Cardinal Stadium to be renamed to “L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium” Tuesday, Jan 31 2023 

Cardinal Stadium and Cardinals and Football and Jeff Brohm and Josh Heird and L&N and L&N Federal Credit Union and Louisville and News and Papa John's and u of l Tate Luckey 5:57 am

By Tate Luckey

It’s been approximately 5 years since the University parted ways with Cardinal Stadium’s Papa John’s sponsorship, and today its identity can finally begin anew: Cardinal Stadium is now to be known as L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium (or to some, L&N Stadium).

“We are thrilled and honored to have this opportunity to partner with the University of Louisville. We are proud to have the L&N name on the stadium as a visible sign of our commitment to the Louisville community and the University,”L&N CEO and President Chris Brown said.

“L&N has been a long-standing partner with the University and, ironically, the credit union had its start on the same site as the stadium in 1954. This long-term commitment strengthens our relationship into the future. We are aligned with Josh Heird’s vision and it’s our honor to be associated with a great program.”

The 20-year, $41.3 million dollar deal secures rights through 2042. L&N annual payments begin at $1.7 million this year, growing by 2% annually until reaching about $2.5 million in 2042. It’s among the top 3 most valuable college football stadium naming deals.

In 2018, then-president Neeli Bendapudi opted to part ways with Papa John’s founder John Schattner due to his use of a racial slur during a conference call. Last July, athletic director Josh Heird stated that the stadium’s new sponsor has to be “the right fit.”

“We don’t want somebody to just say, ‘Hey, let’s slap our name up on this stadium’. I would tell you that stadium means too much to us to just give it to, you know, whoever might want it. Let’s make sure that we create a comprehensive partnership,” he told WDRB.

The stadium site of the former South Louisville Rail Yard is also the original site of the credit union, founded in 1954 to serve L&N rail workers. The all-to-familiar horn you hear when Louisville scores a touchdown is the same horn used on the original site, too.

Now the real question: What do fans nickname it? The Fed? The L?

Photo Courtesy // Eric Crawford, WDRB //

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Kenny “Pain’s” First Season Thursday, Jan 26 2023 

ACC and basketball and Cardinals and El Ellis and IARP and Kenny Payne and Louisville and MBB and NCAA and purdue and rankings and sports and u of l and WKU Spencer Laws 8:38 pm

By Spencer Laws

Any fan who thought this first season under first-year head coach Kenny Payne was going to be seamless was thinking unrealistically.

It seems Louisville Men’s Basketball has been able to run into every possible bump in the road in recent memory. These bumps have seemed to ensue from recent scandals that have set the program back in multiple aspects, including everything from postseason bans, recruiting restrictions, and most significantly, a vacated National Championship.

The fans have unquestionably been dragged through the mud since the first developments came out of the Katina Powell scandal. 

A mission to restore the legacy of a program

This season seemed like the turning of a page, the spring of a new era for Louisville Basketball for the program and the fanbase.

The fans and the city got the consensus favorite to take over the head coaching position. Louisville alumni and national champion, Kenny Payne, would be given the keys to the program. Hopefully, he would eventually restore the legacy. 

The KP hiring, along with the constant IARP ruling being held over the head of the program, has finally been resolved. The retribution the program will have to pay was considered minor in many regards. 

The hope seemed higher than it probably should’ve been. However, can you blame a fanbase that has experienced what it has over the last decade? Different pieces were brought in this off-season as others departed. Former four-star Brandon Huntley-Hatfield was the most notable name to add to the Cardinal roster.

The issues start piling on

There was still one missing piece that KP and staff needed to address, though: a point guard.  It seemed that Payne and his new staff struck out on high-level point guards in the transfer portal. 

This should’ve been the first sign of another long season for Cards fans. 

This issue resulted in Payne having to put senior El Ellis in the point guard position, handing him the responsibilities of facilitating the offense and handling the ball. Last year, we saw Ellis thrive in more of a shooting guard position. He worked off the ball, not having to dictate the Cardinal offense under his own power.

Reality set in from the start. Division II Lenoir-Rhyne came to the Yum and left with a 10-point win in the first scrimmage of the year for the Cards. 

Payne and company were able to “bounce” back and win their next scrimmage against another division II opponent, Chaminade.

Like me, most fans had to look up where these schools were even located and what level of competition they even competed in before the games started.

And yet, they continue

After this, the regular season started and the nightmare began. It started out with laughable results of back-to-back-to-back one point losses. Tag on six more to go with the first three.

The Kenny Payne era was 0-9 starting out. 

This is where I will reference the statement I began this article with — no fan with a realistic mind thought that the Cards were heading to the NCAA tournament much less the NIT this season.  

However, no one saw it taking 10 games for KP to get his first win as head coach. When that first win finally came, it felt good for Card Nation. The squad was able to take down in-state Western Kentucky on December 14. 

The team then doubled its total in the win column, this time overcoming Florida A&M on December 17. You could argue this was the last good thing to come out of the program up to this point in the season. 

A fanbase left with questions

From that point on we have seen time and time again a team that really doesn’t seem like they want to compete. This team portrays little effort and grit in a lot of different circumstances. 

The list of things wrong with this team goes on and on, but at what point does KP start to feel the heat? Does he get a pass this year because it’s his first year and the program was remodeled in the offseason? 

The abysmal 2-17 record is something the Louisville fanbase has never had to experience on the hardwood, or really any Power Five fanbase has had to face. Back in 2002, Ken Pomeroy created a website tracking many different statistical aspects of college basketball. This season we have seen this team fall below any previous Power Five team statistically.

So we address the same question again: when does Kenny Payne start to feel the heat? Is his job safe after this atrocious season ends? 

The notion lately has been that the generation of players and recruits don’t know or respect the legacy that truly is Louisville basketball. Kenny Payne played in the heyday of Louisville basketball; he helped form and create that legacy for those that came after him. So how does that argument hold up having one of our own lead the program?

The next argumentative point fans point out is that this team just doesn’t have enough talent to compete at a high level. 

On paper, by 247Sports, the Cards don’t have a single player ranked above 132 coming out of high school, excluding Hercy Miller (who wasn’t ranked). Along with that statistic, the Cards roster consists of six players ranking outside the top 90 in their respective classes. 

There are a few counters to this point: the current number-one team in the country, Purdue, lines up with an uneven roster in recruiting. While their squad looks unqualified on paper, Purdue has launched itself as a potential number-one seed come March. 

I understand these two programs are in two very different situations. However, this point needs to be brought up and talked about. 

The bottom line

It’s still hard to hear fans defend Payne past the point of, “it’s his first year”.

Fans knew this season wasn’t going to be the brightest in a lot of aspects, but many feel that more bad has been done than good.

Photo Courtesy // Spencer Laws, The Louisville Cardinal //

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#25 Louisville Looks to Stay Hot Heading into Governor’s Cup Thursday, Nov 24 2022 

ACC Player and Cardinals and CFP and college football and Football and Governor's Cup and Kentucky and Louisville and Louisville Football and louisville ranked and News and Scott Satterfield and sports and Yasir Abdullah Jason Krell 1:22 pm

By Jason Krell

Less than two months ago, there was doubt surrounding the Louisville football team wondering if head coach Scott Satterfield was still the right guy to lead this team. A 34-33 loss to Boston College didn’t give fans a whole lot of hope that the season could be turned around. With their backs against the wall, the Cards rallied to win 5 of their next 6 games with their only loss coming to #12 Clemson on the road who currently has the nation’s longest home winning streak.

Two of their five wins since the Boston College loss were against ranked opponents; #10 Wake Forest and #24 N.C. State. The Cards’ defense has been nothing short of resilient since their wake-up call. Senior Yasir Abdullah has been the heart and soul of this defense and will likely be a contender for ACC defensive player of the year.

A Showdown in Lexington

The Cardinals now prep for their most anticipated matchup of the season as they travel down I-64 to Lexington to face the Kentucky Wildcats. Since the bye week, the Cats are just 1-3 with their one win being against Missouri. With recent losses to Tennessee, Vanderbilt, and Georgia, it is still unsure how they’ll respond given the recent struggles of starting quarterback Will Levis.

The Cardinals open as a 3-point underdog to the unranked Wildcats (which, if this game were played at Cardinal Stadium, I’m sure the numbers would be flipped). Louisville quarterback Malik Cunningham aims to return to action this week and snap their 3-game losing streak to Kentucky and solidify themselves as the superior team in the state. A year ago, the Cardinals suffered a brutal loss on their own field to the Wildcats 52-21. Now, with one of the premier defenses in the ACC, the Cards look to keep their momentum going into this game.

Lots on the Line

The biggest key to the game will be Louisville keeping their composure and not getting themselves too worked up, as we saw last year. “I think anytime you get overly emotional in a situation like this, it takes away from the play. We have to worry about us, we have to worry about our guys and play for the ones beside you,” Head Coach Scott Satterfield said in his weekly press conference.

This will be one of the most anticipated rivalry matchups of the year as both teams have lots to prove. For Kentucky, the belief that Will Levis is still worth a top 10 NFL draft pick and the Wildcats are deserving of a spot in the discussion as one of the premier SEC teams. For the Cards- to show the nation that Scott Satterfield has what it takes to be in the upper echelon of coaches in college football and that they’re deserving of a top-tier bowl game.

The annual Governor’s Cup matchup will take place on Saturday, November 26th at 3:30 pm on the SEC Network.

Photo Courtesy // Taris Smith, Louisville Athletics //

The post #25 Louisville Looks to Stay Hot Heading into Governor’s Cup appeared first on The Louisville Cardinal.

 

Louisville defense dominates both Demon Deacons and JMU Dukes to secure bowl berth Tuesday, Nov 8 2022 

#Wake Forest and ACC and Cardinals and Demon Deacons and Football and James Madison and Louisville and Satterfield and sports and u of l Spencer Laws 11:36 pm

By Spencer Laws

In what now accounts for a 4-game win streak, the Louisville Cardinals rolled past not only previously No. 10 Wake Forest in a 48-21 win, but now the James Madison Dukes 34-10. Currently sitting at 6-3 for the first time since 2014, this means that Louisville has now secured a bowl game berth with three games left in the season. 

Down Goes Wake…

The third-quarter performance by the Cards on both sides of the ball is something that caught the eyes of a lot of people. 

The Demon Deacons were outscored 35-0 in part due to the defense forcing six turnovers in that quarter alone. Two of those turnovers were returned interceptions by Quincy Riley and Kei’Trel Clark. This is the second week in a row Clark has had a defensive score, making it the first time a Louisville player has had back-to-back defensive scores since A.J. Jacobs in 1974. 

Such a dominating display showed the nation the potential this team has when both sides of the ball come to play. 

The Cards finished with 410 total yards- 211 rushing, and 199 passing. Surprisingly, Wake Forest only finished with eight fewer total yards of offense.

Quarterback Malik Cunningham again used his running ability to add two more touchdowns on the ground. 

Head coach Scott Satterfield and company picked up their first-ranked win, and a big one at that. This is also the first time in the Satterfield era the Cards have won three consecutive ACC games. 

And Down Go the Dukes!

Many considered this game to be a fabled “trap game”, especially coming off the top 10 upset the week prior. At one point this season, the Dukes were 5-0 and ranked in the top 25 nationally.

The Cardinal defense (once again) allowed only 10 points throughout the game, producing (once again) another stellar performance. The team is among the top 10 in the country in sacks, tackles for loss, red zone defense, and interceptions. Additionally, the Cardinals rank among the top 20 scoring defenses.

This is the second game since Pittsburgh this year that quarterback Malik Cunningham has thrown for multiple touchdowns in a single game.

Cunningham connected with tight end Isaac Martin in the first half, then found two of his favorite receivers in junior Tyler Hudson and sophomore Ahmari Huggins-Bruce in the second half for scores.

With 8 minutes left in the 4th quarter, Cunningham began scrambling and picking up yards only to be pulled out of bounds after an altercation broke out as the play ended. He and JMU linebacker Taurus Jones picked up offsetting personal foul penalties. It seems that Cunningham hurt his hand as a result of the play, too.

In a November 8th press conference, Satterfield said “Malik did ding his hand, his non-throwing hand but he’s fine. He’ll be out there practicing this week, and will be out there today.”

The coaching staff is adamant that Cunningham will play Saturday against Clemson.

What Comes Next

Currently, CBS projects Louisville to face Oregon State in the Sun Bowl on Dec 30th. This is the team’s best record through nine games since an 8-1 start in 2016.

The Cardinals face ACC powerhouse Clemson away this Saturday at 3:30 P.M, who slid from 5 to 12 in the week 9 AP Poll. Could Satterfield and crew pick up another ranked win? 

File Photo //Jamie Rhodes – USA TODAY Sports //

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Post Panther pummel, Louisville defense desires to down Demon Deacons Wednesday, Oct 26 2022 

#Wake Forest and ACC and Cardinals and Football and Louisville and pittsburgh and ranked and sports and u of l and Yasir Abdullah Spencer Laws 5:22 pm

By Spencer Laws

Head coach Scott Satterfield clearly meant it when he said in a previous press conference he would be paying special attention to the defense, as it was the shining star in Louisville football’s 24-10 win against Pittsburgh. The Cardinals pulled off a must-needed win, furthering their chance at a post-season bowl game.

A huge credit towards Saturday’s win includes the Card’s battle for turnovers. The defense had four takeaways compared to Pitt’s one, allowing just 10 points on 32 minutes of possession.

The offense, however, seemed very stagnant at times- only being able to muster up one touchdown in the first half, and compiling a season-low of 312 yards of total offense. 

Senior linebacker Yasir Abdullah had the performance of the game, tallying seven tackles, two tackles for a loss, an interception, and a sack that resulted in a scoop and score. 

It should surprise no one that Abdullah snagged All-ACC Linebacker of the Week honors, too. 

A Dual Threat School?

Something we saw Saturday that we haven’t seen before is somewhat of a revolving door at the quarterback position – second-string Brock Domann logged playing time in three different quarters Saturday.

Head coach Scott Satterfield was questioned about the quarterback situation going forward in his press conference Tuesday, October 25th, saying “I anticipate both guys probably playing throughout the rest of the season. Last week, they both did a great job in practice of getting ready to play mentally, that’s the biggest key, and I think that will happen again this week.”

Not a terrible thing to have two quarterbacks ready for all the game situations we head into more significant games.

Dissecting the Demon Deacons

The Cards are set back at home Saturday, October 30th against No. 10 Wake Forest. 

The Demon Deacons have only lost one game this season- a close overtime loss to Clemson. This is another huge opportunity for head coach Scott Satterfield to show he can keep up with the most efficient offense in the nation.

The Cards have always played the Demon Deacons tightly ever since joining the ACC (they’re currently up all-time 6-3). Card Nation needs to come out and be loud and create a hostile environment for Deacons to play in.

The post Post Panther pummel, Louisville defense desires to down Demon Deacons appeared first on The Louisville Cardinal.

 

Cards Can’t Close at BC, 34-33 Wednesday, Oct 5 2022 

ACC and boston college and Cardinals and Football and Josh Heird and Louisville and malik cunningham and Scott Satterfield and sports and UVA Spencer Laws 4:16 pm

By Spencer Laws

One Point Short

This past Saturday, October 1st, Louisville lost what many would consider another easy ACC win. The Cards came into the game 14-point favorites, yet choked one away 34-33.

The loss was a combined effort by the whole team. The defense was lit up in the passing game, giving up 304 yards and three touchdowns in the air. Boston College receiver Zay Flowers recorded five catches for 151 yards and two touchdowns, receiving ACC Receiver of the Week awards for his performance. 

Cunningham added to his already impressive rushing touchdowns total by adding three more against BC. His passing game still somewhat struggled, as he put up 19-28 completions with only 186 yards and a touchdown. Cunningham took a big hit midway through the 4th quarter, so junior Brock Domann came to close out the game. He is considered day-to-day.

A special teams miscue came back to bite the Cards as kicker James Turner had an extra point blocked in the second quarter. That kick would be the difference maker in overtime.

What Comes Next

With this result, it feels like the point of no return for Satterfield and the company. Many are up conflicted in the fan community about his coaching staff and play- some are already calling for his firing. One Twitter account even replies to U of L related posts “#BringBrohmHome“

However, what good would it do to fire Satterfield mid-way through this season? With the outstanding recruiting class of ‘23 set to hit campus in the spring, how many of those recruits would de-commit with Satterfield’s exit? 

When Heird took the Job last December he came out and stated that he as AD wouldn’t settle for mediocrity. Card Nation has their hands up right now as their football team continues to lose games week in and week out. Louisville now has 4 consecutive losses versus Power 5 teams, leaving us among the bottom 5. 

Meanwhile, you would assume to see some changes from Satterfield in the coming weeks as he attempts to save his job. In an October 4th press conference Satterfield stated that he’s “Got to spend more time helping all the facets of the game, particularly defensively and on special teams.” As for why? “Losing games.”

The Cards are back in action this Saturday, October 8th traveling to Virginia to face off with UVA at noon, on the ACC network.

Photo Courtesy // Taris Smith, Louisville Athletics – GoCards.com //

The post Cards Can’t Close at BC, 34-33 appeared first on The Louisville Cardinal.

 

September Fall Sports Overview Wednesday, Oct 5 2022 

ACC and Cardinals and cross country and Fall and Field Hockey and Louisville and men's soccer and Soccer and sports and u of l and Volleyball and Women's soccer Spencer Laws 3:18 pm

By Spencer Laws

Volleyball 

Halfway through the regular season, the team is ranked #2 in the country. Coach Busboom Kelly and the team are very much favorites for the regular season title. The team picked up right where it let off following last year’s final four run.

In the month the girls put together a very impressive 8-1 record and produced 4 ranked wins in the process, including a nationally televised, gritty win in Lexington against #13 UK.

The ACC is very much in the hands of the Cardinals, who haven’t dropped a conference game yet.

Men’s Soccer

Louisville men’s soccer had a really good month, as they finished September with a record of 4-2-2, ranking as high as 10th ranked nationally. The team scored a very quality 2-1 win against #8 Pittsburgh at home on Sept. 23rd. The two losses of the month came from two very quality squads, #5 Kentucky and #7 Duke. 

They next take a trip to South Bend, Indiana to face off with ACC foe Notre Dame. Their schedule doesn’t get any easier from there as Syracuse and Clemson take a visit later in the month. They finish off their regular season schedule with ACC Atlantic rival Wake Forest, who holds the top spot in the division currently. 

The team is in a very good spot with a 2-1-1 conference record and third in the Atlantic division. If the team can put some conference results together they will have a shot at an ACC title. 

The men’s soccer team celebrates a win at home.

Women’s Soccer

Women’s soccer faced a very tough schedule in the latter half of September, facing back-to-back top ten ranked ACC opponents. However, at the beginning of the month, the girls pulled out a big result, taking a 3-2 win over #23 ranked Memphis on neutral ground. 

They followed up this result with back-to-back ties, 0-0 against James Madison and Indiana University. On Sept. 17th the team won their ACC opener against Miami at home, recording a shutout on the way to a 1-0 win. 

The team has some work to do after dropping three ACC games in a row. On Oct. 6th Clemson travels to town; both teams need a crucial win to get back on track in ACC play. 

Games left in their schedule include Boston College and Notre Dame at home, and then two road matchups in North Carolina against Duke and NC State. UNC comes to Louisville to close out the regular season.  

The women’s soccer team gets ready for their match.

Field Hockey 

Throwing up an overall record of 9-2 (6-2 record during the month of September), the field hockey team is another team that is putting up a very impressive national campaign. The 2 losses include both of their ACC games, giving them a big hill to climb with the end of the regular season quickly approaching. 

Nevertheless, the squad pulled out great wins against #4th Michigan and #13th Princeton. The team travels next to Winston-Salem to try and get their conference play record back on track with a win.

Other games in their schedule include Liberty University, Duke, and Ball State, followed up with a trip to New York to face off with Syracuse and Cornell. They close out their regular season with Boston College at home. 

The field hockey huddles together before a game.

Cross Country 

The Cross Country team has competed in two meets during the month of September, including the Covered Bridge Open in Boone North Carolina, where the men’s team finished 3rd, and the women’s team finished 6th. 

On September 17th the teams traveled up to Terre Haute, Indiana to run. The men finished 5th and the women finished 8th. 

The teams hosted a meet this past Saturday, October 1st at E.P. Tom Sawyer Park. This is where the NCAA Regional will take place at the end of the month. On October 14th the team will travel to Peoria, Illinois to compete in the Bradley Pink Classic, prepping before the ACC championship on October 28th in Charlottesville.

The men’s Cross Country team prepares for a meet.

Photo Courtesy // GoCards.com //

The post September Fall Sports Overview appeared first on The Louisville Cardinal.

 

Previewing the 2022 Soccer Seasons Wednesday, Aug 31 2022 

2022 and Aboubcar Camara and Cardinals and john michael hayden and Karen Ferguson-Dayes and Louisville Soccer and Massie Whitset and sarah hernandez and Soccer and sports and u of l Spencer Laws 3:27 pm

By Spencer Laws

Ferguson-Dayes Enters 23rd season, Looking for Energy Boost from Newcomers

With the women’s soccer team finishing 2021 with a 7-7-2 regular season and a 3-6-1 conference record, Karen Ferguson-Dayes looks to bring in lots of experience with her players in the 2022 season.

Ferguson-Dayes and her staff have brought in 15 new players to the program this year. The leadership roles will be heavily pressed on graduate students Sarah Hernandez and Massie Whitsett.

Hernandez comes into the season with 67 games started and seven goals scored during her career here at Louisville as a defender. As a midfielder, Whitsett comes into the season with 59 games started and 15 goals during her career. 

The Cards are up for a challenge, as they face one of the tougher schedules in the country; eight out of their sixteen regular season opponents come into the season already ranked. 

Despite the challenge, Louisville is off to a respectable start this season, as they have found themselves with a 2-1 record three games in. They opened the season with a commanding 3-0 home win against the University of Chicago, Illinois. After taking a tough 2-1 loss to Xavier University, the Cards rebounded back with a strong defensive performance on the road against Northern Kentucky, holding them to a shutout  1-0 win. 

The Cardinals travel to Harrisonburg, VA on Thursday, Sept. 1st to square off with the University of Memphis at 7:00 p.m. EST. They will then follow that match up by playing James Madison University this Sunday, Sept. 4th at 1:00 p.m. EST. The James Madison game with be streamed on ESPN+. 

 

The women’s soccer team huddles before a match. 

 

9 Starters Return to Key Up a Postseason Run 

After capturing the Atlantic Division title and finishing the year with a record of 10-7-1, head coach John Michael Hayden tees off his fourth season this year as the men’s soccer head coach. 

The team returns nine starters from last year, including All-ACC forward Aboubcar Camara. Camara, who clocked in 19 goals and three assists in his career so far, was a big contributor to one of the best scoring offensives in the country last year, helping Cards average over two goals a game last year. 

He, along with rest of the returning players, are back likely with a chip on their shoulder due to their heartbreaking end last season. After losing 0-3 to Notre Dame’s penalty kicks in the ACC Championship, they then fell out of the first round of the NCAA Tournament to Bowling Green State in an 0-1 loss.  

In contrast, the Cards have opened this season with an impressive 3-1 win at home against a No. 10 Saint Louis, followed up with a 3-0 win over cross town opponent Bellarmine to improve to 2-0 on the season. 

The Cardinals will host Seattle University on Friday, Sept. 2nd at 7:30 p.m. EST on the ACC Network. They then follow up by taking a trip down the road to Lexington on Tuesday, Sept. 6th at 7:30 p.m. EST to face off with in-state rival Kentucky, on the SEC Network. 

The men’s soccer team in a huddle.

 

File Photo // GoCards.com //

The post Previewing the 2022 Soccer Seasons appeared first on The Louisville Cardinal.

 

Louisville Football looks to ride recruiting momentum into season Sunday, Aug 28 2022 

2022 and Cardinals and cunningham and defense and Football and Kentucky and Louisville and Offense and running back and sports and syracuse and u of l Tate Luckey 9:43 pm

By Spencer Laws

Louisville football comes into this season riding quite a bit of momentum from the offseason recruiting cycle. However, head coach Scott Satterfield and company have some work to do before the season gets into full swing. Last season the Cards finished with a losing record of 6-7. They lost their final two games. 

First up on Offense

Redshirt Senior Malik Cunningham is back. A lot of analysts have Cunningham as a dark horse in the Heisman conversation if he can put it all together. Cunningham threw for just under 3,000 yards and 19 touchdowns, with only six interceptions, along with rushing for more than 1,000 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2021 alone.

On top of Cunningham’s return, Louisville has a deep running back crew that will be able to share the carries in different situations. Jalen Mitchell, a redshirt sophomore, and Trevion Cooley, a sophomore, both give needed experience to the Cardinals, who add Tennesee transfer Tiyon Evans, a junior, and redshirt sophomore Jawhar Jordan, who arrives from Syracuse.

Louisville also has a high level of experience on the offensive line to block for backs, protecting Cunningham with a clean pocket. Preseason All-American Senior Caleb Chandler leads the offensive line.

With the loss of deep-ball threat Tyler Harrel to the transfer portal this offseason, the Cards added transfers Tyler Hudson and Dee Wiggins, who Satterfield has praised in camp. Amari Huggins-Bruce looks to build upon his performance as a slot receiver last year. Also returning is leading receiver Marshon Ford from last year.

Next up, the Defense

On the defensive side of the ball, Louisville looks to patch up issues from last season. In the final two games of the season, the defense gave up a combined total of 83 points, including a 52-point beat down from rival Kentucky.

The defense has worked to fix those lackluster performances this off-season, including the announcement that Wesley McGriff will co-coordinate the defense with Bryan Brown to provide another voice. 

On top of new leadership, the transfer portal has once again helped to change the faces of Louisville’s defense heading into this season.

Senior transfer Jermayne Lole looks to help anchor the defensive line by providing needed pressure to opposing quarterbacks. In addition, Yaya Diaby and Ashton Gillote return to work on the outside of Lole to complete the front three. 

To finish off the front seven, the linebackers will consist of senior Yasir Abdullah, opposite of redshirt freshmen Ben Perry. Monty Montgomery looks to return after his season ended three games in with an ACL tear. Lastly, Ole Miss transfer senior Momo Sanogo is another interior linebacker to watch for. 

The secondary has an interesting mix of players with experience. Kei’Trel Clark, a redshirt junior, is the top cornerback, twice receiving All-ACC honors. Sophomore Josh Minkins fills in the strong safety role, with Ballard High grad joining Georgia Southern transfer Kendrick Duncan, who’s set to start at the free safety position. Lastly, senior Chandler Jones will line up opposite of Clark in the other cornerback position. 

The Cards open on the road against Syracuse at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 3. You can view their schedule here.

File Photo // GoCards.com //

The post Louisville Football looks to ride recruiting momentum into season appeared first on The Louisville Cardinal.

 

Comfort Items You Didn’t Know You Needed Thursday, May 6 2021 

branded content and Cardinals and comfort and Features and Louisville and Self Care and students and UofL Eli Hughes 10:41 pm

By Jacob Maslow–Branded Content

Everyone deserves to be comfortable, so treat yourself to these luxuriously comfortable items this year. When life feels like a drag, sometimes you need a bit of a pick-me-up, whether it’s from a high-quality seat cushion, a lovely essential oil diffuser, or a super comfy sweatshirt blanket. 

A High-Quality Seat Cushion 

A good seat cushion can make all the difference in someone’s life. If you have lower back pain, pain in your tailbone, or pressure in your hips, hamstrings, or legs, then you might want to consider investing in a comfortable seat cushion. 

You don’t have to break the bank to be able to sit comfortably at work, at home, or in the car. If your current chairs aren’t doing it for you, a good seat cushion will cost you less than $100. There are some great ones on the market in the $30 to $60 range that will change your life. 

The Best Essential Oil Diffuser 

If you experience headaches, anxiety, or trouble sleeping, an essential oil diffuser is the product for you. You can diffuse so many different scents that will help you with many other ailments. 

There are so many different options when it comes to oil diffusers. You can choose between different patterns, wood grains, and even more expensive materials like porcelain. There’s an essential oil diffuser to fit the vibe of any aesthetic. 

You can also get diffusers with settings for the length of diffusing time and diffusers that have LED lights to give your room a little more ambiance. 

A Nice Humidifier 

A humidifier can step up the comfort levels in your home, especially around the wintertime. If you’re experiencing dry skin, dull hair, irritated nasal passages, trouble sleeping, and other symptoms, you may want to invest in a humidifier for your home. 

Having a humidifier can be life-changing, offering you ultimate comfort. No matter your budget, there’s a humidifier that fits your needs, whether you’re looking to humidify a large or small space. 

A humidifier from Everlasting Comfort is a great option, allowing for optimal humidification throughout one’s home as well as the ability to use essential oils within your humidifier for extra comfort. 

A Comfy Blanket Hoodie

Are you still uncomfortable? What about a comfortable hooded sweatshirt that’s made out of blanket material? If your apartment is cold, or you’re just looking to relax in a blanket puddle, the Comfy is an excellent option. It comes in various colors and will keep you feeling warm and relaxed throughout the winter (and in the summer, if you’re a homebody who likes to live with their thermostat as cold as possible). 

The Comfy comes in multiple patterns and options, made with lighter blankets as well as sherpa lining. You can get them for your whole family, that way you can watch movies in style and comfort. 

Treat Yourself to Comfort

Comfort is such an essential part of life. You need to remember to treat yourself every once and a while. Whether you get your favorite meal, watch your favorite movie, or listen to your favorite song, your comfort is essential. 

Comfort also makes great gifts, so if you’re looking to give someone the gift of comfort, maybe you should try out one of these items. Better yet, buy one for yourself and a friend so that you can relax in comfort together. 

Comfort goes beyond this list, as there are so many other options you could choose from, including fluffy slippers, a nice robe, or even your favorite bottle of wine. Give yourself comfort by allowing yourself to enjoy your favorite things while snuggled up in a nice blanket. You deserve it.

Photo Courtesy of Jacob Maslow // Cosmic Press

The post Comfort Items You Didn’t Know You Needed appeared first on The Louisville Cardinal.

 

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