- Vance Bedford
A familiar scene during the Kragthorpe years were those wide open opposing wide receivers 40 yards down the field. Game after game, it seemed.
Vance Bedford, the defensive coordinator at the University of Louisville, is probably losing a lot of sleep at night figuring out ways to avoid similar situations during the upcoming football season.
The reason? U of L is woefully lacking experience at the crucial cornerback positions.
Missing are Johnny Patrick, who had four of the team’s eight interceptions last season, and Darius Ashley, suspended during the off-season for DUI’s.
Competing for the spots are three freshmen — Jordan Paschal, Charles Gaines and Andrew Johnson — and one senior, Anthony Conner, who missed last season with an ACL injury.
“We’re going to have to find a way to protect our corners,” he told the media Tuesday. “We’ve got to hide some guys for a while until they get up to speed.”
Bedford is confident that will happen but he also knows there’s no substitute for experience. There could be some painful lessons during the maturation process.
[quote]
Bedford’s eyes literally lit up, however, when asked whether the incoming talent was better than the experience lost through graduation last season. “Oh, we’re going to miss those guys but there’s a world of difference in the talent level. The potential for this group is huge.
“Coach Strong has got the train rolling. We’ve got some great recruits, coaches on the staff, we get the right people here, we’ll get it back to where it’s supposed to be. We expect that stadium to be 55,000, standing room only, people out the gates going, ‘Let me in! Let me in!’ The train is rolling. Anybody out there, I can’t tell you what’s going to happen right now, but it’s coming. Get on board, or get out of the way.”
Going to take some time, however.