Author Archives: The Cardinals Beak

About The Cardinals Beak

Be alert... The world needs more lerts...

The Battle for the Bourbon Barrel

Posted on by

Uploaded from the Photobucket <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> iPhone App

photo 7801D391-8077-4C56-A16C-0DA14980B0D8_zpsbno8yot4.jpg


The Cardinals and Commodores played their last game against each other last May. It was Vandy that came out with the hot bats in that game taking an early 5 run lead before a little rally in the 6th by Louisville. It was Vandy who walked away with the win in that game 5-2. Before that these teams had last played in Omaha back in 2014 where Vandy eventually went on to win their first National Championship. That is a grand trophy indeed, but when it comes to the Louisville Vs Vanderbilt series there is another trophy that is one of the coolest in all of college baseball “The Barrel”

The Cardinals and the Commodores are far from strangers to one another. In fact this has become one of the most competitive rivalries in college baseball. The programs, separated by only 175 miles, became regular foes in the NCAA Regionals (4 times in last 7 seasons) due to the close proximity. From that “The Battle of the Barrel” game was born in 2012. What started as a typical midweek game has evolved into something much larger a true rivalry.

Louisville is just 7-24 all-time against Vanderbilt in a series that dates back to 1971, and our Cardinals have come out on the losing end lately dropping the last two. The Cards do hold a current 3 game win streak in Nashville. Today at 5:00pm this great college baseball rivalry will again take center stage its “The Battle of the Barrel”. Be sure to tune in to see who walks away with this super masculine emblem of greatness. Go Cards!

The game, originally slated for 7 p.m., but adjusted due to the threat of inclement weather, will be televised on ESPNU. Radio coverage of the game will begin on 1450 WXVW and transition to 93.9 The Ville at 6 p.m. Live stats for all Louisville baseball games are available at GoCards.com.

Louisville Football Springs Into Action

Posted on by

Uploaded from the Photobucket <br /> iPhone App

photo IMG_1943_zpsz73f54rv.jpg

It was a beautiful day for some Louisville football. Over 16,000 fans came out to cheer the Cardinals on as they wrapped up the spring session with a very competitive scrimmage. The first team offense dazzled scoring 73 points while the first team defense locked down the white team holding them to just 7 points. Cardinal fans got everything they expected and more from this year’s team.

I expected a lot from Lamar Jackson today and he did not disappoint. Shining just as bright as the sun over Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium he lit up the football field throwing for 519 yards and 8 touchdowns. As impressive as he turned out last year with just a limited time to adjust to the program the writing was on the wall as to just how good he would be after a full season. While now also getting to spend the entire off season in the strength, skills and conditioning program. The improvement is noticeable with better accuracy, arm strength and field command. I can’t wait until September to see him take the College Football world by storm.

As far as the other skill players are concerned it was a big day for the receiving corps. James Quick led this group with 150 yards and a touchdown. His highlight moment was when he and Lamar Jackson hooked up on an 85 yard bomb.

I was looking forward to seeing Jamari Staples today as he finished last season on such a high note and he also looked very good out there. His highlight moment was when he and Jackson hooked up for a 54 yard score.

Another guy you’re going to want to keep an eye on this season is Cole Hikutini. He will be a very important part of the Cardinals passing game. Today he hooked up with Jackson for two scores finishing with 75 yards. He has great hands and really gets himself in good position coming out of his routes. I think he could end up being one of the best tight ends in the ACC.

The Cardinals are once again going to have a stable of very good running backs. Brandon Radcliff has an extra gear when he hits that sideline, and with his work ethic and drive he’s in for a big year. Jeremy Smith and Malin Jones are also very capable backs. Jones had a very impressive 65 yard trot for a score in the scrimmage.

On the defensive side of the ball it was some of the usual suspects on the field flying around making tackles. I was most impressed with Stacy Thomas, Chucky Williams, Alphonso Carter, and Zykeisis Cannon. These guys combined for 30 tackles. Josh Harvey was a guy I was watching closely and he had 2 tackles. I look for him to step it up this season as he really wants to play at the next level.

These Spring scrimmages aren’t a be all end all predictor of how the upcoming season will look, but it is a great opportunity to see how certain players have improved their games and gives you an idea of just what the offense will look like come September. Today in the post-game pressor Coach Petrino said that he welcomes high expectations and said to “bring them on”. He surely will get his wish as I know mine are thru the roof and if you were at the spring game today I’m sure yours are as well.

See you in September Cardinal fans…!

[gallery_bank type=”images” format=”filmstrip” title=”true” desc=”false” img_in_row=”3″ display=”all” sort_by=”random” animation_effect=”bounce” image_width=”600″ album_title=”true” album_id=”15″]

Culmination of Hard Work & Dreams Realized at Derby Basketball Classic

Posted on by

Uploaded from the Photobucket <br /> iPhone App

photo 9F916A83-5EBA-411C-A503-065983EAD8D7_zpsgwodbzka.jpg

I just finished covering another Derby Basketball Classic and it was three days of great hoops action played by some of the most talented High School seniors in the country. There were dunks, three point shots, alley oops, and give and go’s. But there were also many years of hard work on display and this all-star game like them all was a culmination of hard work and dreams realized for the players. There were several big-time college basketball programs represented in the Derby Basketball Classic and also a few central Kentucky counties. I spent my three days of the Classic covering Bullitt East High School’s Tyler Sharpe who will be attending the University of Louisville as a preferred walk-on and Owen County High School’s Carson Williams who will be playing for Northern Kentucky University.

Located just south of the city of Louisville Bullitt County is included in the Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN Metropolitan Area, commonly known as Kentuckiana. Tyler Sharpe a 6-1 guard played for Bullitt East High School. He has several scholarship offers, including Pikeville, and Kentucky State, but like many kids in the area he grew up a Louisville Cardinal fan. He could have chosen to go to one of these other schools but when he was offered the coveted preferred walk-on spot at the University of Louisville he jumped at the opportunity. Watching players like Elisha Justice, Tim Henderson, and David Levitch have success in this walk-on spot over the last six years was all the motivation Tyler needed. Watching Tyler Sharpe compete in the Derby Basketball Classic events over the last three days I can tell you that he is a very humble young man who is a decent athlete with surprising leaping ability. He had an off shooting night in the Classic but he has a very nice jump shot. This young man has spent his life dreaming of playing in front of the Louisville crowd and in the Derby Basketball Classic he got to realize some of that dream.

Carson Williams played his high school career for the Owen County Rebels in Owenton Ky. In that small rural Kentucky town you never hear the words “real deal” when it comes to the athletes that play sports there. Don’t get me wrong there are some very good athletes that have played for Owen County over the years but nothing like Carson Williams. This kid first made waves when he was running the floor, making plays, and dunking a basketball as an 8th grader. Folks in that small town started to realize then that he was going to be special. Carson is an athlete that has been dedicated to the sport of basketball and worked really hard to gain recognition in such a small town. Winning Mr. Basketball in Kentucky was a surreal moment for Carson and everyone who has followed him along the way. And being able to play in the Derby Basketball Classic just put an exclamation point on a very successful high school career.

Carson Williams represented himself very well this week in the Derby Basketball events. He won the 2on2 Championship with Jared Harper who will be attending Auburn University at Night of Future Stars and also made it to the Finals of the Slam dunk contest. He finished the Derby Basketball Classic with 14 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assist. Not only was Carson representing himself in Louisville on Friday night he was also representing a very tight knit community. Owen County fans have traveled thousands of miles watching and supporting Carson Williams during his career. One of those fans was Chase Duvall. Chase the brother of Owen County basketball Coach Devin Duvall passed away suddenly on Wednesday afternoon right before Carson left town for the Derby Basketball festivities. On Friday night Carson wore a special band on his Derby Basketball uniform to honor Chase. That’s the kind of young man Carson Williams is and nobody deserved to have his moment more than he did at the Derby Basketball Classic.

“It’s always basketball season in Kentucky,” said Derby Festival President and CEO Mike Berry. “We have the most dedicated fan bases in college basketball. Tonight they were treated to a game with outstanding talent and we’ll be watching these young players closely as they continue their careers.”

I know I can’t wait to see how Tyler Sharpe and Carson William do in the next phase of their basketball careers and I will be watching and supporting these two great young men as they continue to live out their dreams.

[gallery_bank type=”images” format=”filmstrip” title=”true” desc=”false” img_in_row=”3″ display=”all” sort_by=”random” animation_effect=”bounce” image_width=”600″ album_title=”true” album_id=”13″]

[gallery_bank type=”images” format=”filmstrip” title=”true” desc=”false” img_in_row=”3″ display=”all” sort_by=”random” animation_effect=”bounce” image_width=”600″ album_title=”true” album_id=”14″]





The Smell of Pigskin is in the Air

Posted on by

Uploaded from the Photobucket <br /> iPhone App

photo IMG_0797_zps1zpfolxw.jpg

I had the chance to get out and enjoy a beautiful spring afternoon with the Louisville Football team today. We still have six months before another year of Cardinal Football but there is a lot of excitement already building for the season ahead. There was a lot of buzz around the practice field today with a great crowd and a lot of high school prospects taking in the action while on spring break. There were also several members of the Louisville media out covering the action.

Heading into year number three of his Louisville sequel with 17 wins and two Bowl games under his belt Bobby Petrino has the Louisville program rolling right along. You could tell by the atmosphere of this practice that the team and assistant coaches know exactly what is expected of them by the head man. The practice today was run at a frantic pace and guys were in a dead sprint as they switched from one drill to the next. Things seemed to be running like a well-oiled machine. They say you play like you practice and if that’s true you can expect this Louisville football team to come out and perform at a professional and high level next season.

There were a lot of great athletes spread all around the practice fields today. The Cardinals have a lot of talent on both sides of the ball heading into the 2016 season, but one guy in particular will be poised to take the college football world by storm. I call him “Hurricane” Jackson but you can also call him Lamar. I was really excited to see this guy go through his drills today and he did not disappoint. I didn’t think it would be possible for him to look any faster but he did today. After a full year playing at the college level he has learned to be more efficient on his cut and runs. He appears to be stronger and looked very good running an offense that appears to be more built around him and his abilities this season. He made some very good throws today and it appears that he has taken this part of his game to the next level as well. If he stays healthy and continues on this upward trend he will be a show stopper.

Over the last couple of years there has been a lot of inconsistency along the offensive line. As I watched this group today the one thing that stood out to me was how much bigger and athletic this year’s group is. They really look impressive and Coach Klenakis deserves a lot of credit for the work he has done with them. They sure do look the part this spring and if they can carry some of that positive momentum they had when the season ended at the Music City Bowl then Cardinal fans will be very pleased. Some guys that stood out to me today were Chandler Jones (6-4, 300lbs), Geron Christian (6-6, 314lbs), Lukayus McNeil (6-6, 313lbs) and Toriano Roundtree (6-7, 305). These are some big, tough guys. And keep an eye out on the Roundtree kid he is going to be a beast.

I’m also excited about the group of wide receivers we have returning this season. These guys looked really good going through their reps today. This is going to be a special year for Jamari Staples and he stood out to me the most. His length, speed and athleticism are on a different level. You can also expect a big year out of now senior James Quick. He made some nice catches today. Traveon Samuel may not stand out as much because he is surrounded by all of these tall guys but I really like him. I think he will have a solid season and will do well in the Petrino offensive scheme. I was also really impressed with Cole Hikutini and he was making impressive grab after impressive grab during this practice. He is going to see his number called a lot this year.

The Cardinals also have a pretty good stable of running backs returning for this season. I expect another solid year out of Brandon Radcliff and really think we will see Jeremy Smith come into his own. I really like what I seen out of him today. L.J. Scott will also see his fair share of reps. All of these guys are capable of gaining big yards.

I’ve heard a lot about how hard Reggie Bonnafon has worked during the off season and there isn’t a guy on this football team who loves it more than he does. Along with his physical gifts he has a heart the size of a football field. I really wanted to watch this guy go through his reps today and it took some effort following him around the practice field. He did work with the running backs, and wide receivers. He has gotten a lot bigger physically and seems to have added some foot speed. This guys is one of the best football players on this team and the Cardinals need him on the field anyway they can make that happen. I’ve never been surprised by what I see out of this young man and he didn’t let me down watching him today. Reggie will have a great year.

The Louisville football program has probably lost more on the defensive side of the ball over the past two years than anywhere else. And we are talking about guys who are now playing on Sundays. But don’t think for a second that the Cardinals won’t be just as good on this side of the ball as they have been. We still have a lot of talent on the defensive side of the ball. Guys that stood out to me today were DeAngelo Brown, Josh Harvey and Shaq Wiggins. DeAngelo Brown is a big, tough guy and he has really worked on himself. He will be a beast along the defensive front. Josh Harvey had some times last year where it appeared he took plays off. This will be an important year as it relates to his future and he was very focused today in practice. Last season Shaq did a lot of talking but has vowed to let his game do the talking this year. He was also very focused today. This will again be one of the best defensive units in the ACC.

I had a really good time being back around the football team today and it really has me looking forward to that spring game here in a few weeks. Year number three of the Bobby Petrino sequel just might be one of his best yet.

[gallery_bank type=”images” format=”filmstrip” title=”true” desc=”false” img_in_row=”4″ display=”all” sort_by=”random” animation_effect=”bounce” image_width=”600″ album_title=”true” album_id=”12″]

Louisville Senior Night Was Special

Posted on by

photo ADC0EAA9-12D2-486F-84EF-D2CE0484CE6B_zpsqncegewl.jpg


2015/16 Cardinals Get Their one Shining Moment

Amidst all of the chaos and controversy surrounding the University of Louisville men’s basketball team there is a group of young men who have endured and shown some impressive perseverance throughout the season. They remained united and it brought them closer together.

On Tuesday night the leaders of this incredible group of guys were honored. Coach Pitino and the University have received much criticism about the self-imposed ban and how it was very unjust to Damion Lee and Trey Lewis. I think that the University and Coach Pitino redeemed themselves with a sendoff like none we’ve ever seen before. Not even for the winningest senior class in the history of the program.

The night was all about Damion Lee and Trey Lewis. The team wore warm-up shirts that honored the two, a half time show was dedicated to them, the night was concluded with recognition of their in game achievements by presenting game balls and then they were presented with special rings to signify just how much their efforts were appreciated. Then this Louisville team got their one shining moment.

Under the circumstances I think that the University of Louisville did the best they could to not cheat the current team and seniors out of the accomplishments of their season. I think it was a great evening for all involved including the fans and I say kudos to Kenny and the entire athletic department for putting it all together.

Here are all of the videos and photos from Senior Night 2016:









[gallery_bank type=”images” format=”filmstrip” title=”true” desc=”false” img_in_row=”3″ display=”all” sort_by=”random” animation_effect=”bounce” image_width=”600″ album_title=”true” album_id=”11″]

Saying Good-bye to Damion Lee & Trey Lewis

Posted on by

Uploaded from the Photobucket <br /> iPhone App

photo DCF896C4-11E7-4219-8809-A49E7A3C61F4_zpsykj8qzq2.jpg

We have reached the part of the college basketball season where teams are winding up conference play and gearing up for the post season tournaments. Years of hard work hang in the balance as seniors across the country near the end of their college basketball careers, and programs across the country are having their Senior Night/Day ceremonies.

Things are going to be a little different for the two Louisville players who will soon be playing their last college basketball game in front of the home crowd. On Tuesday night the University of Louisville will honor Damion Lee and Trey Lewis. Two graduate transfers who chose to forgo the traditional route and finish their careers in Louisville. These guys will lace em up in that locker room for the last time, will come charging out of that tunnel to the Alma mater for the last time, and will get the love and admiration from the Yum Center crowd for the last time.

These guys made me eat my words. I have been very vocal about the one and done players. I have always said that I didn’t see how fans of a school could have so much admiration for a player that was only involved in their program for one year. Now granted Damion and Trey aren’t typical one and done players but they like those players were only in our program for one year. Boy was I wrong… Not only have these guys captured the love and admiration from Louisville fans during their one year, but they have also left such an impression that they won’t likely ever be forgotten.

For a lot of seniors around the country who are playing for major programs the end of the regular season means March Madness and a chance at getting their one shining moment. But Damion and Trey have had many moments this season where they have shined. These guys won’t get a post season due to the self-imposed ban but the way they have handled themselves in the face of this adversity will be something that is never forgotten. These guys have shown so much maturity, humility, loyalty, perseverance and dedication that they will leave a legacy at Louisville that is felt for years to come.

In successful programs like the University Louisville the players leave but the tradition never graduates. This program is rich and vibrant because many guys like Damion and Trey have cared enough to give their very best. There are still many chapters that have yet to be written, but these guys have added to the outstanding tradition of Cardinal Basketball.

Damion Lee said that the best basketball advice given to him was to “Stay humble. As quick as you rise is as quick as you can fall.” He has had to lean on those words this season. Along with his leadership and his offense this looked like a Louisville team that could not only compete for a championship but also had a legitimate shot at winning one. And right as things were looking so promising the news came that took all of that away for him. But Damion stayed humble and continued to give it his all every time he took the court. He never uttered a negative word and has remained positive throughout. This guy is a class act and I really admire and appreciate his example. Damion said at the beginning of the season that his personal goal was to “win a national championship and become part of a family.” He won’t get that championship but he will be a part of the Louisville family for the rest of his life. Thank you Damion!

Trey Lewis said that the best basketball advice given to him was “great players make everyone around them better.” Trey Lewis took that advice to heart and he has made every player on the Louisville basketball team better. Not only better competitors but also better people. Trey is a God fearing young man and he will quickly tell you that he finds his strength in the almighty. He has used his platform to not talk or brag about himself but to give glory to his beliefs. To have that kind of faith at his age is remarkable and he has been an example to everyone around him. At the beginning of the season Trey said that his personal goal at Louisville was to “earn my master’s degree, become the best point guard in the ACC and lead the Cards to a national title.” He won’t be able to reach that last goal but two out of three isn’t bad. And sure there may be a better point guard in the ACC but there isn’t a better person playing point guard in the ACC. Thank you Trey!

We will honor Damion and Trey on Tuesday night in the final home game of their careers, but the program will continue to count on their leadership. We’ll surely miss these guys but will never forget them. In a season full of chaos and turmoil surrounding the program their example shined so bright that even the darkness of all of that couldn’t get us down. Damion Lee and Trey Lewis Louisville First Cardinals Forever…

You can take the Cards out of the fight, but you can’t take the fight out of the Cards

Posted on by

Uploaded from the Photobucket <br /> iPhone App

photo D8B4A09D-102E-45C8-B68E-0E53B7952FFE_zpsnotmsd86.jpg


Cardinal fans have been on a roller coaster ride of emotions over the past couple of weeks. And you can only imagine what it has been like for those young athletes and what they’ve had to endure. After two very tough losses on the road, with their hopes of an ACC regular season title dwindling away and with nothing left to play for they could have easily packed it in. But not this group and not these Cardinals they are much bigger than that. They have reached down deep within themselves and found a new will to win.

These guys aren’t playing for a NCAA birth and they aren’t playing for an ACC title they are playing for the name on the front of their Jerseys. “Louisville First”. They are also playing for the love of the game. These guys have played basketball for most of their lives and they know they owe it to that passion to play hard and get better. Damion and Trey will move on but they will be Cardinals forever. They are playing to cement that legacy. Yes these guys aren’t going to get their “one shining moment” but moments like today will shine in the hearts of Cardinal fans for a long time.

This year’s freshman class is living up to every bit of the expectations they had on them coming into this season. I covered these guys this summer during the Derby festival basketball classic and wrote extensively about how I thought these guys were going to have an immediate impact. Donovan Mitchell has been a spark plug for this Cardinal team. His energy, enthusiasm and athleticism have been an inspiration to his team. He has only scratched the surface. Ray Spalding is carrying a heavy load being from the city of Louisville and he bares the extra pressure of performing up to the expectations of the home crowd. He has taken that burden and ran with it. He is also only scratching the surface of his potential. Deng Adel was labeled as a guy with the most upside of this group but was hampered with an injury early in the season. In the last couple of weeks we have started to see just how good this guy can be. On Saturday he got his first start as a Cardinal and after his effort it won’t be his last. The Sharp shooter of the Louisville freshman group isn’t even playing this year. The future is very bright…

I can’t say enough about the progression and improvement of Chinanu Onuaku. His effort on the offensive and defensive glass has been relentless this season. He had to step up with the absence of Mango and he has. Jaylen Johnson is another player that has come a long way since he got to campus. His effort sometimes goes unnoticed with his other teammates doing so many things right, but he is a big part of the positive on this team. He is a great kid with a great attitude and the game to back it up. These guys were big in the win Saturday.

This Louisville team has circled the wagons led by two fearless and fantastic players. The winning attitude of Damion and Trey has funneled down through the rest of this team. This group showed us on Saturday afternoon that they might have been taken out of the fight but they aren’t going to let anyone take the fight out of them. There may not be any trophies or banners waiting for this group when the season ends but there will be a lot of respect and admiration. Go Cards!

Duke Post Game:

Coach Pitino Post Game:

Damion Lee:

Trey Lewis:

Deng Adel:

United They Stand, and Now They’ll Ball

Posted on by

Uploaded from the Photobucket <br /> iPhone App

photo 3E4296FD-7E14-45C9-A12B-C0A01D88CF7D_zpsqzquuypt.jpg

It’s been a rough day for everyone who loves, supports and is involved with the Louisville Basketball program. We’ve enjoyed a lot of good times over the past 10 years but it seems now that all of that is coming to an end. We all know that our basketball program has been under the cloud of a dark scandal most of the season. Today we started to see the consequences unravel from that scandal. Unfortunately our basketball program has placed a self-imposed ban on any post season participation which means that our great Conference and NCAA Tourney run will come to an end.

This news is devastating on many levels but probably the most to those student athletes who have sacrificed and given so much of themselves to chase that ultimate prize of being a champion. Especially in the case of Damion Lee and Trey Lewis. These two young men decided to finish their college careers at the University of Louisville so they’d have a chance to compete in the NCAA tournament. With the news today these guys are now facing the last 9 games of their college basketball careers and for them there won’t be a “one shining moment” not in the NCAA tournament anyway.

So what now? My father always tried to teach me to relish in the great times and prepare myself for the bad. Now granted we aren’t talking about some of life’s greatest tragedies here and sports stuff is really trivial in the big picture of things. But nevertheless it is something that can be very frustrating and disappointing. We all follow our teams and enjoy their success in order to escape some of those real life issues. Right now we have to prepare ourselves for the bad because this NCAA post season ban is not going to be the end game. We are in for more ahead.

We can also relish in the good times that we have left. Damion Lee, Trey Lewis and the rest of our basketball team have 9 games left and we must celebrate them. It’s easy to be a fan when things are great but its times like these that show a person’s true loyalty to the team they support. We must sell-out the remaining 4 home games and the KFC Yum Center should be loud from tip to time. We owe it to these student athletes to make their efforts all worth it. We’ve had a saying all season… I’ve got Your Back… Well Cardinal fans it is time to have this programs back. Good, bad and worst we need to rally around it. They can break our hearts but they haven’t and they never will break our Cardinal Spirit. It was here before us and will be when we are long gone but it is up to us to keep it alive and moving forward.

My son and your children will be able to look back on this moment in our programs history as a minor hiccup and they won’t ever give it a second look. This program is headed for a rough couple of years but we will come out on the other end much stronger than we were before. Seeing Damion and Trey up there in that press conference today so composed and thoughtful in their time of woe was amazing. Seeing guys that age value their friendships and relationships over everything else is something to marvel over.

Damion Lee: “There are silver linings to every storm.”

Trey Lewis: “I truly believe good is going to come out of this.”

There are a lot of adults who could learn from these guys. I know that I wasn’t that grounded in my college years. Trey and Damion are going to be fine and if this is the worst thing that ever happens to them that would be incredible. They might not win an ACC Tourney Title or a NCAA Title but they are well on their way to winning the game of life. That’s the most important of all. This Louisville basketball team is united and now they’ll ball. Let’s support them. Go Cards!

Cardinal Football Recruiting Class 2016: Signed, Sealed, and Celebrated

Posted on by

Uploaded from the Photobucket <br /> iPhone App

photo C86B962F-CD49-4D06-97E5-2EE84F6ADE11.png_zps8aeucgfu.jpeg

Wednesday night was the third recruiting class that the Cardinal Nation has celebrated under the 2nd term of Bobby Petrino. The first year he did a really good job at salvaging a class put together by the last regime. Last year he started to build the team around his wants and needs for his system landing a very talented QB in Lamar Jackson. In this 2016 class you can really start seeing Coach Petrino’s vision coming together and it includes 23 Signees who fit his system nicely. Congratulation goes out to Coach Petrino and his staff for all of their hard work.

The Cardinals 2016 Class really shines on the offensive side of the ball.  In 2016. Coach Petrino landed a raw but very talented quarterback in Jawon Pass. He is considered one of the best quarterbacks in this class and some think the best. Louisville also has a pair of four-star receivers in the fold in Chris Taylor-Yamanoha and Seth Dawkins. A third pass-catcher in the class is Des Fitzpatrick. These guys will assure that the rich tradition of great wide receivers continues at the University of Louisville.

This class also has its bright spots on the defensive side of the ball. Four-star linebacker P.J. Blue was a big flip from South Carolina in December. Defensive End Michael Boykin committed in July and might have the highest upside in the class. Junior college corner Ronald Walker and defensive tackle Chris Williams are expected to make an instant impact. This class finished ranked 36th ESPN (6 Four Star,15 Three Star), 37th 247Sports (2 Four Star, 20 Three Star), 37th Rivals (3 Four Star, 14 Three Star), and 40th Scout (3 Four Star, 19 Three Star).

When it comes to college sports it’s not like the rankings don’t matter at all because they do. But it isn’t the be all end all predictor of future success. We have seen many three star athletes go on to have successful NFL careers from the University of Louisville and our season records and bowl record thanks to three star recruits is among the best in college football. I think there are a lot of solid players in this 2016 class and do believe they could be the foundation towards getting Louisville to that college football playoff. I love the direction of the football program and the future sure looks bright. I can’t wait to get out to the practice fields on April 16th at 1:00pm to see these guys. Go Cards!

Coach Petrino welcomes Card Nation to Louisville Signing Day Party 2016:

Coach Petrino talks about the 4 returning Juniors, Des Fitzpatrick and Seth Dawkins:

Coach Grantham talks about 2016 Signees London Iakopo, Mike Boykn and Gary McCrae:

Coach Kolby Smoth talks about his “Dogs on the team” Dae Williams, Malik Staples and Malik Williams:

Coach Tony Grantham talks about Austin Johnson, Tobias Little and Tabarius Patterson:

Coach Klenakis talks about OL Robbie Bell, Derek Dorsey and Austin Cummins:

Coach Keith Heyward talks about PJ Blue, Lamarques Thomas and Ronald Walker:

Coach LD Scott talks about Kordell Slater, Chris Williams and Caleb Tillman:

Coach Garrick McGee talks about Chris Taylor-Yamanoha, Keion Wakefield and Jawon Pass:

Cards Adapt and Overcome Against the Hokies, Seem Poised for a Strong Finish

Posted on by

Uploaded from the Photobucket <br /> iPhone App

photo jAYLEN sLAM_zpsl8myfzlm.jpg

Going into this game Coach Pitino had his guys ready for a very unorthodox Virginia Tech style of play. The Cardinals who had used their defense to their advantage for the past couple of weeks had to adjust due to an aggressive style of offense played by the Hokies. They thrive on getting fouled and they do this by throwing their bodies into the defender. The Hokies came into this game 4th in the country in free throw attempts and 9th in free throws made. They certainly lived up to that tonight.

With the Cardinals having to play a less aggressive style of defense they would have to use an offensive burst to win this tough road game. And what a burst it was… The Cards scored 91 points which is the highest point total in ACC games this season. And they hit 12 three point shots thanks to some nifty shooting from Damion and Trey. Those guys really showed up when needed and with our best low post threat Chinanu compromised with foul trouble we needed them.

I really love how every week a different front court player steps out to have a big game. Last weekend it was Anas and tonight it was Jaylen Johnson who came through with a big performance. MATZ also stepped in and got some timely baskets. I get giddy when I think about our front court at full strength when Mango returns in a couple of weeks.

The college basketball season is a marathon and in a marathon a runner usually makes his kick towards the finish of the race. In the racing world, kick refers to sprinting towards the end. It involves a combination of physical and mental preparation. February is usually the time of the college basketball season when a team wants to make their kick. It also takes a lot of physical and mental preparation.

Our Cardinals have grown and matured throughout and we have seen player development at every position on the floor. They find a way to win and the execution of the game plans has been impressive. This team is ready to make their kick towards the finish line of conference play. We will face the toughest part of our schedule and our guys appear to be peaking at the right time as most Coach Pitino Louisville teams have done. I’m looking forward to the next couple of weeks. Go Cards!

COACH PITINO POST GAME:

JAYLEN JOHNSON POST GAME:

TREY LEWIS POST GAME:

DAMION LEE POST GAME:

(Video courtesy Jeff Greer of the Courier-Journal)