Louisville Cardinals 2009 Football Preview

Our three pundits on Cardinal football weigh in on what they think the 2009 season holds for Coach Kragthorpe and his squad.

MILLER:
vs. Indiana St – W
Bye Week
at Kentucky – W
at Utah – L
vs. Pitt – W
vs. Southern Miss – W
at UCONN – W
at Cincinnati – L
vs. Arkansas St – W
at West Virginia – L
vs. Syracuse – W
at South Florida – L
vs. Rutgers – W

FINAL RECORD: 8-4

The Cardinals will start off the season quite well with a beyond easy win over the Larry Birds, then roll into Commonwealth and defeat the Cats due to Kentucky’s offense not being on track yet. After a loss to Utah, Kragthorpe hits his stride with three strait wins. The Cards will trade wins and losses for the remaining six weeks, highlighted by an upset win over Rutgers on Senior Night. Kragthorpe takes his Cardinals to the Meineke Car Care Bowl game in Charlotte, North Carolina…home of the Nature Boy.

UL Offensive MVP: Vic Anderson
UL Defensive MVP: Jon Dempsey

BIG EAST Champion: Rutgers
BIG EAST Offensive POY: Noel Devine, West Virginia
BIG EAST Defensive POY: George Selvie, South Florida
BIG EAST Rookie of the Year: Darius Ashley, Louisville
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P CRUSH:
Indiana State – W
Bye Week
@ Kentucky – L
@ Utah – W
Pittsburgh – L
Southern Miss – L
@ Connecticut – L
@ Cincinnati – L
Arkansas State – W
@ West Virginia – L
Syracuse – W
@ South Florida – L
Rutgers – L

FINAL RECORD: 4-8

The Cards will smoke past the Sycamores in the opener, but the real surprise will come at Utah, where UofL wins a tough game over a depleted Utes squad that is not nearly the same team as last year. Things get bad in a hurry with losses at home against Pittsburgh, and a cataclysmic choke job against Southern Miss. Louisville will finally win an October game… on Halloween against Arkansas State. Eventual conference champion West Virginia obliterates the Cards before they extract revenge on Syracuse. Losing at South Florida (where even the good UofL teams faltered) and in the finale against Rutgers are all but foregone conclusions.

UL Offensive MVP: Scott Long
UL Defensive MVP: Dexter Heyman

BIG EAST Champion: West Virginia
BIG EAST Offensive POY: Noel Devine, West Virginia
BIG EAST Defensive POY: George Selvie, South Florida
BIG EAST Rookie of the Year: Darius Ashley, Louisville
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ROHRER:
Indiana State – W
Bye Week
@ Kentucky – W
@ Utah – L
Pittsburgh – L
Southern Miss – W
@ Connecticut – W
@ Cincinnati – L
Arkansas State – W
@ West Virginia – L
Syracuse – W
@ South Florida – L
Rutgers – L

FINAL RECORD: 6-6

I think the Louisville Football will be a little bit better than what people are saying. They have a very talented and experienced receiving corp and some good running backs. The defense will struggle a little bit but shouldnt be too bad. The Cards will not have a great season and will finish 6-6 with an outside chance of getting into a bowl. Doubt it will happen as Steve Kragthorpe misses a bowl for the third straight year. Team will be improved but not enough, and Kragthrope is gone.

UL Offensive MVP: Douglas Beaumont
UL Defensive MVP: Jon Dempsey

BIG EAST Champion: Pitt
BIG EAST Offensive POY: Noel Devine (West Virginia)
BIG EAST Defensive POY: George Selvie (South Florida
BIG EAST Rookie of the Year: Geno Smith (West Virginia)