Your win expectations for 2019 as of today - UPDATED w/ BOWL WIN!!!!

[glassmanJ]

i'd love for this thread to keep going thru the spring and summer as the coaching staff shapes the team but as it stands right now, realistically, how many wins do you expect next year and what total makes you think the year was a successful one.

personally, without even knowing the schedule, i think going 4-8 is probably expected but the national pundits, certainly not 2-10, but if we hit 6-6 and make a bowl we are proud. but i think 7-5 with a bowl game would make some players legends in this town. let alone 8 wins. but to me 6-6, beating uk, and being competitive in all games would make me happy to start the Satts era.

 

[CardVille]

I think we hit 6. I honestly think we could hit 6 with the same team as last year but with this staff that will actually coach them up.

 

[Rollem Cards]

I'm out of the prediction business.

Last year burned me. And everybody else. NOBODY predicted 2-10.

We, and probably CSS, have no idea what we have right now. We THINK we have some talent. We KNOW we have some speed.

It appears from some comments that there will be personnel moves meaning learning new positions.

If we can get a QB to deliver the ball on time and where it needs to be.......

But right now I can see a bowl, or another 2 win season.

To many unknowns.

I guess that is a Prediction"

 

[rentalman]

5 - 7

 

[Chapman123]

We will run the ball down people throats...or at least that will be the goal. So the QB is not as imperative as people make it out to be.

 

[jmac1029]

6

 

[PushupMan]

4 wins and a team that will be fun to root for because they give great effort, play smart football, and are good in all 3 phases of the game.

 

[beantowncard]

15 with a national championship

Of course that’s my prediction every year. There is absolutely no consequence to getting it wrong.

Merry Christmas!

 

[MDCardsFan]

7-6 (the 7th win will be the Bowl game)

 

[nccardfan]

I'm out of the prediction business.

Last year burned me. And everybody else. NOBODY predicted 2-10.

We, and probably CSS, have no idea what we have right now. We THINK we have some talent. We KNOW we have some speed.

It appears from some comments that there will be personnel moves meaning learning new positions.

If we can get a QB to deliver the ball on time and where it needs to be.......

But right now I can see a bowl, or another 2 win season.

To many unknowns.

I guess that is a Prediction"

The speed statement was always a puzzle for me. From the beginning with the horse Justified, we boasted we had great speed. As the games progressed though it was alarming to see opponents run away from our defenders and our WRs not get any separation. Speed is not something you can coach, you either have it or You don’t.

 

[CardX]

I'm going to stay away from this for now, as I have no idea. Let me see the completion of the recruiting class in February, then spring practice.

 

[Mayoman]

Taking the schedule into consideration, I will wait until at least the Spring game to make any prediction. By then transfers out and recruits in will be known or mostly known regarding transfers out...if any.

My criteria for judging the team will not be in the W/L record....but rather in the effort, heart, and give a damn areas.

A newly established Cardinal pride and the will not to lose will be of top priority for me. If they fight hard but lose because of superior talent....I can live with that.

But losing to equal foes badly or because of unforced mistakes is another story. How long it takes for the new staff to replicate what they attained at AP St is truly unknowable at this time.

But come September......putting a tough, fighting Cardinal team on the field will go along way to convincing me that CSS and staff will be heading in the positive direction I want to see.

Time will let the cake bake on the W/L records. This coming year will be a tough one if all Cardinal fans expect a certain amount of W's to judge the team/program by. CSS will need some time to make it his brand on the field.

 

[CommodoreCard]

8-5 with a win over Tennessee or Vanderbilt in the Music City Bowl.

 

[Guardman]

I make no predictions. But here's some Louisville turnaround history:

2010: After a 4-8 in 2009 by Kragthorpe, Strong goes 7-6.

1998: After a 1-10 in 1997 by Cooper, Smith goes 7-5.

1992: After a 2-9 in 1991 by Schnellenberger, Schnellenberger goes 5-6. (Not a good comparison)

1985: After a 2-9 in 1984 by Weber, Schnellenberger goes 2-9. (Almost a restart of FB Program)

I would say the improvement in win total could range anywhere from 0 to 6 wins.

So, without making a prediction, I'll say it is mathematically likely that the Cards would make something like a 3 win improvement.

There are so many variables. Schnellenberger, Smith and Strong were all good leaders. Satterfield may also be.

 

[nccardfan]

I’ll be happy with two things, the ability for the OL to block and the ability of the defense to make tackles. Simple right?

 

[Guardman]

One other point that I can make about Louisville Turnarounds:

There has NEVER been a situation where a Louisville incumbent FB coach and team did a full diving crash and burn in one season. It has never happened. In 100 seasons. Not even close.

So this is new territory. This situation has never occurred before at Louisville.

There have to be a lot of injured psyches.

Who knows how this will work out.

 

[Cardinal Cash]

I’ll be happy with two things, the ability for the OL to block and the ability of the defense to make tackles. Simple right?

And fewer penalties!

 

[PRPclass76]

4-8 or 5-7 with most of the losses being competitive. 2020? 9-3 with a 73-10 win over Purdue in a bowl game.

 

[Philthy22]

3-9

 

[UNIVKY]

Looking at your schedule, you will be favored in 2 games...Eastern KY at home and at WKU

 

[glassmanJ]

I’ll be happy with two things, the ability for the OL to block and the ability of the defense to make tackles. Simple right?

it's the simple things in life that give you joy

 

[Hold Me Back]

Looking at your schedule, you will be favored in 2 games...Eastern KY at home and at WKU

Could very easily be favored at Wake and at home against BC. There are several more on there with spreads that will be within the 3-7 range; i.e. very winnable. What will likely be a 6-5 or so UK team at the end of the season immediately comes to mind as one of those types of games.

 

[earsky]

Looking at your schedule, you will be favored in 2 games...Eastern KY at home and at WKU

Like The Rock says..." It doesn't matter" ...

 

[earsky]

Whatever it takes to go bowling. That will be the goal.

 

[zipp]

5 - 7

That's where I am. I'd call that a "good season" from a progress POV...

 

[Thecycle27]

I am in the 4 to 5 range as well. The offense has the pieces to run his offense well enough to be decent if they can find a QB. The defense is the question mark and this staff would have to be miracle workers to turn into a top 50 defense. Success for me would be getting it in the top 75 in total defense. If that happens they will be in every game. I would be happy with that at this point.

 

[beantowncard]

Looking at your schedule, you will be favored in 2 games...Eastern KY at home and at WKU

Based on what?

 

[zipp]

Based on what?

You're getting the opinion of a slapd!ck on football. Keep that in mind...

 

[fredburgcard]

We will run the ball down people throats...or at least that will be the goal. So the QB is not as imperative as people make it out to be.

But an o line will be essential. Not sure where that will come from. I hate to say it but at this point 4-8.

 

[The Public Enemy]

4-8...regardless of the so-called Recruiting Rankings Petrino Left the cupboard bare....

 

[Louis III]

Looking at your schedule, you will be favored in 2 games...Eastern KY at home and at WKU

Thanks captain obvious!

 

[Louis III]

4-8, but definitely more competitive ascross the board. Only thing I would counter to some of the rebuild chatter above is that we never had to rebuild in a really good conference. That will make this more difficult, but still think we see signifcantly better results, which honestly won't be that hard looking at the '18 season.

 

[Rollem Cards]

Last year most of us experts were saying 8-4 or even 9-3.

I hope we’re as “wrong” this year.

I love warm weather bowls.

 

[Pike 96]

Some nice pieces at RB, WR, DB, and maybe LB..but a bad Oline with little depth losses 2 starters(and top reserve) and a bad Dline has the same returning low production players that couldn't stop the run and couldn't pressure the QB..

So where exactly does the talent come from at the LOS for a drastic change?

 

[beantowncard]

Some nice pieces at RB, WR, DB, and maybe LB..but a bad Oline with little depth losses 2 starters(and top reserve) and a bad Dline has the same returning low production players that couldn't stop the run and couldn't pressure the QB..

So where exactly does the talent come from at the LOS for a drastic change?

McNeil leaving is addition by subtraction

 

[WildCard]

Some nice pieces at RB, WR, DB, and maybe LB..but a bad Oline with little depth losses 2 starters(and top reserve) and a bad Dline has the same returning low production players that couldn't stop the run and couldn't pressure the QB..

So where exactly does the talent come from at the LOS for a drastic change?

Fair assessments. Card fans have to ask whether 2018 was due to talent, coaching or both. Regarding overall talent, if we can believe Rivals Rankings, the UK average ranking over the past 4 years was #30 and the Cards #33...not much difference.

The Cats have had a great season but lose a lot from those classes. The Cards had a terrible season but return a lot of players from those classes...plus a new staff. For reasons I cannot explain I believe ex-CBP "lost it" so I place considerable merit in that latter point.

In the broadest sense I expect the defense to be much better but OL and QB are real question marks on the offensive side. Some will certainly say TE but I think that is a position that can be "coached around". Not saying it is going to happen but UofL might be one of those situations that supports a 1 year turnaround. All JMO.

Peace

 

[Birdie King]

If the new coaching staff can get the players to "believe" after such a nightmare season then I think we can make 5 - 7 or better.

 

[Guardman]

Fair assessments. Card fans have to ask whether 2018 was due to talent, coaching or both. Regarding overall talent, if we can believe Rivals Rankings, the UK average ranking over the past 4 years was #30 and the Cards #33...not much difference.

The Cats have had a great season but lose a lot from those classes. The Cards had a terrible season but return a lot of players from those classes...plus a new staff. For reasons I cannot explain I believe ex-CBP "lost it" so I place considerable merit in that latter point.

In the broadest sense I expect the defense to be much better but OL and QB are real question marks on the offensive side. Some will certainly say TE but I think that is a position that can be "coached around". Not saying it is going to happen but UofL might be one of those situations that supports a 1 year turnaround. All JMO.

Peace

That's a pretty simple and positive way of looking at it. Hope it's right.

 

[CardinalDave]

I believe a realistic expectation is 3 or 4 wins. Beat the teams from lower divisions and expect improved coaching and organization leads to a couple of surprising wins over lower tier conference foes.

 

[glassmanJ]

4-8...regardless of the so-called Recruiting Rankings Petrino Left the cupboard bare....

while i 100% agree, i don't think our last coach was a coach them up kind of guy so the hope is the new staff coaches them into whatever star ranking they think they were. heck, if the new staff simply teaches our team to tackle that's worth 2-3 wins alone, fingers crossed but i don't see the flaws in the new staff as much like with every person on the old staff had baggage.