Best on the field every game: That’s U of L’s football objective

Regarding Louisville’s expectations for the 2020 season, offensive guard Robbie Bell spoke plainly.

“What we’ve been talking about is that every game we’re going to be the best unit on the field,” he said in early August. “That’s our goal. Our goal is every single week we get to play a game, we’re going to know there’s not (an opposing) defense better than us.”

Louisville’s defense also expects to excel.

“Everything is looking great …,” linebacker Tabarius Peterson said in mid-August. “The defense should be amazing this year.”

Yes, U of L has embraced great expectations. Fueling the bring-’em-on are 15 of 22 starters returning from last season’s team that rose from the ashes of a 2-10 season in 2018 to win eight games, the eighth being a 38-28 victory over Mississippi State in the Music City Bowl.

The coronavirus pandemic stiffening the 2020 schedule by making it almost exclusively Atlantic Coast Conference games? Yawn.

“We get to showcase how really good we are,” defensive back Anthony Johnson said. “Looking forward to the competition.”

At first glance, the defensive coordinator, Bryan Brown, at the helm for a second straight season might not seem significant. But U of L had a different defensive coordinator in each of the previous five seasons. So, familiarity with Brown makes for a noticeable boost.

“Having stability, having the same coach, same techniques, same playbook really helped us advance …,” Johnson said. “Just making more plays due to the fact things basically stayed the same.”

Defensive line coach Mark Ivey echoed the sentiment. “I won’t say it’s everything because, obviously, the kids’ work and the kids’ determination is a big part of it,” he said. “But it’s huge.”

Defensive lineman Jared Goldwire was succinct. “Man, it’s a blessing,” he said.

Quarterback Micale Cunningham (who until mid-way through last season went by his middle name, Malik, because it was easier for others to pronounce correctly) won the job in 2019 and threw for more than 2,000 yards and 22 touchdowns.

The preseason talk is about how improved Cunningham is.

“More patient in the pocket, more poised back there,” said quarterback coach Frank Ponce, who acknowledged being surprised at how much Cunningham has improved. “He’s no longer a one-dimensional quarterback.”

Cunningham admitted to having had an impulse to take off rather than stay in the pocket. “I’ve been running my whole life,” he said. “Since I came out of the womb.”

Cunningham credited Ponce for making him “more of a great decision-maker” as in not forcing throws.

Senior wide receiver Dez Fitzpatrick said he saw an improved Cunningham in preseason workouts.

“He’s very confident now,” Fitzpatrick said. “He’s sitting in the pocket very well. He’s not worried about the hit. He’s not focused on running. . . .

“We don’t have to re-route the route we’re running. We know he’s going to stay in the pocket.”

The weapons at Cunningham’s disposal include Javian Hawkins, who rushed for a school record 1,525 yards last season and receiver Tutu Atwell, who set a school record with 1,272 yards worth of receptions.

Head coach Scott Satterfield said the flowery accolades and high expectations with his team have been a topic of discussion during the preseason.

“Nobody in this program ever did anything by themselves,” he said. “I mean, we’re all doing this together.”

This message has gotten through to the players, Satterfield said.

“They’re humble, they’re hungry,” the U of L coach said. “They’re trying to go as hard as they possibly can go.”

Satterfield held up Atwell as an example of the players putting the praise in perspective.

“He wants to get every rep,” Satterfield said of Atwell’s presence in a scrimmage. “He doesn’t want to stand over there on the sideline. That’s just his mentality. … All these guys, they want to play, so they’re hungry to get out there.”

Linebacker Yasir Abdullah said the hype this preseason has been an “every day” topic of conversation among Louisville players. He noted how U of L’s defense, though greatly improved last season, ranked 102nd nationally in average total yards yielded.

“That just motivates us,” he said. “We talk (guff). We talk (guff). You know how that goes.”

Scouting report

Head coach: Scott Satterfield (second season at Louisville after 8-5 record last year, 51-24 in six seasons at Appalachian State).

Last season: 8-5 overall (5-3 in the ACC).

Returning starters: 15 (eight on offense and seven on defense).

Outlook: Even with the uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus pandemic possibly leading to the cancellation of the 2020 season, optimism abounded in Louisville’s football program. Experience and stability translated into great expectations. Lindy’s Sports was one of the preseason publications that picked U of L to finish second (behind Clemson) in the ACC Atlantic (although, now, there will be no divisions for 2020).

This season’s 15 returning starters helped the Cardinals rebound from an embarrassing 2-10 record in 2018. Now, they look for continued improvement.

Quarterback Micale Cunningham is coming off a season in which he set a school record for passing efficiency while throwing for 2,061 yards and 22 touchdowns.

Running back Javian Hawkins and wide receiver Tutu Atwell ranked in the top 10 nationally in rushing and receiving yards, respectively.

On the other side of the ball, Bryan Brown will be in his second season as defensive coordinator. That makes him a graybeard for U of L, which had a different defensive coordinator in each of the five most recent seasons prior to Brown’s arrival in 2019.

Question marks: Depth remains a concern. Coaches have talked in the preseason about trying to develop more depth, especially in the trenches. The offensive line lost top 10 draft pick Mekhi Becton, while end Tabarius Peterson is the lone returning starter up front in U of L’s 3-4 defensive alignment.

Louisville is also starting over in the kicking game. Gone are four-year starting punter Mason King, who averaged 42.6 yards per punt last season, and place-kicker Blanton Creque, who made all 33 extra-point attempts and eight of 11 field goal tries.

Game of the year: Miami at Louisville, Sept. 19. Emotions should be high. It’s the ACC opener. Louisville’s roster has many players from Miami and/or Florida. Miami defeated U of L 52-27 last season, so the revenge factor should be in play.

2020 Louisville football schedule

Home games in all capital letters. Kickoff times and TV details to be announced later.

Sept. 12: WESTERN KENTUCKY, 8 p.m. (ACC Network)

Sept. 19: MIAMI (FLA.), 3:30 or 7:30 p.m. (ABC-36)

Sept. 26: At Pittsburgh

Oct. 9: At Georgia Tech, 7 p.m. (ESPN)

Oct. 17: At Notre Dame, 2:30 p.m. (NBC-18)

Oct. 24: FLORIDA STATE

Oct. 31: VIRGINIA TECH

Nov. 7: At Virginia

Nov. 20: SYRACUSE, 7:30 (ESPN)

Nov. 27: At Boston College

Dec. 5: WAKE FOREST

This story was originally published September 1, 2020 at 5:20 PM.

Jerry Tipton

Lexington Herald-Leader

859-472-4091

Jerry Tipton has covered Kentucky basketball beginning with the 1981-82 season to the present. He is a member of the United States Basketball Writers Association Hall of Fame. Support my work with a digital subscription