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X’s & O’s From The National Title Game

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Joel Machota is a Graduate Assistant with the University of Detroit-Mercy Men’s Basketball program and today he tweeted out something that was interesting to me. He picked out some of his favorite plays in the National Championship game and shared them. You can read more about Joel here on Hoop Scoop. And check out the plays in PDF format. Both Louisville and Michigan put on a basketball clinic that night in the Georgia Dome. It was the best game I’ve ever seen in person so it is interesting to actually see some of the great plays from that night diagramed out in PDF format. It’s not just about the Jimmy’s and Joe’s. And this gives you a look at the actual X’s and O’s that made this such a great game.

The Beak Football Breakdown: Cards vs. Wildcats

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The bitter banter has heated up this summer between UK and Louisville fans. Perhaps the “Year of the Cardinal” has made it hotter than ever. We have had twitter wars, Facebook wars, and even had a movie made, but now its time for the gridiron version of “The Battle of the Bluegrass” to take center stage. Both programs will be on display for the nation to watch 12:00pm Saturday on ESPN. The build up for this game has been as big as ever. UK leads the all-time series 14-11, but Louisville has won the last two. Louisville has lead the series since 1994 with a record of 11-8. Our Cards are the heavy favorites in this one and victory will be sweet. I can’t wait to yell Yahtzee every time we get in the end-zone that day. Its Louisville versus Kentucky and possibly the most important game on our schedule from the fan perspective. With a 32-14 win last year the Cardinals will be looking for their 3rd in a row over the Cats. The last time UofL won three in a row in this series was in 2003 through 2005. Since the inception of the Governor’s Cup in 1994, each team has recorded a maximum of a four-game winning streak with Louisville winning from 2003-06 and Kentucky taking the Cup home from 2007-10. The Cards go into this game listed as a double-digit favorite by many of the Las Vegas sports books.


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Kentucky and new head coach Mark Stoops will have one of the best recruiting classes in the nation coming to Lexington next year but that won’t help them much Saturday. This Saturday the Louisville defense will face Kentucky’s air raid offense, but see a significant commitment to the run game as well. Their quarterback controversy seems to be settled for now as it looks like Maxwell Smith will be the man under center for the Wildcats. Smith has seen the most action throughout his career at Kentucky and it is clear that he is a leader for that group when he’s on the field. He has thrown for over 2000 yards in his career with 16 touchdowns and last year was able to move the ball down the field against Louisville. They just had trouble sustaining those drives and converting on third downs. I think he will be a solid threat on Saturday and will challenge the Cardinal defense with short passes in the flats and middle of the field. He will be looking to complete a good percentage of his passes, and will rely on tailbacks Jonathan George and Raymond Sanders to provide support in the running game. These guys will also catch passes. On Saturday Stoops will also use tight ends as receivers in different formation sets, and he is blessed with a group of four senior tight ends eager to get on the field. Leading the way in this group will be Anthony Kendrick. The Louisville defense is much quicker and more talented than this Kentucky offensive group but their creativity will keep our guys on their toes. The Louisville defense will have to play disciplined football. I look for defensive lineman Roy Philon, defensive end Lorenzo Mauldin, and Safety Calvin Pryor to be standout performers. Philon is a Lexington native who is returning home for vengeance, Mauldin is looking for vengeance every weekend and Pryor will be the fastest guy on the field.


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Looking to slow down Teddy and company are the Wildcats top three leading tacklers from the 2012 season, senior LB Avery Williamson who racked up 135 tackles last year, which was second in the SEC; junior DE Alvin Dupree who managed 91 tackles last year, and junior Miles Simpson who recorded 70 tackles at weak side linebacker. I think Stoops will pick his poison when it comes to Louisville’s high octane offense. He will load the box with 8 or nine guys to stop the run and hope that Teddy and his receiving group have an off day. The Kentucky defense up front will be mostly returning starters, and they will be helping out the young secondary as much as possible. They lost a starting safety and corner to graduation. To be frank their DB’s are flat out horrible and it should be a big day for Teddy, Parker,Copeland,Clark, and Christian. Michael Dyer also moved up on the depth chart this week and I think he’s very capable of a breakout game due to his pass catching ability out of the backfield.

The Cardinal’s will have to be much better in their kickoff and punt coverage this weekend. This is one area where this team has struggled. Kentucky’s return guys will be the fastest and most talented group the Cards have faced in this early season. A few break away touchdowns here could swing the momentum enough in a game like this to result in a major upset. This I my main concern for this game.

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Other than my concern for special teams I don’t think the “Battle for the Bluegrass” will be much of a battle but it could be pretty competitive, especially early on. Emotions will be running high like they always are in this game. These emotions can make up for deficiencies early in sports competitions but ultimately the better team will usually prevail. I don’t think that there is any question who the better team is here. The Cards ability and their execution is on a different level. I do think that our arch rivals are on the road to that in the future but their program is at the first stage of being rebuilt and the score board will reflect that on Saturday afternoon.

The Beak Prediction:
Louisville 38 Kentucky 17

The Beak’s Prediction for the
Howard Schnellenberger Award:

My prediction for the award this year is WR DeVante Parker who will finish with 160 yards receiving with 3 TD’s. I believe he will win this award for his ability to take over this game. He should be able to have his way in a very poor UK secondary.

The 2010 game was the inaugural year for the award. The award is given to the Most Valuable Player of the game. It is named for Howard Schnellenberger, who played under Bear Bryant for Kentucky and coached at Louisville.
Previous winners:

-(9-04-2010) Derrick Locke, RB@ Kentucky had 23 Carries, 104 Yards, for 2 TD’s
-(9-17-2011) Dexter Heyman, LB@ Louisville had 12 Tackles & 1 Forced Fumbles
-(9-02-2012) Teddy Bridgewater Louisville QB 19/21, 232 Yards

Weather Forecast For Kickoff:

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Coach Pitino Takes His Spot In The Hall

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The Summer of Pitino concluded today as he took his spot among the greats in the Hall of Fame at Enshrinement ceremonies in Springfield, Mass. He was inducted by Hubie Brown and Dick Vitale in front of family, friends and colleagues. It is great to see another basketball coach represent the Louisville Cardinals while becoming a Hall of Fame member. There’s no doubt that Rick Pitino will be one of the greatest coaches we will ever see on a college basketball court. I know he made all of Kentucky proud today and I know we are all very lucky to have been a part of his great career.

You can watch Coach Pitino’s induction speech below:

Cards Cruise With UK Game Looming

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The Cards came out today and they took care of business just like most expected they would beating EKU 44 to 7. The atmosphere in Papa Johns Cardinal Stadium was awesome as just over 53,000 fans showed up for the 12:00pm kickoff. It was the 5th largest crowd ever to watch a game. Pretty impressive numbers considering that it was against a FCS opponent. Teddy Ballgame threw for 397 yards and 4 touchdowns and DeVante Parker had 5 catches for 134 yards with 2 touchdowns. These two guys were the highlight of the day for the Cards offense but the the 5 headed monster known as the Cardinals running backs were held in check with only 79 yards. I said in my pregame post that this was probably the best defense that EKU has had in a long time and they showed it today by putting up a very respectable effort against the Cards. They have a gutsy bunch down in Richmond Kentucky and they have nothing to hang their heads about after today. They brought the game to the Cardinals and came to play.

The attitude in the Cardinals locker room after the game was one of discontent as both Charlie Strong and his players all felt like they could have been better today. The Kicking game gave up too much return yardage, the defense gave up a few first downs that should have been stopped, and the offensive line could have done a better job at controlling the line of scrimmage. All stuff that will provide some teaching moments to coach Strong and his staff this week as they prepare for the game with Kentucky. I think the looming rival game played a big part in the Cards performance today. I think they kept the offense simple not wanting to show much today and I do think the players were looking ahead. I know they say that doesn’t happen but I think it does.

A win is a win and the Cardinals are now one step closer to that undefeated season and possible National Title game. Below you can check out the sights and sounds of the Cardinals versus EKU.

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THE CARDS TAKE THE FIELD:

COACH CHARLIE STRONG AFTER THE GAME:

TEDDY AFTER THE GAME:

DEVANTE PARKER AFTER THE GAME:

GERALD CHRISTIAN AFTER THE GAME:

JAKE SMITH AFTER THE GAME:

Coach Pitino’s Big Weekend Starts With A Bang

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It’s been a year like no other for Rick Pitino. Our head coach is on top of the world right now with a smile that won’t fade, getting ready for his induction into the Hall of Fame, a team that could contend for a third consecutive Final Four appearance and a recruiting class that could shake down as one of the nation’s best. And today that recruiting class got a little stronger when 4* 6-9 PF Jaylen Johnson of Ypsilanti, Michigan decided that he wanted to become a Louisville Cardinal. “I wanted to say congratulations and tell him I was coming to Louisville,” Johnson said. “Louisville is the perfect fit for me.” He is ranked #62 by Scout, #55 by 247Sports, #56 by rivals, #134 by Future150 and #62 in ESPN100. Look for these rankings to go up as Johnson just started to shine at the LeBron camp this summer and went from the B-list to the A-list in July.

“I felt Louisville made me a priority. The entire coaching staff was at my games in Las Vegas,” Johnson said. “I want to improve my game and have a chance to play in the NBA. I know Coach Pitino is hard and will make me a better player. He is a great teacher.”

Coach Pitino’s recent development of players like Earl Clark, Gorgui Dieng, Montrezl Harrell, and Chane Behanan is what caught the eye of Jaylen and his mom. Yes I said his mom. She once led the Big Ten in blocked shots at Wisconsin so she knows a thing or two about the round ball. Per an article written by the recruiting guru of the Courier Journal Steve Jones Jaylen’s AAU coach said: U of L coach Rick Pitino has told Johnson he can envision him following a path similar to Harrell’s, a freshman role player last season who appears poised for a breakout sophomore year.

On top of getting a great basketball player in Johnson the Cardinals will also be getting a great young man who is grounded by his family, faith and his community. According to an article written in The Detroit News being a good person, a good citizen and true to his spiritual well-being are what’s most important in Johnson’s life. Then comes his basketball. Commits like this have me smiling from ear to ear and it ensures that we continue to not only have a great basketball team but also have great ambassadors of the Cardinal Pride. Jaylen will embrace the Louisville First culture.

ESPN on Johnson: “Johnson is a promising player that is just scratching the surface of his potential. Look for him to continue to climb the recruiting charts and end up having a better career going forward than some of the players ranked ahead of him.”

The Beak Football Breakdown: Cards vs. Colonels

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The first game of the season has set the bar high for the Louisville Football program both from a fan standpoint and a team standpoint. The first home game against Ohio had a very “Big Time” atmosphere and I’m hoping that can be maintained throughout the entire football season. With game one in the books it’s now time to look to the Cardinal’s next opponent the EKU Colonels.

The EKU program is one of the most tradition rich in the state of Kentucky and although they are still working to get back to the level they were when the legendary Roy Kidd walked the sideline they still play some very competitive football in Richmond. The Colonels have had the highest winning percentage in the OVC over the past ten years at .772 and have won 21 titles in that league. They have also won two FCS National Championships. They are currently ranked #21 in the FCS. The Colonels and Cardinals have played each other 26 times from 1927-2010 and Louisville leads the series with a record of 17-8-1. The last time EKU beat Louisville was during the 1985 season and they won that game in Louisville 45 to 21. These two teams last played each other in 2010 with Louisville prevailing in that contest, 23 to 13. Dean Hood is the head man at EKU and has been the Colonels coach since 2008. He was the Defensive Coordinator at Wake Forest prior to coming to EKU and went up against Bobby Petrino’s Louisville offense in the 2007 Orange Bowl.

There are lots of new faces that will fill the Eastern Kentucky depth chart heading into the game on Saturday as 11 starters from the 2012 squad were seniors including three key positions on offense quarterback, running back and wide receiver. Hood is a coach that believes in the run and EKU’s rushing average has improved for four straight years. The Colonels averaged 205.7 yards per game on the ground in 2012, their highest since 2002. Redshirt freshman JJ Jude and redshirt freshman Jared Sanders will get the bulk of the carries. They combined for 103 yards last week. Junior Jared McClain is the man under center for EKU and he had a solid debut last week throwing for 155 yards and two touchdowns. His top targets are senior TE Nathan Watts, senior WR Ike Ariguzo, and sophomore WR Joel Brown. Eight players had at least one reception as this group combined for 194 yards and two touchdowns last week. Again this week the size, speed and agility of the Louisville defense will have no problem taking care of this EKU offensive group. Just not in the same league. They will be having nightmares after seeing Lorenzo Mauldin all day.

The front seven in EKU’s 4-3 defense has the look to be one of the best in Dean Hood’s six years as head coach. Five of the seven are returning starters and three earned All-OVC honors a year ago. Eastern’s defense led the conference in points allowed (21.7 ppg) and rushing defense (108.2 ypg) one year ago. This group limited Robert Morris to 2 of 12 on third-down conversions last week. But we’ll see if the veteran group can pose any sort of a challenge to one of the deepest offensive college football teams in the country. Teddy and company didn’t have any trouble at all with the Ohio defensive group, but to be fair they did replace their entire defensive front. The Colonels group will be more experienced so they might pose more of a challenge.

EKU Coach Dean Hood: “We appreciate the opportunity to play Louisville,” “It’s not too many times you can say you are going to play a top-10 FBS team. We are going to show up and play the game.”

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This is not the same program that was filling Roy Kidd stadium when “The Beak” was on campus in the early 90’s and its definitely not the same Louisville program the Colonels beat back in 1985. This will be the best Louisville team that EKU has seen in the series and the scoreboard will reflect that. The Cardinals are favored by 40 in this one but it could end up much worse. Gonna be a long day for my Alma Mater.

The Beak Prediction:
Louisville 67 EKU 3

New Video: Terry Rozier Is Hungry And Plays With A Chip On His Shoulder

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I discovered a new documentary video from 3rd Coast hoops and NEOHOOPS Called “The Real Cleveland” and it has a great inside look at Terry Rozier. Every Cardinal Fan needs to see this and it will give them an idea of the player we are getting in Rozier. Good Stuff! The Rozier Story starts at around the 17:46 mark.

When we found out that Russ Smith was coming back to school for his senior season the thought shifted to the 13-14 basketball season and the possibility of the Cardinals repeating as National Champions. We have some very solid players coming in to replace the production we lost with Peyton and Gorgui. Chris Jones is an obvious choice to be a key player in a run next year for the Cards. He is the number one juco player in the country and has been touted by many for his playing ability. And yes I think Anton Gill is a very special player in his own right but do think he will be a guy that needs time to develop and adjust into the college game before he makes a real impact. But I think many are overlooking the player that seems to be primed and ready for a break-out freshman year.

6’1 Terry Rozier did a post grad year at Hargrave military academy before heading to Louisville. He made big things happen for himself in his last year of high school and was considered one of the top 3 point guards in the country. Rozier broke his previous scoring record of 56 points by scoring 68 in a game at the HoopFest in Louisville and looked like an offensive machine for most of his high school basketball season. The folks in Lexington seem to have put all their hopes next year in the talents of Andrew Harrison and one ESPN recruiting analyst places Rozier in the same conversation so why couldn’t he come in and be the big X-factor for a Championship run for Louisville next season as well. I am very anxious to see what Rozier will add to this veteran Cards group and I do think he will play a very important role in the upcoming season. This kid is a beast and will be one of the most anticipated recruits since Wayne Blackshear. I can’t wait to see this kid on the floor in a Louisville uniform.

When the final scout rankings came out for 2013 Rozier jumped up to #15 overall moving 68 spots up the rankings. Many consider him among the elite in his position. Dave Telep a senior national recruiting analyst for ESPN.com
scouting service used by more than 225 college teams covering basketball recruiting for 15 years recently shared his opinion about Terry Rozier:
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Ohio Learns That “Big Time” Football Has Arrived ln Louisville

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One of the most anticipated seasons in the history of Louisville football kicked off today. As I was heading down I64 I don’t think I could have imagined just how much the Cardinal Nation was ready to see their football team play. When I got to my parking spot and started to walk around it became pretty clear then. You could feel the excitement in the air. At every tailgate spot I stopped it seemed as though fans had taken their excitement to another level. And I witnessed one of the most passionate Card Marches ever today. Folks lined up early to get their chance to wish the players good luck on their way to battle. From a fan standpoint Cardinal Nation really took a step up today. And at kickoff the second largest Papa Johns crowd ever were in their seats and ready to go. If a college football program is to be considered “Big Time” then the fans have to be “Big Time” and today they were.

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Another thing I noticed today was how many former UofL greats showed up in Louisville to cheer on the football team. I ran into several former Cardinal players as I was making my rounds. This is another sign of a football program making it to “Big Time” status. When you got guys coming back to cheer for the football team it says a lot about what’s going on in my opinion.

When the team came out for their pre game warm-ups they matched the level of intensity and excitement of the fans. I had never been to a regular season game and seen our football team more hyped, and focused. You could tell early on in the pre-game reps that Ohio was in for a long day. When our Cards came running out of that tunnel for game time it was on…

The last time Louisville and Ohio played was 54 years ago and on that day it was the Bobcats who were victorious in a 22 to 15 slobberknocker. But today the guys from Ohio suffered their worst loss ever under their current coach as they ran into a team on a mission. A team that is out to prove that “Big Time” football has arrived in Louisville. The Cards took control early today and never looked back. The defense stepped up big and shut down the Ohio big three of Tettleton, Blankenship, and Donte Foster. Turns out my prediction in my game preview was pretty accurate and losing those three starters on that offensive line really hurt them. A team that had averaged over 30 points a game was held to just 273 total yards and 7 points. Louisville’s James Burgess played a big part of that as he was a tackling machine and even forced a fumble. He was the defensive player of the game.

Ohio Coach Frank Solich: “I don’t think there is any question that they are a Top 10 team. They are the best team we have played since I’ve been at Ohio.”

Ohio QB Tettleton: “Give them a lot of credit. They have a really good defense.”

And the Louisville offense today was just awesome and as near to perfection as they could be in the opening game. Right out of that gate Teddy Ballgame was 9 for 9 on his first two drives for 122 yards, and hooked up with Damian Copeland for two 2 touchdowns. The onslaught would continue as Teddy would throw for four touchdowns in the first half. He would finish with five on the day.The key was his ability to connect on 3rd downs as he was 8 for 8 with 7 first downs and two touchdowns on third down. Again just as I had predicted in my game preview it was toss and catch all day long with Copeland, Parker, Clark, De La Cruz, and Christian against the Ohio D. Teddy said he felt “like a kid in a candy store” with all the weapons. “I just have to pick the flavor.” I was also happy to see Michaelee Harris get a catch. Hope it’s a sign that he could be a contributed later in the season. Our offensive line deserves a lot of credit as they controlled the line of scrimmage all day long. It appeared that losing six defensive starters was too much to overcome for the Bobcats. They replaced their entire defensive front this spring. The Louisville five headed monster of running backs also played their role in this big win. Dyer scored his first ever touchdown with he and Perry leading the way. Brown, Lamb, and Radcliff also got snaps. It’s just crazy to see this much depth at that positions. This is the deepest offense in the country. Was good to see Will Gardner come in to get the clean-up touchdown. The cards turned in the best offensive performance ever for Coach Strong with over 600 yards. There were a few penalties but most of those could be contributed to early season mistakes and Coach Strong didn’t seem too concerned about them after the game.

Coach Strong: “We felt like if we played well we could dominate that opponent. We have some things we can clean up.”

It was a great day in the history of the Cardinal football program. I’m just glad that I was there and could be a part of it. I do think it was a significant moment and one that I would summarize as “Big Time” football has arrived in Louisville. We will all look back on September 1st 2013 as a day when it all came together. Great fan support, great facilities, great atmosphere, and great execution by a great team. Go Cards!

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The Beak Football Breakdown: Cards vs. Bobcats

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On Sunday all of the speculation will stop and the rubber will meet the road as a new football season begins. It will be the most anticipated start to a season in recent history as the Ohio University Bobcats come to town. The Cardinals don’t have much history with this team and the two have only met four times on the gridiron. The record in this series that ran from 1956-1959 is tied at 2-2 with Ohio winning the last game in that series 22 to 15. Here we are 54 years later and the Cards and Bobcats will face each other for the 5th time in their history and the game will be one of just two Sunday games of opening weekend, as kickoff is scheduled for 3:30pm Eastern time, on ESPN.

Coach Strong: “So it’s not so much that we have to worry about the opponent, but let’s worry about ourselves and let’s take it game by game, which we will, but let’s make sure that as a player, that we’re getting better and we’re giving every effort and everything we have to give to make this program a good program.”

The Bobcats have become a popular pick to upset our Cards on opening weekend but usually by folks who are casual in their sports knowledge. Don’t get me wrong, I think that they have a very good program. They will come to Louisville believing they can win. Ohio coach Frank Solich is very good and in his eight seasons has raised the level of play in Athens. They started out 7-0 last year and went to Penn State and got a big win to start their season. They will also be riding the high of winning the Independence Bowl. They return their three main threats on offense in big play Quarterback Tyler Tettleton who had over 3000 yards last season, running back Beau Blankenship who carried the ball 312 times for over 1600 yards, and wide receiver Donte Foster who had 59 receptions for over 650 yards. These guys helped their team average 32 points a game last season. The offense is solid but they will have some issues up front on their offensive line where they lost three starters. This will be a good opening test for the Louisville defense but the athleticism of our guys will take over here and rule the day. The speed of our safety’s will lock down their receivers and our defensive line will get to Tettleton all day against their newly formed offensive line. They will run the ball a lot and our linebackers will be up to the challenge.

The biggest problem for the Bobcats on Sunday will be keeping our high powered offense out of the end zone. They allowed 390 yards and 25 points a game last year and lost six starters off of that defense including their entire defensive line. They have no real experience returning up front. They will basically be counting on two guys to lead their new make shift defense. Line backer Keith Moore who had 98 tackles last season and safety Josh Kristoff who had 60 tackles last season will have their hands full. My guess here is that Teddy QB, Devante Parker, Damian Copeland and company will play toss and catch all day on the Bobcats secondary while our five headed monster running back group lead by Senorise Perry will pour it on that newly formed defensive front.

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I guess its fun for some folks to think that a team like Ohio could come in and knock off the #9 team in the country. But it’s just not a realistic conclusion to the Cardinals opening contest. There are many challenges that face our guys on the football slate this year, but this is just not one of them. These guys aren’t in the same league. They just aren’t… Louisville opens up as 20.5 point favorites but I think it will be much worse than that for the Bobcats.

The Beak Prediction:
Louisville 51 Ohio 13

Cards 2013 Basketball Schedule Released “A Few Games Stand Out”

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The 2013 basketball schedule was released today and the one word that comes to mind is transition. Just like with the football schedule this season the basketball schedule is suffering from the transitional year and is a little on the soft side especially the non-conference portion. A soft basketball schedule is something that we haven’t seen in a long time and while I will miss some of those Big East battles I’m looking forward to the future ACC battles that will be on the schedule next year and this transition year for both football and basketball will be well worth it.

Coach Pitino: “I certainly don’t enjoy the transitional part of our conference affiliation, but this is the best scenario possible”

A few games stand out on the schedule for me. First being the most obvious and that’s the early season match-up with North Carolina in the Hall of Fame Classic. NC has had their share of troubles during the off season but you best believe that they will be a formidable foe when that ball is tipped in November. With the return of James Michael McAdoo and P.J. Hairston, along with a solid recruiting class in 2013, Roy Williams finally has depth back on his roster, and it appears the Hall of Fame coach has a contender.

The next obvious choice is the annual rivalry game with our old foe Kentucky. This years December battle with the Cats will feature the 2012 and 2013 National Champions. It will be somewhat of a rubber match of sorts between the last two champs of college basketball. The game will also feature programs with very different approaches to winning. The college basketball world will be watching to see if the team of grizzled veterans or the team of super freshman phenoms will rule the day. Rupp Arena will be rocking and this will be the most anticipated Battle of the Bluegrass in years.

Then comes the conference slate of games. This years conference games will feature old Metro, CUSA and Big East foes. Memphis, UCONN, and Cincy games stand out the most to me but you also can’t count out those games against Southern Methodist.

The Cards will renew a conference rivalry that historically is considered to be one of the better hardwood feuds in NCAA basketball when they face off against Memphis this season. The Tigers could pose the biggest threat to Louisville for the AAC title this season and if last season’s meeting was any indication, this year’s meetings will be fun to watch as Josh Pastner should have his best team in his five seasons as head coach. Memphis returns a perimeter game that can compete with any team in the country. Joe Jackson, Geron Johnson and Chris Crawford.

After a year of sitting out of post season play UCONN will be one of the hungriest teams in college basketball this season. Coach Kevin Ollie did an excellent job keeping his team playing hard last year and this season the backcourt is experienced on both sides of the ball. Shabazz Napier, Ryan Boatright and Omar Calhoun all can pressure the ball, are competitive, play with confidence and have the ability to score. These guys will be a dark horse contender in the AAC.

It is always a battle when the Cardinals face off against the Bearcats and that won’t change this season as Coach Mick Cronin will bring one of the most physical and athletic teams into the AAC. It will be an experienced and established UC team lead by Sean Kilpatrick and a great supporting cast of characters including highly sought-after freshman Jermaine Lawrence, who is versatile, and athletic. Titus Rubles, Shaquille Thomas, David Nyarsuk and Justin Jackson can all protect the rim and rebound. These guys could very much be a top contender for the AAC this year and will be tough competition for our Cards.

Last but certainly not least is Southern Methodist. They may not Jump out to everyone as a respectable opponent or national contender but boy are they ever. Larry Brown is a helluva coach and he has assembled a roster that can compete with any team in the American and the country. They return all five starters, had three transfers sitting out and signed one of the best shooting guards in the country in McDonald’s All-American Keith Frazier. This is one of those teams that can come out of nowhere this season and be the surprise of the college basketball season. This may turn out to be one of Louisville’s toughest opponents of the season.

Just glancing at the schedule today these were some of the things that stood out to me. And while it doesn’t appear to be the grueling slate of seasons past this is not as bad as most think it is. Our defending National Champion Cardinals will have their hands full once again and this schedule will turn out some instant classics just you wait and see.

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