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Louisville football: Five most important players returning for 2020 campaign

By Presley Meyer

LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY - OCTOBER 05: Micale Cunningham #3 of the Louisville Cardinals in action in the game against the Boston College Eagles at Cardinal Stadium on October 05, 2019 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY - OCTOBER 05: Micale Cunningham #3 of the Louisville Cardinals in action in the game against the Boston College Eagles at Cardinal Stadium on October 05, 2019 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) /
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LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY – OCTOBER 26: C.J. Avery #9 of the Louisville Cardinals reaches to recover a fumble by Joe Reed #2 of the Virginia Cavaliers on October 26, 2019 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY – OCTOBER 26: C.J. Avery #9 of the Louisville Cardinals reaches to recover a fumble by Joe Reed #2 of the Virginia Cavaliers on October 26, 2019 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

C.J. Avery

We mentioned the importance of the health of Russ Yeast, but let’s not soon forget how impactful do-it-all linebacker hybrid CJ Avery was for the Cardinals in 2019.

The team’s leading tackler also was third on the team in sacks and broke up six passes as a junior.

Avery is the Russ Yeast of the linebacking unit. He can play all over the field, and he is as impactful in pass coverage as he is when it comes to stopping the run.

Louisville brings back its core of linebackers in 2020, but Avery is perhaps the most vital in Louisville’s system.

Under defensive coordinator Bryan Brown, the linebacking unit helps both seal the holes and contain the edge in the run game. You will often see three down lineman with a fourth or even fifth player at the line on the edges. That’s where Avery and some of Louisville’s other speedy linebackers may be able to take advantage of some mismatches this season.

Avery has great field awareness, and among the linebacking unit was the most adept at reading runners coming through the line and preventing big-time gains.

Expect Avery to place an exclamation point on his career in his second consecutive year under the same coordinator for the first time.

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