3 things you think Louisville football needs to do......

[GridIron Pimp]

to do to get to next level.

1. Recruit and sign top offensive and defensive linemen

2. Learn to make adjustments on offensive. Screens, quick pass, draws, QB roll out, hurry up offense

3. Better discipline with ball security and penalties.

 

[tluck28]

OL, Defensive coordinator, discipline

 

[zipp]

1. Cut down on negative plays (Lamar?...)
2. Get rid of OOC schedule imposters.
   
3. Continue to ignore message board suggestions.

 

[Kratz]

Can't argue with #1. I've been very critical of the OL and their coaching. I think rightfully so.

We can't be top tier with the OL performance that we've had. I don't have much complaint about the D line.

 

[Rollem Cards]

How do you recruit "better" if a kid wants to go elsewhere? We have TOP facilities. Have decent home crowds. Travel to watch them play. Academics from Phys Ed to Med and Engineering.

I've asked this on numerous occasions and the people who say we need to recruit "better" won't respond.

I'd love for someone to just answer how they would recruit better.

It appears some would like us to cheat, but won't just come out and say it.

What else can you do?

 

[zipp]

How do you recruit "better" if a kid wants to go elsewhere? We have TOP facilities. Have decent home crowds. Travel to watch them play. Academics from Phys Ed to Med and Engineering.

I've asked this on numerous occasions and the people who say we need to recruit "better" won't respond...

You know this already, but it's because they don't have an answer. Maybe they should just wish harder...

 

[Cardinal Cash]

You know this already, but it's because they don't have an answer. Maybe they should just wish harder...

Just a thought, but if we sold instant playing time and maybe Bobby throws some praise or recognition to an O lineman every once in a while (hard when they play poorly) maybe we could get some better guys to come here. Bobby appears to only care about skill guys on the recruiting trail. I guess just making a recruit feel like they are a need and obviously showing how the program can take them to the next level is all they would want IMO. When you don't make someone a priority they tend to feel like you don't care.

 

[zipp]

Just a thought, but if we sold instant playing time and maybe Bobby throws some praise or recognition to an O lineman every once in a while (hard when they play poorly) maybe we could get some better guys to come here. Bobby appears to only care about skill guys on the recruiting trail. I guess just making a recruit feel like they are a need and obviously showing how the program can take them to the next level is all they would want IMO. When you don't make someone a priority they tend to feel like you don't care.

Don't take this personally, but how much of what you're suggesting do you know happens or doesn't happen?...

 

[KozmasAgain]

1.) I want CBP to bring back the same type of offensive play calling we had when he was here the first time. I think he has gotten conservative compared to what he was during his first stint.

2.) we need to improve in our offensive line ( better players and better coaching ).

3.) Our defense needs improvement as well.

4.) Better game preparation I felt like we were not prepared for the big games and that was my biggest disappointment.

 

[Cardinal Cash]

Don't take this personally, but how much of what you're suggesting do you know happens or doesn't happen?...

What I said was just speculation based off of listening to Bobby in interviews/going to the recruiting party one year. All the staff really talked about at the event was how good the skill guys were from what I can remember. I think the O-line coach did a short bit on his guys. I guess that impression may have been because we never get top flight o-lineman and they have to get people excited about something so they focus on the skill guys.

 

[Louisvillian]

• Grow up to Championship mentality
• Defense get nasty
• Watch Lamar evolve

 

[zipp]

1.) I want CBP to bring back the same type of offensive play calling we had when he was here the first time. I think he has gotten conservative compared to what he was during his first stint.

2.) we need to improve in our offensive line ( better players and better coaching ).

3.) Our defense needs improvement as well.

4.) Better game preparation I felt like we were not prepared for the big games and that was my biggest disappointment.

Nothing much wrong with the offense and defense that weren't wrong with Petrino's OB team...

 

[zipp]

What I said was just speculation based off of listening to Bobby in interviews/going to the recruiting party one year. All the staff really talked about at the event was how good the skill guys were from what I can remember. I think the O-line coach did a short bit on his guys. I guess that impression may have been because we never get top flight o-lineman and they have to get people excited about something so they focus on the skill guys.

OK, I appreciate your honesty because your perspective is about all I have too. But my perception from those same opportunities is not like yours. I hear one position coach talk as passionately about his new guys as the next position coach. Too often, the head coach is just responding to fan and media questions. And those questions don't usually focus on the O-line.

I have little concern that we turn down 4-star O-linemen so that we can sign 2- and 3-star guys. We get the best we can get. I also don't see an O-line currently that has nearly as many problems at home as it does in hostile road environments. That doesn't speak to the talent of our team but to the experience and preparation. Gotta make sure we identify our problems correctly...

 

[Cardinal Cash]

OK, I appreciate your honesty because your perspective is about all I have too. But my perception from those same opportunities is not like yours. I hear one position coach talk as passionately about his new guys as the next position coach. Too often, the head coach is just responding to fan and media questions. And those questions don't usually focus on the O-line.

I have little concern that we turn down 4-star O-linemen so that we can sign 2- and 3-star guys. We get the best we can get. I also don't see an O-line currently that has nearly as many problems at home as it does in hostile road environments. That doesn't speak to the talent of our team but to the experience and preparation. Gotta make sure we identify our problems correctly...

That makes sense. I agree we are getting the best we can I suppose. Step 1 was getting guys over 300 lbs. We didn't have that many on some of the big east/American athletic teams but we have been close to a full line in the ACC. Step 2 is preparing them for each game which has been lacking I suppose. I know some teams practice with simulated crowd noise. Maybe our boosters could invest in this (if they haven't already?) and we could get ready for the road environments.

 

[Ipartiedwithhopgood]

Cool thread.

How about...handling the national spotlight a little better. Staff and players appeared to succumb to the hype.

Let's see if they can block out the hype, polls, and public opinion better.

 

[ImmaTiger]

How do you recruit "better" if a kid wants to go elsewhere? We have TOP facilities. Have decent home crowds. Travel to watch them play. Academics from Phys Ed to Med and Engineering.

I've asked this on numerous occasions and the people who say we need to recruit "better" won't respond.

I'd love for someone to just answer how they would recruit better.

It appears some would like us to cheat, but won't just come out and say it.

What else can you do?

You have to show steady year-over-year improvement; to the point that you start to become a consistent top-ten team.

At that point recruits start to WANT to play for you.

You guys are on that path.

 

[Rollem Cards]

You have to show steady year-over-year improvement; to the point that you start to become a consistent top-ten team.

At that point recruits start to WANT to play for you.

You guys are on that path.

Ok. I'll buy that.

But now, riddle me this.

How do we show yearly improvement WITHOUT said needed recruits? Without those "better" players, how do we improve?

And if we keep improving, why do we need "better" players?

My question Is not really to you. I understand that if we get a couple 5 stars it will help us improve, but UL is not going to consistently put recruit you guys with talent in your backyard.

So I still ask, how do we "consistently" recruit "better"....without cheating?

Kidnap them?

 

[ImmaTiger]

Ok. I'll buy that.

But now, riddle me this.

How do we show yearly improvement WITHOUT said needed recruits? Without those "better" players, how do we improve?

And if we keep improving, why do we need "better" players?

My question Is not really to you. I understand that if we get a couple 5 stars it will help us improve, but UL is not going to consistently put recruit you guys with talent in your backyard.

So I still ask, how do we "consistently" recruit "better"....without cheating?

Kidnap them?

Coaching. Its that simple.

Are you developing the players you do have?

Are the plays called during games maximizing the talent you do have while minimizing their weaknesses, to the largest extent possible?

Is the team prepared and focused for every game?

Have they been positioned to be competitive in every game (the easy ones and the challenging ones)?

Are you winning all of the games you should win, while winning at least some of the ones that will be challenges (or at least playing them close)?

This is how you start to attract that attention.

 

[Kratz]

How do you recruit "better" if a kid wants to go elsewhere? We have TOP facilities. Have decent home crowds. Travel to watch them play. Academics from Phys Ed to Med and Engineering.

I've asked this on numerous occasions and the people who say we need to recruit "better" won't respond.

I'd love for someone to just answer how they would recruit better.

It appears some would like us to cheat, but won't just come out and say it.

What else can you do?

You hire a coach that can coach and recruit at a given position or group. We hired Grantham from UGA as a DC. He's bringing recruits in.

Do the same for the OL. Hire an OL coach with a good rep, and great recruiting ties. I say shoot for the moon and go after Cristobal at Bama. Open up the check book and make him an offer. He has the rep going all the way back to his playing days at Miami. Bama has the best OL in CFB right now. He recruited and coaches them. He has the rep, the experience and the ties.

 

[Cardinal Cash]

You hire a coach that can coach and recruit at a given position or group. We hired Grantham from UGA as a DC. He's bringing recruits in.

Do the same for the OL. Hire an OL coach with a good rep, and great recruiting ties. I say shoot for the moon and go after Cristobal at Bama. Open up the check book and make him an offer. He has the rep going all the way back to his playing days at Miami. Bama has the best OL in CFB right now. He recruited and coaches them. He has the rep, the experience and the ties.

Grantham brought transfers in but other than Jaire and maybe greenard who were underrated, we haven't really had a high profile top 100 defensive recruit under grantham. Charlie most certainly brought more high profile guys. I hope grantham's guys are ready to take over because they get the reins next year.

 

[Rollem Cards]

You hire a coach that can coach and recruit at a given position or group. We hired Grantham from UGA as a DC. He's bringing recruits in.

Do the same for the OL. Hire an OL coach with a good rep, and great recruiting ties. I say shoot for the moon and go after Cristobal at Bama. Open up the check book and make him an offer. He has the rep going all the way back to his playing days at Miami. Bama has the best OL in CFB right now. He recruited and coaches them. He has the rep, the experience and the ties.

And he's recruiting to ALABAMA.

I'd at least like to see to see if he could do that here. I'd wager he can't, but I'd like to see.

Alabama, tOSU, LSU, etc., do a lot of selling on name, and geography alone. They've won titles with recruiters we've never heard of.

Geography is our biggest obstacle. Getting large numbers of star players to 500-1000 miles from friends and family, EVERY YEAR will never happen IMO.

No matter who's selling it to them.

(It's easier for us to get the second chance guys because they e burnt bridges. But they're not always around.)

 

[earsky]

1) Become sure handed tacklers
2) More deception with the offense to keep the defense honest.A little more chocolate please.
3)Somewhat connected to 2,allow Lamar to become more like Teddy. Let him see and adjust,especially on obvious pass situations.

 

[Rnoggin]

1) Become sure handed tacklers
2) More deception with the offense to keep the defense honest.A little more chocolate please.
3)Somewhat connected to 2,allow Lamar to become more like Teddy. Let him see and adjust,especially on obvious pass situations.

We need more depth on the dline and db's. We were out of quality db's at the end of the season. I think they are re recruiting a lot of oline recruits both j.c. and high school. We should get some good ones because of immediate playing time and you have Lamar. Also our discipline was non existent in every detail of the game. Don't bring the ball out of the end zone, wide receivers and tight ends moving before the snap, and personal foul penalties are just a few examples of this. That is on the coaching staff.

 

[GridIron Pimp]

Agreed. A lot of the things that happens this year with the demise of the team is coaching. No adjustments at all made on offense during games. I also did not see any new wrinkles on offense. How you get beat two weeks in a row knowing what you had on the line is inexcusable to me. The penalties and lack of focus. They looked unprepared going down the stretch. Calls coming in late and players scrambling. Think about this. What other teams have you seen this year looked the way we did that late in the season?

 

[devilschild]

Losing Lapoko at Safety and Sturghill at Corner hurt our depth in the secondary.

 

[CardinalDave]

1)Staff needs to work on discipline with the goal being to not be among the leaders in fumbles and penalties.
2) social media needs to be addressed.... No excuse to be in Twitter wars with minor analysts the week of big games. It was ridiculous and took focus from where it should have been.

 

[beasleythecard]

I'd love for someone to just answer how they would recruit better.

have an offensive line coach that is not a flamming hot pile of dung. Kids do not want to play for that moron. He is past his time and needs his head on a stick.

3 years and we can not field a quality line under klenakis and he needs to go. If we had the same exact line and line coach western kentucky has, we would be undefeated and in the playoffs. Klenakis cost us the playoffs because he is a flamming hot pile of moron.

change that and we will recruit better players and then have a coach that can coach them up.

kids on the roster now simply regress under klenakis.

if the moron is not fired, make plans for the 2017 russel athletic bowl because he is an anchor around the neck of louisville football.

 

[Rollem Cards]

You don't care for Klenakis? Gee, I never made the connection!

Again, a lot of kids will go to Bama or tOSU etc if you or I recruited them. "Hey kid, we want you to come to Bama and win a NC. We do it pretty regularly you know". And the players have no clue who they do, or don't, want to play for until they're wherever they go.

Example: Bobby Petrino is known as an Offensive genius, and a QB developing machine. Arguably none better.

So, how many 5 star Offensive players do we sign every year? QB's? How many have we ever signed? If he can't do it here, why would we think some Asst Coach from somewhere else can magically bring in 4-5 star talent on a regular basis?

Oh, he has connections in HS's in the south you say?

So we get Coach Super Recruiter, he goes to those schools. Do the kids say "Hey we can't wait to follow you to Loueyville!!"? Or do they say (to themselves and peers) "I can't believe he left Bama!!"

So again, how do we recruit "better" when we are located in Louisville Ky, with very, very little home grown talent in our backyard?

I think our recruiting will start getting "better" 3 star, and the few 4's. We may even get a 5 once in a while. But we won't do it every year. We'll have to find the 4's that haven't been rated 4 yet. Just as we've always done.

 

[BPGhost]

BP is a heck of a coach - the best that we were going to get IMO, when CS left. That said, whereas his offense due to his play designing and feel for the game was cutting edge during his first tenure here, this second go round could not exactly be called innovative. I think that in a certain sense, DCs have caught up to him. The WR / TE pop pass that Clemson uses or the naked bootleg that was used a bunch with Leflors would be devastating on defenses with LJ. Rolling LJ out, calling screens and slants would also mitigate our OL's deficiencies.

LJ needs to go back to more of his mindset from last year. When his internal clock goes off, he needs to vacate the pocket and look to make positive plays with his legs. No one wants to put him in harm's way by running him all the time but, he has a far greater chance of getting hurt when he's waits to escape the pocket after its collapsed. It will also invariably open up the passing game.

 

[indaville]

I won't say until Tom mails me a check.

 

[CardMonarch]

1) Fire Klenakis

2) Tell Granthem if he wants to continue to be a top 10 paid assistant than he should probably try to keep teams like Ky and Houston from putting up 30+ points

3) Get off a clap count and focus on developing Lamar's power control and accuracy.

 

[JohnKBA]

That's the quandary for a team like U of L - you guys are firmly established IMO as a top ~20ish program based on the last several years, but making the jump from there to the elite tier is a difficult proposition.

The answer across the board is sign better players. As a couple of you pointed out, there isn't an easy solution to that, but it's the answer. You've gotta recruit top classes consistently if you want to really contend for titles. Look at the teams who have played in the NT game over the last 10 years - all of those appearances were preceded in the previous 4 years by multiple top 20 classes. How many top 20 classes has Louisville had in the last 4 years? (I'm asking because I don't know and I assume someone here does.)

Jurich and the Athletic Dept have done a fantastic job with the program. The next step to really competing with the big boys is to start signing classes like they do.

 

[Pike 96]

UK and UL face the same challenges when it comes to recruiting. You know what you are gerring with Petrino. ....a very good football mind that game plans well anf develops talent well. But he just isn't ever going to be a top recruiter. He's needs to keep winning aND surrounD himself with a bunch of very good to great recruiters

 

[BPGhost]

UK and UL face the same challenges when it comes to recruiting. You know what you are gerring with Petrino. ....a very good football mind that game plans well anf develops talent well. But he just isn't ever going to be a top recruiter. He's needs to keep winning aND surrounD himself with a bunch of very good to great recruiters

Some of that is due to his moving around so much - some I'm sure due to his less than fuzzy demeanor. Bottom line is, he has an eye for talent and for those kids who will fit into his system regardless of the stars associated with the player.

Let's see what type of recruiter he becomes with some longevity this time around at UofL.

 

[gocards1987]

You know this already, but it's because they don't have an answer. Maybe they should just wish harder...

None of the fans are getting paid millions of dollars to do so. Most of the fans could not tell you exactly what the team needs to do to cut down on mistakes but most know that it is something that needs to happen.

 

[Z Nation]

1. Hold on to the stupid ball.

2. Teach the offensive love to block somebody/not false start

3. Don't lose to UK ever again.

 

[Cardinal Cash]

That's the quandary for a team like U of L - you guys are firmly established IMO as a top ~20ish program based on the last several years, but making the jump from there to the elite tier is a difficult proposition.

The answer across the board is sign better players. As a couple of you pointed out, there isn't an easy solution to that, but it's the answer. You've gotta recruit top classes consistently if you want to really contend for titles. Look at the teams who have played in the NT game over the last 10 years - all of those appearances were preceded in the previous 4 years by multiple top 20 classes. How many top 20 classes has Louisville had in the last 4 years? (I'm asking because I don't know and I assume someone here does.)

Jurich and the Athletic Dept have done a fantastic job with the program. The next step to really competing with the big boys is to start signing classes like they do.

The answer to that is 0. We don't pull enough 4 stars and 5 stars. Usually the max is 3 to 4
4 stars in a class and a 5 star rarely if ever signs.