Louisville football: 3 not-so-crazy defensive predictions in 2020

Louisville football generates 25-plus turnovers

Here’s a topic that most around Louisville football completely looked over in 2019.

In year one under Scott Satterfield, the Cardinals really struggled to create extra possessions. It took the Cardinals until the fifth game of the season to pick off a pass, and fumbles were equally difficult to come by.

Louisville finished the season with just seven interceptions and 10 fumble recoveries, one of the worst marks in the nation.

As we’ve mentioned lately, a lot of Louisville’s lack of ability to force turnovers had to do with a lack of pass rush and its inability to get any push in its rush defense.

Louisville has to get better up front in order to give the offense extra possessions. Putting pressure on the quarterback changes the entire dynamic of the game and allows the Cardinals secondary to be more aggressive in the passing game.

The Cardinals did force 15 fumbles last season, spearheaded by Anthony Johnson and Monty Montgomery. However, returning defensive linemen Tabarius Peterson, Jared Goldwire, Malik Clark, and Danya Kinnaird combined to force one turnover. That’s where things have to improve.

The Louisville football defensive line should be bolstered by the additions of Henry Bryant, Yaya Diaby, and Ja’Darien Boykin next season, but the core returnees still need to generate more pressure and clog more holes along the front three or the Cardinals will continue to struggle.

However, if the Cards can improve along the line, the sky is the limit. Johnson, Russ Yeast, Isaiah Hayes, and Chandler Jones are a talented group that could become a lockdown group in the passing game if opposing quarterbacks get a little uncomfortable in the pocket.