UofL makes changes on field, sideline

By Jerry Tipton - jtipton@herald-leader.com

In describing the unknowns associated with an opening game, Louisville Coach Steve Kragthorpe used a golf analogy.

Even the guys he watches in practice every day remain difficult to label until kickoff on Sunday against Kentucky.

"There's a lot of guys that can hit it on the driving range," he said at a Monday news conference. "But you've got to go out and hit it on the first tee and hit it down the middle.

"So we've been on the driving range. Now we're going to get on the first tee and see how we play and see how the guys respond when we turn on the lights and put a lot of people in the stands and put this game on national television."

Kragthorpe expressed confidence that the Cardinals won't duck-hook a drive off the first tee against UK.

Then again, he conceded that he really doesn't know how Louisville will play.

"We've tried to put them in as many situations as we possibly could that would simulate a game-day atmosphere," the U of L coach said. "At the same token, you can't put all the people in the seats and you can't televise it and you can't add the drama that builds during the week of preparation."

New offensive and defensive coordinators add to the mystery surrounding Louisville. In another change, each coordinator — Jeff Brohm on offense and Ron English on defense — will be stationed on the field for the first time rather than in the press box.

Kragthorpe noted how the change will give Brohm and English, er, hands-on influence with the player. On the minus side, the coordinators will not have the benefit of the overview press box position.

Louisville and Kentucky will start new quarterbacks, which adds to the air of mystery. U of L's quarterback, Hunter Cantwell, downplayed the presumption of a new approach with Brohm.

"We are running a lot of the same things," he said. "I think the differences between coordinators will come on game day with what they see in terms of what the defense is doing and changing the scheme or how they adapt during halftime."

Since Cantwell has played (in 18 games, throwing for 1,419 yards and 10 touchdowns), Kentucky coaches have a video record to study.

UK's quarterbacks have hardly any college experience. Expected starter Mike Hartline has played in four games, completing four of six passes for 34 yards. Freshman Randall Cobb is a freshman.

"We've gone back and we've studied things that they've done throughout the course of their careers," Kragthorpe said. "Obviously, Mike's played a little bit. Cobb hasn't played any at the college level, but we've seen what he did at high school and, you know, you kind of make some hypotheses with what you think they'll do with Mike, what you think they'll do with Cobb in the game."

Louisville expects both UK quarterbacks to play, Kragthorpe said. And, he added, U of L does not simply consider Cobb a running quarterback.

Adding to Louisville's unknowns are a new linebacking corps (two junior-college transfers and freshman Dexter Heyman) and largely untested wide receivers and runners.

The unknowns surrounding an opening game make any pre-season evaluations, at best, premature. While noting his pleasure with Louisville's practices this month, Kragthorpe stopped short of drawing conclusions.

"In terms of where we're at right now, we've got to play," he said. "The bottom line is you've got to go out and play and win games. And we'll evaluate ourselves after each contest."