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Red and White Scrimmage #1 Has Me Ready for Hoops

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Having a top 10 Football program and possible playoff contender Louisville fans are buzzing about the pig skin. So much so that the Louisville Basketball season has arrived like a whisper. Even the annual Red and White Scrimmage on Wednesday night was a non-televised event. Regardless it was still a really good turnout and it didn’t take long for the Louisville faithful to find their basketball groove. A very exciting style of play, and a deep, talented, athletic roster had them on their feet.

Cardinal fans are no strangers to speed. We’ve watched Lamar Jackson running up and down the field for the last few months. The pace of the scrimmage tonight was just as frantic. It was wide open from tip to towels. I was really impressed how the guys held up and they went at it. Love the depth of this group and it will be needed for the up and down style of play. It also helps to have the competition at all of the positions during practice.

I was really excited to see the Cardinals sophomore class. I have covered these guys since the Derby Basketball Festival. That week I knew that this group was going to be special. They did not disappoint. Donovan Mitchell has transformed himself into a lean mean basketball machine. He is faster and appears to be lighter on his feet. He was already extremely athletic and could jump out of the gym. He has really worked on his shot and that was obvious during the scrimmage. He hit 4 threes and was 6-10 from the field for 22 points.

Deng Adel has also made big strides by having a full off season without being hampered by injury. He has a nose for the basket and looks for ways to get his shots. He is going to be a matchup nightmare for opposing teams. This will especially be true if he can get his jump shot to fall with more consistency. He hit one three point shot and was 5-11 from the field for 14 points.
I’ve always thought that Ray Spalding had the highest ceiling on this team. With his athleticism, height, and wing span he could be a program changer. He played with a lot of confidence Wednesday night and was really active around the basket. He had 15 rebounds 5 blocked shots, and 5 steals.

If you aren’t familiar with Ryan McMahon you will be. He took a red shirt last year and it really helped him physically. Tonight Ryan had the Yum Center crowd on their feet bringing back flashbacks of Pitino’s bombinos. Folks this kid has one of purest jump shots that you will ever see. At one point he hit like three deep balls on consecutive trips down the floor and the crowd loved it. Ryan hit 6 three point shots and was 6-8 from the field for 18 points. This sophomore class showed out during the first scrimmage and McMahon was one of the bright spots. He is going to be a fan favorite and will hit some big shots this season.

I was also excited to see VJ King take the floor for the first time in a Louisville uniform. It didn’t feel like he was a freshman and honestly it was like he had been around forever. He is very poised for a freshman and really fits in nicely to the dynamics of this team. He has great size and is a really athletic kid. He will be ready to contribute game one and will only continue getting better as he gets stronger. He had 19 points.

Cardinal fans were introduced to the graduate transfer rule last season. Trey Lewis and Damion Lee left their mark on the program after just one season. This year Tony Hicks moves into that role and he is going to be just as important to the team as those guys were. He is another guy who has a nose for the basket. He does a great job at finding his shots and creating off the dribble. He is a gritty type of player. He is the type of player to have 20 points and you don’t remember how he did it. He puts his head down and gets it done. He was 10-19 from the field tonight for 26 points. Second highest point total for the scrimmage.

Speaking of silent assassins and gutsy players Quentin Snider is both. He’s always been one of my favorite players and he has become one of the most important players on this team. He is the conductor of the Pitino orchestra. When a play needs to happen he is the guy that will put into motion. He has improved every season and coach Pitino said tonight that he is the only guy on the team close to reaching his full potential. He did what he does on Wednesday night and led the scrimmage with 27 points.

You can really see the physical transformation of this team. And a guy where this really stands out is Jaylen Johnson. Jaylen talked last year about giving up his ranch dressing. Well it was worth the sacrifice. For his size Jaylen really gets up and down the floor well. He didn’t seem fazed by the pace of the scrimmage. He was very active around the basket grabbing 20 boards and scoring 21 points. If I had to give out a most improved award he would win it. The best thing about it is that I think he has just scratched the surface.

I walk away from this first scrimmage very confident about this 2016/17 group. They are a bunch of hard workers and all of them have awesome attitudes. You can tell by how these guys interact in the post-game locker room that they really get along well. It is a cohesive unit. Coach Pitino is trying to emulate the style of play he had with the 96 Cats. If he is going to pull that off then he has the group to do it. This team has depth, length, athleticism and versatility. It’s going to be wide open on offense and in your face on defense. They are going to be fun to watch.

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No Hurricane Lamar, but a Hurricane Evacutaion on a Bye-Week

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The loss to Clemson this past Saturday left a bitter taste in the mouths of Louisville fans. And thanks to a bye week one that will linger for awhile. Thanks to a trip to Disney World that begin last Sunday and a Hurricane evacuation this week I was able to avoid those feelings of disappointment. But now that I’m safe at home and looking through the stories I missed this week. I can’t help but feel for our guys. This group has worked hard and has paid their dues. They deserved a big win like that.

But just because you deserve something doesn’t mean it will be handed to you. And there was no way that Clemson was going to give the Cardinals anything. One of the Clemson players didn’t even want to give Lamar Jackson’s head back to him after a tackle. I digress but do want to give credit to Clemson for winning their big game. They had some guys step up. They have a great team and a great coach.

I had mentioned in my pre-game and it wasn’t a big revelation that Clemson would ride that big wave of emotion that comes with a Saturday night Primetime game in Death Valley. That place was electrifying. And their guys were amped up. This really stood out in the trenches.

The Cardinals O-Line and D-Line struggled getting beat both physically and mentally. The O-Line allowed a QB as elusive as Jackson to get sacked 5 times. And the penalties were staggering. Especially with them trying to overcome the emotion in that place. The D-Line struggled to contain Watson and allowed him and Gallman to play well above their rushing averages.

The mistakes weren’t limited to that part of the game but it did set the tone for the night. Being under pressure all night Lamar struggled to really get things going missing some throws and missing his reads. And the Louisville DB’s had their hands full with Watson getting time to deliver to his receivers. The absence of Shaq Wiggins didn’t help either.

I expected big time performances from Josh Harvey Clemons and Devonte Fields. The reason these guys came to Louisville for their second chances were for games like this. Harvey Clemons got his 11 tackles, but Fields was nonexistent with just two tackles. I think the defense really missed his presence. He can really set the tone when he’s getting to the QB.

Lamar missed some opportunities with Staples and I really thought that this would be a big night for this duo. Really thought Staples would have a huge outing. He like the guys I mentioned above came to Louisville for big games. Hope he can get it going soon. He’s got a lot of big play potential and the offense is going to need him.

The Cardinal’s lost the game but not all was lost. We got to see the Heisman Run of Lamar Jackson solidified. Clemson slowed him down but they couldn’t stop him. We got to see the coming of age of one of the best tight ends in College Football. Cole Hikutini fought through extra contact, holding and tripping for 7 catches and 84 yards. He is going to be fun to watch during the home stretch. We also got to see the emergence of guys like Jaire Alexander and Zykiesis Cannon who really made some great plays to help change momentum at times.

And finally we got to see this Louisville team take a big punch in the gut and fight to come back. They gave themselves a chance to win this game and even in defeat showed the 3rd largest TV crowd to ever watch a Saturday night football game that they do belong in the discussion this season.

It was a crushing loss and that game could have big implications on the rest of the Louisville Football season. Emotions tend to get the best of us sometimes but I was extremely disappointed to see some fans on social media bashing James Quick after the game. Without his play we wouldn’t have had a shot to win that game. No chance.

It’s all about perspective anyway isn’t it? As I mentioned above my family had to evacuate from our fall vacation due to a deadly hurricane coming across the southeast. This storm will cause all kinds of damage and loss of life. I’m so thankful we made it home safely and happy to be at home watching the storm from my TV instead of in person.

If you got so upset about a loss that you lashed out at a student athlete then you need some perspective. There were many mistakes Saturday night. But those mistakes will be corrected and nobody wanted it more than the players who have laid it all on the line.

The bye week is hard on the fans especially after a loss. It’s good for the team. Time to heal up and the extra practice time will give the Cardinals a chance to get back to work to correct things. Duke has a very good team and it should be a competitive game. Like most of you I Can’t wait! Go Cards!

Prayers to all of the folks in the path of Hurricane Matthew. Stay safe folks!

Not Just Another Gameday

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After years of leaping around to different conferences it has been great to see the University of Louisville Football team finally be in a legitimate football conference like the ACC. The Louisville Football program has battled its way to some national relevance and have shown that they can contend. Since the move to the ACC I’ve heard coaches, players and fans say how they are grateful for the opportunity. On Saturday it’s time for the Louisville Football program to take advantage of that opportunity.

The Cardinals and the Clemson Tigers don’t have a long history. Two games define the story between these teams. Clemson has beat the Cardinals in both meetings but it has been competitive. The Cardinals have had their introduction to Death Valley but have yet to see just how daunting Memorial Stadium can be at night. With ESPN’s College Gameday in town they will have their biggest, and rowdiest crowd of the season. If the Cardinals are to reach the summit of the ACC they will have to survive Death Valley.

Not only will the Cardinals have to face one of the most intimidating venues in college football they’ll be playing a pretty good team as well. Dabo Swinney has a roster loaded with talent, speed and athleticism on both sides of the ball. Leading the Clemson offense is QB Deshaun Watson. He is a very gifted athlete and can hurt you with his arm or his legs. He has completed 60% of his passes this season for 996 yards and 9 touchdowns. He is second on the team with 120 yards rushing. Watson is the big game kind of player and he will be the toughest QB that this Louisville defense will face all season.

This Clemson offense is very pass oriented. They have 1,172 yards and 11 touchdowns through the air. They spread the ball around and they have 10 guys who have 40 receiving yards or more. They also have 8 guys who have caught at least one touchdown pass. Watson’s favorite targets are Mike Williams (303 yards, 1 touchdown), Ray-Ray McCloud (255 yards, 2 touchdowns), and Artavis Scott (143 yards). McCloud hauled in eight balls for 101 yards against Georgia Tech last week and this group had 442 yards through the air against the Yellow Jackets. The Louisville secondary will face a tall task.

The Tigers rushing attack hasn’t been as effective as their passing game this season. The Clemson rushing attack has accounted for 638 yards total with 4 touchdowns. In comparison Lamar Jackson has 526 yards and Brandon Radcliff has 427 yards rushing this season. Clemson’s leading rusher is Wayne Gallman. He has 256 yards with 3 touchdowns this season. Last week he was held to just 56 yards.

You can’t mention this Clemson offense without talking about their offensive line. They were picked by several outlets to be one of the top units in the country this season. Last season the Tigers O-line, which had been overhauled ranked No. 19 in fewest sacks allowed and were No. 21 in rushing. This group has allowed three sacks and the rushing game is averaging about 4.2 yards a carry through 4 games this season. I don’t think that’s what most expected out of this unit at this point but they are a capable bunch.

Clemson backs up a very talented offense with a defense that is 5th in the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 11 points per game and a total defense that is ranked third, allowing 218.5 yards per game. Clemson is also second in pass efficiency defense and second in yards per play allowed (3.41). Leading this group up front is D-Linemen Christian Wilkins (18 tackles, 2 sacks), Carlos Watkins (10 tackles, 3 sacks), and Scott Pagano (7 tackles, 1 sack). A secondary thought by many to be a weak spot in this defense has started to gel after returning one starter from last season. Leading this unit is DB Ryan Carter (7 tackles, 1 sack), Safety Jadar Johnson (11 tackles), and Safety Van Smith (24 tackles). He had 14 tackles against Troy.

This Louisville Football team has taken the college football world by storm and it’s hard to picture the Clemson defense being able to completely stop the Cardinals attack. Lamar Jackson is the best player in college football, and if teams find a way to slow him down they still won’t be able to stop him in my opinion. A big reason why is the weapons he has around him.

The Cardinal offense is a balanced attack with 1,273 yards rushing and 1,455 yards receiving. Brandon Radcliff is having a career season himself with 427 yards and 3 touchdowns in the rushing attack. James Quick (360 yards, 3 touchdowns), Jamari Staples (313 yards), Jaylen Smith (202 yards, 2 touchdowns), Cole Hikutini (177 yards, 3 touchdowns) and Traveon Samuel (77 yards, 1 touchdown) lead one of the best receiving groups in the country. I look for Cole Hikutini to have a big game and think that Jamari Staples has his biggest game of the season on Saturday.

It is becoming a cliché this season to say that it all boils down to how well the offensive line performs. So far the Louisville offensive line has gotten the job done. They did take a few steps back last week and at times got beat up by a very good Marshall front. The Clemson group they will face on Saturday won’t be as good but will be another tough challenge. I know Coach Klenakis coached up his guys in the film room this past week and he will have them ready.

The Louisville defense will have their hands full all night long with Watson and company. Especially in the first quarter of the game. The Clemson crowd will be electric and I know that the Clemson players are going to feed off of that energy. If they make a few big plays on the Cardinals defense early on then it could spell trouble. If the Cardinals defense is able to stop that initial burst and take the crowd out early it will change the complexion of this game. Players like Josh Harvey-Clemons, Devonte Fields, Keith Kelsey, and James Hearns are players who love big moments. These guys will be ready for this challenge. Zykeisis Cannon recorded a career-high nine tackles last week and I look for him to have a big follow up.

There will be a lot on the line on Saturday night. A Cardinal win will cement their membership into the ACC giving them their 1st legitimate shot at a conference championship. A win would all but guarantee a Heisman trophy for Lamar Jackson and would put Louisville on a path to a possible College Football playoff berth. It doesn’t get any bigger than Death Valley on a Saturday night in October. Winning games like this on the road puts a college football program in a different conversation. I’m ready to have those conversations. Go Cards!

WE ARE… Going to beat MARSHALL…

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I have been rough on the Marshall fans this week, but not as hard as ESPN’s David Hale who predicted a 106-3 Louisville victory in the game on Saturday. I agree with the result but don’t think it will be that brutal for the Thundering herd. Marshall has a solid football program. It’s a program that has beat the Cardinals four straight. This will be the 29th meeting between these schools with Louisville holding the overall advantage 16-12.

I don’t think this game will be a matter of “if” but will be a question of how well the Cardinals get the job done. How well will the Cardinals play after one of the biggest wins in program history? How well will this team handle all of the expectation from fans and media? And how will they respond to being such a heavy favorite on the road. This time last year I wrote an article titled “Will the Real Louisville Football Team Stand-Up” after a 0-3 start. This Louisville team is standing tall at 3-0 and will have to prove every week that they are Real.

Louisville’s defense is ranked 25th in the country and are holding their opponents to an average of 20.7 points per game on 302 yards a game. They will face a very effective Marshall offense. It is an offense that is ranked #12 in the country. Marshall is averaging 50 points on 545.0 total yards per game. Their passing attack is ranked #4 in the country and they are averaging 379 yards through the air. Leading that pass attack is the Thundering Herds biggest weapon QB Chase Litton. He has completed 61.6% of his passes for 10 touchdowns this season while averaging 361 yards per game. The Herd goes as Litton goes. He threw for 413 yards and 4 TD’s last week.

Litton spreads the ball around and will keep a lot of pressure on the Louisville secondary. They have 4 receivers who are averaging over 50 yards per game. They are led by Josh Knight (71 yards a game, and 2 touchdowns), Ryan Yurachek (61.5 yards a game, and 1 touchdown), and Michael Clark (52.0 yards a game, and 3 touchdowns). They average 165.5 yards in their rushing attack behind Keion Davis and Hyleck Foster. Their offensive line is led by two all-conference performers in Michael Selby and Clint Van Horn. These guys have been around Huntington for a long time. Selby leads all active Marshall off offensive linemen with 27 starts and Van Horn, a two time all-league tackle, was granted a sixth season after missing most of last season due to injury. They will be a good test for the Louisville defensive front.

Task with stopping the #1 Lamar Jackson led offensive attack is a Marshall defense that is allowing their opponents 32.5 points per game, on 373.0 total yards per game (277.0 passing, 96.0 rushing).

They are led on this side of the ball by their defensive front. Defensive end Gary Thompson was an honorable mention all-conference selection last season after racking up a team-high nine sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss. He has 9 tackles and a sack this season. His bash brother is defensive lineman Ryan Bee who has 9 tackles, with 1.5 sacks this season. Blake Keller (3 tackles), Nyquan Harris (4 tackles), Joe Massaquio ( 1 tackle), and Jason Smith (5 tackles, .5 sacks) round out this group.

Marshall is nationally known for being one of the toughest places to play in college football. The program has won 84.7 percent (149-27) of its home games in Joan C. Edwards Stadium. That’s the second highest mark in the country for programs playing in their current stadium. Marshall has won 21 of its last 23 home games. The last time they played a top ranked opponent at home it was againts WVU. In that game they were able to use the emotion of and the atmosphere of their stadium to stay close early before getting blown out in the end. I think they could potentially ride that wave of emotion again this time and with a capable group of players could keep it close early Saturday.

There would be a lot of great tag lines if “Doc” Holliday was able to get into a shootout with Coach Petrino 2.0. But I don’t think they have what it takes to deliver the fast draw. There will be too much talent, athleticism and speed wearing Red.

When a team has a program defining moment during the college football season everyone is waiting to see what they do for an Encore. With another College Gameday appearance looming next weekend at Clemson all eyes will be on how well the new darlings of College Football execute. Go Cards!

incREDible

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If you asked someone to describe the game Saturday you probably heard the word speechless. And immediately following the game that’s how I felt about what I had just experienced. After having some time to reflect I’m still left with just one word. IncREDible!

-incREDible Conference

I remember how excited I was back in July of 2014 when the University of Louisville was officially welcomed into the ACC. I knew that it would be transformational for the athletic program. I also knew that it would really benefit the Louisville Football program in a big way. Over the last three seasons we’ve seen first-hand how impactful the move to the ACC has been. That magical day inside Notre Dame Stadium during the 2014 season and the FSU game yesterday are two of the biggest moments ever and I don’t think either happens if we aren’t in the ACC.

Just because a College program is given a platform to succeed doesn’t mean that it will. It still takes a great administration, great student athletes and great fans. The University of Louisville football program has taken full advantage of the opportunity. On Saturday Louisville was the epicenter of College Football. All eyes were watching as the administration showed off our first class facilities, and as a record number of Cardinal fans showed up to cheer for their team. The nation also watched the Louisville football players outshine those red chrome helmets as they beat traditional powerhouse Florida State.

-incREDible administration

There is a lot that goes into having a college football game especially when hosting the nation’s premier college football pre-game show. We have the best athletic director and SID in the country. Tom Jurich and Kenny Klein are the example of excellence in their profession and their leadership reflects in their staff. They know how to put on a first class event like yesterday and make it special. I want to give Kudos to Tom Jurich and his staff on the Muhammad Ali tribute. I really thought it set the mood inside the stadium. From the inspirational intro to start the game to the half-time dedication. The pride Ali had for his hometown echoed yesterday in all of us.

The hospitality and the catering inside the Louisville press box is second to none. You might get popcorn and a hot-dog if covering a game at most stadiums in the country, but at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium it’s sliced prime rib. I want to give Kudos to Kenny Klein and his staff for showing the National Media Saturday that the University of Louisville knows how to be a winner on and off the field. Anyone in the media who experienced it on Saturday will want to come back and look forward to it. You don’t have a day like Saturday without the hard work of Tom, Kenny and their staff.

-incREDible Coaching

Bobby Petrino and his staff are among the best in the country. They have built upon the winning culture re-established by Charlie Strong and taken it to the next level. Coach Petrino’s play calling yesterday was superb. He had the FSU defense on their heels all day and hung the highest point total ever (63) on the FSU program. A “methodical dismantling” is how one Florida journalist described it.

And how about the job Coach Klenakis has done? He has had the toughest job rebuilding the offensive line but has got it done. His guys protected Lamar Jackson yesterday and gave him time to complete 13 passes for 216 yards and one touchdown. They also opened up running lanes big enough for him to get into open field where he cut, spin and dashed for 146 yards and 4 touchdowns. The Cardinals rushed for 314 yards total behind the Louisville offensive line and they only allowed one sack on their QB. I said in my pregame article that big football games are won in the trenches and that Saturday was the proving ground for the Louisville offensive line. They got it done.

Coach Grantham has built one of the most versatile defenses in the country. He’s got guys that he can move around and come at opposing offenses from every angle. His group held one of the best running backs in the country Dalvin Cook to just 54 yards. The Louisville defense held one of the most explosive offenses in the country to just 284 yards of total offense. They also held them to just 20 points. It was really 10 because Coach Grantham pulled most of his starters in the second half.

I listened to the post game show on 790am on the ride home Saturday. Howie Lindsey called-in to the radio show and was telling a story about how he witnessed Coach Grantham getting all over one of the second string guys after giving up that late FSU score. It’s that kind of coaching, discipline and demand for perfection that has put the Louisville program in position to win big games like they did Saturday.

-incREDible Players

You can’t use the word incredible when describing Saturday without mentioning the incredible play of Lamar Jackson. He clearly put himself in position to win the Heisman Trophy with 362 yards of total offense and 5 touchdowns. He did it all while facing one of the best defenses in the country. Jackson epitomizes program changer and he has put this Louisville team and program on his back.

Brandon Radcliff has been described by coaches as one of the hardest working guys on the football field. The guy has so much passion for what he does and for the team he does it for. In my opinion Brandon had the best game of his career yesterday and out staged Dalvin Cook big time with 118 yards and a touchdown. I was great seeing this young man succeed in such a big game.

On a day where Louisville celebrated and honored one of the greatest hometown athletes ever it was another hometown athlete who was catching big passes and moving the chains. James Quick had 122 yards receiving and was a top target for Jackson all day. His best play came on a reception that he completed after the ball bounced off the leg of a defender. Quick made athletic catches all day but that one really stood out to me,and showed just how focused he was. I know that he was proud to represent his city yesterday in such a big way.

I was very critical of Josh Harvey-Clemson last year and felt that at times he took plays off. But yesterday he was one of the hardest working guys on the defense. He was flying around all over the field making big plays. And talk about versatile. I watched him play line-backer and safety yesterday getting 8 tackles and a sack. He was a big key in keeping FSU from ever gaining any momentum and helped keep QB Deondre Francois from getting into any kind of rhythm. If he keeps playing like he did Saturday Harvey-Clemons will hear his name called in the first round of next year’s NFL Draft.

One of the most electrifying punt returners in the country was on display Saturday. They didn’t have any answers for him. FSU’s special teams allowed Jaire Alexander to return two punts for 139 yards, including a 69-yard touchdown. Alexander is a special athlete with exceptional speed and his field vision along with his instincts are next level. He was fun to watch.

I mentioned the stand out performers but every guy in a Louisville uniform helped pull off the biggest win in program history. They are a focused bunch and that showed in their performance. You don’t have days like Saturday without great players and this Louisville team has them from the top to the bottom of the depth chart. Maybe the best depth chart ever.

-incREDible Fans

Mark Ennis of Card Chronicle mentioned last week that the national media would be surprised to learn that every Louisville fan wrote for some kind of Louisville blog. It’s true and I’m one of them. That is one thing that proves just how much interest and passion that Louisville fans have in the Louisville athletic program.

The Cardinal Nation set a new attendance record on Saturday and I think that all 55,632 of them were tailgating at 7:00am. Some were even out tailgating on Friday. I want to give kudos to the guys at the Red Rage Tailgate for showing the nation just how well we do it in Louisville. Those guys are some of the most passionate among us and their love for Louisville football inspired the ESPN College Gameday folks so much that they did some live spots from their gathering. You guys are awesome!

The Card March was the best one I’ve ever seen. Thousands of Cardinal fans lined up at 9:30 am in the rain to welcome the football team. And when it was time for kickoff every fan was in their seat and that stadium was rocking. I know there wasn’t a person in my section who sat down. We stood up through the whole game. And I think I gave high fives to all of my new friends in section 112.

The atmosphere in and around Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium was surreal. The roller coasters are across the street at the fairgrounds, but the Game day experience on Floyd Street Saturday was one of the greatest thrill rides I’ve ever been on in my life. You the fans made that possible. Thank you!

CARD MARCH FSU GAME

-incREDible Day

It was a huge day for the University of Louisville and I couldn’t be happier for our student athletes, administration, and coaches. They are the ones who put in the time and the effort to make Saturday possible. But I’m also very happy for Cardinal Fans. They are the ones who spend their money to go to the games, they are the ones who buy Cardinal merchandise, and they are the ones who have stayed loyal through thick and thin.

I sat by a guy in section 112 that had been a fan for 50 years. He talked about how he had sit through some stinkers and was just amazed to be watching just how far the program had come. The enthusiasm and passion of Cardinal Nation is second to none and they deserve the best. They deserved Saturday.

It was an incredible day and one that I will share with my grandchildren. Telling stories about how I watched our first Heisman Trophy winner lead the Cardinals to the biggest regular season win in program history. (Because by then we will have won a National Title). It was great being there to see the program take the next step. No doubt that we are on that prophetic “collision course”.

Can we do it all again real soon? Go Cards!

College Gameday, The Tomahawk Chop & The Champ

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On Saturday Louisville will be the epicenter of college football as one of the premier sports shows moves into town to cover the top 10 match-up between the #10 ranked Cardinals and the #2 ranked Seminoles. Of course I’m talking about ESPN’s College Gameday. If you have been a Louisville Football fan long enough then you know how big this moment is for the program and the journey it has taken to get here.

In order to know where you’re at you must understand what it took to get you there. Once thought to be a cheap knockoff of the Saturday College football ESPN show was the ESPN Thursday night college game of the week. Tom Jurich will soon celebrate his 19th anniversary as the Cardinals athletic director. The impact he’s had on the Louisville athletic programs are nothing short of amazing, and a huge factor in all of the success especially as far as the football program is concerned can be directly linked to his willingness to be a part of those ESPN weekly college football games. Jurich was quoted after he was hired saying “The thing we need to do right away is to get exposure and get this program branded, and that is something I feel is most essential.”

The Cardinals played in those mid-week games throughout the 90’s, but those games were regional broadcast and it wasn’t until ESPN that those games went national. Louisville football had five national telecasts on ESPN or ESPN2 during the 2001 season and mid-week games were a big reason why. In the ten years prior Louisville had a total of 28 games broadcast. Since 2001 Louisville has regularly appeared on national television and the surge in nationally broadcast games is linked to Louisville’s embrace of weeknight games. Louisville has had a total of 19 appearances on ESPN Thursday night telecast. Jurich was quoted saying “That’s helped us immensely; ESPN has helped us build this program. I look at them as a full partner.”

The emergence of the Louisville football program happened on those ESPN Thursday nights. Having the undivided attention of college football fans across the country paid off, and the Cardinals haven’t disappointed. Ironically it was the game in 2002 against Florida State on a Thursday night that got it all started in a big way when the Cardinals beat the #4 Seminoles in OT 26-20.

Everything comes full circle and now a nationally known program the Cardinals find themselves playing in what will be the biggest 2016 college football game to date. And again it is against the Florida State Seminoles. This time it will be on a Saturday afternoon and this time the entire college football world will be watching.

Saturday’s meeting will be the 17th in the series, with the Seminoles owning a 14-2 advantage. Florida State has won the last two meetings in the series despite the Cardinals having a lead in both contests. Last season, the Cardinals enjoyed a 7-6 advantage before being out-scored 35-14 in the second half. The Cardinals raced out to a 21-0 second-quarter lead on No. 2 Florida State in 2014, before the Seminoles came back for a 42-31 win. The Cardinals are 1-5 against the Seminoles in Louisville with the lone win coming in that 2002 match-up.

To be the best you have to beat the best. And one of the best programs in the country is Florida State. Most pundits picked the Seminoles to make the College Football playoff this season, and with good reason. They have speed, athleticism and talent all over the field.

As with any football program it all starts with the head man. Two games into his seventh year as the FSU head coach, Jimbo Fisher has authored one of the most successful starts to a head coaching career in college football history. Fisher’s 68 wins are the most in major college football history during a coach’s first six seasons. Fisher’s .833 winning percentage is by far the highest of any ACC coach of all-time, surpassing Seminole legend Bobby Bowden. This will be Florida State’s 10th College GameDay appearance under coach Jimbo Fisher. The Noles are 7-2 in that span.

Leading the Florida state offensive attack is QB Deondre Francois. He was ranked in the top 40 among high school QB’s in the ESPN class of 2015. Red-shirt Freshman Francois much like former standout Jameis Winston is a big time talent. Francois is more of a running threat. Through two games he is 58 of 84 for 69 percent, 5 touchdowns, 1 interception, 340.5 pass yards and a 154.4 efficiency rating. Not quite the video game numbers of Jackson but Francois is a legit talent.

At the other Florida state skill positions the cupboard is filled with talent. And at the top of that talent pool is RB Dalvin Cook. This guys is the leader of this team and maybe the best back ever for their program. This guy has explosion, speed and power coupled with great vision on the football field. He had 1691 yards and 19 touchdowns last season shattering the FSU rush record. The most impressive stat that stood out to me was that almost 700 of those yards were after contact. Through two games this season he has 174 yards and 2 touchdowns. As if it wasn’t hard enough to stop this guy on the ground he also is great at catching the ball out of the backfield. He had 101 yards receiving against Ole Miss.

FSU Wide Receivers Travis Rudolph, Bobo Wilson and Kermit Whitfield are among the nation’s most experienced receivers in the country and all three have lived up to that billing so far this season. Whitfield is one of the most versatile athletes in the country. He had 57 catches in 2015 and already has 7 catches for 70 yards this season. Wilson had 58 catches in 2015 and has 13 grabs for 178 yards this season. Rudolph led this trio with 59 catches in 2015 and so far this season is the leading receiver on the team with 13 grabs for 179 yards and 3 touchdowns. They are the only trio in the country to return with 55+ catches last season. Additionally, Rudolph and Wilson are among the ACC’s top 10 active leaders in career receptions and yards.

FSU had the same question mark about their offensive line coming into this season as the Cardinals. They have a talented group with a lot of potential but they are a group with not much experience under their belt. FSU returns every single scholarship lineman from 2015, which featured 12 players in their first or second years in the program. FSU is known for developing great offensive lineman and sending them to the NFL so you can bet that this will be a competitive group.

The only chink I found researching this Florida State team is that their defense will be without their most talented player on Saturday. Safety Derwin James will miss 5-7 weeks after having surgery to repair a torn meniscus. While this is a big loss for FSU they still have one of the best defensive units in the country. Probably their next best guy behind James is senior defensive end DeMarcus Walker. In his last three games vs. FBS teams, Walker has staked his claim as one of the nation’s best players totaling 28 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 7 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 1 interception and 1 blocked kick. With 17 career sacks Walker is the ACC’s active sacks and tackles for loss (28.0) leader. He had 4.5 of each in the season opener against Ole Miss. Speed kills and this FSU defense has it flying all over the field. Through two games, the Florida State defense has forced seven turnovers against Ole Miss and Charleston Southern. They have allowed fewer than 10 points in 27.3 percent of the 84 games Fisher has been the Seminoles head coach and even without James I look for this to be the biggest challenge of the season for the Cardinals offense.

This game will also be one of the biggest challenges of the season for the Louisville defense. In two career games versus the Cardinals, Dalvin Cook has totaled 373 all-purpose yards and scored four touchdowns. He has rushed for 273 yards on just 31 carries (8.8 ypc) and caught eight passes for 100 yards. He’s averaging 186.5 total yards per game versus the home team. The Cardinals will need huge games from just about everybody on Saturday in order to stop this human steam roller. I look for Devonte Fields, DeAngelo Brown, Keith Kelsey, Josh Harvey Clemons and James Hearns to lead the way Saturday. Through two games this season Fields (8 tackles, 1 sack, 1 pat down), Brown (3 tackles), Kelsey (14 tackles, .5 sacks), Clemons (9 tackles) and Hearns (7 tackles, 2.5 sacks) have lived up to their billing. No reason to think this group won’t step up in this big-time game.

If our Cardinals can win this game on Saturday it will have a lot of major implications but the biggest may be the first ever Heisman Trophy for the program. Through two games this season Lamar Jackson is putting up video game numbers and has put the Cardinals offense on his back. If he can continue to play at the same level every week he is on pace to finish this season with 3,485 passing yards, 1,590 rushing yards and 65 total touchdowns. With Jackson being a Florida kid this game has more on the line than just stats and a win or loss. This one is also for pride. It’s going to be fun watching him shine.

This will also be a week where other talent will need to rise to the occasion. Jamari Staples and James Quick have also started this season on a tear. Staples is leading the way with 9 catches for 219 yards and Quick with 5 receptions for 140 yards and 2 touchdowns. These guys won’t have to contend with Derwin James on Saturday but will still face a stiff challenge. The Cardinals will also need a big game from Jaylen Smith and Cole Hikutini. Third and fourth in production so far this season these guys should have some room with the focus mainly on the first three guys mentioned. Hikutini had a rough outing last time out and the usually sure handed Tight End dropped several passes. He is the kind of guy that plays with something to prove so look for a big rebound game against the Noles.

Reggie Bonnafon has had a modest start to the 2016 season with 33 yards and 1 touchdown. But this is a week where we could see some crafty offensive sets featuring the hometown hero. If the Cardinals win this game you can bet that Reggie will have played a part in the outcome somehow. Same goes for Brandon Radcliff. He has more heart than any player I’ve covered in 4 years with The Cardinal’s Beak. There won’t be a guy on the football field Saturday playing with more pride for his program than Brandon. Coach Klenakis has been very proud of his unit through two games this season, but with their biggest challenge looming this could put the Louisville offensive front on the map. Football games are won in the trenches and this game is the proving ground.

As if the football game itself wasn’t big enough on Saturday the University of Louisville football program will take the day to honor the greatest of all time Muhammad Ali. Ali has inspired generations of people and made them move. Out of all of the dedications that will be made on Saturday to this special man the best tribute would be one of the biggest wins in program history. Factoring in everything that I’ve researched and taking into account all of the pomp and circumstance surrounding this football game I do think the Cardinals will win. The Louisville football players and Louisville fans have waited for this moment. Our players deserve this and the fans deserve this. Take it all in Saturday folks. This will be one of those moments you’ll remember for a lifetime. Go Cards!

The Beak Football Breakdown: Plays, Moving the Chains, & Subway Trains

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The 2016 Louisville Football season got off to a pretty good start last Thursday under the lights of Papa John’s Cardinal stadium. If the Cardinals can keep that momentum going into each week it could be a special season. The competition gets a little tougher this week with a Friday night trip to Syracuse.

These teams have had a pretty steady rivalry over the past 12 years. Louisville leads the overall series 8 to 6 and has won five out of the last six including two straight. The last time Cuse beat Louisville was in 2012 when the Orange handed the 9-0 Cardinals their first loss of the season and Ryan Nassib looked like John Elway in the 45-26 upset. That is also the last time they beat a Nationally ranked team. The Cards were #11 in the country. They pulled out all of the stops that day and are hoping to pull a similar upset this time around.

The Syracuse Football program has not been a model of consistency and has had three different coaches over the last 10 seasons. Finding the right guy for the job is not an easy thing to do but this time the Orange might have found their man in head coach Dino Babers.

Babers is a disciple of some the most creative offensive minds in the game. One of those guys is Mike Martz. You might remember the “Greatest Show on Turf”? It was once said about Martz that he was teaching so far ahead of what others were teaching. Dino Babers is trying to stay ahead of the game with his potent, fast pace, aggressive style of football and hopes to bring some of that “Greatest Show” to the turf of the Carrier Dome.

It will take Babers a while to get the players he wants for his system but the cupboard is far from bare at Cuse. They are among ACC teams Florida State and Louisville to return at least 90 percent of their rushing production and at least 85 percent of their receiving yardage from a year ago.

Leading their offensive unit is sophomore quarterback Eric Dungey. He played very well last week (34-of-40 for 355 yards). He is a heady QB who can sling it around or run it. His mobility is more than adequate. He’s got a few athletic and talented guys to toss it to in wide receivers Steve Ishmael (registered 1,000 career receiving yards last week), Ervin Philips (caught a school-record 14 balls last week), and Maryland transfer Amba Etta-Tawo (caught 12 passes for 210 yards last week, fifth-highest in Syracuse history). They have one of the most versatile players in the country in receiver and return specialist Brisly Estime.

They’ve also got some running power with backs Dontae Strickland, Jordan Fredericks and freshman Moe Neal. The biggest question mark on this unit is the offensive line. LT Cody Conway, LG Aaron Roberts and RT Jamar McGloster made their first career starts last week.

All I’ve heard this week is how the Louisville defense will have their hands full with the up tempo style offense. Coach Grantham and his guys spent the spring and fall chasing Lamar Jackson around on the football field so I don’t think they’ll have any trouble adjusting to the unorthodox style of “Babers Ball”.

The biggest challenge this week will fall on the shoulders of the Louisville defensive backs. Every wide receiver on Syracuse’s roster caught a pass last week. They are going to sling the ball around and will attack the entire football field. Josh Harvey Clemons will have an opportunity to record his first big game of the season. His versatility will be a good weapon to have Friday night. Devonte Fields, James Hearns and Keith Kelsey will need to put the pressure on Dungey and not let him get into a rhythm. While DeAngelo Brown holds down the run. At the end of the day the pressure of the Louisville defense will be a lot for the young inexperienced Cuse line to handle.

Lamar Jackson and the Louisville offense faced a hectic, blitzing style of defense last week but will face a more methodical approach this week. The Cuse defense will work with a zone mindset and look to get a big push up front with their line backers and defensive line. Their D-line is really young and unproven but the back seven is formidable. Their best players on this side of the ball are linebackers Zaire Franklin, free safety Antwan Cordy, and cornerback Corey Winfield.

Lamar Jackson and company should have no problems attacking the zone coverage. Overall there is more speed and athleticism on the Louisville side of the ball and more overall experience in general. Last season Cole Hikutini scored his first career touchdown against the Orange in route to a three catch, two score day. I think Cole will fit in nicely to the game plan this week and his success against Cuse will continue. I also think Staples and Quick have a big week.

The emotion of the “Oranged Out” Carrier Dome crowd and the excitement of their players will keep this game competitive throughout the first half, but eventually this game will be decided by big-time football players making big plays. The Cardinals have more of those big time football players and will make more of those big plays. This game won’t be a repeat of that 2012 meeting. I don’t see this Louisville team having that type of clunker. Cards win going away setting up a great showdown with FSU next weekend. Go Cards!

Cards Take Care of Business

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For months we’ve been talking about, analyzing, and breaking down the start of Louisville Football. The wait was finally over Thursday night as over 50,000 fans (15th largest) piled into Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium for the start of the 2016 season. It was a great crowd and it’s great to see a full house on a Thursday night. The Cardinals did not let this great crowd down and provided a lot of action on both sides of the ball. In a 70-14 lopsided win the Cardinals took care of business and did what they were supposed to.

Lamar Jackson finished last season getting his name in the NCAA record books by running and passing for over 200 yards in a Bowl game. On Thursday night he starts the 2016 season by etching his name in the Louisville record books now the program record holder for most touchdowns in a single game (8) and most touchdown passes in a single game (6). It was also mentioned by ESPN that he is the first player to have 6 passing touchdowns and 2 rushing touchdowns in the 1st half in the modern era.

Jackson ended last season with everyone talking and now starts this season with everyone talking. He even had an impromptu interview on Sports Center after the game. During the Louisville post-game Lamar Jackson wasn’t worried about any of the hyperbole. He was happy that his team won and happy that he was able to play a part in that. To me this says more about Lamar Jackson than the 8 touchdowns.

All of the guys in the skill positions looked sharp tonight. Both James Quick and Reggie Bonnafon had great touchdown catches. Jamari Staples also had 83 yards. The offensive line faced a challenge early on with all of the Kamikaze blitzes the 49ers were running. But they appeared to adjust well. Lamar did give his O-Line credit in the post-game.

The defense was aggressive and guys were flying around all over the field. I really liked seeing Harvey-Clemons in that linebacker spot. And he and Devonte Fields were on, or around every defensive play. It was also great to see Stacey Thomas making plays. He led in tackles with 7 and is a leader of this unit. Some had thought he might miss action after having a surgical procedure a few months ago.

There’s really not much you can say or analyze about a game this lopsided. It’s just one of those games where the better team comes out and does what they need to do. I think it was great for everyone to get involved. These guys been busting their butts for months in the heat so it’s good they all got rewarded with playing time. It’s also very good for the depth chart for everyone to get game reps. It’s a long grueling season and every guy has to be ready to go when called on.

The Cards are 1-0.

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Heart over Hype, a few reasons why I’m optimistic about Louisville Football

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We are less than a week away from another year of Louisville Football. Expectations are high and the hype surrounding this year’s team has also reached new heights. It’s fun to see this type of excitement and it really adds to the anticipation of kick-off. The hype is great on many levels. It sends out a positive message to guys being recruited by the Cardinals, and also works as motivation to the guys taking the field this season.

But hype doesn’t have any longevity and as soon as the ball is in the air on Thursday night and the players get that first lick in the hype is over. As a fan the hype for this season has got me more ready than I’ve ever been to watch these guys play but it’s the heart of this team and of a few individual players that really puts a smile on my face. Unlike hype that heart will last and will help this team through the adversity of what will be a grueling schedule.

Before I dive in here I’d like to give you an example of heart over hype. I watch the UFC and have seen guys come in with a lot of heart work their way up through the ranks to the top of their division. Then comes the hype. Once the hype takes the place of heart it never fails to see the champion fall.

Everybody is born with a heart but not everyone has heart. Having heart is a deep personal drive for excellence and failure is not an option. Winning, being successful and a willingness to work hard to achieve that perfection is what having heart is all about.

With this Louisville team it starts at the top with Coach Bobby Petrino. One of the greatest offensive minds to ever coach in the college ranks. It was his hard work and guidance that took him to the top of his profession only to have the hype roll in and take it all away. But having faced that adversity only made Coach Petrino’s drive for excellence that much stronger. After leading the program to 17 wins the last two seasons while facing their toughest schedules in years and becoming bowl eligible for a 6th straight season He’s got that look in his eyes again and this time it’s heart over hype.

On the offensive side of the ball:

Reggie Bonnafon is the kind of player that every coach wants. Talk about a guy with a lot of heart. After losing his father he walked into Notre Dame Stadium and led the Cardinals to one of the biggest wins in program history. When he lost the QB job to Lamar Jackson he didn’t let that slow him down and vowed to contribute in any way he could. His versatility and will to win earned him playing time. This year he will again help this Louisville team win. Having him in the backfield along with Jackson will be a nightmare for opposing defenses especially with a guy like Coach Petrino calling the plays. Reggie is one of the most important players on the roster, and the hype is real. But with Reggie it’s never been about hype and he plays with more heart than any kid I’ve seen.

It takes a lot of heart to go from a walk-on to scholarship player especially in major college football and that’s just what Tobijah Hughley did. It didn’t take him long to become a crucial part of the Louisville offensive line after getting his first start. With 25 starts now under his belt he is not only the anchor of the offensive line but an anchor for the offense in general. Lamar Jackson has said that Hughley helped him read defenses last season. Unlike last year the Louisville offensive line has been through the battles. There’s no substitute for experience and now with Geron Christian (13 starts), Kenny Thomas (5 starts), Lukayus McNeil (7 starts), Kiola Mahoni (4 starts) this Louisville line is ready. For the first time in a while there has been some hype surrounding this group. With a guy like Hughley leading the way there’s no doubt that it will be heart over hype in the trenches.

Jamari Staples has overcome so much adversity and is another guy on this Louisville offense with a lot of heart. Jamari had his college football program pulled out from under him at UAB and missed the first four games of his first season at Louisville with an injury but didn’t waste any time establishing himself in the offensive scheme when he finally got his chance. His biggest game last season came against Wake Forest when he had 133 yards with two touchdowns. He finished the season as the top receiver on the team with 638 yards and 3 touchdowns despite missing those first games and he moved the chains at critical moments many times. I talked with him at media day and this young man has a great desire for excellence. Glad he found another home here with our Cardinals. With Jamari its most definitely heart over hype.

Lamar Jackson had four games last season in which he ran for at least 100 yards and threw for at least 100 yards, tied with Clemson’s Deshaun Watson and SMU’s Matt Davis for the most such games in the FBS. Three of these games came against the mighty SEC. He threw for 100 and ran for 106 against Auburn, threw for 130 and ran for 186 yards to lead Louisville to a comeback win over Kentucky, and threw for 227 yards against Texas A&M while running for 226 yards. He became only the third player in NCAA history to run and throw for over 200 yards in a Bowl game. His 960 rushing yards led the team despite not playing on a full-time basis. He appeared in 12 games and started just seven of them. There is a lot of hype surrounding Jackson but watching this kid play you can see his heart on the field. When being interviewed at Media Day Jackson said about that UK game: “When coach threw me out there I knew we were down by a lot and it was going to be hard, but I just didn’t want to lose.”

On the defensive side of the ball:

Devonte Fields is another guy who let hype get in the way, but he plays with so much heart that he has fought his way back. Fields had to learn the Louisville playbook on the fly last season, but even tougher than a crash course in Granthamology was catching up to the speed of the Louisville workouts. He had played a year of junior college before becoming a Cardinal but Fields was out of shape. He didn’t get any time in the Louisville off-season program, so Devonte essentially had to play his way into shape. And that’s just what he did. Over the final six games of the regular season, Fields racked up all 7.5 of his sacks and 15 of his 19 tackles for loss. In the Music City Bowl he had 8 tackles, 3 sacks and 2 pat downs. He finished the season with a team leading 10.5 sacks and 22 tackles for loss. He finished 10th in the country in sacks and 1st in the country in tackles for loss. The hype is back but this time Devonte Fields is playing with a lot of heart. That is a good thing for the Cardinals.

One half of the bash brothers Keith Kelsey is a valuable leader on and off the field for the Cardinal defense. He served as a great ambassador at the ACC media days and is just one of many guys that has been more than just a football player to the Cardinal program. But he is a great defensive player and plays with a ton of heart. He finished last season with a team leading 107 tackles and is poised to help lead this season’s group to being one of the best units in college football.

You can’t talk about this Louisville defense without talking about the guy on the front line DeAngelo Brown and you can’t talk about guys playing with heart without mentioning him either. Last season he had 40 tackles, 6.5 for loss and 1.5 sacks. He is a supreme run-stopper in the middle for this Louisville unit and will be playing on Sunday’s when his college days are over. Brown is a guy whose game and heart is bigger than he is and that’s big.

Like I mentioned above there has been a lot of hype surrounding this Louisville Football team, and that hype has got the fan base more excited than I’ve seen in a long time. It has also helped the Cards land a spot in both the AP and Coaches pre-season polls. But in order for the program to take that next step it is going to take a lot of heart. The guys mentioned above are who I believe will lead this charge but make no mistake about it there is a lot of heart on both sides of the ball and this team will make us all proud. See you Thursday night Cardinal fans!

Rick is on a roll….

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I’m not going to lie I was worried that the Dorm Incident would have an impact on our recruiting for a few years. But it hasn’t happened and one could argue that Rick Pitino is on the hottest recruiting  haul he’s had in years. Back in November he inked 5* top 25 player VJ King to the 2016 Class and now has two 4* top 50 players committed to the 2017 Class in #42 center Malik Williams and #48 true point guard Darius Perry.

With his big man of the future Williams committed most assumed Coach Pitino would next look for his point guard of the future. Today we found out who that would be when Darius Perry announced his commitment. By all accounts Perry is a very talented player that can do it all. He is a triple threat on the perimeter. He can drive and pop, hit the three and run an offense. He has a very solid shot. He will be a very nice compliment to Ryan McMahon in that shooting guard spot in a few years. I’m looking forward to seeing this duo on the court together. Lights out!

This 2017 Class is coming together nicely. With two areas of need addressed I think Coach Pitino and his staff will now narrow down their focus as this class only needs two more guys. Some of the hot names floating around are Brandon Randolph, Alex O’Connell, Lance Thomas, Makhtar Gueye, Lindell Wigginton and DJ Harvey.

If any of you were ever worried about the future then those thoughts can rest easy because the last three years of recruiting have been some of the best ever in Louisville. The Coaching staff are not only getting great talent they are also getting solid young men who want to play hard, improve and help their team win. By all accounts this latest commit fits that mold. Congrats to Coach Pitino and his staff for all of their work paying off. Keep it rolling!

ESPN Breakdown of Darius Perry:

ESPN Analyst

Strengths:

Perry is a true point guard that is tough and competes on both ends of the floor. He pushes the ball on the break and does a good job running the halfcourt offense. He can also make plays when the things break down. Perry can get to the rim and knock down the open three. He is a terrific open court passer as well. Perry has a tight handle that allows him to change speeds and direction and weave in and out of traffic with ease. Perry also has excellent court vision that he uses to get the ball to open teammates on time and on target. Perry can also play off the ball and make scoring plays from the wing. He is also an excellent on ball defender that applies relentless pressure.

Weaknesses:

Perry will need to continue to add strength. He also over dribbles at times and becomes a little careless with the ball all will be fixed as he gain valuable playing experience and maturity.Perry will need to continue to work on developing his overall point guard skills and decision making at times but has already made positive strides in those areas.

Bottom Line:

Perry is a true point guard that can handle, pass and make open jumpers to the arc. He is a good athlete that is tough and competes which makes him a high major point guard with tremendous upside.

Video of Darius Perry:

Darius Perry Silky Smooth SG @ NBPA Top 100
http://youtu.be/Uw3T4lhtlEI