is the guy.”

Froman, who could not be contacted Wednesday, threw for 3,888 yards and 40 touchdowns last year at SRJC and was named the California Community College Offensive Player of the Year.

Kragthorpe told the Courier-Journal that he will wait before he names a No. 2 quarterback. The backup position is likely to go to Froman or redshirt freshman Zack Stoudt.

Froman succeeded Greg Alexander at SRJC last year. Alexander is the starting quarterback at Hawaii.