ITV visited with former Cardinal quarterback Chris Redman on Friday as he prepared to work out with another former Cardinal quarterback, Dave Ragone.
ITV: First talk about how your early sessions went this spring in Baltimore?
Redman: Mimi camps went real well and I think I am a lot further ahead of schedule then I thought I was going to be with my back injury. For having surgery in January I feel great. Everything is going well. I think our team does not look as young as it did a year ago when we were the youngest team in the NFL’s history. We are more mature with more experience and I think we will be very competitive.
ITV: I was talking with your dad a few weeks ago and he was telling me you told him your back is felling better then it’s felt in years.
Redman: Possibly since high school honestly. It’s crazy to say but when I hurt my back in Louisville really early in my freshman year. I kind of learned how to deal with it throughout college and now it feels great. I wake up in the morning and it’s not as tight, so I am real excited about it.
ITV: What do you think about the competition you have in Baltimore?
Redman: Well, it’s good competition. We drafted a guy, Kyle Boller in the first round. He is as good as there is right now as far as coming out of college. He is a good quarterback, but I got a little experience on him and I feel like I am in a good position right now.
ITV: What do you think of Coach Petrino coming in? Obviously you had some success under him that first year.
Redman: I am real fired up. I know he is working them hard. He will get the program were it needs to be. I think he is going to do a great job. He already has had a great recruiting class. I wouldn’t be around right now if it wasn’t for him. I really think a lot of him.
ITV: With Michael Bush being Male High School alum as well and possible playing quarterback, have you had a chance to talk to him? Has he approached you at all about pointers?
Redman: Yeah, we have talked a bunch. My dad was coaching at the Kentucky – Tennessee All-Star game. I went down to watch them practice and watch the game. He is just a phenom. Right now he is pretty raw as far as fundamentals, but I think that is where Petrino is going to come in. I think he does a great job grooming quarterbacks and being real hard on the fundamentals. I think he is going to be really good. I think he’s in a great spot and I look forward to watching his career.
ITV: What kind of reception do you get when you come to the football facility, especially from the younger guys?
Redman: It’s still pretty good. I still know some guys that are playing. I try to watch them as much as I can. They don’t realize how much bragging rights and how much trash talk with Adalius Thomas and Conference USA there is. I definitely keep up with them when we come back and I think we all get along and they ask questions and I try to tell them like it is.
ITV: What do you think about of all this conference talk and Louisville possibly getting into the BCS?
Redman: I think it would be awesome. Obviously I think it would be the right step for the program. It will get Louisville were it wanted to be originally with Howard Schnellenberger saying this is going to be a team that talks about national championships. We get this opportunity to get in a bigger conference that’s one step closer to getting back to those thoughts.
Visit ChrisRedman.org.