UofL defense will be a top 10 defense next year.

[jalovell23]

A lot of great players are coming back.

2016 home games:
FSU, N.C. State, Wake Forest, Duke, UK, Charlotte

away games:
Houston, Boston College, Clemson, Syracuse, Virginia

and still one game undecided.

GO CARDS!!!!

 

[Cue Card]

A lot of great players are coming back.

2016 home games:
FSU, N.C. State, Wake Forest, Duke, UK, Charlotte

away games:
Houston, Boston College, Clemson, Syracuse, Virginia

and still one game undecided.

GO CARDS!!!!

Why can't we have 8 home games???

 

[kozmas]

With all these guys returning and a solid class coming Grantham could have a defense that could silence a lot of his critics. Thank God we're not sUcK where we would need to have 8 home games to help get to a Bowl game.

 

[thecycle21]

It will be interested to watch. Their run defense will be good again too many pieces coming back that made it a Top 20 run defense in 2015. They were strong in almost every defensive category except for scoring defense and passing yards allowed. The back end has to get better to be a Top 10 defense.

Good depth at the DT position as well, Bailey, Shortridge, Richardson, Brown, Hearns and Williams. We will have to see how a couple of red shirt guys come along i.e. Robinson. It is always hard to replace someone like Rankins, but they should be able to hold their own.

LB-Fields, Kelsey, Thomas are all proven guys. I am not sure on the depth here. I am not counting on Young. That injury could have been a career ending injury which sucks for him. He was becoming a good pass rusher. They need to find someone that can replace him. RS Greenard/Caban maybe an option. This is probably the one position that has the most question marks going into the Spring. They are still recruiting LB hard.

Secondary-had issues which led to being ranked around 50th in pass yards allowed. Wiggins was solid all year that spot is locked down. Williams did a really good job most of the time. The three people were picked on last year where JHC, Reeve & Washington. A big play happened it was on one of these three. JHC and Washington will be back which will only make them better. They are both good in the run game and will have to improve their coverage skills. Alexander/JUCO will push at CB. I am not sure if anyone will push JHC. Pass and Smith will fight for the spot left open by Reeve graduating. I think they will both be quality nickel or SS.

 

[clearthebases]

Why can't we have 8 home games???

Jurich would not (Stoops) to the level of Lexington city college. Scheduling a bunch of lesser opponents to play at PJCS does nothing to make the team better.

 

[PushupMan]

A lot of great players are coming back.

2016 home games:
FSU, N.C. State, Wake Forest, Duke, UK, Charlotte

away games:
Houston, Boston College, Clemson, Syracuse, Virginia

and still one game undecided.

GO CARDS!!!!

The teams we will be playing next year are set. The game you are missing is at Marshall (a return game for when the Thundering Herd played here in 2011). The non-conference dates are set. The conference game dates are TBD.

http://www.fbschedules.com/ncaa-16/2016-louisville-cardinals-football-schedule.php

Saturday
Sep. 3 Charlotte 49ers
Papa John's Cardinal Stadium, Louisville, KY TBA ---
Saturday
Sep. 10 --- TBA --- ---
Saturday
Sep. 17 --- TBA --- ---
Saturday
Sep. 24 at Marshall Thundering Herd
Joan C. Edwards Stadium, Huntington, WV TBA ---
Saturday
Oct. 1 --- TBA --- ---
Saturday
Oct. 8 --- TBA --- ---
Saturday
Oct. 15 --- TBA --- ---
Saturday
Oct. 22 --- TBA --- ---
Saturday
Oct. 29 --- TBA --- ---
Saturday
Nov. 5 --- TBA --- ---
Saturday
Nov. 12 --- TBA --- ---
Saturday
Nov. 19 at Houston Cougars
TDECU Stadium, Houston, TX TBA ---
Saturday
Nov. 26 Kentucky Wildcats
Papa John's Cardinal Stadium, Louisville, KY TBA ---

 

[PushupMan]

LB-Fields, Kelsey, Thomas are all proven guys. I am not sure on the depth here. I am not counting on Young. That injury could have been a career ending injury which sucks for him. He was becoming a good pass rusher. They need to find someone that can replace him. RS Greenard/Caban maybe an option. This is probably the one position that has the most question marks going into the Spring. They are still recruiting LB hard.

The veterans who will play a lot at linebacker next year are:

1 Keith Brown 6-1 237 LB R-Jr. Miami, Fla. / Miami Norland
32 Stacy Thomas 6-1 225 LB R-So. Miami, Fla. / Gulliver Prep
42 Isaac Stewart 6-2 236 LB R-Fr. Charlotte, N.C. / Butler

Brown played in all 13 games this year, had 33 tackles, 2 TFL, and 2 PBU's this year.
Thomas also played in all 13 games, with 31 tackles, 1 QBH, 1 PBU, and 1 fumble recovery.
Steward played in 9 games and had 7 tackles.

 

[nccardfan]

Terrell Buckley is taking the job at Miss St. Hopefully we take the opportunity to get both a great DB coach and safeties coach.

 

[Senore2006]

Terrell Buckley is taking the job at Miss St. Hopefully we take the opportunity to get both a great DB coach and safeties coach.

Bear in mind the mysteries behind the defensive breakdowns against the teams we broke down against this past season. Frankly, those disturb me no end. In order to really be a Top Ten Defense, you have to actually BE a top 10 defense. Against Pitt and FSU, nothing could be further from that. We were actually a horror show of ineffectiveness.

We're going to have to work at tackling, speed and the usual parameters. Maybe toughness at a level we did not acquire last season. We have bigass challenges ahead, no matter who comes back.

 

[65bird]

I'm with senore. Were we a top D against the ranked teams. Also Concerned about pass coverage against TAMU.

 

[Jay Reimenschneider]

Why can't we have 8 home games???

Why can't we play UK twice?

 

[beantowncard]

Very tough schedule next season. All the predictions of 10 wins are, IMO, very optimistic. Realistically, another 8 win season would be good.

 

[Senore2006]

10-11 wins.

 

[wreckcard#22]

UH will be a very different team next year (though tough, not as good), UK will be the same or worse, Charlotte is a joke (prob couldn't give UK a good game), Cuse and UVA will be not the toughest of tests, Wake and NCst probably W's there too, Marshal beat us last time we played and revenge will be sweet.

That leaves BC, Duke, FSU, and Clemson...I think we split these games...I don't think this outcome is overly optimistic given what we have coming back...we may be favored in 10 games next year.

May just come up and bite Clemson next year (we have given them fits the last 2 yrs)...now that's optimism right there.

 

[thecycle21]

Louisville didn't face any teams outside of Houston that were really good on offense. The top three offenses they will face again will be Clemson, Houston, and Florida State.

1) Clemson may be better next year. I know Louisville is young on offense but so is Clemson. They are going to be monster next year if they stay healthy.
2) Houston is still going to be very good on offense. They were surprisingly young. Defense is going to be their issue. Their secondary and LB were seniors and good ones.
3) Florida State, offensive line was young as were their play makers. They lose a bunch on defense.

For Louisville to have a 10 win season they have to win 2 out of these 3. I don't see them getting Clemson at Clemson. I think they have a legit shot at Florida State because I don't think they will be terrific on defense. They should get Houston, it will be tough, because Louisville is going to score points.

If they are able to do that I don't see them slipping up at home. It is reasonable to think they won't slip up on the road. Both UVA and Syracuse are transitioning in new coaching staffs.

 

[Pike 96]

Not sure how you rationalize losing a talent like Rankin, a three year starter in Burgess, who will probably make a roster next year, a solid Dlineman in Pio who, and probably your second best pass rusher in Young and think your Defense will get better.

The four juniors coming back make your D very solid again but some players who haven't yet will need to step up big time to even stay as good as last year much less get better. Rankin is projected a 2nd round pick and as high as 5th best DT in the draft. UL and UK don't just replace those type guys

 

[zipp]

Not sure how you rationalize losing a talent like Rankin, a three year starter in Burgess, who will probably make a roster next year, a solid Dlineman in Pio who, and probably your second best pass rusher in Young and think your Defense will get better.

The four juniors coming back make your D very solid again but some players who haven't yet will need to step up big time to even stay as good as last year much less get better. Rankin is projected a 2nd round pick and as high as 5th best DT in the draft. UL and UK don't just replace those type guys

U of L lost Dubose, Gaines, Mauldin, Mount, Holliman, Floyd, and Sample to the NFL from last year's defense. All of them starters, and we didn't miss a beat. It's because the U of L defense is now at a point where it largely reloads esp. with the coaching in place.

Your effort to compare U of L and LPT is misplaced. Frankly, it's a joke. That's why your logic doesn't translate.

LPT Football: Yeah, but we're SEC...

 

[Senore2006]

Not sure how you rationalize losing a talent like Rankin, a three year starter in Burgess, who will probably make a roster next year, a solid Dlineman in Pio who, and probably your second best pass rusher in Young and think your Defense will get better.

The four juniors coming back make your D very solid again but some players who haven't yet will need to step up big time to even stay as good as last year much less get better. Rankin is projected a 2nd round pick and as high as 5th best DT in the draft. UL and UK don't just replace those type guys

Why are we losing the junior Young? Do you have inside information? Replacements for Pio are the least of our worries, frankly, although I agree he was a sweet player, like Sheldon..

And please expose to us the wisdom which says players will face this desperate need to "stay as good" as they already are? Rankin was a superb run-stopper but an average pass rusher who understood his role superbly. The major run-stopping force was he and DeAngelo Brown, on the front 4. We lost Burgess the entire game against A & M - and won.

Make sense next time.

 

[turducken71]

Tired of being a frozen Frog. Let's get to a warm weather bowl next year.

 

[Mayoman]

Not sure how you rationalize losing a talent like Rankin, a three year starter in Burgess, who will probably make a roster next year, a solid Dlineman in Pio who, and probably your second best pass rusher in Young and think your Defense will get better.

The four juniors coming back make your D very solid again but some players who haven't yet will need to step up big time to even stay as good as last year much less get better. Rankin is projected a 2nd round pick and as high as 5th best DT in the draft. UL and UK don't just replace those type guys

...and UK don't just replace those type of guys.

I fixed it for you.

I would add.....uk not only doesn't just replace but rather not even Coaches them up in the first place to be that desired by the NFL.

Grantham also substituted very liberally in the front four to gain experience for the players coming back who will step into the roles of Rankins and Pio V in 2016.......however, I don't expect you to know or accept that.

 

[Jay Reimenschneider]

Why are we losing the junior Young? Do you have inside information? Replacements for Pio are the least of our worries, frankly, although I agree he was a sweet player, like Sheldon..

And please expose to us the wisdom which says players will face this desperate need to "stay as good" as they already are? Rankin was a superb run-stopper but an average pass rusher who understood his role superbly. The major run-stopping force was he and DeAngelo Brown, on the front 4. We lost Burgess the entire game against A & M - and won.

Make sense next time.

They don't really "get" the whole "football thing." Dumbest fans in America