Author Archive for Paul Sykes

Froman, Louisville want best face on offense

By Paul Sykes

When you look back at the Louisville-Kentucky series, the list of quarterbacks is impressive.

Redman, Brohm, LeFors, Ragone and Cantwell for the Louisville. Couch, Lorenzen, Woodson and Boyd for Kentucky. This season’s starters don’t have  the name recognition and skills but neither coach is putting major pressure and responsibilities on them either.

Although this is his second season, Louisville fans really don’t know what to expect from Froman. He’s still pretty much of an unknown, as is Mike Hartline from the Lexington school. The coaches just want them to maintain, getting the ball to the running backs and wide receivers while avoiding costly turnovers.

• Louisville — Froman won a three way battle for the position over Will Stein and Justin Burke. U of L head coach Charlie Strong is looking for Froman to just operate the offense and get the ball to the right guys in the multiple options in Mike Sanford’s spread offense. Froman calls the Cardinal attack “fun” and likes the aggressive options available. He’ll have a strong, experienced offensive line and will help shape the “identity” that Strong says the Cards need to establish

• Kentucky — Mike Hartline returns as a starter, beating out Morgan Newton and Ryan Mossakowski for the snaps. His job will be to “feed the studs” like Randall Cobb and Derrick Locke…guys that are proven game changers. The debate on the Lexington campus is whether Hartline is the right call, and UK will probably use Cobb and Newton under center in certain situations. Joker Phillips defends his decision to go with Hartline, saying that he is “the experienced guy and he’s going fast, being more efficient with things we want to get done.”

Advantage: Kentucky. Hartline never lost to a Steve Kragthorpe-coached team, and the Cats have options in Cobb and Newton if Hartline is ineffective. Neither starting quarterback is a powerhouse.

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Kentucky flag has to go, replaced by University of Louisville colors

By Paulie the Fist

We had to do it. There was no other way. Day after day, I’d drive by there … the manicured lawn, hedges trimmed weekly, not a speck of jimson weed, crabgrass or Johnson grass. And, there was that flag. That blue Kentucky Wildcat flag.

It was a big one, flapping from a pole in the front of the house. It never came down, not even on patriotic days when it should have been replaced by “Old Glory.” Not even when Lynyrd Skynyrd came to town and the Confederate stars and bars should have been rolled out.

A symbol of the superiority, arrogance, “holier than thou” attitude of the house owner and his snooty wife. Not ones to engage in small talk on summer evenings out in the front yard. Not ones to drop by with chicken soup if someone is feeling poorly.

A spot of blue in a decidedly red neighborhood. The enemy. Typical “Big Blue” believers. We gave them their space. An occasional nod of recognition. A prom wave if driving by. They got theirs. We got ours.

The plan developed with news the two were headed off on a short vacation through Labor Day weekend. Mostly, it was Clarence, the fanatical U of L neighbor,  and I, talking about it while relaxing with a beverage after cutting the yard. The blue flag was going to be history and a bright, shiny Cardinal red one would replace it.

We wait for the cover of darkness. Mostly because Clarence doesn’t get home till late that night. I have the new flag, just out of the wrapper. We walk to the front porch and up the steps humming the Cardinal fight song as we remove the symbol of tyranny, replacing it with one of hope and promise — of freedom and Bilal Powell.

The U of L flag waves proudly in the light breeze this afternoon as I gaze out the window. It will continue to until they arrive home. The flag rings are super glued to the rope, the old flag draped over the garden hose roller in the backyard.

A relative checking on the house while they’re gone gives it a cursory look yesterday but doesn’t act on it. We think he’s a closet Michigan State fan anyway, so the difference between red and blue is pretty insignificant for him.

The neighborhood is looking pretty good these days.

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Remotivated Brandon Heath leads Louisville linebackers

Senior linebacker Brandon Heath refocuses in the classroom.

By Paul Sykes

Linebacker Brandon Heath wasn’t getting the job done in the classroom when Charlie Strong arrived at the University of Louisville. Apparently needing some motivation.

So the football coach calls Heath to his office for a little meeting. Picks up the phone for a conference call with mom, telling her that he is going to pack Brandon’s bags and send him home.

“Oh, no, don’t do that,” pleads his mom, according to Strong.

Strong accomplishes his purpose, providing Heath with all the inspiration he needs. He has found his focus in the classroom and was picked by Strong to be a co-captain. “We look to him as a leader now,” says Strong.

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One knows linebackers are generally doing their jobs on defense if the ball advances no more than four yards from where it started.  The closer to the line of scrimmage the better the job. The farther away, well, you know. The linebackers on both sides are going to be severely tested with all the speedy running backs and receivers in the Louisville vs. Kentucky football showdown.

Louisville — Defensive coordinator Vance Bedford is counting on Brandon Heath to lead a hard hitting group of guys in the middle. Heath had 48 stops and two interceptions last year for the Cards. Joining Heath will be senior Antwone Canady, junior Dexter Heyman and sophomore Daniel Brown.

Canady is a proven playmaker from a season ago, Heyman seems better suited for linebacker than the experiment placing him on the defensive line earlier in his career and Brown has been getting raves during the fall practice for his tackling skills. The group is solidly backed up by Mike Privott, Eugene Sowell and Jacob Geffard.

Newcomers Preston Brown, Tyon Dixon, and Deon Rogers are impressive and could be used as freshmen. An additional potential bright star could be USC transfer Jordan Campbell. The Cards look solid here and should improve on last year’s allowance of 371 yards and 26.2 points allowed.

Kentucky –  Returns one starter in junior outside linebacker Danny Trevathan. The staff is looking at redshirt freshman Qua Huzzie in the middle and senior Jacob Dufrense at the other outside spot. They’ll miss graduate Micah Johnson, leading tackler last season.

Coach Joker Phillips has recruited well at the position.  Ridge Wilson and Ronnie Sneed add speed and depth. Wilson is from Louisville Central and will be a solid backup. Overall, the linebacking corps is a little quicker but lack of experience could cause problems.

Advantage — Louisville. Heath is the best in the position and Canady comes in second.

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Louisville vs. Kentucky: Sizing up the secondaries

Johnny Patrick is the proven leader in the University of Louisville secondary.

By Paul Sykes

Look it up in any dictionary, and you’ll be reminded that “secondary” is defined as somewhat subordinate in rank, order and importance.

However, the secondary may well be the key factor when the University of Louisville football team takes on Kentucky.  Someone has to cover all those shifty receivers and break-away running backs. Let’s take a look at the secondaries:

Darius Ashley

Louisville — Returns Johnny Patrick at cornerback and he’s probably an All-Big East candidate but after that the experience and depth drops off significantly. Just who will line up at cornerback with Patrick is one of the more hotly contested battles this fall on the Cardinal practice fields. Bobby Burns, Preston Pace and converted running back Darius Ashley are all trying to claim the spot.

Safety is even more of a question mark. Terrance Simien, back from last year’s injuries, looks to be the leader at strong safety and Shenard Holton has been impressive at free safety.  Their on field experience is slim, though. The depth here, too, is weak and the deep four for the Cardinal defense looks to be the weakest link in the chain. After Patrick, there are no proven game day starters.

Kentucky — Returns two starters from last year in the secondary with corner Randall Burden and free safety Winston Guy. They’ll miss Paul Warford (dismissed from team) and graduates Trevard Lindley and Calvin Harrison.

Tadeio Smith is the front runner for the strong safety spot and the other starting corner is anyone’s guess. Kentucky allowed 15.9 yards per pass play last year and with the three leading secondary tacklers gone…the Cats will be susceptible to even an average passing attack. Their deep four is also the weakest link in the Cats’ defense.

Advantage:  Neither team. Kentucky returns more game day experienced players but Louisville’s Patrick is the best of the bunch.

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Battle of the trenches will decide Governor’s Cup

By Paul Sykes

My old high school football coach used to say that football was a “battle of the trenches.” The team that could dominate the line of scrimmage would win the game. Maybe it was why we never won very often.

The University of Louisville opens the 2010 season against Kentucky Sept. 4th. Here’s  we’ll likely see on the offensive and defensive lines, short and sweet:

On offense, Kentucky loses four starters on the offensive line from last year and the lone returnee Jake Lanefski has moved to a new position at center. They’ll go up against a Cardinal front four that returns three starters for first year coach Vance Bedford.

Greg Scruggs, Malcolm Tatum and Randy Salmon have experience and skills and Rodney Gnat and William Savoy are talented backups that will see plenty of time on the field.

Advantage: Louisville

On defense, the Cats have significant talent coming back in starters DeQuin Evans (end) and senior tackle Ricky Lumpkins. But they will have to contend with a Louisville offensive line that returns all five starters from last year. Byron Stingley, Mark Wetterer, Mario Benavides, Conrad Thomas and Greg Tomczyk have been among the most pleasant surprises at fall practice and four of the five are over 300 pounds.

Advantage: Louisville

The game of football comes down to blocking and tackling. It looks like Louisville wins here…with its size, experience and coaching.

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Louisville soccer not chopped liver

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Now the rebuilding begins in earnest for the Louisville football program

By Paul Sykes

Now what?

The coaches have weighed in at the Big East football meetings, indicating the rest of the conference isn’t as enamored with Charlie Strong as the Louisville fan base.  The other guys fully expect the University of Louisville to finish eighth out of eight teams.

Strong will use the prediction as a motivational tool, no doubt. Just like horse racing, future results are often judged on past performances. And, like horse racing … upsets do occur. If it is to be an “us vs. them” mentality, I like our chances.

I’m predicting a major upset in the final finish of this 2010 (and hopefully 2011) UofL football team. There is a different atmosphere and attitude. A new way in how the players carry themselves, how they talk about themselves and the team. Plus, a higher level of respect for the coaches and a definite change in the way the fan base feels about the program.

Howard Schnellenberger needed three years to turn around a woeful program in the mid-eighties. Today’s current fan base has no such patience. This is a “I want it all and I want it now” generation. A “what have you done for me lately” mindset.

Give it time. Going to need plenty of it. Good recruits are on the way, current players are being told that old attitudes and efforts won’t cut it. Anything over a .500 record this year should be cause for celebration. A (gasp) bowl game too much to ask for? Not according to some blogs and writers out there in the vast Internet world, including this one.

What I expect and hope to see is a team that is trying hard and doesn’t repeatedly shoot itself in the foot. With a new offense, the defense being coached by one of the best in the business. I think I’m going to be pleased with what I see.

I won’t get into pre-season record predictions and player positions yet. I will let the guys down there on Belknap Campus sort it out, relying upon their collective judgment. It’s nice to have a coach that one can trust these days.

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