Louisville Football: Cardinals Bound for Big Things in 2007

In 2007, the University of Louisville football program returns what may be the best team in school history.

Last year, the Cardinals celebrated their first-ever Big East Championship with a win in the Orange Bowl. This year, a run at the BCS National Championship is by no means out of the question.

Flanking Brohm will be wide receivers Harry Douglas and Mario Urrutia. The two are a unique receiving combo who bring size and speed to the U of L air attack.

Recognized as one of the fastest receivers in the game, Douglas is a proven big-play threat who can stretch defenses. In 2006, he led the team with 70 catches for 1,265 yards and six touchdowns.

Urrutia, at 6'6", is a tall, athletic receiver who's made his own share of big plays. He caught 58 passes for 973 yards and six touchdowns last season.

After losing a pair of running backs to the NFL, new head coach Steve Kragthorpe will turn to junior George Stripling and sophomore Anthony Allen in the backfield—a "Thunder and Lighting" combo that should wreak havoc on opposing defenses.

After a leg injury to Michael Bush, Allen emerged to run for 406 yards while leading the team with 13 touchdowns last year. With his bulky 6'1", 235-pound frame, Allen should fill the power void left by Bush.

Stripling, on the other hand, is a quick back whose elusiveness gives the Cards' ground game another dimension. As a freshman, Stripling netted 621 yards and seven touchdowns; as a sophomore, he saw those numbers drop to 459 and five. Still, he figures to be one of the focal points for the Cards in 2007.

The picture is more muddled on defense. Louisville will have to replace seven defensive starters this fall, including the talented Amobi Okoye. The pass defense will look to improve on its 75th-place ranking behind returning junior Rod Council and five-star junior college transfer Woodny Turenne. The linebackers, led by seniors Preston Smith and Malik Jackson and junior Lamar Myles, should be a bright spot. Former Miami player Willie Williams also figures to contribute.

Special teams is an area in which Louisville truly excels. Kicker Art Carmody won the 2006 Groza Award after going 60-for-60 on extra points and nailing 21 of 25 field goals, with a long of 51. Dangerous kick returner JaJuan Spillman is back after averaging 27.9 yards per return year.

With a backloaded scheduled, the Cards should be favored in each of their first nine games this season. Notable matchups include Utah at home, North Carolina State on the road, and a date in Lexington with in-state rival Kentucky. Their final three contests could prove torturous for Louisville—they visit West Virginia and South Florida before finishing the year at home against Rutgers.

If things go right, that game could play a pivotal role in shaping the Big East standings and, possibly, the national title picture.

As it stands, the Cards should start the year with a top-ten national ranking. Louisville appears as strong as ever heading into a season that has all the makings of one for the ages.

 

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