Fans in midseason form

[bullwark]

All the preseason magazines lined up end to end couldn't illustrate the expectations surrounding the University of Louisville football team better than the sight that greeted the Cardinals yesterday when they took the field for their first practice of the summer.

More than 1,500 fans crammed into the construction-cramped U of L practice facility to watch coach Bobby Petrino put his team through its first paces.

"I can remember when we didn't get this many for the spring game," said longtime U of L fan Bob Maxey, who handed out 1,000 rosters for the sports information department.

The number was unprecedented for a U of L practice session, according to fans who go back beyond the Howard Schnellenberger years.

"I've never seen anything like it," said Dan Holden of Louisville. "Who would have ever thought it? I guess it shows how excited people are about this team."

Football sports information director Rocco Gasparro and director of football operations Greg Brohm found themselves in charge of crowd control to keep spectators a safe distance away. It was a losing battle.

There was a little bit of everything. Youth teams. Families. Recruits with parents. On the far sideline of the west practice field, a couple was making out at the 40-yard line.

"This is great," said Mel Brewton of Frankfort. "Used to be you'd see a handful of old guys at practice and that was it. Now it's fashionable, I guess. To me, the amazing change is with the team. I can remember coming and not being able to tell just from looking who were the linemen and who were the backs. Now we've got some legitimately big players out there. This is a real football team."

Freshman safety Darius Mann admitted that practicing with fans surrounding the field was "different."

"We don't get too many people at practice in New Jersey," he said. "But it was fun. You found yourself wanting to look and see people, but you can't do that. I think it brought some excitement."

Petrino agreed. He said he was happy enough with the team's first effort.

"I think we had a lot of enthusiasm, a lot of hustle and fire," he said. "We're not in pads, so one of our concerns is making sure we practice right and stay off the ground, which we still need to do a better job of. We bring our young guys out early and put them through individual drills, and I like what I saw there. We have some talent and speed and size.

"I think our players were excited to see this crowd here today, especially our young guys. You could see them come out here and think, 'Wow, all these people just for a practice.' It's nice. I like it, and that's why I like to keep it open the first week and let people come out and watch us."

The Cards will have two more practices without pads before the hitting begins.

"It was a good start," said senior wideout Joshua Tinch. "I think everybody was glad to be out there, but we have a long way to go. We all have to work hard to get on the same page, but I really believe this is going to be a good football team."