By Ed Peak
As the fiscal year comes to a close on June 30th and University of Louisville Athletics embarks on another year in the Atlantic Coast Conference, there is lots of work to be done.
The Cardinals begin the year with a permanent Athletic Director in Josh Heird. A new Head Basketball Coach in Kenny Payne and mega hopes for a major boost for Louisville athletics. Maybe the most important year in 50 years.
Volleyball, women’s basketball and baseball have carried the torch of success for the Belknap Campus in 2022.
I don’t have an idea how good basketball will be. The men are going through a total makeover. Women are probably rebuilding. Volleyball should be good again. But how good? That brings us to football which will be front and center come September. After last years promises of a better season the Cardinals stumbled to a 6-7 record and a loss in the First Responders Bowl to Air Force.
I’m sure coach Scott Satterfield wouldn’t admit it. But it’s win or go home. In three seasons he’s 18-19 as the Cardinals leader. Average at best. That’s how I felt about last years team. Average.
This season I believe there is optimism. If there is optimism, then more season tickets purchases and increases. The last couple seasons at the box office have been disastrous for Louisville and numerous collegiate programs. Going to take a while for all of them to recover from the effects of Covid 19.
This season the Cardinals home schedule is, I guess okay. Florida State, South Florida, Pittsburgh, Wake Forest, James Madison and North Carolina State. The Cards play November 26 at Kentucky to finish the regular season. Cats have outscored the Cards 97-35 the last two seasons. This can’t happen again.
Some UofL fans are quick to look up I-65 to West Lafayette, where hometown hero Jeff Brohm, has built Purdue into a respectable program.
If you read the preseason football magazines, Athlon and Lindy’s, respectively, rate Louisville 44th in the country and sixth in the ACC Atlantic Division and 61st and tied for fourth in Atlantic. Not much going in “The Ville,” they claim.
Senior quarterback Malik Cunningham will draw some national attention. H-Back Marshon Ford is a quality receiver and Yasir Abdullah was a second team All-ACC selection with 10 sacks a year ago.
Satterfield has received commitments from a solid group of players that are rated the highest in Cardinals history. Rueben Owens, the top running back from Texas, a five star prospect, has committed to Louisville. Don’t put a lot of stock in it. These kids change their minds like the weather in the Ohio Valley. Other schools, especially in the southwest, Texas, Texas A&M etc., will try to persuade him to go elsewhere.
I want to be optimistic about the upcoming football season. But I am really skeptical.
This is one fan who remembers the days when there were no Florida States, Pittsburghs, Wake Forests, Clemsons or North Carolina States, or Kentuckys for that matter, on the schedule. Looking forward to getting back to the gridiron.