Heading into the 2020 season, there was a very clear narrative surrounding the Louisville football program. Led by a quadruple-headed monster of Malik Cunningham, Javian Hawkins, Tutu Atwell and Dez Fitzpatrick. the offense would continue to light up the scoreboard like they did in Scott Satterfield's first season at the helm. The only issue would be if the defense could keep the opposition from doing the same.
Instead, the exact opposite came to pass.
Fueled by a grueling inability to hold onto the football, as well as an at-times predictable and basic approach, the offense was not nearly as efficient as they were in 2019. But on the other side of the ball, the defense thrived. It took a few games for them to truly get things going, but by season's end, defense was Louisville's strength.
Most of this newfound defensive success came on behalf of the secondary. The Cardinals went from surrendering 234.2 passing yards per game in 2019, to just 189.2 - in 2020 a mark that ranked as the best in the Atlantic Coast Conference. It helped Louisville allow just 369.1 total yards and 26.6 points per game last season, both of which were third in the ACC.
As the Cardinals begin fall camp in preparation for the upcoming 2021 season, defensive coordinator Bryan Brown could not be more excited about the secondary's potential.
"Right now, to be honest with you, I'm really ecstatic with that group," Brown said after day two of camp. "The first string group is doing tremendous in their coverage, and being tight on routes, keeping everything inside and in front of them. I think that's a big positive in two days."
This is all coming in spite of a massive roster overhaul in that area of the field. Since the end of the 2020 season, nine cornerbacks and safeties departed the program via the NFL or transfer portal, with Louisville adding nine to replace them from other collegiate programs, as well as the high school ranks.
The safeties room took the biggest hit. Russ Yeast transferred to Kansas State and Isaiah Hayes left for the league, both of whom were starters, and projected offseason starter Lovie Jenkins transferred as well.
As a result, Georgia Southern transfer Kenderick Duncan, Alcorn State transfer Qwynnterrio Cole and true freshman Benjamin Perry have seen the majority of the first string reps to start practice. Fortunately, Brown thinks they are taking their presumptive starter roles in stride.
"They are playing a lot of snap for us, and doing tremendous," Brown said. "They haven't stepped foot on the football field yet for us, but those guys are doing tremendous. Making the right checks, and playing really, really good football right now."
But Louisville sporting exclusively newcomers in the secondary. After a breakout 2020 season, cornerback Kei'Trel Clark returns for another year, and could easily contend for best defender in the ACC. Opposite of him is standout corner Chandler Jones, both of whom look true to their form through the early goings of fall camp. In fact, to help on the back end, Jones has started to take reps at both the safety and the corner positions.
"Now you have a little bit more cover guys on the field, and that most definitely helps as a play caller, as well as now that you can make their quarterback hold the ball just a little while longer, to where hopefully, we can win one-on-ones and get a little better pass rush," Brown said.
Louisville will certainly be tested early on. As part of the Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Game in Atlanta Ga., they will kick off the season facing Ole Miss - a team which averaged the seventh-most passing yards per game at 344.9, and third-most total offense at 555.5. In order to compete with Lane Kiffin's high-flying system, Brown says the secondary needs to continue to play good football through the preseason.
"Hopefully we continue that, because that first game of the season, we all know that they want to throw the football, and got to do a great job in coverage," Brown said.
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