From the Louisville newspaper...

[Jim Johnson]

From the Louisville Courier-Journal:

LeFors scores this KO

And Cardinals' defense is every bit as flawless

By Eric Crawford

ecrawford@courier-journal.com

The Courier-Journal

Just call him Laser.

University of Louisville quarterback Stefan LeFors was that precise in last night's game against South Florida.

Eight days after suffering a concussion in a three-point loss at Miami, the senior completed his first 13 passes and 21 o f26 overall as the No.15-ranked Cardinals showed no ill effects from that heartbreaker. Any Florida frustration they might have been feeling they took out on South Florida, running the Bulls out of Papa John's Cardinal Stadium in a 41-9 stampede.

A crowd of 42,032, fifth-largest in stadium history, watched UofL improve to 5-1 overall and 3-0 in Conference USA, its best conference start since 2001. The Cards have outscored their C-USA opponents 152-37.

"I was very impressed with our players' ability to focus and bounce back and take care of business," coach Bobby Petrino said.

Nobody was open for business more than LeFors. After the Cards fumbled the ball away on their opening possession, they scored on all six drives LeFors directed the rest of the night. He passed for 242 yards and also hurt the Bulls with his legs, carrying seven times for 39 yards. Four of those runs went for first downs  three on third down  and he scampered 13 yards for a touchdown.

"This was just one of those games where every time you throw the ball, you feel like a receiver is going to come down with the catch," LeFors said. "The holes look bigger and everything works. I'm just having fun out there."

Said Petrino: "He's been unbelievable. I've never been around a quarterback who has executed like that."

While LeFors was nearly flawless, so was the UofL defense. After wearing down and giving up 34 second-half points at Miami, the Cards stopped South Florida cold most of the night.

At the end of three quarters they had allowed only 61 yards  17 through the air  on 39 plays. South Florida quarterbacks had thrown as many interceptions (two) as completions. The Bulls (2-4, 1-3) converted only one third down in the game and dropped six passes.

"We came back and showed we're for real," senior safety Kerry Rhodes said of the defense. "This is not going to be like last year. ... For 18 quarters we were dominant, then we played Miami and had a meltdown and people started comparing us to last year. But we're a better team now."

The only first-half misfire for UofL came on its very first possession. J.R. Russell hauled in a 15-yard pass from LeFors but fumbled the ball away. Then the Bulls went three-and-out, and LeFors went to work.

He completed 6of6 passes for 39 yards, ran twice for 12 yards and two first downs and executed a nice speed option play  the first of three in the game  that netted a 9-yard run by Michael Bush.

LeFors capped the drive by hitting tight end Adam McCauley for the senior's first career TD reception, and UofL was on its way. After the defense stopped South Florida again, Montrell Jones returned a punt 23 yards to the Bulls' 26, and Bush carried it in from 9 yards out three plays later.

LeFors' numbers were impressive, but his decisions were even better. South Florida threw a number of different looks at the Cardinals early, hoping to stop the running game. But each time LeFors was able to read what he saw and check to a different play  usually a quick-hitting pass  that kept the Bulls on their heels.

"I probably had to do more of that tonight than usual," he said.

"Stefan does a great job of getting us out of plays that aren't going to work and making something good happen," McCauley said. "I have as much respect for him as I do anyone on the team. He's a big-time quarterback."

Russell had his biggest performance of the season, catching eight passes for 111 yards, and the Cards topped the 300-yard passing mark for the third time this season, all against C-USA competition. Jones had a pair of catches for 67 yards.

Bush led the rushing attack with nine carries for 64 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

The defense held South Florida to just 3-for-21 passing, the fewest completions against UofL since a victory over a wishbone-based Army team on Oct.19, 1991.

"I thought our defense showed a lot of pride," Petrino said. "They got back to being really aggressive, stopping the run and forcing turnovers."

The Cards amassed 517 yards of offense, the fourth time they've topped 500 this season.

"Obviously, Louisville is better than we are," South Florida coach Jim Leavitt said. "We beat them last year, they beat us this year and we're excited that we get to continue playing them. ... I haven't seen all the other top teams, but they look pretty good to me."

UofL won't play again until Thursday, Nov.4, at C-USA rival Memphis in another another nationally televised game.

http://www.courier-journal.com/cjsports/news2004/10/23/C1-ulfbm1023-7442.html

[Zonald]

ironic they compared us to the '91 Army team considering we just lost to them...