Louisville football: Three takeaways from the early signing period

Louisville is playing the long game

If one thing is apparent in signing this class, it is that the new staff is going to get the guys that they want, and that want to play for them. Satterfield mentioned that Louisville could have easily signed 12 guys- a nearly full class- but that the coaches want to be more selective.

“This will be a marathon, not a sprint,” Satterfield said. “You’ll go crazy if you’re not patient. We’re in a business where a sense of urgency is key, but you always need to keep the big picture in mind. We know where we’re headed, but it’s going to take a little time to get there.”

The coaching staff knows what they are up against. Louisville opens with college football playoff participants and current No. 3 Notre Dame, to start the season, and host No. 2 Clemson. They travel to Florida State, Miami, Kentucky, and NC State. The immediate road ahead is daunting, and taking a 2-10 team that hasn’t won a power 5 game in over a year into the season will be a path that requires a lot of patience.

But it is one that may be worth the wait. When introducing the players, one of the first things Satterfield listed off was their GPA. He wants players that are dedicated on and off the field, regardless of size or stature. Of course getting raw talent is a huge piece of success at the highest level, but this coaching staff knows how to find winners, and they think that they have signed four intelligent players with unlimited ceilings.

The Cards will look to sign 10-12 more players seven weeks from now for the late signing period. Two of those weeks will be eaten up by Christmas and New Years. Still, over a month to work with is plenty of time for this coaching staff. After all, they already laid the groundwork for the 2019 class with little, to no time, and an abbreviated coaching staff living out of a hotel and eating fast food.

It is hard to put a finger on where the staff will go next with the remaining 75% of their scholarship offers. The class is almost certain to lack high ratings or expectations. But, given enough time, Louisville will right back on track.