SB Nation - Jon Dempsey

Kentucky vs. Louisville: No Excuses Edition

Ken Howlett — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 10:51:16 -0000

Derrick Locke carryin' the mail -- A sight Card fan should come to appreciate.

With Kentucky gearing up to face the Louisville Cardinals at Pizza Hut Commonwealth Stadium ... uh, rather, just plain ol' Commonwealth Stadium, it struck me that this year is the first UK vs. U of L game since 1998 that the 'Cats should be a large betting favorite to win, and win big. Am I overconfident? Am I delusional? Maybe so. I'll let you, the faithful reader make that determination after you peruse my four reasons UK will pummel the Evil Birds on Saturday afternoon.

What will serve as an appetizer for A Sea of Blue's coverage of the battle for the Governor's Cup may not be bacon-wrapped shrimp, but it's a start.

1. The Louisville defense -- Other than senior linebacker Jon Dempsey (a team high 80 tackles last year), U of L's defense is full of junior college transfers (5) and inexperienced starters who have displayed an alarming propensity to lose to teams with less talent (see Syracuse last season, and some might argue Rutgers and UConn). Although the Cardinal defense held Indiana State to 101 yards of total offense in U of L's season-opening 30-10 victory, the Sycamores are one of the worst college football teams in America: Playing out of the Missouri Valley Conference, and going back to 2005, Larry Bird's Alma mater is 1 - 47 over their last 48 contests.

More to the point: Playing with a more experienced defense in 2008, the Cards gave up (on the road): 63 points to Rutgers, 41 to Pitt, 28 to Syracuse, and 28 to Memphis. With the improvement of UK quarterback Mike Hartline, the addition of wide receiver Chris Matthews, along with the reappearance of a filthy, greasy-quick Derrick Locke. Also, Randall Cobb who can now concentrate on receiving the ball, and the occasional "Wildcat Package," will be a much more dangerous performer versus Louisville than he was in 2008. To me, this amounts to UK having a razor sharp edge when comparing U of L's defense with the Wildcat offense.

Simply put, holding Kentucky to under 30 points will be a monumental undertaking for these Cards and their defensive coordinator Brent Guy. So, my bottom line reads like this -- If UK limits turnovers and penalties, I fully expect to see the UK side of the scoreboard receive some much needed exercise.

2. The Louisville offense -- By the middle of the season Louisville Athletic Director Tom Jurich is going to wish he hadn't foolishly fought so desperately to have this game played early in the year. For U of L's offense, with a dash of seasoning for quarterback Justin Burke (a Lexington Catholic alum), should be a strength for the Cardinals. And there is no doubt the inexperienced Burke is surrounded by talent, although much of that talent is either coming off major injuries, or simply young.

Running backs Victor Anderson (St. Xavier) and Bilal Powell, receiver Doug Beaumont (Male), receiver Scott Long (coming off a broken foot in '08), and speedster receiver Trent Guy (coming off a gun shot injury) are all capable of making big plays, but quarterback Burke has played only one game (versus Indiana State) in the last two-plus years. A fact quite apparent in Louisville's initial contest. It may seem like excuse making, but offensive chemistry is vitally important to a team's success, and in their first game of the year, the Cards lacked the requisite cohesiveness to play like a team capable of challenging UK.

Adding to the concern Steve Kragthorpe must be feeling about now are the 14 penalties U of L committed against the Sycamores, eight of which occurred on the offensive side of the ball. First game, last game ... 14 penalties is simply an inexcusable number, especially against a team U of L held a tremendous physical advantage over. Can Louisville find, over the course of their off week, the necessary discipline needed to compete against UK's defense? Don't hold your breath.

Finally, due to Burke's understandable rust, and enough penalties to make Conrad Dobler blush, the U of L offense lit up the scoreboard to the tune of only 30 points on a team that has given up an average of 43.3 points per game over the last four seasons. No, the Sycamores haven't played Florida, Texas, or Oklahoma, instead, they've allowed teams such as Western Illinois, Southeast Missouri, Southern Illinois, and Western Kentucky to roll up numbers Steve Spurrier has pined for since he mistakenly fled the friendly confines of The Swamp.

In a nutshell, my point is this -- If U of L can only score 30 on Indiana State (for whatever reason), what are the chances of the Cards scoring the necessary 25-30 points they'll need to win Saturday? Your mileage may vary, but in my view, the Louisville offense has a long way to go, and a short time to get there.

3. Justin Burke/U of L receivers vs. the Wildcat Secondary -- I can remember, not so long ago, watching opposing wide outs race pass UK's secondary, on their way to six. Thankfully, those days are behind us, at least for now.

The Kentucky secondary is now blessed with speed, and perhaps even more importantly this game, size. Corner back Trevard Lindley is 6'0", free safety Matt Lentz is 6'3", corner back Randall Burden is 6'0", safety Winston Guy is 6'1", and strong safety Calvin Harrison is 6'1". My point? U of L has speed at the receiver spot, but they are mighty-mites -- Trent Guy is 5'9", Doug Beaumont is 5'9", running back Victor Anderson (who catches passes out of the backfield) is 5'9". Scott Long, at 6'2", is the only regular Louisville receiver who can stand tall with UK's secondary.

And if you don't think size + speed matters in the secondary, check the tapes of games UK played against Florida in the mid- to late-90's. The visual images you will witness are quite telling, and from the UK perspective, quite unpleasant.

The size advantage the 'Cats hold only tell half the story, though. The other half of the tale includes the fact that UK's secondary is the most talented conglomeration of defensive backs to roam the turf of Commonwealth Stadium, possibly ever. And after witnessing the aggressive, smothering form they took after the first quarter of the Miami game, I was left feeling confident that opposing signal-callers must be sure-of-mind, and acutely accurate in order to consistently inflict damage on the 'Cats' chances at victory.

Quarterback Burke, who went 17-31 through the air, with two interceptions and zero touchdowns against Indiana State, looked neither. Which is certainly understandable considering his extended layoff, but that only brings rise to the question: Will he become more comfortable, more at ease, and less hesitant during U of L's week off? And if Burke does succeed in bettering his game, will he, after throwing a pass that results in a pick, revert to the unsure pocket passer he was in Louisville's first game?

Lots of questions, few answers. Not a pleasant position to find oneself in while preparing to face a hated rival on the road. A hated rival with defensive talent at the ready, and a fan base foaming with frothy anticipation of a legitimate beat-down of a program once considered to be a legend ... in their own minds.

4. 27 - 2 -- The score of last season's Governor's Cup contest might seem irrelevant, and it probably is, but I can't help but come back to this -- Last year, U of L played Kentucky at home, with a new starting quarterback in Hunter Cantwell; this year, U of L plays Kentucky on the road, with once again, a new starting quarterback. Last year, U of L played Kentucky at home, against a defense superior to the Cardinal offense; this year, U of L plays Kentucky on the road, against a defense seemingly superior to the Cardinal offense. Last year, U of L played Kentucky at home, while the 'Cats broke-in a new quarterback; this year, U of L plays Kentucky on the road, while the 'Cats sport a significantly improved, and more experienced quarterback. Last year, U of L lost to Kentucky, at home, 27-2; this year U of L ...

Of course, Louisville has a couple of offensive weapons in receivers Trent Guy and Scott Long that were missing from last year's titanic tilt, but will their presence in '09 be enough to propel the Cards to victory? We'll certainly find out Saturday, but Card fan, in the interest of hygiene, I wouldn't bet the baby's diaper money.

Thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats, beat the Cards!

Game Day: Louisville vs. Indiana State

Mike Rutherford — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 17:19:11 -0000

LOUISVILLE CARDINALS (0-0) vs. INDIANA STATE SYCAMORES (0-0)

Game Time: 7:30 p.m.

Location: Papa John's Cardinal Stadium: Louisville, Ky.

Television: WHAS

Announcers: Drew Deener/Doug James

Favorite: No Line

All-Time Series: Louisville leads 5-3-1

Last Meeting: Indiana State won 44-21 in 1984

Excitement Level (1-10): 2.3

This would be higher if I were actually attending the game, but a wedding is going to prevent that. Still, even if I were going to PJCS the level wouldn't be as high as it should for a season opener because of just how bad these guys are. This will, without a doubt, be the worst college team to ever to play in this stadium.

Game Attire: Khaki suit

Predicted Star of the Game: Victor Anderson

The opportunity for stat-stuffing has never been more available, and I'd be surprised if Kragthorpe didn't try and let VA snatch some bottom line numbers.

Obscure and Bold Prediction: Indiana State tries a trick play and it fails miserably.

I'm thinking botched double pass.

Notable and Quotable

--I own a pair of Indiana State shorts that I wear fairly religiously.

--I'm still cheering for Louisville.

--Indiana State coach Trent Miles is 0-13 in his second season.

--"Do I want to play them? No, I definitely don't want to if I don't have to. But we have to, and there's no ifs, ands or buts about it. We need to get the most money we can out of games like this and go out and compete the best way we can and move on to the next." --Trent Miles

--"We’re really excited, to tell you the truth. It’s a huge opportunity to shock the world on a big stage. I don’t know how many people the place holds exactly [42,000], but it would be kind of nice to do it." --Brock Lough

"Walking up to the stadium (Monday) I was just smiling — it's game week. I'm sure that's how plenty of us seniors are. … We're ready to get after Indiana State." --Jon Dempsey

--""I feel like we need to come out and start our season strong. We need to prove to ourselves that we can be good. We won't be overlooking anybody. You always look to improve and that's what we're looking to do this year." --Greg Scruggs

--"Indiana State has already played a game and we had a chance to look at that film. The schemes that they employed last year and this year are a little bit different. I thought they would throw the ball a little bit more than what they did in that game. They only threw it 18 times with (Wyoming transfer Chris Stutzriem). They did have a 75-yard halfback pass for a touchdown and that's something we anticipate."--Steve Kragthorpe

--"I'm so excited for this game. It's been a long time since we lined up against somebody else. The best thing is we have an opportunity to start 1-0. This is going to be a great year for us." --Johnny Patrick

CC Prediction: Louisville 66, Indiana State 0

If U of L has any trouble at all moving the ball then something is seriously wrong. Kragthorpe needs all the positive mojo he can get, and he showed in his first game at Louisville two years ago that he's not afraid to run it up a little bit.

I'd really like to be overly positive about all of this, but aside from newcomers being able to get into the flow of a season, Justin Burke getting a feel for his receivers and things of that nature, this game is essentially meaningless.

GO CARDS.

Your Kragism and Kragshot of the day for 8/5/09

Mike Rutherford — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 18:26:39 -0000

If you type "Kragthorpe" into google news, the following quote regarding this year's Kentucky game appears at the top:

"The fact that we haven’t won the last two years, I don’t know if that adds anything from our side other than we know that it’s an important game and we want to win it."

It makes sense to me, but my IQ is like 8,002.

Also, the only Louisville-related photo among the Hartford Courant's BE Media Day gallery is this shot of the coach under the title, "With no reporters in sight, Louisville coach Steve Kragthorpe kicks back for a bit."

Sadly, a pic of Jon Dempsey's now semi-famous striped suit has not been made available.

Your 2008 Louisville Football awards

Mike Rutherford — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 08:48:27 -0000

The most important step on any particularly difficult road to closure is acknowledging the existence of an unpleasant reality. So while the best healing approach at the moment may seem to be to deny that the 2008 Louisville football season ever took place, or to admit its presence but add that it ended in 1997, neither is actually a healthy option.

So let's go ahead and face this thing, head-on, together. We'll hand out some awards, have some laughs, shed some tears, break some shit, then chuck this season in a box and stick a small, vomit-colored bow on top.

My hand is here; feel free to reach for it if need be.

Offensive MVP: Victor Anderson

There was much chatter during the spring and summer months that Anderson was going to be the surprise of the season, but nobody was so bold as to predict that the St. X product would race past the 1,000-yard mark, shatter the U of L freshman rushing record and earn Big East Rookie of the Year and Sporting News Freshman All-American honors.

Again, our lone beacon of sanguinity for the next nine months.

CONTENDERS:

Eric Wood

George Bussey

Defensive MVP: Jon Dempsey

The Junior College transfer came in with relatively little hype, but led the Cardinal defense in solo tackles, total tackles and forced fumbles, and trailed only Adrian Grady in tackles for loss. He was the lone Louisville defender to earn All-Big East accolades, garnering a second team nod.

CONTENDERS:

Adrian Grady

Earl Heyman

Best Moment: Cantwell's 24-yard TD pass to Scott Long to give the Cards the lead for good against USF

A tremendous pass and catch that resulted in the feeling that this team could compete for a conference title in a down Big East. True story: they actually called off the rest of the season after that play.

CONTENDERS:

Johnny Patrick's fumble return against Memphis

Adrian Grady scoring against Tennessee Tech

Worst Moment: Myron Pryor's fumble return

Yes, the game was already out-of-hand, but being forced to watch Eric Wood chase Pryor in vain was almost too much to take. It actually might have been too much to take, because I honestly don't remember seeing it live.

CONTENDERS:

Lawrence Wilson's (Connecticut) interception return

The clock hitting zero in the Carrier Dome

Best Play: Victor Anderson's touchdown catch against Connecticut

When he first caught the ball and I saw where the defenders were positioned in front of him, I would have set the odds of Vic getting the ball into the endzone at no better than 10:1. This was the moment I officially climbed on the No. 20 bandwagon.

CONTENDERS:

Cantwell to Long against South Florida

Travis Norton tackling Jourdan Brooks by his hair against Rutgers

Best Game (For Louisville): Louisville 24, South Florida 20

Ah, back when the only question was which bowl this team would end up playing in.

CONTENDERS:

Louisville 38, Kansas State 29

Louisville 51, Tennessee Tech 10

Worst Game (For Louisville): Syracuse 28, Louisville 21

Kentucky sucked because it was the first game of a season so many were already anxious about (and because it was Kentucky), Rutgers sucked because it was just about the most humiliating thing I've ever had to sit through as a sports fan, but the Syracuse loss coming just a week after the South Florida win re-introduced the notion that something was seriously, seriously wrong with the program, and that - I think - makes it just a touch more depressing than the competition.

CONTENDERS

Kentucky 27, Louisville 2

Rutgers 63, Louisville 14

Best Game (Overall): Louisville 24, South Florida 20

Extremely slim pickins here, but Louisville's top triumph of the season also came in the contest that most resembled an actual big-time college football game.

CONTENDERS

West Virginia 35, Louisville 21

Connecticut 26, Louisville 21

Best Individual Offensive Performance: Victor Anderson against Kansas State

Going off for 176 yards and three scores on just 18 carries and two receptions will do that for you.

CONTENDERS:

Victor Anderson vs. Middle Tennessee State

Hunter Cantwell vs. Kansas State

Best Individual Defensive Performance: Johnny Patrick against Memphis

JP was named the Big East Defensive Player of the Week after his 19-yard fumble return for a touchdown propelled the Cards to a 35-28 win over the Tigers. He finished the game with six tackles and figured in a potential 10-point swing at the end of the first half when he blocked a field goal that was returned for a U of L touchdown.

CONTENDERS

Adrian Grady vs. South Florida

Jon Dempsey vs. Kentucky

Best Individual Performance by an Opposing Player: Pat White (West Virginia)

Yet another remarkable performance by White, who will finish his college career having rushed for 8,657 yards and 32 touchdowns and thrown for 11,998 yards and 51 more scores in just four games against Louisville. He also hired Ron Cooper and hit a halfcourt shot to knock the Cardinal basketball team out of the 1981 NCAA Tournament.

CONTENDERS:

Mike Teel (Rutgers)

Donald Brown (Connecticut)

Least Reliable Body Part: Scott Long's knee

I don't think a completely healthy Scott Long for the whole year would have resulted in two or three more victories, but this offense desperately needed a legitimate deep threat and No. 84 was the only one it had. Him being out for nine games and only being truly healthy for one was a far bigger blow than some are willing to acknowledge.

CONTENDERS:

Latarrius Thomas's knee

Trent Guy's whatever kept him out most of the last month of the season

Most Appearances by a Penalty: Not enough men on the line of scrimmage

I might have seen this penalty called twice during all the hours I spent watching NFL or other college games this season, and somehow I don't think there was a U of L tilt over the past three months where the Cardinals weren't flagged for it more than once. Amazing, really.

CONTENDERS:

Holding

Kicking the ball out-of-bounds

Worst Coaching Decision: The 3rd and 23 draw to Brock Bolen against Cincinnati

Not because it wasn't a play designed to pick up a first down, and not because it went to Bolen (well, kind of because it went to Bolen), but because it was a play designed to set up a 45-yard field goal try for a kid the staff hadn't been confident enough to let try a 25-yarder on 4th and 6 or 4th and 3 earlier in the game.

CONTENDERS:

The deadball timeout against Connecticut

Making a big deal out of Cincinnati players praying around the Cardinal bird

Biggest Personal Overreaction (Positive or Negative): The Zack Stoudt jersey throw after the Bilal Powell fumble and TD against Kentucky

Yes, it was a big play, and yes, nobody else saw it, but it was still incredibly premature and unnecessary.

CONTENDERS:

Crazy fist pumping and screaming among an otherwise tame group after the Long TD against South Florida

Getting hammered in a giant Snoopy head after the Syracuse loss

Best Kragism: "We’re frustrated with productivity in terms of points."

It's a solid aspect of productivity to be frustrated with.

CONTENDERS:

"I don't judge games by the score, I judge them by what I see on film."

"I think (now former Syracuse head coach) Greg Robinson is doing a nice job there. He's building the program there. I know he hasn't seen the fruit of his labor yet, but I think he's done a good job. I think they're very, very well-coached in all three phases of the game. We know we're going to have our hands full up in the Dome. We've never played well there. We know we're going to have to play our 'A' game when we go up there."

Best Performance by a Player Who Never Saw the Field: Rock Keys

He was like Titanic in '97.

CONTENDERS:

Zack Stoudt

Will Stein

Best Reason to be Optimistic about the 2009 Season: Victor Anderson being alive

I was going to add "and healthy," but a one-legged Vic is still probably more of a reason to be excited about the Tennessee State - or whoever the hell we play in next year's opener - game than just about anything else.

CONTENDERS:

The potential of a healthy Scott Long/Trent Guy/Doug Beaumont receiving trio

Alcohol

Victor Anderson named Big East Rookie of the Year

Mike Rutherford — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 17:41:02 -0000

Vic Anderson became the first Louisville player to be named Big East Rookie of the Year when he was honored with the distinction Wednesday morning.

The St. Xavier High School product led the Cardinals with 1,047 yards rushing (the fifth-highest total in the conference) and eight touchdowns. He became the program's 13th 1,000-yard rusher, and its first since Michael Bush in 2005.

Senior captain and center Eric Wood was one of three repeat selections to the Big East's first team offense, Pitt's LeSean McCoy and West Virginia's Pat White being the others. He was joined on the first team offensive line by fellow senior George Bussey.

Anderson, wide receiver Doug Beaumont, returner Trent Guy and linebacker Jon Dempsey were all second team selections.

Pitt middle linebacker Scott McKillop was named Defensive Player of the Year, and in a bit of an upset, UConn running back Donald Brown bested McCoy for Offensive Player of the Year honors. Cincinnati's Brian Kelly became the first person to be named Big East Coach of the Year in back-to-back seasons since Miami's Larry Coker did it in 2001 and 2002.

Big congrats to Vic, our lone beacon of sanguinity for the next nine months.

Game Day: Louisville at Rutgers

Mike Rutherford — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 21:05:17 -0000

LOUISVILLE CARDINALS (5-6, 1-5) At RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS (6-5, 4-2)

Game Time: 7:30 p.m.

Location: Rutgers Stadium: Piscataway, N.J.

Television: ESPN

Announcers: Chris Fowler/Craig James/Jesse Palmer/Erin Andrews

Favorite: Rutgers by 11

All-Time Series: Rutgers leads 5-2

Last Meeting: Louisville won 41-38 in 2007

Excitement Level (1-10): 2.9

There's a very solid chance I may have to miss the first 15 or so minutes of this game, and I informed the involved parties that I was OK with this. Not a statement I've been able to make many times over the last 24 years.

Game Attire: Black "The Ville" shirt

Hasn't been worn since the New Year's Day loss to Cincinnati almost a year ago, so why not throw him out there tonight.

Predicted Star of the Game: Victor Anderson

Why the hell not?

Obscure and Bold Prediction(s): Either Kenny Britt or Tiquan Underwood goes for more than 200 yards receiving.

Notable and Quotable

--Rutgers is riding a five-game win streak, and has outscored its opponents 114-36 in the month of November.

--Kenny Britt leads the nation in receiving yards per game and ranks sixth in total receptions.

--Rutgers leads the Big East in conference play in scoring offense (29.5), pass efficiency (144.5), third-down conversions (44.8%). red zone offense (17-of-19, 89.5%) and fewest penalty yardage per game (41.8).

--Louisville needs a victory to avoid its first losing season in ten years.

--“We’re frustrated with productivity in terms of points.” --Steve Kragthorpe

--"It's real important for us to finish this season at least at .500. It will get everyone's confidence back so we can go into next year with our heads up." --Jon Dempsey

--"I think it's dangerous for players to start reflecting when you have a game to play. You take your eyes off the prize. Sometimes I've seen guys get too emotional for their final game, and then the only emotion they'll have for the rest of their lives is regret because they didn't play well in their final game." --Greg Schiano

“If you look at what’s gone on over the course of the year, you’d probably say we do (have an advantage). But I don’t think so, because the guys that are playing are extremely talented. They might not be as experienced as they’d like but No. 19 is one of the best we’ll see all season and No. 7 (Karldell Dunning) is learning as he plays but he’s a talent.” --Mike Teel

Cincinnati 28, Louisville 20

Mike Rutherford — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 20:39:14 -0000

It's gross outside and I don't have a sporting event to look forward to today, so I'm going to shelve the initial positivity.

With all due respect to Cincinnati - a team that will almost certainly prove itself fully capable of handling Syracuse in two weeks - that was an awful football game. In fact, this has been a season loaded with almost nothing but awful football games. Even in the tight tilts where I've been near completely focused on willing the Cards to victory, there's always been a moment where, "wow, this is pretty bad" has crept into the back of my mind.

Sometimes you need the take of complete outsiders to gain proper perspective, and I found some of that when I read the U of L/UC game thread over at Burnt Orange Nation where a hoard of Texas fans were pulling for the Cards because a Bearcat loss would hurt Oklahoma and help the 'Horns in the computer rankings. I imagine it'd be sort of like us having to pull for UTEP to beat Rice in order to gain a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Have I shared my feelings on college football's postseason before?

Anyway, here are a few of the thoughts of the UT turned U of L fans during the action last night.

This game is dead...

… no excitement.

by Horn Brain on Nov 14, 2008 11:27 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Louisville finding every possible way to lose a game

This team has no heart

by burnt in ny on Nov 14, 2008 11:27 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

We are so spoiled... .nt whills

by Horn Brain on Nov 14, 2008 11:28 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

That was horrid

Contract the Big East

--PB--

by PB @ BON on Nov 15, 2008 12:17 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

It feels like Miami was about 15 years ago.

U of L was given every opportunity to seize complete control of the game early in the second half, but the Cards again refused to do so. Cincy kicks the ball out-of-bounds to start the half, U of L gets one first down and punts. Cincy fumbles on its own nine, U of L gains nothing and kicks a field goal. Cincy misses a field goal after a long drive, U of L goes three and out and gives it right back.

The Cards could never find a big offensive play when they needed it. Take two: The Cards could never find a big offensive play that wasn't negated by a holding penalty when they needed it.

There was a lot to be upset about after the game, but what precipitated the 45-yard field goal attempt made the largest negative stamp on me.

Apparently we have so little faith in our kicker with nothing on the line early in the first quarter that we opt to go for it on 4th and 6 instead of attempting a 25-yard field goal. But then, miraculously, we have so much faith in our kicker down one midway through the 4th quarter that we can run a draw play on 3rd and 16 from just outside the 30. You don't need to try and pick up the first down in that situation, but you do need to put the ball in the air and try to pick up nine or ten yards in order to give the kid a chance.

Ryan Payne was thrown to the wolves, and I found that really upsetting.

So apparently Brian Kelly's blowing off Kragthorpe after the game was the product of Krag making a fuss over the Bearcat players praying around midifeld before the game.

That's awesome. You get the feeling sometimes that the guy goes out of his way to invent stuff to get worked up about with the hope that he can minimize the lack of intensity criticism.

Sometimes the impact Ron English has had on this team becomes undeniably apparent.

Cincinnati tried to run the same middle screen it used to score its first touchdown on two more occasions later in the game. The first time the receiver made the catch and was hit immediately after a gain of two yards. The second time the linebackers were all over both receivers and the Bearcats ended up being penalized for having an ineligible receiver downfield.

This defense might not be as good as it could possibly be, but I think it's pretty damn close.

It's ridiculous how much this team needs Scott Long. There's simply no other legitimate deep threat among the corps.

I keep wanting Brohm to give Chris Vaughn a chance to step up and make some plays downfield - and to his credit, Vaughn played more inspired wearing No. 84 than he ever has while wearing No. 9 over the past three seasons - but when you keep your eye on him for an extended period of time, it becomes apparent why he hasn't been utilized any more in Long's absence: the guy doesn't know any of the plays. There were at least four times when the team broke the huddle and Vaughn had to go over to Cantwell and ask a question, and on two of those occasions he promptly went and lined up on the wrong side of the field.

Even on Doug Beaumont's big catch down the middle of the field, Josh Chichester was five yards directly in front of him, meaning one of them (I'm going to go ahead and guess No. 11) ran the wrong route.

Without Long and Guy for so much of the season, guys who weren't anywhere near ready for the spotlight were thrust into it kicking and screaming, and it's been really noticeable from the opening series against Kentucky up until now.

I feel like Troy Pascley goes deep on every play. It seems like every time a play ends you see Pascley jogging back to the huddle from about 30 yards downfield. He's like the super fast soccer-playing kid who had no hands at recess.

Trying to implement the Wildcat offense for the third-to-last game of the season doesn't make much sense to me. Then again, neither does 3rd grade math.

Cincinnati's offense stalled every time they tried to run no huddle. They'd run a draw for seven yards, then sprint to the line of scrimmage and get stuffed or throw an incompletion. I wish we'd seen more of it in the second half.

I think the highlight of the game was definitely the playing of "Shout" after the announcement of the VMI/Kentucky score. It was the most excited and unified the crowd has been since the '07 Murray State game.

There were a couple of Kentucky fans in the bathroom at halftime - apparently showing your team pride at a game featuring your arch-rival and a school you have no connection with is more important than actually watching your team play - both of whom were promptly greeted with VMI chants and then one guy in the area saying, "don't worry about it man, I'm sure VMI would give Gardner-Webb a hell of a game."

Oh, bathroom shenanigans.

The night was summed up by a message from a friend in the third quarter who said, "We're beating a ranked team on national television and I've gotten four text messages and a voice mail about UK losing to VMI."

Get well, Vic. Please, god, get well.

I expected a half-empty stadium once the rain started, but I was really disappointed in the lack of poncho unification. I'm sure they sell red ponchos somewhere, people. Don't settle for green, yellow or blue and think that's OK.

I don't think we've had a holding penalty on a play that's gone for less than 15 yards all season. Even when Josh Chichester tried, the ball went right to Brock Bolen and he rumbled for 30 yards.

It's not cool, but it's kind of amazing.

The Cincinnati fans were very loud and impressive. I suppose playing for a conference championship tends to have that effect.

It would have been nice if the hooligan who played the Tumbleweed game at halftime had had the decency to put his hat on straight.

The lead official must have told some girl he's trying to impress to watch the game, because he was sure jumping on every possible opportunity to get himself on television.

I made the remark when they went to review the Bolen play that I've never seen a spot challenge overturned in college or the NFL. Spotting the ball is about as much of an inexact science as there is, so finding conclusive evidence to overturn a call should be nearly impossible.

I still haven't seen the broadcast, but a number of people have confirmed that we got hosed, which I guess figures since there's only three weeks left in the season and getting inexplicably reemed by an officiating crew at least once a year was part of the agreement when the Big East offered U of L a spot in the conference.

I love Mike Mickens. I said it.

Cory Goettsche has really improved as the season has gone on, and deserves at least a little love. One of you send him a card.

Jon Dempsey made two straight hellacious plays. The first when he stripped Jacob Ramsey and then made the recovery, and the second when he came from the outside and caught John Goebel from behind right around the line of scrimmage. If he can bring that fire consistently next season then he could have a hell of a senior year.

I really don't understand why we had Travis Norton on an island against Dominick Goodman on 3rd and 4 on UC's last scoring drive. I realize that Goodman had gotten the best of Woodny Turenne for most of the game, but No. 9 is still your best option in that situation.

There was a stretch of about six or seven straight series' where we ran the ball for a short gain on first down and then threw it on second and third down. When we finally mixed it up and ran a reverse and a play-action pass on first down, both plays worked. The offense has to become as unpredictable as it was under Petrino if the coaching staff wants it to be anywhere near as effective as it was under Petrino.

How the play action, roll to the right, 11-yard comeback play continues to work after we've run it at least 750 times is anyone's guess.

I miss the keg.

Game Day: Louisville at Pittsburgh

Mike Rutherford — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 12:00:06 -0000

LOUISVILLE CARDINALS (5-3, 1-2) AT PITTSBURGH PANTHERS (6-2, 2-1)

Game Time: Noon

Location: Heinz Field:Pittsburgh, Pa.

Television: WHAS-11/Big East Network

Announcers: Mike Gleason/John Congemi

Favorite: Pittsburgh by 6

All-Time Series: Louisville leads 7-4

Last Meeting: Louisville won 24-17 in 2007

Excitement Level (1-10): 3.9

What transpired last weekend dropped this total no less than 3.1 points

Game Attire: Red long-sleeved shirt with "Louisville Cardinals" across the chest in white

It's time to class these road game viewings up a tad.

Predicted Star of the Game: Jon Dempsey

Someone's going to have to lead the charge to hold McCoy under 200 if we're going to have a chance.

Obscure and Bold Prediction: We don't run a draw play out of the shotgun on 3rd and less than 10

Notable and Quotable

--Though Pitt took the first four games in this series' history, the Cards have beatedn the Panthers the last seven times the two have met.

--Pitt is 0-3 when ranked and playing at home under Dave Wannstedt.

--Louisville owns the No. 9 rushing defense in the country, but LeSean McCoy comes into today as the nation's sixth-leading rusher, averaging 125 yards per game.

--Pitt QB Bill Stull will return to the starting lineup after missing last week's game against Notre Dame with a stinger and a concussion.

--While U of L is just 3-of-6 on field goal attempts as a team, Pitt kicker Conor Lee has drilled 16-of-18 attempts on the year.

--Panther middle linebacker Scott McKillop ranks tenth in the country in tackles. He led the nation in the category a season ago.

--"I don't want to make it like a revenge thing, but it kind of is, though. It's always been in the back of my head that the reason that we lost that game was because of me. It'll probably drive me more against Louisville." --LeSean McCoy

--"We were in control of that (UConn) game and ended up losing that, but we felt we were right back in the Big East race (after South Florida) and we lost to Syracuse. We've got to put that behind us and play up to our capability." --Hunter Cantwell

--"Nobody's happy around here. I'm not happy. I'm as upset as I've ever been.'' --Steve Kragthorpe

--“I think they’re playing well right now. They’re doing a nice job of running the football and they’ve got a two-headed monster at tailback. They’ve got big, physical receivers and they do a nice job throwing play-action passes. And they’ve got a big, physical offensive line.” --Steve Kragthorpe

--“We’ll bounce back from the loss to Syracuse, learn from it and become a better football team. We’ve got to put it behind us and focus on the last four games and playing the way we’re capable.” --Hunter Cantwell

Louisville 24, South Florida 20

Mike Rutherford — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 06:11:56 -0000

As you roll out of bed this morning and stare the start of yet another work week directly in the face, the Louisville football team sits at 5-2 and directly in the middle of the race for the Big East championship and a spot in a BCS bowl game.

I'm not saying it's time to start laying out plans for another New Years in Miami, but seriously, what game remaining on the schedule scares you? What game remaining on the schedule can the team we saw Saturday afternoon not beat?

Steve Kragthorpe desperately needed to sustain this fan base's attention into November and the start of basketball season, and by notching the biggest win of his Cardinal career to date he's all but ensured that there will be a buzz surrounding the U of L football team post-Halloween.

Anticipation, angst and excitement have all made their way back to Saturdays in the Derby City.

I can't see myself ever watching a game from the 2007 season again, but if I did, my guess is that I would be blown away by the drastic fall off in defensive intensity when juxtaposed with what we've seen week in and week out this year. This unit isn't nearly as talented as the '04 or '06 defenses, and it's probably not as talented as the '07 defense, but these guys play their asses off every single down and it's been an absolute pleasure to watch for the past two months.

Ron English could fart in my dinner tonight...spray fart.

Scott Long. Scott Long. Scott Long. 2008. 2008. 2008.

The curtain finally rises.

I know I bring this up every week, but I don't think the importance of the play of our defensive ends can be overstated. Mitchell, Gnat, Scott and Scruggs were phenomenal on Saturday, and really paved the way for guys like Jon Dempsey, Adrian Grady and Earl Heyman to have big games.

Speaking of Grady, this was the game we've been waiting for him to have for about 14 months.

Johnny Patrick is slowly turning himself into an NFL prospect. If he makes a similar leap in progress this offseason then he could be the recipient of a significant amount of praise once his senior season rolls around.

I really wish we had Woodny Turenne for another season. He's already got the skills you can't teach, and the mental side is finally starting to click.

Hunter Cantwell wasn't exactly stellar, but he was good, and he made a perfect throw when his team needed it the most. The constant locking into one receiver is discouraging, but when you have that kind of arm sometimes it doesn't matter that the guys on the other team know where you're going with the ball. It also helps when the guy you're locking into is a healthy Scott Long.

Do yourself a favor on Saturday and focus only on Eric Wood for three or four plays. No. 77 is far and away the best player on this team.

Major kudos to George Bussy (as well as the double and triple teamers) for stepping up and getting the job done on George Selvie after it looked like he might hit double digits in sacks before halftime.

I'm still extremely uneasy any time toe (or cleat) meets leather.

Life is more exciting when Trent Guy's on the field. Also, I'm really eager to see what Chaz Thompson does once he finally gets his hands on a return.

Seventy-three yards? When is Victor Anderson going to step up and have a positive impact on a game?

It was good to see Bilal Powell get into the open field and make some people miss. It was also good to see Brock Bolen jumping over people.

If Louisville were to somehow reel off seven straight and capture a second BCS bowl victory in three years, don't think for a second that I wouldn't scour the ends of the Earth to discover This Guy's real identity.

Stoudt jersey + appropriate hat = 3-0

I laugh every single time on the Kroger commercial when it cuts from the extended shot of intense Steve Kragthorpe to "Ground Chuck - $1.99."

Jim Leavitt is hilarious.

Dontavia Bogan certainly thinks highly of himself. His antics don't come anywhere near Matt Grothe's 2006 postgame comments in terms of level of annoyance, but, yeah, he was annoying.

I am happy.