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Be the coach: Finalizing the Louisville football roster for 2020

By Jacob Lane

STATE COLLEGE, PA - NOVEMBER 24: Ricky Slade #4 of the Penn State Nittany Lions reacts after scoring his second touchdown against the Maryland Terrapins during the second half at Beaver Stadium on November 24, 2018 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
STATE COLLEGE, PA - NOVEMBER 24: Ricky Slade #4 of the Penn State Nittany Lions reacts after scoring his second touchdown against the Maryland Terrapins during the second half at Beaver Stadium on November 24, 2018 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /
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STATE COLLEGE, PA – AUGUST 31: Ricky Slade #3 of the Penn State Nittany Lions scores a touchdown against the Idaho Vandals during the first half at Beaver Stadium on August 31, 2019 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
STATE COLLEGE, PA – AUGUST 31: Ricky Slade #3 of the Penn State Nittany Lions scores a touchdown against the Idaho Vandals during the first half at Beaver Stadium on August 31, 2019 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /

RB, Ricky Slade – Penn State

2019 stats: 47 carries, 214 yards, 2 TD, 12 receptions, 105 yards

Status: Sit one, play two

Running back is by no means a need for Louisville football at this point in time with Javian Hawkins and Hassan Hall. However, if you’re realistic about the future you’ll quickly realize that there is a real need to bring in a running back to develop into the next Hawkins, considering he could leave following the 2020 season for the NFL Draft.

Who wouldn’t want a former five-star running back? Exactly. So with Louisville having a need at the position long-term and being able to show what Hawkins has done as a former three-star recruit, and what could be, landing a player like Slade could be a legit possibility should they go this route.

Ricky Slade is a Penn State transfer who played two years after being one of the top players in the country in the 2018 class. Michael Clark of 247 Sports wrote the following about the former five-star running back:

"“Slade is a special football player. He has great speed and quickness. Slade shows good vision and instincts. He runs with great balance and is very elusive. Slade also really understands how to attack defenses and has a high football I.Q. Overall, there’s not much he doesn’t do at an extremely high level. He is one of the most dynamic playmakers in the country.”"

Slade’s career hasn’t gone exactly how many expected after playing behind now Philadelphia Eagles running back Miles Sanders as a freshman and splitting carries with Journey Brown and Noah Cain this past season. That’s what led him to put his name into the transfer portal and look elsewhere to finish his college football career.

While the list of college football powers who are used to landing five-stars will come calling for Slade, the fit for him at Louisville seems hand-in-glove. Slade may look for another power to call home but at Louisville, he could sit one year learning the scheme and then step in behind Javian Hawkins should he decide to leave for the NFL. Recruiting Slade with the message “you can be the man in 2021” may attractive enough for Slade to call Louisville home, should the staff come calling.

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