U of L’s Satterfield hopes to find way to play UK no matter what conferences decide
If the Atlantic Coast and/or Southeastern conferences limit the 2020 football season to only league games, that would mean no Kentucky-Louisville game for the first time since 1993.
“We obviously want to play that football game, there’s no question about it,” Louisville Coach Scott Satterfield said during a teleconference Monday. “For our state that we live in here. (It is) a great rivalry game, one we look forward to every single year.
“So we honestly hope we play the game.”
More than once in the 25-minute session with reporters, Satterfield noted the uncertainty surrounding the how, when and maybe regarding a football season this year.
Earlier this summer, the Big Ten and the Pac-12 conferences announced that their teams will only play league games.
“I would love to play the schedule we have on the board,” Satterfield said of the Cardinals’ 12-game schedule. “It’s not looking like we’re going to do that. . . . It certainly would not be surprising if we did something like where we’re playing mostly conference games.”
Satterfield expressed the hope that a game against Kentucky could be somehow included.
“If our schedule does get tweaked a bit and you play (only) conference games, hopefully we’ll be able to squeeze in another game and play the guys down in Lexington. . . .
“We’re kind of like everybody else. We’re kind of sitting in a wait-and-see.”
When asked about safety concerns, Satterfield spoke of steps Louisville has taken. He also acknowledged how the coronavirus pandemic has made it difficult to predict the future.
“I know everybody’s got an opinion on this,” he said. “I think we all feel we have some sort of knowledge on this, probably enough to be dangerous. All of us.”
The Louisville coach linked the move to only conference games as a safety measure. His comments about the safety measures U of L has taken prompted a question about how assured he could be about precautions taken by opponents.
“If you do keep in conference, then you have your protocols within your whole league . . . ,” he said. “We’re trusting each school to do that, and when we get to game day, you’re feeling good about it.
“Now, obviously, it’s an ongoing situation. Every single day is different.”
Satterfield said he expected a decision on the 2020 football season from the ACC office by the end of the month.
This summer period has been different, he said. Louisville will begin what Satterfield called a six-week “return-to-play protocol” on Tuesday. A “gradual buildup” of walk-throughs and mental learning will prepare the players for the expected start of preseason practice on Aug. 4.
When asked if he had ever before been as excited about a walk-through workout, Satterfield laughed.
“I really look forward to being out with the guys . . . ,” he said. “To see those guys running around was unbelievable for us. We’re also looking forward to getting on the field, talking some football and seeing guys move around.”
Having an experienced team makes this summer of improvisation easier to deal with, Satterfield said. U of L returns 15 starters from a team that won eight games last season. The returnees include a 1,000-yard rusher (Javian Hawkins), a 1,000-yard receiver (Tutu Atwell) and quarterback Micale Cunningham.
Earlier Monday, Louisville announced the addition of two transfers: defensive back Kei’Trel Clark from Liberty and wide receiver Roscoe Johnson from North Carolina. The pair give U of L additional depth and experience, Satterfield said.
“We’re not where we were last year at this time,” the Louisville coach said. “But we’re not far off. . . . Hopefully within the next two weeks, first weekend in August, I feel like we would have caught up and kind of be where we were last year at this same time. . . .
“I feel if you said we’re going to play in a couple weeks, that we can put a great product on the field, like, in two weeks. I feel that good about it.”
2020 Louisville football schedule
(Home games in capital letters; Times, TV TBA)
Sept. 2: N.C. STATE
Sept. 12: At Clemson
Sept. 19: MURRAY STATE
Sept. 26: WESTERN KENTUCKY
Oct. 3: At Syracuse
Oct. 10: At Boston College
Oct. 24: FLORIDA STATE
Oct. 31: VIRGINIA TECH
Nov. 7: At Virginia
Nov. 14: WAKE FOREST
Nov. 21: At Notre Dame
Nov. 28: KENTUCKY
This story was originally published July 20, 2020 at 4:57 PM.
