SB Nation - Hunter Cantwell

Rivalry Week Wednesday links

Mike Rutherford — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 14:34:16 -0000

--We're now a mere 72 hours away from the big game, and....still nothing. No trash talk, no car flags, no hideous logo-embroidered dress shirts at work. Louisville fans still think they're about to get smacked and Kentucky fans are still too nervous to gloat.

I really think all this stems from the fact that Cardinal fans have gotten so used to success that a healthy dose of failure has made them overly pessimistic. On the other hand, the members of Big Blue Nation are so used to looking forward to football season solely because of tailgating that they're overly cautious even after enjoying a healthy dose of success.

These ingredients, combined with a few more, have resulted in the big bowl of silence that has been this week.

--And then there's A Sea of Blue's Ken Howlett, who throws caution to the wind and offers up four reasons why Kentucky rolls on Saturday.

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 ...

--Even if U of L fans aren't fired up, Steve Kragthorpe is. Don't believe me? Check out this tweet from last night.

Great attention to detail in our special teams units today in practice. Goettsche kicked the ball well. Great hang time and distance.

The Battle for the Governor's Cup always brings out his inner Ali.

--Speaking of special teams, Kragthorpe will name his starting kicker - Chris Philpott or Ryan Payne - on Thursday.

--Mark Maloney writes about Lexington natives Pete Nochta and Daniel Covington coming home to play inside Commonwealth Stadium, and both men represent the U of L program very well.

Covington, U of L's second-leading tackler last season (66), has no complaints this year, even though junior-college transfer Terrence Simien has taken his starting job.

"It's not been tough to take," said Covington, who had two tackles in the opener. "It's whatever's best for the team."

Nochta also gets himself back in my good graces by admitting how little he cares for the Kentucky football program.

What if he had to choose between beating UK or winning a Big East title?

"I really don't like them so I'm going to have to say Kentucky," said Nochta, whose dad, John, played for UK and is principal at Henry Clay High School. "Then we'll see what happens down the road, try to knock them both out."

--Not representing his program well: UK linebacker Ridge Wilson, who has officially been suspended for the Louisville game after being charged with fourth-degree assault.

--There a few legitimate reasons for Kentucky to be afraid of Louisville, one of them being Trent Guy's ability to bust the big one on kick returns.

Fear of kick returns: Brooks' voice rose a couple of octaves during his Monday press luncheon when asked about kick coverage. He wasn't auditioning for American Idol.

Tim Masthay is gone. So touchbacks are gone. Against Miami, on average, UK's seven kickoffs reached the RedHawks' 9-yard line. Luckily, Miami didn't possess a dangerous return man.

Louisville does have a dangerous return man. Two years ago at Commonwealth, Trent Guy returned a kickoff 100 yards for a score. He's still around. And chances are, he'll get some chances to repeat that feat Saturday.

The C-J's Brett Dawson also tackles the topic.

It doesn't have to come via a kick return, but there is zero chance (zero chance!) that Louisville wins this game without at least one giant, non-offensive play. Could it be a 70-yard behind-the-back pass from Goettsche to Rock Keys? Of course it could.

--ESPN's Pat Forde gives the game a line in the latest installment of his Forde Yard Dash.

And this week's rivalry game, Louisville-Kentucky (16), is still better off as a season opener (which it is when played at Louisville) than as an anonymous third-week game (which it is when played at Kentucky).

--Wednesday is apparently D-Line focus day on game week, as C.L. Brown and Chip Cosby take a look at the unit for the Cards and the Cats, respectively.

--The more I hear from him, the more I like Justin Burke.

It's a compliment he takes with a grain of salt. He'd like to think he's athletic too, but he doesn't think being hailed for his intelligence works against him.

"I like to be seen as the unathletic nerd," Burke said. "That's my thing, because then when you step on the field you can get an edge on people. I mean, I don't wear Poindexter glasses or anything. I'm still a competitive football player out there - let's not get that mistaken."

...

It's a challenge Burke has been thinking about since arriving on campus more than a year ago. Though he remained neutral about the rivalry growing up, he's a full-fledged Cardinal now. And the city where he grew up is a decidedly different place now that he's wearing red and not Kentucky blue.

"Right now, it's like a foreign city to me," he said. "There's the Burke complex and then there's the rest of the city. I don't feel like I can go out very comfortably anymore around there."

I can't help but say it. If, IF, we beat these guys, how fantastic would it be?

Pants-shedding fantastic.

Kentucky vs. Louisville: No Excuses Edition

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

More photos » by Al Behrman - AP

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

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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!

Getting To Know Gardner-Webb

Akula Wolf — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 06:29:51 -0000

Gardner-Webb University
Founded: 1905
Enrollment: ~4,000
Fun Fact: Formerly Boiling Springs Junior College, the school changed its name to Gardner-Webb in 1942 to honor former North Carolina governor Oliver Max Gardner and his wife. Gardner played football at both NC State and UNC-Chapel Hill and was the only person ever to captain both teams.(Update: Coincidentally, Tim Peeler wrote a piece about Gardner today. Seems to confirm he was a State guy, so there go all my John Edwards jokes. Sigh. HT: James.)

Gardner-Webb Football
Affiliations: Division I-AA, Big South Conference
First Game: 1970
All-Time Record: 209-215-5
Head Coach: Steve Patton (13th season; 79-54 at GWU).
Fun Fact: The Bulldogs are 1-54 all-time against Coastal Carolina.
All-Name Team: Quantavis Jackson, Oluwadamilola Teniola
Last Week: Beat Western Carolina 27-20.
Returning Starters: 23 between the offense, defense, and special teams.

The Bulldogs have finished 5-6 or 6-5 in each of the last five seasons; a true rock of mediocrity, this program. In terms of both their recent track record and their position in the I-AA polls, they're pretty similar to Murray State. Patton even went so far as to admit, "there’s probably not a lot of difference in the talent we have and Murray State." So in terms of the overall challenge--or lack thereof--the picture remains the same.

But they do offer different looks from Murray State both offensively (spread) and defensively (4-3), which hopefully will be helpful to the Wolfpack in some way.

Offense
2008 Vitals: 68th in rushing, 16th in passing, 47th in passing efficiency, 27th in total offense, 69th in scoring. (All ranks I-AA.)

Quarterback Stan Doolittle (6-3, 224) has thrown for more than 3400 yards in 27 career appearances but doesn't have the sort of TD-to-INT ratio that suggests a good decision maker. On the Hunter Cantwell You-Should-Consider-A-Lower-Profile-Position-Unless-You're-Awesome Scale, he rates somewhere towards the middle.

At running back, the Bulldogs have four guys who've run for a combined 3600+ yards in their career. Senior Phillip Peoples (6-0, 220), who ran for 602 yards and six scores in 2008, figures to get most of the work.

There's plenty of experience back at receiver as well, though Gardner-Webb returns just one guy who has been a major contributor in the past: James Perry III (6-0, 184).

Defense
2008 Vitals: 30th in rushing, 93rd in passing, 78th in passing efficiency, 54th in total defense, 52nd in scoring. (All ranks I-AA.)

Linebacker Mario Brown (6-2, 239) was the Big South's 2008 pre-season Defensive Player of the Year but ended up missing the majority of that season. Jeffrey Williams (6-0, 229) led the unit without him; Williams has piled up 100+ tackles in each of the last two seasons. They're both back. Returnees Marty Patterson (6-3, 220) and Oluwadamilola Teniola (5-11, 227) were also in on a bunch of stops in '08, and together they form an extremely experienced group.

It's a similar story at the other positions--plenty of returning experience. None of it matters, but it's there.

UK Football: The Secondary

Ken Howlett — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:20:41 -0000

More photos » by Butch Dill - AP

Happy to have Lindley back.

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The return of all-world cornerback Trevard Lindley to the Kentucky defensive secondary ranks as perhaps the top football story of 2009 for UK football backers. When it was announced in the spring that Lindley was going to test the NFL draft waters, my thought was, "Well, he's gone." Well, wrong. And thankfully so.

Not in the recent annals of UK football history has a player been so decorated, so respected at his position, as Trevard Lindley. Since his freshmen year, when he was named a freshman All-America, Lindley's performance on the field has garnered enough awards and accolades to make Tim Tebow blush. But, Lindley's UK legacy doesn't end there, though -- He has the great distinction of being the only current Wildcat who has started every game since the death of "Old UK" back in ...

... 2006: Andre' Woodson emerged from the shadows of Shane Boyd, as a steely-eyed dart throwing machine, resulting in UK winning eight games for the first time since winning nine in 1984. Starting at cornerback, Trevard Lindley.
In 2007, UK once again led by Andre Woodson, won eight contests, also winning their second straight bowl game, a feat not accomplished in Lexington since the 1950-1951 seasons. Starting at cornerback, Trevard Lindley.
And in 2008, after Woodson, Keenan Burton, Stevie Johnson, Jacob Tamme, and Rafael Little all had departed for the pro ranks, UK still found a way to win seven games, and a program first, third straight bowl victory. And they did it with a lot of bad luck (a mountain of major injuries), a little defense, some good luck (Arkansas), and Trevard Lindley at cornerback.

He's one of the few common threads connecting the previous three UK teams; now he's the only regular contributor to the '06 team still pounding the turf at Commonwealth. He's made Kentucky better, not only with his great skill level, but Lindley has proved to be a supernova when UK has needed to shine the brightest:

In '06, Lindley's freshman year, he intercepted Georgia's Matt Stafford inside the final minute sealing UK's first victory over the Dogs since 1996.
Also in '06, against Clemson in the Music City Bowl, Lindley had an interception and fumble recovery in the 'Cats first bowl victory since 1984.
In '07 versus U of L, on the first play of the game (how sweet), he intercepted a Brian Bohm pass and returned it 33-yards, setting up a UK touchdown. He set the tone for the 'Cats that day, a day UK upset the ninth-rated Cards.
Also in '07, in a thrilling game against Arkansas, Lindley sparked a UK comeback with a 66-yard fumble return for a touchdown. It was the week after the U of L win, and fans were wanting affirmation. And affirmation they received.
And again in '07, versus LSU, in perhaps the most monumental display of drawing a bead on the quarterback's read in the history of college football, Lindley intercepted an LSU pass which set up the game-tying field goal in the fourth quarter.
Not satisfied, Lindley again in 2007 versus Tennessee, intercepted a pass late in the game, sending the epic contest into its first overtime.
In the 2007 Music City Bowl, for the second year in a row, Lindley shone bright in the Nashville sky: He caused a fumble, and recorded three pass break-ups.
Last season against Louisville, for the second year in a row, Lindley played "hugemongous" (a common theme?): He intercepted a Hunter Cantwell pass, and returned it 24 yards to the U of L two-yard line, in yet another UK victory over the evil Cards.

Considering Lindley's consistently excellent play, it is no shock that this season Trevard Lindley's name appears on every ballot except U. S. Senate: Chuck Bednarik Award (nations best defensive player), Bronko Nagurski Trophy (nations best defensive player), and the Jim Thorpe Award (nations best defensive back). He was voted preseason First Team All-SEC, and preseason Second Team All-America. Not one to rest on his laurels, in 2009 Lindley will be expected to ...

.. lead UK's mixture of experience and youth in the Wildcat secondary. It's a talented group of players, but Big Blue lost some good ones to graduation -- Safety Marcus McClinton (50 tackles, four interceptions, four pass deflections, and a ton of experience), cornerback David Jones (34 tackles, one interception, five pass break-ups and six deflections), cornerback Robbie McAtee (33 tackles, one sack, one interception, three pass break-ups, and four pass deflections, he also recovered an SEC-best three fumbles), and utility-man Shomari Moore (28 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one interception, three pass break-ups, four pass deflections).

That's 145 tackles, 11 pass deflections and break-ups, and three interceptions, but most importantly, over 100 games of combined experience. Can Kentucky upgrade their pass defense after losing so much? Here are the guys who will determine the answer to that question:

The Starters

Trevard Lindley -- 6'0", 179 lb senior cornerback: For his career Lindley has accounted for 158 tackles (116 solo tackles), 3.5-tackles for loss, and nine interceptions. In 2008, Lindley led the SEC in Passes Defended with 11 pass break-ups, and four interceptions. He also recorded 39 tackles, and 15 pass deflections. He was voted UK's Team MVP by the players in 2008.

Let's keep this one simple, stupid: Possibly the best cover-corner in UK history.

Paul Warford -- 5'10", 200 lb junior cornerback: Warford redshirted the '08 season after being declared academically ineligible. But, after taking care of business in the classroom in '08, Warford has returned to the field without skipping a beat. In his last season of action (2007), Warford was second on the team with nine pass break-ups, and posted a career-high seven tackles versus LSU, a game in which he broke his collarbone late in the contest. He runs a 4.4 40-yard dash.

Warford is moving up from his safety position to give UK some experience at the cornerback spot opposite Lindley. He is a physical player who likes to hit, and does a great job in run defense-support.

Calvin Harrison -- 6'1", 211 lb senior strong safety: Harrison has played behind the departed Marcus McClinton for the last three years. He has played in 35 games, with six starts to his credit. Harrison has recorded 80 career tackles. In '08, he posted 32 tackles, and one tackle for loss. In a huge Liberty Bowl game, he had five tackles and two pass break-ups. He started and performed well against Tennessee and Alabama last season.

Harrison provides invaluable experience to UK's secondary. He, along with Lindley and Warford, allow UK to boast one of the most experienced, accomplished pass defenses in the SEC.

Winston Guy -- 6'1", 208 sophomore free safety: The Lexington Catholic product played in 13 games as a true freshman last year. He performed mainly with the special teams unit, taking over the kick return duties after Derrick Locke was injured. He responded with 10 returns for 291 yards (29.1 average), and also set a Kentucky record for longest return without scoring a touchdown, with his 96-yard kick return versus Georgia. From the free safety spot he recorded 11 tackles. He was rated a top-30 safety prospect in the nation by Rivals, and the No. 12 safety in the nation by Scout coming out of high school.

Guy brings incredible speed (4.35 40-yard dash), and refined anticipation skills to UK's secondary. He is a star-in-waiting, and a quarterback nightmare beginning September 5.

The Backups

Martavious Neloms -- 6'1", 180 lb true freshman cornerback: The Tennessee native will be backing-up Lindley. He was First Team All-State in Class 4A, and only began playing football his junior year at Fairley High School in Memphis. Despite that, he was rated the No. 30 prospect in in Tennessee by Rivals.

The fact that Neloms has played organized football for only four years, yet has accomplished what he has, is truly astounding. The ceiling is obviously very high for Neloms, and so far he's not given anyone any reasons to doubt his ever-improving ability.

Randall Burden -- 6'0", 270 lb sophomore cornerback: The LaGrange, Georgia native will be backing-up Paul Warford, and may also see the field as the fifth secondary member in UK's nickel package. He had a very strong spring, which followed a solid performance in the Liberty Bowl (two pass break-ups, and one tackle). In '08 Burden appeared in 12 games, contributing four tackles.

The coaches say Burden gets better every day. His attitude, work ethic, and talent will ensure he sees plenty of reps in '09.

Matt Lentz -- 6'3", 218 lb sophomore strong safety: The former quarterback will back-up Calvin Harrison. In '08, Lentz played in 13 games, starting five. He produced 24 tackles, and an interception versus Louisville. He recorded a career-high seven tackles versus Arkansas. He runs a 4.55 40-yard dash.

Lentz performed exceptionally well last year, especially considering the radical position switch he endured. He brings a combination of size and speed to UK's secondary, and like Burden, he'll see a lot of game-action in '09.

Taiedo Smith -- 6'0", 185 lb sophomore free safety: Smith will back-up Winston Guy. He began last season playing cornerback, but in an effort to get him on the field the coaches moved him to free safety. He played seven games, earning the start against Georgia. He had three tackles and a pass break-up in the win over Mississippi State.

Another young, talented performer, Smith will share back-up duties to Guy with Ashton Cobb (see below).

Ashton Cobb -- 6'0", 215 lb senior free safety: In '08 Cobb played in 11 games, with six starts. He recorded 37 tackles, and scored on a 28-yard fumble return versus Louisville. He also recovered a fumble versus Arkansas, and had a career high six tackles against both Georgia and Tennessee. In 2007, Cobb executed 42 tackles (second among UK's defensive backs). He's one of the strongest Wildcats pound-for-pound, bench pressing 370 lbs, and squatting 465 lbs. Yikes!

Cobb has taken a small step back. Most expected him to start at the free safety spot after last season, but Winston Guy stole his position. Cobb though, will see "starter's minutes," and will be featured in UK's nickel package at times.

Supplying depth to UK's secondary will be junior cornerback Daryl Faulkner, redshirt freshman cornerback Cartier Rice, sophomore cornerback Anthony Mosley, and sophomore strong safety Greg Wilson.

CliffsNotes Analysis

The question was, "Can Kentucky upgrade their defense after losing so much?" You've met the players, now meet the 2008 stats -- UK recorded 12 interceptions last season, good for seventh in the SEC. They had 45 pass break-ups and 57 pass deflections, both good numbers, but they allowed 193.2 yards passing per game (ninth in the SEC), and 18 passing touchdowns (only Auburn and Arkansas allowed more). Overall, UK was ninth in in the SEC in overall Pass Defense, and eighth in the SEC in passing yards allowed with 2,511.

Not great numbers, but they are an improvement over UK's previous, all-too regular occupation of the SEC basement, in the area of defensive play. But, there still exists much room for bettering the overall defensive performance, and this season the UK coaching staff will be looking to take another step forward. With Lindley, Warford, and Harrison leading a group of otherwise youthful, but talented performers, Kentucky has an opportunity to leap into the upper-echelon of SEC defensive teams (top-5 or better). Giving UK the upper-hand in many cases this season will be the relative youth of SEC quarterbacks; other than Tebow, Jevan Snead (Ole Miss), Stephen Garcia (South Carolina), and Jonathan Crompton (Tennessee), the SEC is littered with untested signal-callers.

I look for Trevard Lindley to end his UK career with a record-setting season. His job will be made easier by the fact that he's surrounded by talented, experienced teammates, which will force quarterbacks to have to make unpleasant decisions. Resulting in the real possibility of having no recourse but to force the ball into their best receivers hands. But, Lindley will be stalking ...

For other positional breakdowns: Setting a New Standard The Linebackers The Defensive Line

Happy Birthday

Happy birthday to my mom, Linda. She turned 29 again yesterday!!

Thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats!

Previewing 2009 Utah Opponents: Louisville Cardinals

Jeremy Mauss — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:00:16 -0000

Louisville has not been the same since their Orange Bowl in 2006 and since then have a combined record of 11-13. 2006 happens to be the year Bobby Petrino left the program for the NFL and then Louisville brought in Steve Kragthorpe from Tulsa.

Kragthorpe was to continue the high flying, pass happy scoring offense that he made famous at Tulsa. Instead the team has struggled offensively and has yet to go to a bowl game.

This year seems no different as Louisville is predicted to finish seventh by the preseason mags. The good news about the Big East is that there is no clear cut champion, which means that Louisville could sneak out an extra win or two with all the parity expected for the league.

The offense should be improved with four starters back on the offensive line and eight overall. They do lose quarterback Hunter Cantwell, but the offense will be lead by potential all conference running back Sophomore Victor Anderson and wide receiver Doug Beaumont. Anderson gained just over 1,000 yards and eight scores as a freshman which was good for fifth in the Big East. The running game looks to be the only sure thing for Louisville in 2009, who need all the help they can get.

The quarterback play last year was not great with Hunter Cantwell slinging the ball around. He only averaged 207 yards per game and had 16 touchdowns and intercetpions. The production drop off from 2007 to 2008 was over 1,400 passing yards when Brian Brohm was on campus.

The hope for 2009 comes from NC State transfer Justin Burke who will be a junior entering the season. Burke was a three star recruit and rated the 16th best quarterback in the country coming out of high school in 2006. He did play in three games in 2007 for NC State, but only completed two of three passes for fifteen yards. The hope is for Burke to bring his magic from his Kentucky high school days where he 62 touchdowns as a senior.

The defense was bad last year and ranked seventh in the Big East, and some how defensive coordinator Ron English got the head coaching gig at Eastern Michigan. So, Louisville brings in Utah State head coach reject Brent Guy, and hope he can bring something new to the table.

The only position with strength is the linebackers that return all three starters and the backups, but the rest of the defense is questionable at best. The Cardinals desperately need a pass rush as they were dead last in the Big East with only 14 sacks, and were sixth in takeaways.

The only other good news to be found for Louisville is that of the new starters four of the six are upperclassmen with playing experience, so there is some hope for them. The goal should be to get back to a bowl game, but that is an unlikely scenario and five wins looks to be where Louisville maxes out.

Pat White Visits the Minnesota Vikings

Gonzo — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 01:39:48 -0000

More photos » by David Zalubowski - AP

8 months ago: FILE - In this Sept. 18, 2008 file photo, West Virginia quarterback Pat White (5) throws a pass against Colorado in the first quarter of a college football game in Boulder, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)

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Yesterday, we talked about a versatile player that may have fallen off the Vikings' radar due largely to his off-the-field foibles in Florida's Percy Harvin. Word has come today from the folks at Fox Sports that the Vikings got a visit today from another multi-faceted talent that could have a big impact on Minnesota's offense if he were utilized properly.

West Virginia quarterback Pat White, the NCAA's all-time leader in rushing yards by a quarterback, paid a visit to the folks at Winter Park today. White is an interesting prospect, to say the least. He was an extremely dynamic offensive player for the Mountaineers, having been named the Big East Offensive Player of the Year twice to go along with his records and his almost total rewriting of the Mountaineers' record books. But opinions on what White is going to end up as at the next level vary greatly depending on who you ask.

There are many people out there that assume that, in order to make it at the NFL level, that Pat White is going to have to change positions, and that theory has a bit of merit to it. He's a bit small for a QB at the NFL level, measuring in at about 6 feet tall and a shade under 200 pounds, and would need to work on his accuracy in order to be a successful NFL quarterback. He also has outstanding open field running skills, great quickness, and is said to be a very intelligent player.

However, there's actually a pretty wide-spread difference of opinion as to whether or not he's a legitimate quarterback prospect or not. Scott Wright over at NFL Draft Countdown says that White is the #11 rated QB prospect in the draft, behind such luminaries as Central Washington's Mike Reilly, Louisville project Hunter Cantwell, and Texas Tech system QB Graham Harrell, and places a mid-round grade on him. Mike Mayock of the NFL Network and Sports Weekly's NFL Draft Preview both have White ranked as the #4 QB prospect, and Sports Weekly projects White to go in the second or third round on Saturday. Our own Mocking the Draft says that White is a third-round prospect, but says that he probably won't be a QB at the NFL level.

Now, because of the fact that he'll have a lower price tag, and the fact that I, quite frankly, think he's a better football player, I wouldn't have nearly the heartburn with the Vikings taking Pat White in Round 2 or 3 of this year's draft that I'd have with taking Percy Harvin in Round 1. White has every bit of the versatility that Harvin does, plus the additional ability to get behind center at least occasionally. In my opinion, he's as fast as Harvin, as quick as Harvin, and doesn't have the type of injury history that Harvin has. Again, as I said in yesterday's article, I'm not sure if the current regime would be able to utilize him properly, but it would be worth a third-round pick to find out. . .and possibly a second, if the Vikings' war room doesn't think he's going to fall that far.

What say you, folks? Would you rather see the Vikings grab Percy Harvin in Round 1, Pat White in Round 2, pass on both guys. . .or, hey, draft them both (keeping in mind that the team has other needs as well)? Discuss it here, and we'll be back with more tomorrow!

Poll

Given the choice, what would you rather see the Vikings do concerning Florida WR Percy Harvin and West Virginia QB Pat White?

Select Percy Harvin in Round 1 or Round 2

140 votes

Select Pat White in Round 2 or Round 3

651 votes

Avoid both players

187 votes

Take both players if they're available

317 votes

1295 votes | Poll has closed

Quick morning reads

Mike Rutherford — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 15:37:29 -0000

Well, it's official. The No. 1 team in the country will waltz into Freedom Hall Saturday night a perfect 16-0.

Though it was far from their best effort of the season, Pittsburgh disposed of South Florida in a respectable 75-62 fashion. DeJuan Blair led the way with 13 points and 18 rebounds, while Sam Young added a quiet 14 points.

It needs to be Saturday in like four hours.

The Louisville women's team also took on the mighty Bulls from Tampa, and cruised to their 12th straight win, 76-60. Junior reserve Brandie Radde hit five three-pointers and scored 19 points, both career highs, while Angel McCoughtry added 17 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and three steals.

The Louisville baseball team has been tabbed as the No. 11 team in the country by National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association poll voters. The Cards are also No. 8 in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper poll and No. 20 in the Ping! Baseball rankings.

U of L has launched a new website to offer fans "a wealth of information" about the new downtown arena.

UofLarenaseats.com became live this week, providing a source for basketball fans to acquire the latest information on the transition from Freedom Hall to the new arena. Information on this new web address has been sent via postcard to all current U of L season ticket holders.

"There's great interest in this landmark move from Freedom Hall to the new arena," said Gary Friedman, Associate Athletics Director for Development. "This web site provides another tool to communicate with our fans on the process of purchasing seats in this wonderful new facility. We welcome comments and questions from all of our fans."

The site is specifically designed to share information with fans on the transition details involved in moving to the new arena. UofLarenaseats.com includes a question and answer section, facts and figures on the arena, a live web cam of the construction site, seating diagrams, donation levels, timelines and other material.

I hate, hate, hate mock NCAA Tournament brackets, but I'm strangely and uncontrollably drawn to them. Having said that, CBS Sportsline has Louisville as a two seed in the South, playing its first two games of the tournament in Dayton.

Want to hear Bill Raftery talk about Louisville? Click here

From U of L on the '83 team being honored at halftime of Saturday's game:

The University of Louisville will honor its 1983 NCAA Final Four team at halftime of the Cardinals' Jan. 17 game against Pittsburgh. Prior to the game, members of the team will be available for autographs in Freedom Hall from 430-5:30 p.m.

A commemorative poster will be available as an insert in Saturday's game program.

The 1982-83 Cardinals posted a 32-4 record, won the Metro Conference title with a perfect 12-0 mark, and won its last 16 straight games before falling to Houston in the NCAA national semifinals. That game, which featured U of L's "Doctors of Dunk" against the Cougars' "Phi Slamma Jamma," is the highest rated college basketball game other than a national title game.

Four of the five members of the starting five from that team and at least five additional team members are expected to attend the event, in addition to Hall of Fame Coach Denny Crum. Guard Milt Wagner, leading scorer on that team and the Cards' No. 5 all-time scorer (1,836 pts.), will be unable to attend as he currently serves as an assistant coach at UTEP. UTEP plays at East Carolina on Jan. 17.

Should be pretty cool.

And finally, some good news from the gridiron where ESPN's Todd McShay said on the radio yesterday that Hunter Cantwell has been one of the most pleasant surprises of the East-West Shrine Game practices. Apparently Cantwell's release has been much more compact than it was during the season, which is great for him but kind of makes me feel even worse about things.

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

On the legacy of Hunter Cantwell

Mike Rutherford — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 11:00:07 -0000

Regardless of whether his collegiate swan song is comprised of him throwing four touchdowns in a victory or four interceptions in a loss, Hunter Cantwell's Louisville legacy has already been cemented.

The former walk-on from Paducah will forever be remembered as a kid with a cannon for an arm who made some key starts and throws in U of L's most successful football season to date, but who ultimately disappointed in is first and only season as the Cardinals' starting quarterback.

It's an accurate synopsis, but it doesn't tell nearly the whole story.

The season Cantwell had waited his entire life for took its first hit when Mario Urrutia declared for early entry into the NFL Draft last Dec. 14. The aptly sized quarterback and the aptly sized wide receiver had a special connection from the first time they stepped on the field together, and Urrutia was on the receiving end of nearly half of the ten touchdown passes Cantwell had to his credit heading into this season. He then began to form a similar bond with Scott Long which was cut off when the No. 1 receiver in waiting broke a bone in his foot before the season, resumed when he returned and went off for 134 yards and a pair of scores, and terminated when he tore his ACL and was shelved for the season.

On the whole, the quarterback Mel Kiper had pegged as the top in his class this time a year ago has struggled every bit as much as the team he's commanded in 2008. He's tossed an identical 16 touchdowns and interceptions while guiding the Cards to an up-and-down 5-6 season heading into tomorrow night's regular season finale at Rutgers.

When Hunter Cantwell's final snap as a Louisville Cardinal has come and gone, it'll be far too easy to remember the long release, the batted passes, the staring down of one receiver and the disappointing season. What's more difficult but probably more suitable is to remember Cantwell as the player who chose to stay at Louisville when it probably wasn't the best move for him personally.

He had the opportunity to be a three-year starter at a mid-level D-1 program after giving a gutsy performance in the '06 Gator Bowl, and then the opportunity to be a two-year starter at a major D-1 program after his rocket arm was on full display in a highly publicized demolition of Miami. In both instances Cantwell chose to stay, not because he thought he had the chance to unseat Brian Brohm or because he thought Brohm would bolt early for the NFL, but because he wanted to remain loyal to the U of L football program.

"I walked on at Louisville and it was the only Division I-A school that gave me a chance," Cantwell said before this season. "I just felt a lot of loyalty to the school and my coaches. As tough as it was, and even when people were always telling me, 'transfer, transfer, transfer,' I couldn't imagine leaving Louisville."

And that's what should define Hunter Cantwell's legacy as a Louisville Cardinal.

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