U of L needs to relight home fires

[bullwark]

U of L needs to relight home fires

Bulls a tough team to do that against

Link:http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20081025/SPORTS02/810250506/1002/SPORTS?GID=mUS8eiLzjMK68XWmEgxC29u+SEwzufaaII1Yzo2VACw%3D

By Michael Grant

mgrant@courier-journal.comThe Courier-Journal

If the University of Louisville football team wants to re-establish some home-field mojo, a victory over No. 14 South Florida today would be a major step in the right direction.

The Cardinals (4-2, 0-1 Big East Conference) have had problems protecting their turf in the past two seasons; under coach Steve Kragthorpe they are a lukewarm 7-4 at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. By comparison, Bobby Petrino was 22-1 in his four seasons, and before that John L. Smith was 24-7 over five years.

South Florida (6-1, 1-1) will be tough to beat on any field. The Bulls are seventh in the Football Bowl Subdivision in total defense, allowing 260.43 yards per game. They have a star quarterback in Matt Grothe (12 touchdown passes, three interceptions). They have a top-flight defensive terror in end George Selvie (team-best three sacks despite being limited by injuries).

And, oh yeah, they have that No. 14 ranking.

U of L linebacker Jon Dempsey still feels the sting of home losses to Kentucky and Connecticut.

"It makes it special for the whole team," the junior-college transfer said of facing the high-profile Bulls. "We lost two games we could have pulled off. If we beat South Florida, I think we'll be in a good position. We know that we're good and we can play good. We can be good as a whole if everyone does what they have to do."

U of L is gunning for its first home victory over a ranked foe since beating No. 3 West Virginia in 2006.

"It's very exciting facing any team, ranked team or not," freshman tailback Victor Anderson said. "It's going to be exciting because it's a conference game. I think that will give everyone a lot of excitement and get them ready to play with a lot of firepower.

"It's not just playing well against them but winning the game. We have to come out and prepare, and I think we'll be all right."

U of L-South Florida has been a home-dominant series. The Cardinals are 2-0 here, winning 41-9 in 2004 and 31-8 in 2006. The Bulls have flipped the script in Florida, going 3-0 against U of L by scores of 31-28 in overtime in 2003, 45-14 in 2005 and 55-17 last year.

Last season South Florida forced the Cards into seven turnovers, including a fumble on the opening kickoff. U of L quarterback Brian Brohm had one of the worst games of his career: 18 of 37 for 213 yards and a touchdown with three interceptions. South Florida also rolled up 481 yards of offense.

Kragthorpe is aware that the series has had wild swings.

"It really has," he said. "You can go back to when it was Conference USA games. It's a great series. Our guys understand that. I think (South Florida coach) Jim Leavitt has done a great job."

Kragthorpe said first-down production will be important to stay out of third-and-long situations against the Bulls' defense. He also said Pitt pressured Grothe and forced him to move side to side as opposed to splitting the defense with runs up the middle.

Kragthorpe added that the crowd could make things hard on South Florida. That's what home-field advantage is all about.

"It's a great opportunity for us," he said. "I think our fans are excited about it."

Michael Grant can be reached at (502) 582-4069.