The Louisville Cardinals defensive line this year will have to fill some big shoes.  The Cards lost 3 starters from last year’s team in DT Adrian Grady, DT Earl Heyman, and DE Maurice Mitchell.  Grady was the 4th leading tackler on the team recording 41 total tackles, nine tackles for loss, two sacks, and a forced fumble.  Heyman was the 10th leading Cardinal tackler last season with 35 total tackles, 7.5 of which were for loss.  Heyman also led the team in sacks with five.  Mitchell, who only was able to play in nine games, recorded 17 tackles, two tackles for loss, two sacks, and one forced fumble.  To put in perspective what the Cardinals are replacing, the trio combined for 93 total tackles and nine sacks.  Louisville only had 12 sacks total from the entire defensive line last year.  These three were responsible for 75% of those.  Louisville is definitely going to miss their experience and leadership. 

But all hope is not lost for Cardinal fans.  Louisville will be returning some guy’s with plenty of experience mixed in with some highly touted new bodies.  Here is a look at how the 2009 Louisville Defensive Line will look.

The Starters

DE #11 Greg Scruggs (6′4   250lb   So)
As a true freshman last season, Scruggs saw a lot of action. He appeared in nine games, including three starts. He finished the year with four total tackles, one of which was for loss.

Prior to UofL, Scruggs attended St. Xavier high school in Cincinnati which was ranked #1 in the nation. He was ranked the 58th best defensive end coming out of high school, and chose to come to Louisville over Michigan, Mich. St, NC State, UCONN, Cincinnati, Boston College, Tennessee, Wake Forest, and Kentucky.

Scruggs showed that he had the ability to compete and start at the Division one level last year as a Freshman. He is very athletic and quick and can be hard to block. I believe that the experience that he gained as a freshman will help him tremendously this year when he thrown into the starting role. He still has some areas of his game that needs improvement, but that will come along with more coaching and playing time. Look for Scruggs to be lined up on the left side of the line.

DT  #91 L.T. Walker  (6′4   304   Sr)
Last season Walker appeared in nearly every game for the Cards. He sat out the first two games of the year, but finished up the season playing in the last 10. He also made five starts last season as a junior. He finished 15th on the team in tackles with 14. He also had .5 tackles for loss. Against Pittsburgh he registered a season high four stops.

In 2007, Walker appeared in eight games for the Cards. He recorded 14 tackles, including three for loss. He also had one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. Against West Virginia, Walker registered a career high six tackles.

In 2006 as a true freshman, Walker appeared in eight games. He recorded only three tackles during the season.

Walker is one of the most experienced players coming back on this Louisville defense. He has played in the majority of the games in his first three years as a Cardinal. He is coming off of his most productive year of his Louisville career and should have a monstrous 2009 campaign. He is a wide bodied run stopper who can clog up the running lanes. He has learned to play low to the ground and drive the offensive linemen backwards to disrupt the backfield. Walker has improved game to game and his experience and leadership will be needed on this defensive line.

DT #93 L.D. Scott (6′2   272lb   Sr)
L.D. Scott made the most of his playing time last season in a back up role to Adrian Grady. He finished 11th on the team in tackles with 22 and was fourth on the team in tackles for loss with six. He also had two pass deflections and one fumble recovery. He was only able to appear in 10 of the Cardinal’s 12 games as he missed the last two due to injury.

During the 2007 season, Scott appeared in 11 games including 7 starts. He registered 20 tackles and a sack during his sophomore year.

Scott has shown that he can play well when given the chance. This year he has the opportunity to shine as he is the clear starter for this position. He is very physically strong and quick for his size. He has the ability to play both defensive tackle and defensive end. His defensive end like speed and strength should help him get by the offensive tackle and make plays in the backfield. Look for L.T. Scott to be the leader of this defensive line unit.

DE #58  Rodney Gnat (6′3 253lb Jr)
In his first two years as a Cardinal, Gnat has gained a tremendous amount of experience. Last year he appeared in 10 games and recorded seven tackles. 3.5 of his tackles were for loss. He had one sack and a team high five pass deflections. He also had one forced fumble.

As a red shirted freshman in 2007, Gnat appeared in 10 games and made two starts. Gnat finished the 2007 year with 10 tackles, one sack, and a forced fumble.

Gnat has proved that when given the chance to play, he can be very productive. He has great speed on the end and has shown and ability to get to the quarterback. He can be inconsistent at times and needs to play at a high level all the time in order to bolster the D-Line. Gnat has played mostly LE but I look for him to be moved to the right side so he can be on the field the majority of the time.

Others you will see on the field

DE #61 William Savory (6′1   240lb   So)
Savory appeared in five games last year as a red shirt freshman. He recorded three tackles and had a pair of sacks.

Savory is a walk on that plays with a lot of energy and intensity. He will be competing for time at the DE spot and may make a few starts. He still has some learning to do as he is just a sophomore, but look for him to get a good share of playing time. He has had a very good spring and has proven that he can compete with the #1 guys.

DT #94 Joe Townsend (6′4 303lb Jr)
This will be Townsend’s first year as a Cardinal. He joins the team as a junior college transfer. He originally signed to play with Washington State out of high school, but opted to play at Foothill College. During his junior year in high school, Townsend was named first team all-league. He repeated that during his senior year and was named one of the top 22 players in Northern California.

Townsend does not have any experience playing at a Division 1 level which could hurt him. He is a very talented DT that can stop the run very well. He is a wide bodied athlete that can clog up the running lanes and create havoc in the backfield. He has the talent, but now needs the coaching and experience in order to be productive this season.

DT #97 Tim High (6′2 310lb Jr)
High is also a junior college transfer coming into Louisville for his first season. He played last season at El Camino College. He participated in eight games, recording 24 tackles, and 1.5 sacks.

Before playing at El Camino, High played at UNLV as a freshman. While at UNLV he recorded two tackles in six games played.

High is another big bodied DT at 310 pounds. He should also help in stopping the run and closing the gaps. He like Townsend is inexperienced and will need to work hard in order to be productive this season. He is not as talented as Townsend but still has the ability to help out up front.

DE #90 Malcom Tatum (6′4 265lb Jr)
Tatum is another one of Kragthorpe’s junior college recruits. He played last season at Gulf Coast Community College. He recorded 35 tackles and 10 sacks as a sophomore at Gulf Coast. Was named the defensive MVP in their bowl game, andwas named a second team MACJC South selection.

DE #46 Dexter Heyman (6′3 238lb So)
Heyman is a local product out of Louisville Male High School. He appeared in eight games, making one start. He had 10 tackles including one for loss. He had one pass deflection and one recovered fumble.

Coming out of Male High School, Heyman was rated as the #36 defensive end in the country. He was also the sixth best prospect in the state of Kentucky, and ranked 42nd in the Midwest.

Heyman is a very versitale defender that can play either linebacker or defensive end. He was a raw talent last year that gained some valuableexperience. With a year under his belt and a year’s worth of coaching, Heyman should be more productive this season as a junior. I look for him to be on the field more often than he was last year and could possibly make a few starts. By the time his career is over at Louisville, he should be a star.