Louisville Football: What to Watch for in Louisville’s Annual Spring Game

Brian VanGorder and the new and improved Louisville defense

Well, the good news is that the only direction the Louisville defense can go after last year is up. Hoping to lead that charge is new defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder.

VanGorder has been around the block a time or two in regards to where he has coached. He has coached at essentially every level of football, from high school, all the way up to the NFL. Hopefully, all of his experience translates into success on the field for the Cardinal defense this season.

From what I’ve  heard thus far, Cardinal fans can expect VanGorder to bring multiple high level schemes to this defense, and for him to coach with fire and intensity. With this complex new scheme, I think it’s safe to say we’re going to see some mistakes come Friday.

What I’ll be looking for throughout the season, is how VanGorder will address the mistakes that are made, and whether or not the players are grasping the defensive schemes he’s installing. There are going to be a lot of mistakes learning a new defense, especially with a core as young as Louisville’s, but one thing I hope to see in these mistakes is that they are made going full speed and that they’re made while giving maximum effort. This is something that the defense lacked last year, which I’m sure other fans found to be just as frustrating as I did.

One position group to watch on Friday night will be the secondary. Louisville will be replacing four starters from the 2017-18 team in Chucky Williams, Zykesies Cannon, Tru Washington and Jaire Alexander, all of which were big time impact players.

Transfers Rodjay Burns and PJ Mbanasor will compete with returnees Russ Yeast and Anthony Johnson as well as newcomer Chandler Jones. In the safety spot Louisville’s most experienced returning player will be senior Dee Smith, who has seen plenty of playing time over the last three years. Smith will split playing time with returning sophomore CJ Avery as well as Lyn Strange.

Here’s to hoping BVG can get this defense heading in the right direction Saturday, and hopefully have the squad as ready as you can be when they clash with the defending national champion Alabama on September 1st.

Next: Louisville Spring Game Moved to Friday

While it may just a be a little teaser before the real thing, I’m pumped to see the Cards in action under the lights at Papa Johns Cardinal Stadium this Friday night.