Football is back, for a couple of weeks anyway.
The beginning of spring practice for the University of Louisville football team Wednesday had an entirely different feel from this season, with approximately 80 healthy players on hand. A giant leap from a year ago when only 39 players were available because of so many injuries and departing seniors.
A nice crowd considering the 4 p.m. start on a work day, between 200 and 300 fans wanting to get a close up look at some of the newcomers, including highly regarded freshmen like Keith Brown, Corvin Lamb and James Burgess, Jr.
Everybody also wanting to get another look at sophomore quarterback Teddy Bridgewater to confirm that he’s as good as they remembered. The aforementioned threading the needle with wider receivers Andrell Smith and Davante Parker all day long. Dominique Brown appeared to have beefed up even more since last season.
And it wouldn’t be a U of L football team without a Brohm around. Representing the family for four more years is Luke Brohm, a redshirt freshman from St. Xavier, taking turns behind center with senior Will Stein and freshman Jerry Arlinghaus, a freshman from Covington Holy Cross.
Defensive coordinator Vance Bedford was his usual self, bumping the chests and getting in the faces of defensive lineman. Taking it to Brandon Dunn, the 6-foot-5, 285-pound junior defensive tackle one minute, catching a freshman walking the next.
“Nobody walks. I don’t want to see nobody walking,” he says to a player a half second late getting downfield. “We run around here. All the time.”
Practice sessions under Charlie Strong are regimented and efficient, no time wasted getting back up to speed as quickly as possible. No surprises, everybody knows what’s expected of them. More talent on that practice field than Louisville has enjoyed for quite a while
There was also a sense of relief mixed with celebration for many fans at Wednesday’s session, savoring a brief reunion with the pigskin, congratulating themselves for having a coach like Charlie Strong while counting the days until the spring football game April 14th, biding their time until September.
Defensive coordinator Vance Bedford gets into the chest of defensive tackle Brandon Dunn during the University of Louisville football team’s first day of spring drills.