2014-15 Football Previews – (ACC) – Cardinals
Lots of change for Louisville this season as they enter the ACC and welcome back Bobby Petrino as coach. Under former coach Charlie Strong the Cardinals were beasts of the Big East but last year they fell short in their bid to capture an AAC title.
Louisville Cardinals
Head Coach: Bobby Petrino
2013 Record: 12-1
Odds to win National Championship: +100/1
Odds to win (ACC): 10/1
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Louisville Team Link
Teddy Bridgewater was marvelous last year and his absence alone would have made for a tough transition. Throw in the coaching change and a whole new slate of opponents and this season could be very tough.
Strengths:
One thing coach Bobby Petrino has proven is that he can coach offensive football. Last year even with Bridgewater at the helm the Cardinals were only 25th in the nation in points scored.
There are likely to be a few more mistakes with a new quarterback at the helm but this team will move the ball and score.
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Louisville has maybe the best receiver in the league in DeVante Parker. He is big and fast and before too long all of the cornerbacks in the league will be talking about him. Expected quarterback Will Gardner will have another experienced target in senior TE Gerald Christian.
More of a receiver than a masher he should be the safety blanked for Gardner.
It seems like ages ago that Michael Dyer was a freshman making big plays for Auburn on the way to a national title.
This year he finds himself at Louisville looking to make something of his college career. He and the powerful Dominique Brown will form a potent one-two punch in the ground game behind an offensive line with three returning starters
Weaknesses:
Last year’s defense was second in points allowed at 12.1ppg. They were first in rushing and first in total defense as well but that was with Charlie Strong at the helm, a coach who was all about discipline and a defense first guy to boot. Even if Strong had returned the Cardinals would have been hard pressed to repeat that kind of performance with only 4 starters returning on defense.
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That top ranked rushing defense was strong up front but no starters return on the defensive line this season.
The ACC is not exactly a smashmouth league but the lack of experience up front is going to put a lot of pressure on LB Lorenzo Mauldin, the only Louisville defender to make and preseason all conference team.
Starting quarterback Will Gardner is probably a better athlete than Bridgewater but he is green. Last season the Cardinals were +17 in turnovers because the offense was super at protecting the ball.
That kind of margin generally averages out over time but could really swing in the opposite direction this season with a first time starter at QB.
Prediction: 8-4
Schedule
- Sep 1 – Miami
- Sep 6 – Murray State
- Sep 13 – @Virginia
- Sep 20 – @FIU
- Sep 27 – Wake Forest
- Oct 3 – @Syracuse
- Oct 11 – @Clemson
- Oct 18 – NC State
- Oct 30 – Florida State
- Nov 9 – @Boston College
- Nov 22 – @Notre Dame
- Nov 29 – Kentucky
The Cardinals are not going to embarrass themselves in the ACC but I think it is fair to say that Charlie Strong got out while getting was good. If QB Gardner is solid they will probably finish in second in their division but I wouldn’t expect many upsets.
Look for some overs with Louisville this season.
Petrino will get the offense to perform and they defense won’t be nearly as tight as the last couple of years.
