Reasons To Get Out There

Ten reasons to attend the University of Louisville-Rutgers football game at 11 a.m. the day after Thanksgiving Day:

• Football weather, cold, damp, miserable.




• You already have tickets, or you can get them cheap.




• Check on progress of stadium expansion.




• University of Louisville, not Kragthorpe U.




• Game on national television, need fans in stands. Go ahead, wave to the cameras.




• New coach mulling over job, fan support a factor.




• Win a T-shirt at the Budweiser booth.




• Rutgers still in a daze, still puzzled about Syracuse loss, playing at 11 a.m.




• Final game for Trent Guy, Scott Long, Jon Dempsey, Chris Campa, Joe Tronzo.




• Save money avoiding Black Friday sales.

Bonus

• End of the Steve Kragthorpe era.

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More Of Same From K, But Pitino Sending Message

One way to make the seasonal transition between University of Louisville sports easier is to go directly from a televised football game, driving faster than the posted speed limit, to a basketball game at Freedom Hall.  Once there, racing all the other football fanatics from the parking lot to the seats just in time for tip off. A sluggish basketball win over a mediocre team from the Atlantic Sun Conference does help ease the sting of another football loss but not by much.

• Criticize Steve Kragthorpe and he deserves it for his many shortcomings as a coach. But one has to credit his players for not quitting. They are making the effort. But they’re lacking the confidence,  motivation and depth to overcome significant shortcomings in the potential and talent categories.

• The U of L football team has slowly evolved into a pretty good first half team, thanks to Trent Guy’s kick returns and the leadership of Chris Campa and Jon Dempsey on the defensive front, even managing a pass rush. The safeties can’t say the same but they will hurt you after you catch the pass.

• Speaking of Kragthorpe, athletic director Tom Jurich “didn’t want go anywhere near the topic” of Kragthorpe’s future, according to the Big East announcing crew. Probably because doesn’t have one at Belknap Campus. Next week should be interesting, perhaps providing the team a little extra motivation.

Keeping things close, even within striking distance, midway through the fourth quarter is not enough to get fans excited about any signs of progress, real or imaginary. 

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Someone Needs To Light The Fuse

by Tom Stosberg

One of these days the kids on this University of Louisville football team are going to realize how good they really are and they’re going to trounce somebody. I don’t envy the team that wakes them up, either. Could be South Florida, could be Rutgers or maybe it will be a team on next season’s schedule. But it’s highly likely.

All those juniors on the offensive line could all “get it” on the same day. There’s no doubt that we have the running backs who need very little daylight to have a record breaking day. And there are quarterbacks on this team who would compete for starting positiions on any team in the Big East. The receiving corps is loaded.

So what’s the missing ingredient? Could be the internal fire that comes from a combination of desire and confidence.  Simply put, someone needs to ignite this team. Light the fuse as it were.

The same thing is so evident on the defensive side that it’s scary. L.T.Walker and L.D. Scott can play at the same level as anyone in the conference. Chris Campa, Jon Dempsey and Brandon Heath have big time talent and there are plenty more with enough speed who can definitely make up for weaknesses in the pass coverage.  As a bonus, Trent Guy can turn a game around in less than 10 seconds with great moves and blinding speed.

There is absolutely no reason that with this much talent U of L shouldn’t be 8-2 or 9-1.

We’ve heard a lot talk about injuries, lack of talent and a bare cupboard almost three years ago. But this season, with these kids, this team could explode at any time. And if they don’t, next year is going to be a golden opportunity for some coach to see the obvious and light a short fuse.

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Louisville Football Halfway To Where?

By Paul Sykes

Louisville football is about where most fans thought it would be at this time of the season, despite all the chatter about not meeting expectations. Whether the team has shown improvement or not may strongly hinge on one’s perspective, whether one looks at things objectively or subjectively.

• At the halfway point, Louisville is 2-4 overall and 0-2 in Big East play. My preseason picks and had Steve Kragthorpe’s team at 3-3, the Kentucky loss the only miss.

• Louisville has actually gained more first downs than the opposition, 119-111. Of these, 62 have come by air and 49 on the ground.  I would have lost the bet on that stat.

• As for the highly-debated lack of third down conversions, Louisville has converted 35 of 91 times while limiting the opposition to 35 of 90 third down successes.

• Three linebackers lead  the tackling. Jon Dempsey with 33 solo, 31 assisted, Chris Campa with 21 solo and 20 assisted and Antwon Canady in fourth place with 17 solo and 12 assisted. Telling fact: both Dempsey and Campa are juco transfers.

• Justin Burke, despite his sidelining, still leads in passing attempts, passing touchdowns and interceptions. Louisville is averaging 237 yards through the air, the opposition 201 yards.

• Louisville has coughed up the ball seven times this year while recovering only one. U of L has lost at least one fumble in nine of the last 10 games.
  

• The longer the better? Ryan Payne is a perfect one of one attempt from 40- yards out on field goals. He’s three of four from 30-39 yds. and three of five from 20-29 yds.

My nominee for missing in action is Troy Pascley who had 12 catches and four touchdowns last season. Nowhere to be found in 2009. The pleasant surprise has to be Cameron Graham,  a junior who has overcome the injuries that plagued him last year with 12 catches and two touchdowns.

How do you see the U of L finishing the season? Who has been a pleasant surprise thus far? Who are the underachievers?

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Redman Makes His Case

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