The similarities are striking between this season’s University of Louisville team and the one that won the national championship in 1980 for Darrell Griffith and Roger Burkman, the Dr. Dunkenstein and defensive juggernaut, respectively, who compared the teams in a WLKY-32 interview:
“They honestly remind me a lot of our ’80 team, defensively, the way we got after people, they get after people,” said Burkman. “That generates offense. I think they execute very well,” he said. “I think they’re well-coached, obviously and they do execute well. The other thing they do is share the ball so well.”
“They’re a dangerous team to be playing and as long as they stay together and keep a common goal and focus, then we’ll be alright,” said Griffith, who  agreed that this squad’s press reminds him of his national championship team’s defensive tenacity. “We had a hell of a press,” he said. “That was one of our fortes. Soon as you get out there playing, you feel our pressure. They’re doing the same thing this team.”