All attention should be on U of L defense

[bullwark]

 

Rick Bozich

Sports Illustrated dispatched a writer to Kenan Stadium yesterday. Look for 600 words about the University to Louisville and its quarterback Stefan LeFors in this week's issue.

The University of North Carolina radio network invited me to be a guest during halftime of yesterday's game between the Cardinals and Tar Heels. Mick Mixon had questions about LeFors, Brian Brohm, Michael Bush, Bobby Petrino, Rick Pitino and even Tubby Smith.

But not one silly syllable about the guys who pursue and punish for assistant coach Mike Cassity's UofL defense.

I've got a secret for Sports Illustrated, the UNC network, ESPN, the Wall Street Journal, Cosmopolitan and anybody else accustomed to characterizing the Cards as a First-One-to-50 football team:

The times they are a changin'.

So are the statistics. Louisville (3-0) thumped North Carolina 34-0. So dominant were the Cards that by the middle of the second quarter Carolina fans were asking whether Roy Williams had received any more commitments to his basketball program. (Yes, one on Friday.)

"After we shut down Kentucky and Army, people said our defense hasn't played anybody," UofL receiver J.R. Russell said. "Well, they shut down an ACC school today. I'm all for it."

Becoming a believer

This was more than Louisville's first two-shutout season in nine years. This was a shutout against an offense averaging 478 yards and 36 points, a shutout against a program that had scored at least 13 points in 14 consecutive games, a shutout wrapped in three crisp turnovers.

Blank Kentucky and some will shrug. It happens. Silence UK and a North Carolina team that hung 24 points on No.15 Virginia, and it's time for the offense to surrender the headlines for a day.

"They've shocked me," halfback Eric Shelton said. "I didn't know if they could pitch another shutout against a team that has the athletes North Carolina has."

Join the crowd. I didn't know if they could pitch another shutout against a team that has the athletes North Carolina has. Confidence used to be a problem for the defense. Now it might be overconfidence.

Some stereotypes die hard. This one died a little more when Louisville kept North Carolina outside the Cards' 20 on eight of nine possessions. On its sole trip to the UofL 5 in the fourth quarter, Carolina was stopped after Elvis Dumervil, Kerry Rhodes and Antoine Sharp combined to create and recover a fumble.

"We weren't leaving without a shutout," Rhodes said.

Magic in Miami?

Watching Louisville defend in three games, I see a defense capable of delivering a magical moment when the Cards head to the Orange Bowl to play Miami on Oct.14.

Yes, I said it. Yes, I mean it.

Cassity has to be an early leader for Assistant Coach of the Year. His defense has allowed fewer points (21) in three games this season than the Cards allowed in any of their final five games last season.

"My aggressiveness and my confidence are through the roof right now," linebacker Brandon Johnson said. "Our whole team is that way. True enough we haven't played Oklahoma. But you know, we're still giving people a lot of problems."

The Cardinals are giving people more than problems. They have a defensive front that is eliminating second-and-short situations. The linebackers can attack or close passing lanes. The secondary has been solid.

True, the Cardinals have yet to face an exceptional passing quarterback. But how many guys with powerful and accurate throwing arms are on the schedule?

One? Two? No more than that.

Louisville still has a football team that can outscore you. But this year the Cardinals don't have to.

[bulls96go]

this team is finally for real

they will take us lightly again this year

hope they are top 20 when we take them down