Louisville football: Predicting the Cards defensive MVP for 2019
By Jacob Lane
C.J. Avery
2018 stats (9 games played): 56 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 0.5 sacks, 2 INT, 1 FF, 1 FR
If there’s a player that is maybe the biggest riser on the defense in 2019 for defensive MVP, it’s CJ Avery.
The story of Avery’s 2018 season is telling for the overall arc of the Cards’ defensive performance. After working his way into a starting role to begin the season, Avery was injured in the third game against Western Kentucky- a contest where he recorded an interception and some crucial tackles. He missed the next two games at Virginia and against Florida State- a game many players have pointed to as the point where the wheels fell off for the Cards.
Avery returned the game after in a trip to Boston College and recorded a career-high 15 tackles. However, the damage was already done. As the psyche of the team got worse and worse, Avery steadfastly pushed forward, leading the team in tackles by a wide margin for the last seven games of the season.
Avery is certainly one of the bright spots returning from last season, and has potential to be electric in Satterfield and Brown’s system.
Based on what the coaching staff has done in years past, Avery should fit like a glove. He is a hard-hitting, fundamentally sound linebacker who flies to the ball. He has shown that he has solid field awareness when dropping into coverage and loves to come in and finish off tackles when assisting teammates.
The one bugaboo for Avery is injuries. He sat out three of the final five games of his freshman year, and the Cards struggled then, too. Overall, Louisville is 1-4 when Avery is sidelined.
If he can finish a full year healthy, there’s reason to believe CJ Avery could be the most valuable player on this 2019 squad.