Football August 30, 2021 Rocco Gasparro
1. The Cardinals, who are playing in this game for the second time in school history, will face an Ole Miss team that is one of the most explosive in the country. The Rebels averaged 39.3 points per game and 555.5 yards of total offense last season, and bring back quarterback Matt Corral, who threw for 3,337 yards and 29 touchdowns a year ago.
"The first key starts off with alignment," Satterfield said. "Once the play is over, Ole Miss is getting lined right back up and jumping into their formation; we have to see what the formation is and get lined up quickly, but at the same time we as coaches have to get the call in from the sideline. That is going to be the number one key; getting lined up, getting our call, and getting ready to play the next down because so many times and we see it on film, defenses are looking around for all call, they are not where they are supposed to be when the ball is snapped, and then the offense is getting the throw out quickly to the side, or a vertical route."
"That is the number one key for us is alignment. Number two is not letting anybody get behind you, as a defense we have to make everybody stay in front of us. Ole Miss loves to take shots down the field, they thrive as big playoff offense. When you don't get lined up right, then there goes a receiver, he's running by the defense, and they are throwing it up to him. That the two biggest keys, eliminating the big plays which is staying on top, but the biggest thing is getting lined up getting our call, and getting going, that will be something that we have to be great at."
2. Heading into 2021 the Cardinals were light in the safeties room, with both starters leaving the program. The Cardinals responded by inking a pair of transfers in Kenderick Duncan and Qwynnterrio Cole. Duncan transferred from Georgia Southern after two solid seasons, while Cole was an All-American at Alcorn State.
"We always feel good about it, we have talked about the two transferring safeties that have come in here to Qwynnterrio Cole and Kenderick Duncan. Both of those guys have had a really good camp, they are going to be our starting safeties back there. Josh Minkins has been worked his way back in now and he's been practicing so he'll be available as well. We have about Chandler Jones as another guy that we think can slide in and help at the safety position if we need him to. He's a guy that has worked really about three different positions in the back end, he has matured as a football player and really understands what we're trying to do defensively, so we have some guys we can certainly get back there, but we feel good about the two guys that are in the starting lineup there."
3. The Cardinals lost a lot of production at wide receiver in Tutu Atwell and Dez Fitzpatrick. Satterfield is pleased with the group heading into the season opener.
"I think they've had a really good camp out wide. Braden Smith and Jordan Watkins are two of the guys that played a lot of ball for us last year and they've worked extremely hard and done some great things. Justin Marshall is a guy that has had a really good fall camp and I think he'll be able to make plays out there. We've talked about Tyler Harrell, he's a guy that can make plays. I think Ahmari Huggins-Bruce is a freshman that's going to be able to make plays out there and we've talked about Marshon Ford. He's another guy that we want to get more involved, not just at the tight end position maybe out wide as well. There are several guys we think are going to be able to make plays out there.
"Shai Werts is another guy that just got here that is still learning the position but is explosive and can make plays. I think we have enough guys out there that can make plays. Ultimately, they're going to have to win some one-on-one battles out there, we're going to have to give them a chance to to make those plays, but we have confidence in them and we know they'll be able to make them."
"It's a great opportunity. We're playing a team that's been talked about a lot in the offseason as a Top 25 team, an SEC team and we're the game that's on TV for all the nation to watch. It's a great opportunity for us to showcase where we are and showcase what kind of players we have, and how much fight we have. I'm happy for our guys, I'm excited for them. This is a big-time game. As opposed to playing a smaller team, an FCS team or something to start the season off, we're primetime, spotlight. Let's go, let's showcase what we have."
4. After recording 21 sacks last season, the Cardinals need to put more pressure on the quarterback, especially versus an explosive Ole Miss offense.
"I mean that's obviously a thing that we want to be able to do is put pressure on quarterbacks. I think Yaya has been a guy who's done some great things, Ashton is a really good pass rusher as well. I think Yasir is a guy who's going to be able to create pressure from the outside linebacker position. Monty Montgomery is another guy, I forgot how many sacks he had last year maybe three and a half, four sacks from the inside linebacker position but he's a guy that we like to bring because he's a good pass rusher. We want to be multiple, there's going to be times we want to bring six guys and other times where we're dropping eight."
"We want to keep the offense off balance, and I think particularly when you're playing a team like Ole Miss, you've got to be able to do that, you can't just line up and play the same defense every time, they will pick you apart, so we got to be very multiple and the things that we do. We also have to be able to have different packages in on defense, I think that will help our pass rushing ability as well. I think some of the guys we just mentioned there I think they're going to be much better this year in rushing the passer. I feel like last year, a lot of times, these offenses get the ball going so quickly, it's hard to get pressure on a guy if it's basically a catch and throw and you can be a great pass rusher you're just not going to get there. You have to put them in situations where it's a little bit more dropped back so they do hold the ball a little bit longer and now that's where you can create some pressure."
5. Quarterback Malik Cunningham begins his third season as the starting quarterback for the Cardinals. He's coming off a season where he threw for 2,617 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2020.
"I think he's matured a lot more; he's done it every year and he's just continued to do that. He's become a really good leader for us and I'm talking program wise. As a quarterback, he's done a better job of sitting in the pocket and really working the pocket, as opposed to when things are breaking down, let me get out and start running right now. I think we've done a much better job working on, sitting right in that little slot there in the pocket, where our O-line knows where he's at, and he's able to sit there and he's making throws."
"When he sits there and he's on balance, he's as accurate as anybody in the country, he throws a great ball, he's got great accuracy. It comes down to decision making for him and the things we've tried to simulate with that, it's hard sometimes, you still just got to get in the game, but he does make better decisions he's dropping the ball off to the underneath, to the backs and tight ends better. The thing is that sometimes defense wins, and you don't compound what they've done well into a mistake for us. He's done a better job with that as well, so I like his progression. I think he's primed to go out and have a great year this year."
Five Takeaways from Scott Satterfield's Press Conference
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. - University of Louisville head coach Scott Satterfiield conducted his first weekly press conference on the 2021 season when the third-year coach previewed the season opener versus Mississippi on Monday night at 8:06 p.m.1. The Cardinals, who are playing in this game for the second time in school history, will face an Ole Miss team that is one of the most explosive in the country. The Rebels averaged 39.3 points per game and 555.5 yards of total offense last season, and bring back quarterback Matt Corral, who threw for 3,337 yards and 29 touchdowns a year ago.
"The first key starts off with alignment," Satterfield said. "Once the play is over, Ole Miss is getting lined right back up and jumping into their formation; we have to see what the formation is and get lined up quickly, but at the same time we as coaches have to get the call in from the sideline. That is going to be the number one key; getting lined up, getting our call, and getting ready to play the next down because so many times and we see it on film, defenses are looking around for all call, they are not where they are supposed to be when the ball is snapped, and then the offense is getting the throw out quickly to the side, or a vertical route."
"That is the number one key for us is alignment. Number two is not letting anybody get behind you, as a defense we have to make everybody stay in front of us. Ole Miss loves to take shots down the field, they thrive as big playoff offense. When you don't get lined up right, then there goes a receiver, he's running by the defense, and they are throwing it up to him. That the two biggest keys, eliminating the big plays which is staying on top, but the biggest thing is getting lined up getting our call, and getting going, that will be something that we have to be great at."
2. Heading into 2021 the Cardinals were light in the safeties room, with both starters leaving the program. The Cardinals responded by inking a pair of transfers in Kenderick Duncan and Qwynnterrio Cole. Duncan transferred from Georgia Southern after two solid seasons, while Cole was an All-American at Alcorn State.
"We always feel good about it, we have talked about the two transferring safeties that have come in here to Qwynnterrio Cole and Kenderick Duncan. Both of those guys have had a really good camp, they are going to be our starting safeties back there. Josh Minkins has been worked his way back in now and he's been practicing so he'll be available as well. We have about Chandler Jones as another guy that we think can slide in and help at the safety position if we need him to. He's a guy that has worked really about three different positions in the back end, he has matured as a football player and really understands what we're trying to do defensively, so we have some guys we can certainly get back there, but we feel good about the two guys that are in the starting lineup there."
3. The Cardinals lost a lot of production at wide receiver in Tutu Atwell and Dez Fitzpatrick. Satterfield is pleased with the group heading into the season opener.
"I think they've had a really good camp out wide. Braden Smith and Jordan Watkins are two of the guys that played a lot of ball for us last year and they've worked extremely hard and done some great things. Justin Marshall is a guy that has had a really good fall camp and I think he'll be able to make plays out there. We've talked about Tyler Harrell, he's a guy that can make plays. I think Ahmari Huggins-Bruce is a freshman that's going to be able to make plays out there and we've talked about Marshon Ford. He's another guy that we want to get more involved, not just at the tight end position maybe out wide as well. There are several guys we think are going to be able to make plays out there.
"Shai Werts is another guy that just got here that is still learning the position but is explosive and can make plays. I think we have enough guys out there that can make plays. Ultimately, they're going to have to win some one-on-one battles out there, we're going to have to give them a chance to to make those plays, but we have confidence in them and we know they'll be able to make them."
"It's a great opportunity. We're playing a team that's been talked about a lot in the offseason as a Top 25 team, an SEC team and we're the game that's on TV for all the nation to watch. It's a great opportunity for us to showcase where we are and showcase what kind of players we have, and how much fight we have. I'm happy for our guys, I'm excited for them. This is a big-time game. As opposed to playing a smaller team, an FCS team or something to start the season off, we're primetime, spotlight. Let's go, let's showcase what we have."
4. After recording 21 sacks last season, the Cardinals need to put more pressure on the quarterback, especially versus an explosive Ole Miss offense.
"I mean that's obviously a thing that we want to be able to do is put pressure on quarterbacks. I think Yaya has been a guy who's done some great things, Ashton is a really good pass rusher as well. I think Yasir is a guy who's going to be able to create pressure from the outside linebacker position. Monty Montgomery is another guy, I forgot how many sacks he had last year maybe three and a half, four sacks from the inside linebacker position but he's a guy that we like to bring because he's a good pass rusher. We want to be multiple, there's going to be times we want to bring six guys and other times where we're dropping eight."
"We want to keep the offense off balance, and I think particularly when you're playing a team like Ole Miss, you've got to be able to do that, you can't just line up and play the same defense every time, they will pick you apart, so we got to be very multiple and the things that we do. We also have to be able to have different packages in on defense, I think that will help our pass rushing ability as well. I think some of the guys we just mentioned there I think they're going to be much better this year in rushing the passer. I feel like last year, a lot of times, these offenses get the ball going so quickly, it's hard to get pressure on a guy if it's basically a catch and throw and you can be a great pass rusher you're just not going to get there. You have to put them in situations where it's a little bit more dropped back so they do hold the ball a little bit longer and now that's where you can create some pressure."
5. Quarterback Malik Cunningham begins his third season as the starting quarterback for the Cardinals. He's coming off a season where he threw for 2,617 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2020.
"I think he's matured a lot more; he's done it every year and he's just continued to do that. He's become a really good leader for us and I'm talking program wise. As a quarterback, he's done a better job of sitting in the pocket and really working the pocket, as opposed to when things are breaking down, let me get out and start running right now. I think we've done a much better job working on, sitting right in that little slot there in the pocket, where our O-line knows where he's at, and he's able to sit there and he's making throws."
"When he sits there and he's on balance, he's as accurate as anybody in the country, he throws a great ball, he's got great accuracy. It comes down to decision making for him and the things we've tried to simulate with that, it's hard sometimes, you still just got to get in the game, but he does make better decisions he's dropping the ball off to the underneath, to the backs and tight ends better. The thing is that sometimes defense wins, and you don't compound what they've done well into a mistake for us. He's done a better job with that as well, so I like his progression. I think he's primed to go out and have a great year this year."
