The calender finally turns to August tomorrow, and with the new month a new season finally begins. The Bearcats will practice tomorrow and Saturday at Nippert Stadium before making their way to Higher Ground on Sunday.
The Bearcats will make a couple of appearances in the New York Times this week as columnist Pete Thamel writes a very positive piece on the Bearcats and their apparent snub at BIG EAST Media day.
Also, check tomorrow as UC will be tabbed as 28th team on The Quad's Countdown of every team in FCS.
7.31.2008
7.29.2008
BIG EAST Media Day
The folks that cover the conference gathered in Rhode Island today...the group included UC beat writer Bill Koch, which should have pleased Brian Kelly at the least. Anyways, here is what they came up with.
Rank Team Pts.
1. West Virginia (22) 189
2. USF (1) 149
3. Pittsburgh (1) 128
4. Rutgers 110
5. Cincinnati 98
6. Connecticut 97
7. Louisville 69
8. Syracuse 24
In other news, the BIG EAST announced the television schedule for the season. Here are all the nationally/regionally televised games that UC will play in this year.
ABC
Sat., Sept. 6 Cincinnati at Oklahoma 3:30 p.m.
ESPN
Fri., Oct. 3 Cincinnati at Marshall 8 p.m.
Thurs., Oct. 30 USF at CINCINNATI 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 14 CINCINNATI at LOUISVILLE 8 p.m.
ESPN Regional
Sat., Oct. 11 SYRACUSE at WEST VIRGINIA or RUTGERS at CINCINNATI
Sat., Nov. 22 PITTSBURGH at CINCINNATI or WEST VIRGINIA at LOUISVILLE
Sat., Nov. 29 SYRACUSE at CINCINNATI
Rank Team Pts.
1. West Virginia (22) 189
2. USF (1) 149
3. Pittsburgh (1) 128
4. Rutgers 110
5. Cincinnati 98
6. Connecticut 97
7. Louisville 69
8. Syracuse 24
In other news, the BIG EAST announced the television schedule for the season. Here are all the nationally/regionally televised games that UC will play in this year.
ABC
Sat., Sept. 6 Cincinnati at Oklahoma 3:30 p.m.
ESPN
Fri., Oct. 3 Cincinnati at Marshall 8 p.m.
Thurs., Oct. 30 USF at CINCINNATI 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 14 CINCINNATI at LOUISVILLE 8 p.m.
ESPN Regional
Sat., Oct. 11 SYRACUSE at WEST VIRGINIA or RUTGERS at CINCINNATI
Sat., Nov. 22 PITTSBURGH at CINCINNATI or WEST VIRGINIA at LOUISVILLE
Sat., Nov. 29 SYRACUSE at CINCINNATI
Know Your Foe: Pittsburgh
(Courtesy of The NY Times)
No. 32 Pittsburgh
Quick facts: In baseball terms, the Dave Wannstedt era has been a fly ball to the warning track: Much promise, great expectations, but when all is said and done, largely unremarkable. It wasn’t supposed to be so. Wannstedt’s hiring was nearly universally lauded, as the former Bears and Dolphins head coach brought with him a sterling resume and a well-deserved reputation as one of the nation’s best recruiters. In addition, the Pennsylvania-bred and Pittsburgh-educated Wannstedt epitomized the blue-collar ethics that define the Steel City, making him an even more attractive candidate. There is certainly still time for Wanny to make an impact at his alma mater, but the first three seasons (a combined 16-19) have been underwhelming. He enters 2008 needing a big season to silence his critics.
Tidbit: Though the last three seasons have fallen short of expectations, the Panthers are still averaging almost seven wins per season this decade. While this total falls short of their success in the 1970s and 1980s, it remains an improvement over the disastrous 1990s, where Pittsburgh stumbled through eight sub-.500 campaigns.
Tidbit (empty seat edition): Though playing its games at the spacious, off-campus Heinz Field is largely to blame, Pitt finished last among B.C.S. teams in average percentage of capacity attendance – 51.2 percent – during its seven home games.
Team Information
Head coach: Dave Wannstedt (’74 Pittsburgh), 16-19 after three seasons at his alma mater. Wannstedt, a former Panthers captain (1973), is well known among football fans for his two head coaching stints in the N.F.L., first with the Bears (1993-98), then with the Dolphins (2000-4). Both tenures started well – he was the 1994 N.F.C. coach of the year, and was 41-23 through his first four seasons in Miami – but Wannstedt, in both cases, was unable to maintain his early success. Both terms ended poorly: In Chicago, the Bears fired Wannstedt after back-to-back 4-12 seasons from 1997-98, and in Miami, he stepped down after a 3-4 start to the 2004 season. Yet while Wanny has struggled as a head man – yes, we’re counting his job with the Panthers – he has excelled as both a college and pro assistant, most notably under Jimmy Johnson, his coaching mentor. Their association began at Oklahoma State, where Wannstedt served as both defensive line coach (1979-81) and defensive coordinator (1982). After a three-year stint at U.S.C. (1983-85), Wannstedt reunited with Johnson at Miami (1986-88), coaching the defense. Over that three-year span, the Hurricanes went 34-2, winning the 1987 national title; much of that was due to Wannstedt’s defense, which held opponents to three-year averages of 10.9 points per game and 2.2 yards per carry. Wannstedt followed Johnson to Dallas, serving as his defensive coordinator from 1989-92 and winning one Super Bowl. Calling 2008 a make-or-break season for Wannstedt may be extreme – barring a monumental collapse, he’ll return in 2009 – but the talent is there for the Panthers to win the Big East. Fans will not be happy with anything less than a bowl appearance. Seat temperature check: baking.
Tidbit (coaching edition): No offseason move – not even the recruitment of the much-heralded incoming freshman Jonathan Baldwin – will have as big an effect as the hiring of Phil Bennett as defensive coordinator. Though the departed Paul Rhoads (now leading the defense at Auburn) was no slouch, Bennett, the former head coach at S.M.U., is one of the best defensive minds in the entire F.B.S. Many teams were angling for Bennett’s services for the 2008 season; it was a coup for Wannstedt and the Panthers to land the talented coordinator.
2007 record: 5-7 (3-4). The 5-7 finish has to be construed as a disappointment, though the Panthers were crippled by a number of key injuries, forcing them to play a number of inexperienced underclassmen. The most damaging injuries were to the all-Big East receiver Derek Kinder – who was lost to an A.C.L. tear in fall camp and did not play a down all season – and starting quarterback Bill Stull, who played only part of the opening game of the season. However, even in a five-win campaign, there were a few bright spots. What should have Panther fans the most excited was the performance of the sophomore running back LeSean McCoy, who turned in the best season by a freshman running back in the nation. Additionally, the injury to Stull allowed another freshman, the much-hyped Pat Bostick, to start eight games, which will pay dividends as his career progresses. The talented young duo were the key cogs in a Pitt offense that averaged 22.8 points per game, though the team averaged only 319.5 yards per game, a rather pedestrian total. Conversely, the defense was very strong, allowing only 297.7 yards per game (fifth in the nation), but allowed 24.2 points per game. The Countdown believes Pittsburgh’s minus-five turnover margin is partly to blame for that discrepancy.
High point: Bar none, the 13-9 upset victory over West Virginia in the season finale. What makes the win even more impressive is the fact that the referees seemed to do everything in their power to keep Pittsburgh from gaining the victory. The loss knocked the hated Mountaineers out of the B.C.S. title picture, which took some of the sting out of Pitt’s disappointing five-win finish.
Low point: A four-game losing streak following a 2-0 start. The losses did come against solid competition: Michigan State (by 17-13), Connecticut (by 34-14), Virginia (by 44-14) and Navy (by 48-45 in double overtime). Against Navy, Wannstedt elected to go for a potential game-winning 2-point conversion in the second overtime instead of electing for the extra point and an additional O.T. frame. Four of Pitt’s seven losses (Michigan State, Navy, by 24-17 to Louisville and by 20-16 to Rutgers) came by a total of 18 points.
Tidbit (rivalry edition): Pittsburgh’s intense rivalry with West Virginia, known as the Backyard Brawl, marked its 100th anniversary last fall. The rivalry gets its juice from the two university’s close proximity – they are separated by approximately 70 miles. Pittsburgh holds the edge in the series, 60-37-3, though the Mountaineers have won 11 of the past 16 matchups.
Returning starters: 15 (8 offense, 7 defense).
Key losses:
On offense, all three lost starters come from up front. The biggest loss is tackle Jeff Otah, a first-round pick of the Carolina Panthers is the N.F.L. draft. A former JUCO transfer, Otah came to Pittsburgh amid little fanfare, but ended his career as the best offensive linemen to come out of the program this decade; he was honored for his play with a first-team all-Big East selection in 2007. Wannstedt, a former Panthers offensive lineman himself, called Otah the best lineman he’s ever coached, which is high praise. Otah’s sterling play somewhat overshadowed his tackle partner Mike McGlynn, a four-year starter at both tackle and guard and a three-time all-Big East honoree. McGlynn, taken by the Eagles in the fourth round of April’s draft, will stay inside at guard as a pro. The third starter lost on the line was center Chris Vangas.
On defense, the Panthers lost both starting ends (Joe Clermond and Chris McKillop) and a pair of starters in the secondary (corner Kennard Cox and strong safety Mike Phillips). Clermond is the biggest loss. He led the team in sacks each of the last two years (5.5 in 2006, 10.5 last fall), earning second-team all-Big East honors each season. Clermond also led the Panthers in tackles for loss in 2007 (13). McKillop, whose younger brother Scott will receive heavy mention in our players to watch section, was a three-year starter for the Panthers. The end pair were a big reason why Pittsburgh made 35 sacks as a team last fall, the program’s most in a season since 2001. At corner, Cox, a seventh-round pick of the Bills, was the lone Panther defender taken in the N.F.L. draft. As a senior, Cox had 32 tackles and an interception.
Players to watch: The story on offense must start with McCoy, the star sophomore running back. McCoy set a number of records with his outstanding rookie campaign: Most yards by a freshman back in Big East history (1,328), most points by a Panthers freshman (90) and most touchdowns by a Pitt rookie (14). The latter two marks shattered the Panthers legend Tony Dorsett’s 34-year-old records. McCoy led all freshmen backs in the F.B.S. with 110.67 yards rushing per game, though Georgia’s Knowshon Moreno had more total yards. His performance earned him the Big East Rookie of the Year award, all-Big East honors and freshman all-America status. He enters his sophomore campaign as a strong candidate for all-America honors and a dark horse for the Heisman. The wide receiver position will be a strength, especially if Kinder can return from the knee injury that caused him to miss all of 2007. He was a first-team all-Big East selection in 2006 after leading Pitt with 57 receptions for 847 yards. Joining him at wideout will be the juniors Oderick Turner, a former freshman all-American, and T.J. Porter. Turner led the Panthers with 496 yards and 5 scores in 2007, while Porter took advantage of extra playing time to make 37 receptions for 329 yards. The Panthers will be without the services of the would-be sophomore Maurice Williams, who will miss the 2008 season due to academic issues. His ineligibility may open the door for the incoming freshman Baldwin, who was one of the top 25 players in the nation as a high school senior. The senior kicker Conor Lee went 18 for 22 in field goals last fall, and enters his final season as the Big East’s active career leader in field goal percentage (83.3 percent). The defense will be led by the senior middle linebacker Scott Mckillop, a likely candidate for all of the major defensive honors in 2008. McKillop led the nation in tackles per game last fall (12.58), leading to his first-team all-Big East and third-team all-America selections. His total count of 151 tackles was the third-highest single-season total in team history. He is the preseason favorite for the Big East Defensive Player of the Year award. Joining him at linebacker are the senior Adam Gunn (60 tackles) and the junior Shane Murray (59), who finished two-three on the team in tackles, respectively. Though losing Cox at corner hurts, the Panthers return a talented starter in the junior Aaron Berry, who led the team with two interceptions in his first season in the starting lineup. The defensive front will receive a boost from the return of the junior tackle Gus Mustakas, who missed all of 2007 after injuring his knee in a win over Eastern Michigan in the second week. He will join his fellow junior Mick Williams and the senior Rashaad Duncan to make the Panthers’ interior front a strength of the team.
Position battle to watch: There are four viable options for Wannstedt to choose from at quarterback: the junior Stull, the sophomores Bostick and Kevan Smith and the JUCO transfer Greg Cross, who enrolled in January and participated in spring ball. Stull is the favorite, though his sample size as a starter (last fall’s season opener) is too small to automatically hand him the starting job. Bostick was a heavily recruited quarterback in the 2007 class, and after going through some personal difficulties prior to the season opener, saw action in 10 games after Stull went down, starting eight. He was a typical freshman quarterbacks, making some poor decisions (see his 13 picks, against 8 touchdowns), though fans should be pleased with his strong completion percentage (61.5 percent). He threw for 1,500 yards for the season. Smith started the first three games after Stull’s injury, throwing for 415 yards and a single touchdown against four interceptions. Cross is running last in the competition, mostly due to his lack of familiarity with the offensive system. The competition is a good problem for Wannstedt to have: Stull is the incumbent, a capable starter, and Bostick looks the future of the position. As an outsider to the program, the Countdown feels sharing reps between the two, especially given Bostick’s flashes of tremendous talent in 2007, would benefit the program in the long run. Stull, as mentioned, is the favorite.
2008 schedule:
Aug. 30 Bowling Green
Sept. 6 Buffalo
Sept. 20 Iowa
Sept. 27 @ Syracuse
Oct. 2 @ South Florida
Oct. 18 @ Navy
Oct. 25 Rutgers
Nov. 1 @ Notre Dame
Nov. 8 Louisville
Nov. 22 @ Cincinnati
Nov. 28 West Virginia
Dec. 6 @ Connecticut
Game(s) to watch: The rematch with West Virginia, this time at home. After last year’s game was meaningful only for pride – and to knock the rival Mountaineers out of the B.C.S. title game – this fall’s matchup may determine the Big East champion. Away games with South Florida and Notre Dame are also of interest.
Season breakdown & prediction: This fall looks to be the year the Panthers break out of their recent stretch of mediocre play, and with a young nucleus of underclassmen, the program’s future is very bright. Wannstedt, even with the on-field struggles, has continued to reel in top 25 recruiting classes. Eventually the Panthers will begin to reap the benefits of that talent. Looking at 2008, I have Pittsburgh finishing 8-4, good for fourth in the Big East behind Cincinnati, South Florida and West Virginia. Could Pittsburgh be better? Absolutely. There is a great amount of talent: on offense, Turner, Kinder and McCoy; on defense, McKillop, the heart and soul of the unit, is one of the best defensive players in the nation. So why fourth, especially when most publications have Pittsburgh as high as in the top 20 in the nation? For one, I have concerns about Pittsburgh’s schedule, which, while not too difficult out-of-conference, forces the Panthers to go to U.S.F. and Cincinnati, two of the top teams in the Big East. In addition, despite the depth at the position, the Panthers must get more consistent play at quarterback. Though Bostick and Smith showed promise, the pair combined to turn the ball over way too much, leaving their defense in precarious predicaments. However, Stull’s return may alleviate some of the concerns at quarterback. While I like Pittsburgh to take a step forward this season, I think they are a program on the rise for 2009, as the underclassmen who dot this fall’s roster continue to gain experience on the college level and in Wannstedt’s system.
Dream season: The Panthers bust out in a 10-2 regular season, winning their first outright Big East title and earning their second B.C.S. game appearance.
Nightmare season: A fourth straight disappointing finish: 6-6, 3-4 in the Big East. The lack of progress draws the ire of the overwhelming majority of the Panther fan base.
No. 32 Pittsburgh
Quick facts: In baseball terms, the Dave Wannstedt era has been a fly ball to the warning track: Much promise, great expectations, but when all is said and done, largely unremarkable. It wasn’t supposed to be so. Wannstedt’s hiring was nearly universally lauded, as the former Bears and Dolphins head coach brought with him a sterling resume and a well-deserved reputation as one of the nation’s best recruiters. In addition, the Pennsylvania-bred and Pittsburgh-educated Wannstedt epitomized the blue-collar ethics that define the Steel City, making him an even more attractive candidate. There is certainly still time for Wanny to make an impact at his alma mater, but the first three seasons (a combined 16-19) have been underwhelming. He enters 2008 needing a big season to silence his critics.
Tidbit: Though the last three seasons have fallen short of expectations, the Panthers are still averaging almost seven wins per season this decade. While this total falls short of their success in the 1970s and 1980s, it remains an improvement over the disastrous 1990s, where Pittsburgh stumbled through eight sub-.500 campaigns.
Tidbit (empty seat edition): Though playing its games at the spacious, off-campus Heinz Field is largely to blame, Pitt finished last among B.C.S. teams in average percentage of capacity attendance – 51.2 percent – during its seven home games.
Team Information
Head coach: Dave Wannstedt (’74 Pittsburgh), 16-19 after three seasons at his alma mater. Wannstedt, a former Panthers captain (1973), is well known among football fans for his two head coaching stints in the N.F.L., first with the Bears (1993-98), then with the Dolphins (2000-4). Both tenures started well – he was the 1994 N.F.C. coach of the year, and was 41-23 through his first four seasons in Miami – but Wannstedt, in both cases, was unable to maintain his early success. Both terms ended poorly: In Chicago, the Bears fired Wannstedt after back-to-back 4-12 seasons from 1997-98, and in Miami, he stepped down after a 3-4 start to the 2004 season. Yet while Wanny has struggled as a head man – yes, we’re counting his job with the Panthers – he has excelled as both a college and pro assistant, most notably under Jimmy Johnson, his coaching mentor. Their association began at Oklahoma State, where Wannstedt served as both defensive line coach (1979-81) and defensive coordinator (1982). After a three-year stint at U.S.C. (1983-85), Wannstedt reunited with Johnson at Miami (1986-88), coaching the defense. Over that three-year span, the Hurricanes went 34-2, winning the 1987 national title; much of that was due to Wannstedt’s defense, which held opponents to three-year averages of 10.9 points per game and 2.2 yards per carry. Wannstedt followed Johnson to Dallas, serving as his defensive coordinator from 1989-92 and winning one Super Bowl. Calling 2008 a make-or-break season for Wannstedt may be extreme – barring a monumental collapse, he’ll return in 2009 – but the talent is there for the Panthers to win the Big East. Fans will not be happy with anything less than a bowl appearance. Seat temperature check: baking.
Tidbit (coaching edition): No offseason move – not even the recruitment of the much-heralded incoming freshman Jonathan Baldwin – will have as big an effect as the hiring of Phil Bennett as defensive coordinator. Though the departed Paul Rhoads (now leading the defense at Auburn) was no slouch, Bennett, the former head coach at S.M.U., is one of the best defensive minds in the entire F.B.S. Many teams were angling for Bennett’s services for the 2008 season; it was a coup for Wannstedt and the Panthers to land the talented coordinator.
2007 record: 5-7 (3-4). The 5-7 finish has to be construed as a disappointment, though the Panthers were crippled by a number of key injuries, forcing them to play a number of inexperienced underclassmen. The most damaging injuries were to the all-Big East receiver Derek Kinder – who was lost to an A.C.L. tear in fall camp and did not play a down all season – and starting quarterback Bill Stull, who played only part of the opening game of the season. However, even in a five-win campaign, there were a few bright spots. What should have Panther fans the most excited was the performance of the sophomore running back LeSean McCoy, who turned in the best season by a freshman running back in the nation. Additionally, the injury to Stull allowed another freshman, the much-hyped Pat Bostick, to start eight games, which will pay dividends as his career progresses. The talented young duo were the key cogs in a Pitt offense that averaged 22.8 points per game, though the team averaged only 319.5 yards per game, a rather pedestrian total. Conversely, the defense was very strong, allowing only 297.7 yards per game (fifth in the nation), but allowed 24.2 points per game. The Countdown believes Pittsburgh’s minus-five turnover margin is partly to blame for that discrepancy.
High point: Bar none, the 13-9 upset victory over West Virginia in the season finale. What makes the win even more impressive is the fact that the referees seemed to do everything in their power to keep Pittsburgh from gaining the victory. The loss knocked the hated Mountaineers out of the B.C.S. title picture, which took some of the sting out of Pitt’s disappointing five-win finish.
Low point: A four-game losing streak following a 2-0 start. The losses did come against solid competition: Michigan State (by 17-13), Connecticut (by 34-14), Virginia (by 44-14) and Navy (by 48-45 in double overtime). Against Navy, Wannstedt elected to go for a potential game-winning 2-point conversion in the second overtime instead of electing for the extra point and an additional O.T. frame. Four of Pitt’s seven losses (Michigan State, Navy, by 24-17 to Louisville and by 20-16 to Rutgers) came by a total of 18 points.
Tidbit (rivalry edition): Pittsburgh’s intense rivalry with West Virginia, known as the Backyard Brawl, marked its 100th anniversary last fall. The rivalry gets its juice from the two university’s close proximity – they are separated by approximately 70 miles. Pittsburgh holds the edge in the series, 60-37-3, though the Mountaineers have won 11 of the past 16 matchups.
Returning starters: 15 (8 offense, 7 defense).
Key losses:
On offense, all three lost starters come from up front. The biggest loss is tackle Jeff Otah, a first-round pick of the Carolina Panthers is the N.F.L. draft. A former JUCO transfer, Otah came to Pittsburgh amid little fanfare, but ended his career as the best offensive linemen to come out of the program this decade; he was honored for his play with a first-team all-Big East selection in 2007. Wannstedt, a former Panthers offensive lineman himself, called Otah the best lineman he’s ever coached, which is high praise. Otah’s sterling play somewhat overshadowed his tackle partner Mike McGlynn, a four-year starter at both tackle and guard and a three-time all-Big East honoree. McGlynn, taken by the Eagles in the fourth round of April’s draft, will stay inside at guard as a pro. The third starter lost on the line was center Chris Vangas.
On defense, the Panthers lost both starting ends (Joe Clermond and Chris McKillop) and a pair of starters in the secondary (corner Kennard Cox and strong safety Mike Phillips). Clermond is the biggest loss. He led the team in sacks each of the last two years (5.5 in 2006, 10.5 last fall), earning second-team all-Big East honors each season. Clermond also led the Panthers in tackles for loss in 2007 (13). McKillop, whose younger brother Scott will receive heavy mention in our players to watch section, was a three-year starter for the Panthers. The end pair were a big reason why Pittsburgh made 35 sacks as a team last fall, the program’s most in a season since 2001. At corner, Cox, a seventh-round pick of the Bills, was the lone Panther defender taken in the N.F.L. draft. As a senior, Cox had 32 tackles and an interception.
Players to watch: The story on offense must start with McCoy, the star sophomore running back. McCoy set a number of records with his outstanding rookie campaign: Most yards by a freshman back in Big East history (1,328), most points by a Panthers freshman (90) and most touchdowns by a Pitt rookie (14). The latter two marks shattered the Panthers legend Tony Dorsett’s 34-year-old records. McCoy led all freshmen backs in the F.B.S. with 110.67 yards rushing per game, though Georgia’s Knowshon Moreno had more total yards. His performance earned him the Big East Rookie of the Year award, all-Big East honors and freshman all-America status. He enters his sophomore campaign as a strong candidate for all-America honors and a dark horse for the Heisman. The wide receiver position will be a strength, especially if Kinder can return from the knee injury that caused him to miss all of 2007. He was a first-team all-Big East selection in 2006 after leading Pitt with 57 receptions for 847 yards. Joining him at wideout will be the juniors Oderick Turner, a former freshman all-American, and T.J. Porter. Turner led the Panthers with 496 yards and 5 scores in 2007, while Porter took advantage of extra playing time to make 37 receptions for 329 yards. The Panthers will be without the services of the would-be sophomore Maurice Williams, who will miss the 2008 season due to academic issues. His ineligibility may open the door for the incoming freshman Baldwin, who was one of the top 25 players in the nation as a high school senior. The senior kicker Conor Lee went 18 for 22 in field goals last fall, and enters his final season as the Big East’s active career leader in field goal percentage (83.3 percent). The defense will be led by the senior middle linebacker Scott Mckillop, a likely candidate for all of the major defensive honors in 2008. McKillop led the nation in tackles per game last fall (12.58), leading to his first-team all-Big East and third-team all-America selections. His total count of 151 tackles was the third-highest single-season total in team history. He is the preseason favorite for the Big East Defensive Player of the Year award. Joining him at linebacker are the senior Adam Gunn (60 tackles) and the junior Shane Murray (59), who finished two-three on the team in tackles, respectively. Though losing Cox at corner hurts, the Panthers return a talented starter in the junior Aaron Berry, who led the team with two interceptions in his first season in the starting lineup. The defensive front will receive a boost from the return of the junior tackle Gus Mustakas, who missed all of 2007 after injuring his knee in a win over Eastern Michigan in the second week. He will join his fellow junior Mick Williams and the senior Rashaad Duncan to make the Panthers’ interior front a strength of the team.
Position battle to watch: There are four viable options for Wannstedt to choose from at quarterback: the junior Stull, the sophomores Bostick and Kevan Smith and the JUCO transfer Greg Cross, who enrolled in January and participated in spring ball. Stull is the favorite, though his sample size as a starter (last fall’s season opener) is too small to automatically hand him the starting job. Bostick was a heavily recruited quarterback in the 2007 class, and after going through some personal difficulties prior to the season opener, saw action in 10 games after Stull went down, starting eight. He was a typical freshman quarterbacks, making some poor decisions (see his 13 picks, against 8 touchdowns), though fans should be pleased with his strong completion percentage (61.5 percent). He threw for 1,500 yards for the season. Smith started the first three games after Stull’s injury, throwing for 415 yards and a single touchdown against four interceptions. Cross is running last in the competition, mostly due to his lack of familiarity with the offensive system. The competition is a good problem for Wannstedt to have: Stull is the incumbent, a capable starter, and Bostick looks the future of the position. As an outsider to the program, the Countdown feels sharing reps between the two, especially given Bostick’s flashes of tremendous talent in 2007, would benefit the program in the long run. Stull, as mentioned, is the favorite.
2008 schedule:
Aug. 30 Bowling Green
Sept. 6 Buffalo
Sept. 20 Iowa
Sept. 27 @ Syracuse
Oct. 2 @ South Florida
Oct. 18 @ Navy
Oct. 25 Rutgers
Nov. 1 @ Notre Dame
Nov. 8 Louisville
Nov. 22 @ Cincinnati
Nov. 28 West Virginia
Dec. 6 @ Connecticut
Game(s) to watch: The rematch with West Virginia, this time at home. After last year’s game was meaningful only for pride – and to knock the rival Mountaineers out of the B.C.S. title game – this fall’s matchup may determine the Big East champion. Away games with South Florida and Notre Dame are also of interest.
Season breakdown & prediction: This fall looks to be the year the Panthers break out of their recent stretch of mediocre play, and with a young nucleus of underclassmen, the program’s future is very bright. Wannstedt, even with the on-field struggles, has continued to reel in top 25 recruiting classes. Eventually the Panthers will begin to reap the benefits of that talent. Looking at 2008, I have Pittsburgh finishing 8-4, good for fourth in the Big East behind Cincinnati, South Florida and West Virginia. Could Pittsburgh be better? Absolutely. There is a great amount of talent: on offense, Turner, Kinder and McCoy; on defense, McKillop, the heart and soul of the unit, is one of the best defensive players in the nation. So why fourth, especially when most publications have Pittsburgh as high as in the top 20 in the nation? For one, I have concerns about Pittsburgh’s schedule, which, while not too difficult out-of-conference, forces the Panthers to go to U.S.F. and Cincinnati, two of the top teams in the Big East. In addition, despite the depth at the position, the Panthers must get more consistent play at quarterback. Though Bostick and Smith showed promise, the pair combined to turn the ball over way too much, leaving their defense in precarious predicaments. However, Stull’s return may alleviate some of the concerns at quarterback. While I like Pittsburgh to take a step forward this season, I think they are a program on the rise for 2009, as the underclassmen who dot this fall’s roster continue to gain experience on the college level and in Wannstedt’s system.
Dream season: The Panthers bust out in a 10-2 regular season, winning their first outright Big East title and earning their second B.C.S. game appearance.
Nightmare season: A fourth straight disappointing finish: 6-6, 3-4 in the Big East. The lack of progress draws the ire of the overwhelming majority of the Panther fan base.
7.13.2008
Know Your Foe: UConn
(Courtesy of the NY Times)
No. 47 Connecticut
Location: Storrs, Conn.
Nickname: Huskies.
Quick facts: After coming so close a season ago – 5-2, tied with West Virginia atop the conference – is Connecticut ready to take home the Big East crown? Some signs points towards yes: 17 returning starters, the departure of Rich Rodriguez to Michigan and playing three of the conference’s tops teams (Cincinnati, West Virginia and Pittsburgh) at home, where the Huskies did not lose once last fall. On the other hand, UConn was able to take advantage of an extremely disappointing Big East last fall, a conference that saw Louisville, Rutgers and Pittsburgh (again) fall short of their lofty preseason goals. So, UConn, the Countdown asks you this: Was last season a blip on the radar, or are you ready to take on the mantle of Big East champs?
Tidbit: The Huskies won all seven of their homes games at Rentschler Field in 2007, joining the 1993 West Virginia Mountaineers as the only Big East teams to finish the season a perfect 7-0 at home.
Tidbit (are you kidding me? playoffs? edition): UConn is one of only seven programs since 1978 to win both a bowl game and a Division I-AA playoff game, joining Boise State, Idaho, Louisiana Tech, Marshall, Nevada and Troy.
Team Information
Conference: Big East.
Head coach: Randy Edsall (’80 Syracuse), 50-55 in nine years at Connecticut. Edsall oversaw UConn’s transition from Division I-AA in 2000, and has since led the program through independent status (2000-3) into the Big East (2004-present). Edsall has coached in the F.B.S. at Syracuse (1980-90), Boston College (1991-93) and Georgia Tech (1998). It was perhaps his close ties to his alma mater – combined with his strong coaching, obviously – that led Connecticut to sign Edsall to a five-year extension this winter. His first two teams on the F.B.S. level (2000-1) are the main contributors to his sub-.500 record: a combined 5-17. However, the 2002 team – the first UConn team to field a full roster of 85 scholarship players – finished 6-6, the program’s best mark since winning 10 games under the current East Carolina coach Skip Holtz in 1998. The strong finish has carried over to recent Huskies teams: UConn finished 9-3 in 2003, its final season as an independent, and has won at least eight games twice as a member of the Big East. Last fall, a 9-4 season, saw the Huskies enter the Top 25 for the first time and make their second bowl appearance, both under Edsall. There is no question that UConn is a program to watch not only in the Big East but in the F.B.S. as a whole; there is also no doubt that Edsall’s coaching has been the impetus behind the Huskies’ rapid growth.
2007 record: 9-4 (5-2). It was UConn’s best season since joining the F.B.S. from Division I-AA in 2000: its first shared Big East title, its Top 25 ranking (No. 16 on Oct. 28) and its second bowl game. In addition, the nine wins tied the 2003 team for the program’s most as a member of the F.B.S. UConn’s five Big East wins fell only victory shy of its total from 2004-6. The story of the season was defense, which lowered its points against average from 27 to 19, 14th in the F.B.S. The offense, led by the junior college transfer Tyler Lorenzen at quarterback, also showed great improvement: 347.2 yards per game, up from 323.9 in 2006, and 26.5 points per game, an improvement over its 21.4 scoring average the season before. The Countdown has even more statistics: UConn was plus-14 in the turnover department, eighth in the nation. This is a staple of good teams; nine of the top 14 teams in the F.B.S. in terms of turnover margin won at least nine games in 2007.
High point: A five-game winning streak to start the season, the most impressive victory being a 34-14 win at Pittsburgh on Sept. 22. UConn beat three teams that had been ranked, at one point in the season, in the top 10: South Florida (22-15), Louisville (21-17) and Rutgers (38-19). A controversial punt return propelled the Huskies to the close victory over Louisville.
Low point: UConn’s first loss came at Virginia, a 17-16 nail-biter decided by a late field goal. Connecticut entered its regular-season finale at West Virginia – then No. 4 in the nation – with the opportunity, with a win, to finish as the outright Big East champion. It was never close; the Mountaineers scored early and often in a 66-21 win over the Huskies. UConn’s trip to the Meineke Car Care Bowl, its second bowl appearance under Edsall, ended in a 24-10 loss to Wake Forest.
Tidbit (Top 25 edition): UConn debuted in the Associated Press rankings at No. 16, the highest initial ranking for a program since Florida State broke into the A.P. Top 25 at No. 10 on Oct. 12, 1964.
Returning starters: 17 (9 offense, 8 defense).
Key losses:
On offense, the Huskies lost only a handful of contributors, only two of whom were starters: wide receiver Terence Jeffers and guard Donald Thomas. Jeffers, who led the team in receptions (44), receiving yards (582) and touchdowns (5), opted to transfer; his likely destination seems to be Vanderbilt, a university he considered before committing to Connecticut. Jeffers will have two years of eligibility remaining after sitting out the mandatory season due his transfer. Thomas, the only offensive player from UConn taken in the draft, was a late bloomer for the Huskies, an athletic interior lineman who did not become a full-time starter until the end of the 2006 season. Thomas started only 14 games, 13 of which came during his senior season. UConn also lost the lilliputian return man/wide receiver Larry Taylor, who, despite measuring only 5-5, 172 pounds, finished his senior season with 26 receptions for 259 yards and 2 punt returns for touchdowns (11.5 yards per return).
On defense, Connecticut lost cornerback Tyvon Branch, a four-year contributor and a second-team all-Big East selection as a senior. Branch was the first Huskies player selected in the 2008 draft, landing with the Raiders in the fourth round; Oakland actually traded up to get him. As a senior, Branch had 89 tackles (fifth on the team) while averaging a Big East-leading 28.9 yards per kick return. UConn also lost its leading tackler, Danny Lansanah, a three-year starter in the middle. In addition to leading the team in tackles with 121 (14 for loss), Lansanah added two sacks and four interceptions (second on the team). On the line, the team must replace the starting tackle Dan Davis. Davis, who had 35 tackles and a sack last fall, was voted co-team M.V.P.
Players to watch: The UConn offense flourished under the senior Lorenzen in his first season in Storrs, as the former JUCO all-American turned in the most efficient passing season by a Huskies quarterback since the current Detroit Lion Dan Orlovksy in 2004. Lorenzen had 13 touchdowns (against only 6 picks) while completing 57 percent of his passes. His quarterback efficiency of 122.98 dwarfed the team’s 103.94 average in 2006. Mostly responsible for the subpar 2006 average is the senior D.J. Hernandez: Then a quarterback, Hernandez is now a starter at receiver for the Huskies. In his first season at the position, Hernandez caught 30 passes (second on the team) for 404 yards and 2 touchdowns. The junior Brad Kanuch joins Hernandez at wide receiver. He averaged a team-leading 16.0 yards per reception in 2007. Another option in the passing game is the senior tight end Steve Brouse, whose 26 receptions and 286 yards receiving were good for fourth on the team. UConn features a potent 1-2 punch in the backfield in the junior backs Andre Dixon and Donald Brown. The pair combined for 1,649 yards last season (Dixon 828, Brown 821). While Brown followed up an 896-yard freshman season, Dixon, who had yet to register a carry, was the fall’s biggest surprise. A second-team all-Big East pick, Dixon also had 280 yards receiving, the most by a Huskies running back on the F.B.S. level. The offensive line returns four starters: the seniors Will Beatty and Keith Gray and the juniors Mike Hicks and Dan Ryan. Rounding out the group will be the junior Alex LeMagdelaine, who has 18 career starts at guard. On defense, the Huskies will hope to ride a talented and experienced front four to another top 20 ranking. The most talented position on the defense, and potentially on the entire roster, is defensive end, which returns the senior starters Cody Brown and Julius Williams. Brown led all defensive linemen with 50 tackles, including a team-best 16.5 for loss. He added seven and a half sacks, second to Williams’s team-leading eight and a half. Linebacker features two interesting story lines to watch. The first is the battle to fill Lansahan’s old middle spot, where the coaching staff hopes the freshman all-American Scott Lutrus can fill in for the team’s leading tackler. Lutrus was tremendous in his first season: 107 tackles (third on the team), a sack and four interceptions (tied with Lansahan for the team lead). Lutrus will move from his strongside spot into the middle, leading UConn to move starting safety Dahna Deleston down to occupy the open position. Though undersized (6-0, 198 pounds), the staff hopes that Deleston can use his terrific tackling ability to make plays closer to the line. The junior free safety Robert Vaughn had seven interceptions in 2007, tying him for fourth in the nation. Vaughn had interceptions in four straight games from Sept. 15 to Oct. 13; UConn won three of those games.
Position battle to watch: With so few open positions, it has been relatively serene on the position battle front. However, though the Huskies have two returning contributors at wide receiver, the search is underway for a difference maker at receiver. The Huskies have the running game and the quarterback. If UConn was to locate a true receiving threat, it could field one of the Big East’s best offenses. Besides Kanuch and Hernandez, the Huskies receiving corps will feature three seniors: Marcus Easley, Ellis Gaulden and Rob Theoudele; the trio combined for five receptions in 2007. Edsall hopes that the redshirt freshmen Kashif Moore and Isiah Moore are ready to contribute after sitting out last fall.
2008 schedule:
Aug. 28 Hofstra
Sept. 6 @ Temple
Sept. 13 Virginia
Sept. 20 Baylor
Sept. 27 @ Louisville
Oct. 4 @ North Carolina
Oct. 18 @ Rutgers
Oct. 25 Cincinnati
Nov. 1 West Virginia
Nov. 15 @ Syracuse
Nov. 22 @ South Florida
Dec. 6 Pittsburgh
Game(s) to watch: If UConn wishes to repeat as co-Big East champs, it will need to come to play against Cincinnati, West Virginia, South Florida and Pittsburgh. In order to win the conference, UConn will need to win at least three of those four games.
Season breakdown & prediction: With 17 returning starters off a nine-win team, there is no reason to think UConn will inexplicably fall off the radar screen in 2008. However, there is also no reason, at least in the eyes of the Countdown, to use the plethora of returning players as justification for the Huskies being the favorite in the Big East. This is because of talented teams like West Virginia, Cincinnati and South Florida, and because of the expected turnaround of teams like Pittsburgh and Louisville, who look to be better than they were a season ago. When it comes to overall talent, UConn is, at best, the fifth-best team in the Big East. Having said that, there was something about this team last fall – a toughness and self-confidence that allowed them to get past more talented opponents. This may be partly due to the leadership of Lorenzen, who took over this team immediately after stepping onto campus. With Lorenzen returning for his senior season, can the Huskies hope to carry over last season’s play to 2008? Winning nine games for the second straight season is not out of the question: there are three definite wins out of conference (Hofstra, Temple and Baylor), and the Huskies get West Virginia, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati at the “Rentch.” However, while I’m willing to easily put UConn back into a bowl game, a lack of offensive playmakers limits its chances to take the Big East crown from West Virginia. The season finale with Pittsburgh could decide where UConn lands in the conference pecking order. I have the Huskies finishing 8-4, 4-3 in the Big East.
Dream season: After coming so close a season ago, UConn rides a tough defense and a timely offense to an outright Big East crown and a B.C.S. game appearance.
Nightmare season: The Huskies revert back to the style of play that led to back-to-back losing seasons in 2005-6. A 6-6 finish, with 17 returning starters, would be disappointing to UConn fans.
No. 47 Connecticut
Location: Storrs, Conn.
Nickname: Huskies.
Quick facts: After coming so close a season ago – 5-2, tied with West Virginia atop the conference – is Connecticut ready to take home the Big East crown? Some signs points towards yes: 17 returning starters, the departure of Rich Rodriguez to Michigan and playing three of the conference’s tops teams (Cincinnati, West Virginia and Pittsburgh) at home, where the Huskies did not lose once last fall. On the other hand, UConn was able to take advantage of an extremely disappointing Big East last fall, a conference that saw Louisville, Rutgers and Pittsburgh (again) fall short of their lofty preseason goals. So, UConn, the Countdown asks you this: Was last season a blip on the radar, or are you ready to take on the mantle of Big East champs?
Tidbit: The Huskies won all seven of their homes games at Rentschler Field in 2007, joining the 1993 West Virginia Mountaineers as the only Big East teams to finish the season a perfect 7-0 at home.
Tidbit (are you kidding me? playoffs? edition): UConn is one of only seven programs since 1978 to win both a bowl game and a Division I-AA playoff game, joining Boise State, Idaho, Louisiana Tech, Marshall, Nevada and Troy.
Team Information
Conference: Big East.
Head coach: Randy Edsall (’80 Syracuse), 50-55 in nine years at Connecticut. Edsall oversaw UConn’s transition from Division I-AA in 2000, and has since led the program through independent status (2000-3) into the Big East (2004-present). Edsall has coached in the F.B.S. at Syracuse (1980-90), Boston College (1991-93) and Georgia Tech (1998). It was perhaps his close ties to his alma mater – combined with his strong coaching, obviously – that led Connecticut to sign Edsall to a five-year extension this winter. His first two teams on the F.B.S. level (2000-1) are the main contributors to his sub-.500 record: a combined 5-17. However, the 2002 team – the first UConn team to field a full roster of 85 scholarship players – finished 6-6, the program’s best mark since winning 10 games under the current East Carolina coach Skip Holtz in 1998. The strong finish has carried over to recent Huskies teams: UConn finished 9-3 in 2003, its final season as an independent, and has won at least eight games twice as a member of the Big East. Last fall, a 9-4 season, saw the Huskies enter the Top 25 for the first time and make their second bowl appearance, both under Edsall. There is no question that UConn is a program to watch not only in the Big East but in the F.B.S. as a whole; there is also no doubt that Edsall’s coaching has been the impetus behind the Huskies’ rapid growth.
2007 record: 9-4 (5-2). It was UConn’s best season since joining the F.B.S. from Division I-AA in 2000: its first shared Big East title, its Top 25 ranking (No. 16 on Oct. 28) and its second bowl game. In addition, the nine wins tied the 2003 team for the program’s most as a member of the F.B.S. UConn’s five Big East wins fell only victory shy of its total from 2004-6. The story of the season was defense, which lowered its points against average from 27 to 19, 14th in the F.B.S. The offense, led by the junior college transfer Tyler Lorenzen at quarterback, also showed great improvement: 347.2 yards per game, up from 323.9 in 2006, and 26.5 points per game, an improvement over its 21.4 scoring average the season before. The Countdown has even more statistics: UConn was plus-14 in the turnover department, eighth in the nation. This is a staple of good teams; nine of the top 14 teams in the F.B.S. in terms of turnover margin won at least nine games in 2007.
High point: A five-game winning streak to start the season, the most impressive victory being a 34-14 win at Pittsburgh on Sept. 22. UConn beat three teams that had been ranked, at one point in the season, in the top 10: South Florida (22-15), Louisville (21-17) and Rutgers (38-19). A controversial punt return propelled the Huskies to the close victory over Louisville.
Low point: UConn’s first loss came at Virginia, a 17-16 nail-biter decided by a late field goal. Connecticut entered its regular-season finale at West Virginia – then No. 4 in the nation – with the opportunity, with a win, to finish as the outright Big East champion. It was never close; the Mountaineers scored early and often in a 66-21 win over the Huskies. UConn’s trip to the Meineke Car Care Bowl, its second bowl appearance under Edsall, ended in a 24-10 loss to Wake Forest.
Tidbit (Top 25 edition): UConn debuted in the Associated Press rankings at No. 16, the highest initial ranking for a program since Florida State broke into the A.P. Top 25 at No. 10 on Oct. 12, 1964.
Returning starters: 17 (9 offense, 8 defense).
Key losses:
On offense, the Huskies lost only a handful of contributors, only two of whom were starters: wide receiver Terence Jeffers and guard Donald Thomas. Jeffers, who led the team in receptions (44), receiving yards (582) and touchdowns (5), opted to transfer; his likely destination seems to be Vanderbilt, a university he considered before committing to Connecticut. Jeffers will have two years of eligibility remaining after sitting out the mandatory season due his transfer. Thomas, the only offensive player from UConn taken in the draft, was a late bloomer for the Huskies, an athletic interior lineman who did not become a full-time starter until the end of the 2006 season. Thomas started only 14 games, 13 of which came during his senior season. UConn also lost the lilliputian return man/wide receiver Larry Taylor, who, despite measuring only 5-5, 172 pounds, finished his senior season with 26 receptions for 259 yards and 2 punt returns for touchdowns (11.5 yards per return).
On defense, Connecticut lost cornerback Tyvon Branch, a four-year contributor and a second-team all-Big East selection as a senior. Branch was the first Huskies player selected in the 2008 draft, landing with the Raiders in the fourth round; Oakland actually traded up to get him. As a senior, Branch had 89 tackles (fifth on the team) while averaging a Big East-leading 28.9 yards per kick return. UConn also lost its leading tackler, Danny Lansanah, a three-year starter in the middle. In addition to leading the team in tackles with 121 (14 for loss), Lansanah added two sacks and four interceptions (second on the team). On the line, the team must replace the starting tackle Dan Davis. Davis, who had 35 tackles and a sack last fall, was voted co-team M.V.P.
Players to watch: The UConn offense flourished under the senior Lorenzen in his first season in Storrs, as the former JUCO all-American turned in the most efficient passing season by a Huskies quarterback since the current Detroit Lion Dan Orlovksy in 2004. Lorenzen had 13 touchdowns (against only 6 picks) while completing 57 percent of his passes. His quarterback efficiency of 122.98 dwarfed the team’s 103.94 average in 2006. Mostly responsible for the subpar 2006 average is the senior D.J. Hernandez: Then a quarterback, Hernandez is now a starter at receiver for the Huskies. In his first season at the position, Hernandez caught 30 passes (second on the team) for 404 yards and 2 touchdowns. The junior Brad Kanuch joins Hernandez at wide receiver. He averaged a team-leading 16.0 yards per reception in 2007. Another option in the passing game is the senior tight end Steve Brouse, whose 26 receptions and 286 yards receiving were good for fourth on the team. UConn features a potent 1-2 punch in the backfield in the junior backs Andre Dixon and Donald Brown. The pair combined for 1,649 yards last season (Dixon 828, Brown 821). While Brown followed up an 896-yard freshman season, Dixon, who had yet to register a carry, was the fall’s biggest surprise. A second-team all-Big East pick, Dixon also had 280 yards receiving, the most by a Huskies running back on the F.B.S. level. The offensive line returns four starters: the seniors Will Beatty and Keith Gray and the juniors Mike Hicks and Dan Ryan. Rounding out the group will be the junior Alex LeMagdelaine, who has 18 career starts at guard. On defense, the Huskies will hope to ride a talented and experienced front four to another top 20 ranking. The most talented position on the defense, and potentially on the entire roster, is defensive end, which returns the senior starters Cody Brown and Julius Williams. Brown led all defensive linemen with 50 tackles, including a team-best 16.5 for loss. He added seven and a half sacks, second to Williams’s team-leading eight and a half. Linebacker features two interesting story lines to watch. The first is the battle to fill Lansahan’s old middle spot, where the coaching staff hopes the freshman all-American Scott Lutrus can fill in for the team’s leading tackler. Lutrus was tremendous in his first season: 107 tackles (third on the team), a sack and four interceptions (tied with Lansahan for the team lead). Lutrus will move from his strongside spot into the middle, leading UConn to move starting safety Dahna Deleston down to occupy the open position. Though undersized (6-0, 198 pounds), the staff hopes that Deleston can use his terrific tackling ability to make plays closer to the line. The junior free safety Robert Vaughn had seven interceptions in 2007, tying him for fourth in the nation. Vaughn had interceptions in four straight games from Sept. 15 to Oct. 13; UConn won three of those games.
Position battle to watch: With so few open positions, it has been relatively serene on the position battle front. However, though the Huskies have two returning contributors at wide receiver, the search is underway for a difference maker at receiver. The Huskies have the running game and the quarterback. If UConn was to locate a true receiving threat, it could field one of the Big East’s best offenses. Besides Kanuch and Hernandez, the Huskies receiving corps will feature three seniors: Marcus Easley, Ellis Gaulden and Rob Theoudele; the trio combined for five receptions in 2007. Edsall hopes that the redshirt freshmen Kashif Moore and Isiah Moore are ready to contribute after sitting out last fall.
2008 schedule:
Aug. 28 Hofstra
Sept. 6 @ Temple
Sept. 13 Virginia
Sept. 20 Baylor
Sept. 27 @ Louisville
Oct. 4 @ North Carolina
Oct. 18 @ Rutgers
Oct. 25 Cincinnati
Nov. 1 West Virginia
Nov. 15 @ Syracuse
Nov. 22 @ South Florida
Dec. 6 Pittsburgh
Game(s) to watch: If UConn wishes to repeat as co-Big East champs, it will need to come to play against Cincinnati, West Virginia, South Florida and Pittsburgh. In order to win the conference, UConn will need to win at least three of those four games.
Season breakdown & prediction: With 17 returning starters off a nine-win team, there is no reason to think UConn will inexplicably fall off the radar screen in 2008. However, there is also no reason, at least in the eyes of the Countdown, to use the plethora of returning players as justification for the Huskies being the favorite in the Big East. This is because of talented teams like West Virginia, Cincinnati and South Florida, and because of the expected turnaround of teams like Pittsburgh and Louisville, who look to be better than they were a season ago. When it comes to overall talent, UConn is, at best, the fifth-best team in the Big East. Having said that, there was something about this team last fall – a toughness and self-confidence that allowed them to get past more talented opponents. This may be partly due to the leadership of Lorenzen, who took over this team immediately after stepping onto campus. With Lorenzen returning for his senior season, can the Huskies hope to carry over last season’s play to 2008? Winning nine games for the second straight season is not out of the question: there are three definite wins out of conference (Hofstra, Temple and Baylor), and the Huskies get West Virginia, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati at the “Rentch.” However, while I’m willing to easily put UConn back into a bowl game, a lack of offensive playmakers limits its chances to take the Big East crown from West Virginia. The season finale with Pittsburgh could decide where UConn lands in the conference pecking order. I have the Huskies finishing 8-4, 4-3 in the Big East.
Dream season: After coming so close a season ago, UConn rides a tough defense and a timely offense to an outright Big East crown and a B.C.S. game appearance.
Nightmare season: The Huskies revert back to the style of play that led to back-to-back losing seasons in 2005-6. A 6-6 finish, with 17 returning starters, would be disappointing to UConn fans.
7.10.2008
Know Your Foe: Louisville
(Courtsey of NY Times)
No. 50 Louisville
Nickname: Cardinals.
Quick facts: Was there a more disappointing team in the F.B.S. last fall than Louisville? Despite the loss of Coach Bobby Petrino to the Falcons, the Cardinals returned enough weapons (quarterback Brian Brohm, wide receivers Harry Douglas and Mario Urrutia) that many predicted them as a dark-horse contender for the national crown. However, the transition from Petrino to the former Tulsa coach Steve Kragthorpe was a difficult one. Though the Cardinals maintained a high level of play on offense, the defense was atrocious, allowing opponents to score 38 points or more seven times. The Louisville fan base, prepping for another Big East title run and accompanying B.C.S. appearance, quickly turned on Kragthorpe and the Cardinals. The coming fall, therefore, is huge not only for Kragthorpe but for the Louisville program. The Cardinals need to show that 2007 was an aberration, and that fans should expect an equal degree of success with the new regime as they experienced under Petrino.
Tidbit: Louisville’s offense has ranked among the top 10 in the nation each of the last five years – a stretch, not coincidentally, beginning with the arrival of Petrino in 2003. The Cardinals finished first in the F.B.S. in 2004 and second in 2006.
Tidbit (rebuilding edition): How do Louisville fans feel about Athletic Director Tom Jurich’s statement that Louisville football is in a rebuilding mode? It isn’t very often that a program goes from a conference title and a B.C.S. game appearance to an admitted rebuilding phase in two seasons. Is he merely attempting to explain the team’s underwhelming performance last fall?
Team Information
Conference: Big East.
Head coach: Steve Kragthorpe (’87 West Texas State), 6-6 in one season with Louisville. Though his first year with the Cardinals has to be deemed a disaster, Kragthorpe’s tenure with Tulsa showed him to be one of college football’s best young coaches. His four-year record (2003-6) of 29-22 with the Golden Hurricanes is made all the more impressive when considering Tulsa’s 2-21 combined record from 2001-2. Kragthorpe’s first season with Tulsa, an 8-5 finish, was capped by a trip to the Humanitarian Bowl, the program’s first bowl appearance since 1991; the seven-game improvement over a 1-10 season in 2001 constituted the biggest turnaround in the F.B.S. that fall. After taking a step back to 4-8 in 2004, Kragthorpe and Tulsa went to back-to-back bowl games in 2005-6 (Liberty Bowl and Armed Forces Bowl). In 2005, the team won Conference USA, Tulsa’s first conference title since joining the F.B.S. in 1986. Kragthorpe came to the Golden Hurricanes from the N.F.L., where he served as the quarterbacks coach for the Buffalo Bills from 2001-2. In 2002, Bills quarterback Drew Bledsoe set a team record with 4,359 passing yards. Kragthorpe’s collegiate experience includes a four-year stint with Texas A&M (1997-2000, the final three as offensive coordinator), two years with North Texas (1994-95) and one season with Boston College (1996). Kragthorpe has a great relationship with Jurich, so his job may not be in jeopardy, but the fan base will demand a better on-field product than they saw last fall. Seat temperature check: simmering.
Tidbit (coaching edition): In an effort to improve upon last fall’s terrible defensive performance, Kragthorpe and Louisville tabbed the former Michigan defensive coordinator Ron English to lead their defense, replacing Mike Cassity. He is part of a complete defensive overhaul. Louisville hired Ken Delgado to coach the line, Eric Lewis as cornerbacks coach and Bill Miller as linebackers coach. The staff could have been even better; Louisville had hired the former Duke coach Ted Roof to coach the linebackers, but he left shortly after accepting the job to become Tim Brewster’s defensive coordinator at Minnesota. A suggestion for Roof: If 2007 is any sign, rent, don’t buy.
2007 record: 6-6 (3-4). It was a major step back from 2006. The Cardinals saw their win total cut in half (from 12 to 6) from their Big East title-winning season in Petrino’s final year. However, the offense continued to be explosive despite losing the coach many felt was directly responsible for its production. The Cardinals finished sixth in the nation in total offense (488 yards per game) and had one of the passing attacks in the F.B.S. (341.9 yards per game). However, thanks to a horrendous defense (ranked 93rd in the F.B.S. in scoring defense), Louisville was unable to take advantage of quarterback Brian Brohm’s final season. Fans knew something was amiss when the Cardinals lost the Governors Cup to Kentucky and, inexplicably, gave up 38 points in a loss at home to Syracuse in back-to-back weeks in September. Though the Cardinals finished bowl eligible at 6-6, they were not selected for a bowl game. It was a fitting end to a highly disappointing season.
High point: The fall’s signature win, a 28-24 victory at then-No. 15 Cincinnati. The season ended on a high note, as Louisville scored 17 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to beat Rutgers, 41-38, in the season finale. In all seriousness, a 58-42 win over Middle Tennessee State on the second weekend of the season may have been the high point of the season; it put the Cardinals at 2-0, No. 8 in the nation.
Low point: There were no good-looking losses on the schedule, but the worst were the losses to Kentucky and Syracuse. Louisville allowed a touchdown with less than 40 seconds left in the 40-34 loss to the Wildcats. Against Syracuse, Louisville wasted 555 yards passing from Brohm in a 38-35 loss.
Returning starters: 9 (4 offense, 5 defense).
Key losses:
On offense, Louisville lost Brohm, a three-year starter and the team’s career leader in passing yards (10,775) and touchdowns (71). A second-round pick of the Packers, Brohm earned a number of conference and national honors during his time at Louisville, including the Big East F]freshman (2004) and offensive player of the year (2005) and an Orange Bowl M.V.P. (2007). His senior year – 4,024 yards (sixth in the F.B.S.) and 30 touchdowns – was his best season for the Cardinals. Benefiting from Brohm’s abilities were receivers Harry Douglas (71 receptions for 1,159 yards, 7 scores) and Mario Urrutia (35 for 501 in 10 games). Douglas was the second Cardinal selected in the draft, landing with the Falcons in the third round. Urrutia, who declared early for the draft, was a seventh-round pick of the Bengals. Louisville will also need to replace the productive tight end Gary Barnidge – a fifth-round pick of the Panthers – who finished second on the team with 55 receptions. He tied Douglas for the team lead with seven touchdown grabs. He was one of two Cardinals taken by Carolina in that fifth round: offensive tackle Breno Giacomini also landed with the Panthers. The Countdown, again, recognizes the efforts of the special teams: kicker Art Carmody was the N.C.A.A.’s career leading scorer with 433 points. No pressure on the true freshman Chris Philpott (likely the new starter), you’re just replacing the most prolific kicker in the history of college football. The junior wide receiver JaJuan Spillman was kicked off the team after his second arrest in 18 months. More of a return threat thus far in Louisville career (22.2 yards per return), Spillman’s playing time at receiver would have increased with the departure of Douglas and Urrutia.
On defense, Louisville lost six starters off one of the worst units in the F.B.S. The biggest loss is middle linebacker Lamar Myles, who left early for the N.F.L. but went undrafted. He was signed to a free-agent deal by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Myles led the Cardinals with 128 tackles (second in the Big East) en route to first-team all-conference honors. As a note, the next-leading Louisville tackler (the rising senior safety Bobby Buchanan) had 54 stops. Myles’s fellow linebacker Malik Jackson, who had 43 tackles, a sack and an interception, signed a free-agent deal with the Raiders. Louisville will be without two starters in its secondary: corner Rod Council, who led the team with two interceptions, and safety Deon Palmer, who finished third on the team with 47 tackles. Palmer also added two sacks.
Players to watch: Stepping in for Brohm at quarterback is the senior Hunter Cantwell, who bided his time behind Brohm for the last three seasons. He has some experience; Cantwell started four games from 2005-6, including the 2006 Gator Bowl loss to Virginia Tech. Over all, Cantwell takes a 3-1 record as a starter into 2008. His career totals include 1,419 passing yards and 10 touchdowns with a 58.6 percent completion percentage. There are not many weapons remaining to help him ease into the full-time starting job. At running back, the Cardinals return the senior Brock Bolen, who rushed for 456 yards (second on the team) and 7 touchdowns in 2007. The sophomore Bilal Powell was explosive in limited duty last fall (19 carries for 187 yards, 2 scores), and should receive additional action in 2008. The junior receiver Scott Long is the only experienced wideout on the roster. One of eight Cardinals with at least 15 catches a season ago, Long will be looked to improve upon his 27-reception, 358-yard (with zero touchdowns) season last fall. The junior Trent Guy, who figured to be in the mix for a starting spot at receiver, is questionable for the fall after being shot during an altercation outside a nightclub over the weekend. Guy had 11 receptions for 177 yards and 2 scores in 2007. One offensive position that looks to be in good shape is the line, which returns two all-conference honorees in the senior center Eric Wood (first-team) and the senior tackle George Bussey. Wood enters his senior season with 37 straight starts and Bussey with 25. With three starters returning on the defensive line, the front four looks to be a position of strength on an already questionable defense depleted by graduation. Louisville returns both starting ends, the senior Maurice Mitchell (team-leading nine tackles for loss) and the junior L.D. Scott (20 tackles, 1 sack). At tackle, the senior Earl Heyman led the team with four sacks while topping all defensive linemen with 40 stops (7 for loss). Keep an eye on the senior tackle Adrian Grady, who showed flashes of ability as a redshirt freshman (30 tackles) but has been plagued by injuries since. His health could be a deciding factor in the improvement of the defense. In the secondary, the senior Woodny Turenne needs to improve upon his 2007 performance. One of the most highly-decorated JUCO recruits in the 2007 class, Turenne struggled in his first season with the Cardinals.
Position battle to watch: The receiving corps, already crippled by the loss of Douglas, Urrutia, Barnidge and Patrick Carter (26 receptions in 2007), took another hit with the dismissal of Spillman and Guy’s unfortunate injury. While Long will occupy one starting spot, who will step up and start alongside him? The good news is that Louisville has only one senior receiver of consequence on the roster. The bad news is that until the group gets game experience, the passing game may go through some growing pains. The lone senior is Chris Vaughn, who had 2 catches for 11 yards last fall. He will be in the mix for a prominent role, as will the junior Maurice Clark (a spring enrollee out of junior college) and the sophomores Doug Beaumont and Troy Pascley. Keep an eye on the redshirt freshman Josh Chichester, who at 6-8 may be the tallest receiver in the F.B.S.
2008 schedule:
Aug. 31 Kentucky
Sept. 6 Tennessee Tech
Sept. 17 Kansas State
Sept. 26 Connecticut
Oct. 10 @ Memphis
Oct. 18 Middle Tennessee State
Oct. 25 South Florida
Nov. 1 @ Syracuse
Nov. 8 @ Pittsburgh
Nov. 14 Cincinnati
Nov. 22 West Virginia
Tidbit (we’re No. 120! edition): Duke University used an interesting argument to explain away a breach of contract suit brought against it after the university backed out of three scheduled games (2007-9) with the Cardinals. The Blue Devils’ deal with Louisville stated that a $150,000 penalty would be assessed if the Cardinals could not find a program “of similar stature” to replace the Blue Devils. The argument? That Duke, below .500 every season since 1995, could be replaced by any team in the F.B.S.
Game to watch: The season opener with the Wildcats. Kentucky’s upset victory last September threw Louisville into a tailspin. Can the Cardinals return the favor against their in-state rival?
Season breakdown & prediction: There is a distinct lack of depth on this Cardinals roster, leading the Countdown to believe that Louisville will struggle as the season moves into November and December. It is therefore a good thing that Louisville plays only one road game through the start of November. The Cardinals actually play only four away dates all season, a huge positive for a team still searching for its identity under Kragthorpe. But onto the bad news: offensively, the Cardinals need to replace Brohm and nearly the entire receiving corps, and on defense, the hiring of English is still not enough to offset an overall lack of talent. Even if Cantwell were to play up to the potential he has thus far shown in his small sampling, the offense cannot match the unit’s output from a season ago. The only saving grace for Louisville is its schedule, which features eight home games and the relatively easy (by B.C.S. conference standards) Big East slate. Nevertheless, it is hard to make the case that Louisville will be any better than a season ago. However, giving Kragthorpe the benefit of the doubt, and taking into account the home-heavy slate, I predict a 7-5 finish, a one-game improvement over last fall’s upsetting finish.
Dream season: Kragthorpe makes Louisville fans forget about Petrino with a 9-3 regular season.
Nightmare season: It’s more of the same: a 5-7 finish.
No. 50 Louisville
Nickname: Cardinals.
Quick facts: Was there a more disappointing team in the F.B.S. last fall than Louisville? Despite the loss of Coach Bobby Petrino to the Falcons, the Cardinals returned enough weapons (quarterback Brian Brohm, wide receivers Harry Douglas and Mario Urrutia) that many predicted them as a dark-horse contender for the national crown. However, the transition from Petrino to the former Tulsa coach Steve Kragthorpe was a difficult one. Though the Cardinals maintained a high level of play on offense, the defense was atrocious, allowing opponents to score 38 points or more seven times. The Louisville fan base, prepping for another Big East title run and accompanying B.C.S. appearance, quickly turned on Kragthorpe and the Cardinals. The coming fall, therefore, is huge not only for Kragthorpe but for the Louisville program. The Cardinals need to show that 2007 was an aberration, and that fans should expect an equal degree of success with the new regime as they experienced under Petrino.
Tidbit: Louisville’s offense has ranked among the top 10 in the nation each of the last five years – a stretch, not coincidentally, beginning with the arrival of Petrino in 2003. The Cardinals finished first in the F.B.S. in 2004 and second in 2006.
Tidbit (rebuilding edition): How do Louisville fans feel about Athletic Director Tom Jurich’s statement that Louisville football is in a rebuilding mode? It isn’t very often that a program goes from a conference title and a B.C.S. game appearance to an admitted rebuilding phase in two seasons. Is he merely attempting to explain the team’s underwhelming performance last fall?
Team Information
Conference: Big East.
Head coach: Steve Kragthorpe (’87 West Texas State), 6-6 in one season with Louisville. Though his first year with the Cardinals has to be deemed a disaster, Kragthorpe’s tenure with Tulsa showed him to be one of college football’s best young coaches. His four-year record (2003-6) of 29-22 with the Golden Hurricanes is made all the more impressive when considering Tulsa’s 2-21 combined record from 2001-2. Kragthorpe’s first season with Tulsa, an 8-5 finish, was capped by a trip to the Humanitarian Bowl, the program’s first bowl appearance since 1991; the seven-game improvement over a 1-10 season in 2001 constituted the biggest turnaround in the F.B.S. that fall. After taking a step back to 4-8 in 2004, Kragthorpe and Tulsa went to back-to-back bowl games in 2005-6 (Liberty Bowl and Armed Forces Bowl). In 2005, the team won Conference USA, Tulsa’s first conference title since joining the F.B.S. in 1986. Kragthorpe came to the Golden Hurricanes from the N.F.L., where he served as the quarterbacks coach for the Buffalo Bills from 2001-2. In 2002, Bills quarterback Drew Bledsoe set a team record with 4,359 passing yards. Kragthorpe’s collegiate experience includes a four-year stint with Texas A&M (1997-2000, the final three as offensive coordinator), two years with North Texas (1994-95) and one season with Boston College (1996). Kragthorpe has a great relationship with Jurich, so his job may not be in jeopardy, but the fan base will demand a better on-field product than they saw last fall. Seat temperature check: simmering.
Tidbit (coaching edition): In an effort to improve upon last fall’s terrible defensive performance, Kragthorpe and Louisville tabbed the former Michigan defensive coordinator Ron English to lead their defense, replacing Mike Cassity. He is part of a complete defensive overhaul. Louisville hired Ken Delgado to coach the line, Eric Lewis as cornerbacks coach and Bill Miller as linebackers coach. The staff could have been even better; Louisville had hired the former Duke coach Ted Roof to coach the linebackers, but he left shortly after accepting the job to become Tim Brewster’s defensive coordinator at Minnesota. A suggestion for Roof: If 2007 is any sign, rent, don’t buy.
2007 record: 6-6 (3-4). It was a major step back from 2006. The Cardinals saw their win total cut in half (from 12 to 6) from their Big East title-winning season in Petrino’s final year. However, the offense continued to be explosive despite losing the coach many felt was directly responsible for its production. The Cardinals finished sixth in the nation in total offense (488 yards per game) and had one of the passing attacks in the F.B.S. (341.9 yards per game). However, thanks to a horrendous defense (ranked 93rd in the F.B.S. in scoring defense), Louisville was unable to take advantage of quarterback Brian Brohm’s final season. Fans knew something was amiss when the Cardinals lost the Governors Cup to Kentucky and, inexplicably, gave up 38 points in a loss at home to Syracuse in back-to-back weeks in September. Though the Cardinals finished bowl eligible at 6-6, they were not selected for a bowl game. It was a fitting end to a highly disappointing season.
High point: The fall’s signature win, a 28-24 victory at then-No. 15 Cincinnati. The season ended on a high note, as Louisville scored 17 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to beat Rutgers, 41-38, in the season finale. In all seriousness, a 58-42 win over Middle Tennessee State on the second weekend of the season may have been the high point of the season; it put the Cardinals at 2-0, No. 8 in the nation.
Low point: There were no good-looking losses on the schedule, but the worst were the losses to Kentucky and Syracuse. Louisville allowed a touchdown with less than 40 seconds left in the 40-34 loss to the Wildcats. Against Syracuse, Louisville wasted 555 yards passing from Brohm in a 38-35 loss.
Returning starters: 9 (4 offense, 5 defense).
Key losses:
On offense, Louisville lost Brohm, a three-year starter and the team’s career leader in passing yards (10,775) and touchdowns (71). A second-round pick of the Packers, Brohm earned a number of conference and national honors during his time at Louisville, including the Big East F]freshman (2004) and offensive player of the year (2005) and an Orange Bowl M.V.P. (2007). His senior year – 4,024 yards (sixth in the F.B.S.) and 30 touchdowns – was his best season for the Cardinals. Benefiting from Brohm’s abilities were receivers Harry Douglas (71 receptions for 1,159 yards, 7 scores) and Mario Urrutia (35 for 501 in 10 games). Douglas was the second Cardinal selected in the draft, landing with the Falcons in the third round. Urrutia, who declared early for the draft, was a seventh-round pick of the Bengals. Louisville will also need to replace the productive tight end Gary Barnidge – a fifth-round pick of the Panthers – who finished second on the team with 55 receptions. He tied Douglas for the team lead with seven touchdown grabs. He was one of two Cardinals taken by Carolina in that fifth round: offensive tackle Breno Giacomini also landed with the Panthers. The Countdown, again, recognizes the efforts of the special teams: kicker Art Carmody was the N.C.A.A.’s career leading scorer with 433 points. No pressure on the true freshman Chris Philpott (likely the new starter), you’re just replacing the most prolific kicker in the history of college football. The junior wide receiver JaJuan Spillman was kicked off the team after his second arrest in 18 months. More of a return threat thus far in Louisville career (22.2 yards per return), Spillman’s playing time at receiver would have increased with the departure of Douglas and Urrutia.
On defense, Louisville lost six starters off one of the worst units in the F.B.S. The biggest loss is middle linebacker Lamar Myles, who left early for the N.F.L. but went undrafted. He was signed to a free-agent deal by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Myles led the Cardinals with 128 tackles (second in the Big East) en route to first-team all-conference honors. As a note, the next-leading Louisville tackler (the rising senior safety Bobby Buchanan) had 54 stops. Myles’s fellow linebacker Malik Jackson, who had 43 tackles, a sack and an interception, signed a free-agent deal with the Raiders. Louisville will be without two starters in its secondary: corner Rod Council, who led the team with two interceptions, and safety Deon Palmer, who finished third on the team with 47 tackles. Palmer also added two sacks.
Players to watch: Stepping in for Brohm at quarterback is the senior Hunter Cantwell, who bided his time behind Brohm for the last three seasons. He has some experience; Cantwell started four games from 2005-6, including the 2006 Gator Bowl loss to Virginia Tech. Over all, Cantwell takes a 3-1 record as a starter into 2008. His career totals include 1,419 passing yards and 10 touchdowns with a 58.6 percent completion percentage. There are not many weapons remaining to help him ease into the full-time starting job. At running back, the Cardinals return the senior Brock Bolen, who rushed for 456 yards (second on the team) and 7 touchdowns in 2007. The sophomore Bilal Powell was explosive in limited duty last fall (19 carries for 187 yards, 2 scores), and should receive additional action in 2008. The junior receiver Scott Long is the only experienced wideout on the roster. One of eight Cardinals with at least 15 catches a season ago, Long will be looked to improve upon his 27-reception, 358-yard (with zero touchdowns) season last fall. The junior Trent Guy, who figured to be in the mix for a starting spot at receiver, is questionable for the fall after being shot during an altercation outside a nightclub over the weekend. Guy had 11 receptions for 177 yards and 2 scores in 2007. One offensive position that looks to be in good shape is the line, which returns two all-conference honorees in the senior center Eric Wood (first-team) and the senior tackle George Bussey. Wood enters his senior season with 37 straight starts and Bussey with 25. With three starters returning on the defensive line, the front four looks to be a position of strength on an already questionable defense depleted by graduation. Louisville returns both starting ends, the senior Maurice Mitchell (team-leading nine tackles for loss) and the junior L.D. Scott (20 tackles, 1 sack). At tackle, the senior Earl Heyman led the team with four sacks while topping all defensive linemen with 40 stops (7 for loss). Keep an eye on the senior tackle Adrian Grady, who showed flashes of ability as a redshirt freshman (30 tackles) but has been plagued by injuries since. His health could be a deciding factor in the improvement of the defense. In the secondary, the senior Woodny Turenne needs to improve upon his 2007 performance. One of the most highly-decorated JUCO recruits in the 2007 class, Turenne struggled in his first season with the Cardinals.
Position battle to watch: The receiving corps, already crippled by the loss of Douglas, Urrutia, Barnidge and Patrick Carter (26 receptions in 2007), took another hit with the dismissal of Spillman and Guy’s unfortunate injury. While Long will occupy one starting spot, who will step up and start alongside him? The good news is that Louisville has only one senior receiver of consequence on the roster. The bad news is that until the group gets game experience, the passing game may go through some growing pains. The lone senior is Chris Vaughn, who had 2 catches for 11 yards last fall. He will be in the mix for a prominent role, as will the junior Maurice Clark (a spring enrollee out of junior college) and the sophomores Doug Beaumont and Troy Pascley. Keep an eye on the redshirt freshman Josh Chichester, who at 6-8 may be the tallest receiver in the F.B.S.
2008 schedule:
Aug. 31 Kentucky
Sept. 6 Tennessee Tech
Sept. 17 Kansas State
Sept. 26 Connecticut
Oct. 10 @ Memphis
Oct. 18 Middle Tennessee State
Oct. 25 South Florida
Nov. 1 @ Syracuse
Nov. 8 @ Pittsburgh
Nov. 14 Cincinnati
Nov. 22 West Virginia
Tidbit (we’re No. 120! edition): Duke University used an interesting argument to explain away a breach of contract suit brought against it after the university backed out of three scheduled games (2007-9) with the Cardinals. The Blue Devils’ deal with Louisville stated that a $150,000 penalty would be assessed if the Cardinals could not find a program “of similar stature” to replace the Blue Devils. The argument? That Duke, below .500 every season since 1995, could be replaced by any team in the F.B.S.
Game to watch: The season opener with the Wildcats. Kentucky’s upset victory last September threw Louisville into a tailspin. Can the Cardinals return the favor against their in-state rival?
Season breakdown & prediction: There is a distinct lack of depth on this Cardinals roster, leading the Countdown to believe that Louisville will struggle as the season moves into November and December. It is therefore a good thing that Louisville plays only one road game through the start of November. The Cardinals actually play only four away dates all season, a huge positive for a team still searching for its identity under Kragthorpe. But onto the bad news: offensively, the Cardinals need to replace Brohm and nearly the entire receiving corps, and on defense, the hiring of English is still not enough to offset an overall lack of talent. Even if Cantwell were to play up to the potential he has thus far shown in his small sampling, the offense cannot match the unit’s output from a season ago. The only saving grace for Louisville is its schedule, which features eight home games and the relatively easy (by B.C.S. conference standards) Big East slate. Nevertheless, it is hard to make the case that Louisville will be any better than a season ago. However, giving Kragthorpe the benefit of the doubt, and taking into account the home-heavy slate, I predict a 7-5 finish, a one-game improvement over last fall’s upsetting finish.
Dream season: Kragthorpe makes Louisville fans forget about Petrino with a 9-3 regular season.
Nightmare season: It’s more of the same: a 5-7 finish.
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