More fun means more hits for U of L defense

By Jerry Tipton / jtipton@herald-leader.com

LOUISVILLE — Disappointing (sometimes almost non-existent) defense divided Louisville's football team in 2007. Conversely, the Cardinals hope delivering discombobulating hits in training camp this month can bring unity and success this season.

The first day in pads made an impression on defensive tackle Earl Heyman, he said at a news conference on Monday.

"Four concussions," he said. "On both sides of the ball. It was ridiculous. People coming downhill and, Pow! Pow! Pow! Pow!"

Louisville is a bit hobbled going into Sunday's season-opening game against arch-rival Kentucky. Coach Steve Kragthorpe announced a new injury, a torn anterior cruciate ligament for backup linebacker Mozell Axson, ironically a non-contact incident.

Yet Kragthorpe spoke well of the intensity of pre-season practices.

"I think we've made good progress. ... I like the team. I like the chemistry," he said. "We've worked extremely hard and challenged each other during the course of camp."

Heyman acknowledged that U of L needed to develop better chemistry. In 2007, Kragthorpe's first as coach, the Cards were almost entirely dependent on outscoring the opponent.

Louisville averaged enough points to win (35.2 per game) and finished in the top 10 in passing (341.9 yards per game), total offense (488) and passing efficiency (149.05).

Those gaudy numbers contributed to a pedestrian 6-6 record because the defense yielded an average of 31.4 points and ranked 84th in total defense, 91st in scoring defense, 72nd against the run and 87th against the pass.

"Last year the offense may have been kind of salty with us, the defensive side of the ball," Heyman said. "There's a lot more sense of urgency and togetherness on the team this year."

Heyman credited new defensive coordinator Ron English, who worked the last five seasons at Michigan, where he was named 2006 National Defensive Coordinator of the Year by Rivals.com.

By force of personality, English (a safety for Cal in his playing days) instilled camaraderie and intensity, Heyman said.

"Last year ... I'd make a sack, and it was OK, get back in the huddle," Heyman said. "This year, everybody's going crazy. Everybody's jumping around and running around and having fun.

"We didn't really have fun last year."

When asked the difference this enthusiasm can make, Heyman said, "It's vital. You can't play defense without energy and enthusiasm. You're not going to have good defense."

Kragthorpe signaled the intensity of training camp when he arrived for the customary week-of-the-game news conference. He apologized for his raspy voice. "It's been a long training camp," he said.

Heyman called it a grind.

"In every which way, form and fashion of the word," he said. "Every definition of 'grind,' it was a grind."

What Heyman called "scuffles" broke out from time to time. Heyman noted how the running backs took exception to taking hits from U of L's rebuilt linebacking corps.

Heyman attributed what might have been overexuberance to "instinct," but he noted that Kragthorpe uses another term to describe these hits.

"Coach K talks about investment," Heyman said. "We invested a lot.

"Now it's time to cash out."