South Florida at Louisville
October 22, 2004 | 8:00 p.m.
Louisville, KY | Papa John's Cardinal Stadium
840 WHAS | ESPN
QUOTES
Louisville Head Coach Bobby Petrino
On of the South Florida defense: They have a
very good defensive front and they are very active. They're defensive
front gave us some problems last year because they are so active. They try to
take away the run by putting eight or nine guys in the box. They didn't do that
real well in the second half of the Army because they're not as experienced in
the secondary as they were a year ago.
On a potential letdown following
the Miami game: Yeah, you do have some concerns about it.
I think that's natural but what we need to do is go out and practice hard. We're
cutting practice back a little bit, not a whole lot. Today's routine is pretty
much the same...we are going out in full pads and we are going to practice hard
and get ready for South Florida. I really think we have a senior class that's
very close and very excited about what's in front of us and I think they'll do a
really good job of leading them.
On
being ranked: The benefit of being ranked is the excitement that our
players will have going to practice. They like seeing us ranked and they take
pride in it. I think it also benefits our recruiting.
South
Florida Head Coach Jim Leavitt
On
Louisville: They are a very strong team. They are one of
the top teams in the country. We are going to have to play a great game and we
know that. They don't really have any weaknesses.
On last year's win over U of L: Whenever you win it’s fun,
but I can’t really remember. I can’t think right now what I did last year.
Winning’s good; it always makes you feel better. Last year’s so far away, it
might as well be 50 years ago. I’m just trying to figure out how we’re going to
compete in this one.
On USF RB Andre Hall: He’s really been a good football player for
us, really helped our offense no doubt about that. I mean I’ve really been
pleased with how our offense has been playing when you rush for so many yards
like we did last week, and Andre’s been a real key for that. Andre works
extremely hard; he works hard every day. He’s getting better. I’m really happy
with the way he has been playing.
NOTES
GAME NOTES
This is only the second meeting between the Cardinals and Bulls. South
Florida won the first contest, held last year, 31-28 in double overtime.
USF will be attempting to avoid its first 3-game losing streak in school
history.
U of L is 2-0 in league play, while USF is 1-2.
Both programs will move to the Big East Conference next season.
LOUISVILLE
-
Senior wide receiver J.R. Russell is coming off one of the
finest seasons ever for a Cardinal wide receiver. The native of Tampa, Fla.,
recorded a career-high 75 receptions for a school record 1,213 yards. He
became just the fourth player in school history to record 1,000 or more yards
in a season and looks to become just the third pass catcher at U of L to
record 1,000 or more yards in consecutive seasons. Deion Branch accomplished
the feat in 2000-01 and Arnold Jackson did it in 1998-99. After five games,
Russell stands seventh all-time with 142 receptions and sixth in receiving
yards with 1,946 He needs 54 yards and seven catches to become just the fourth
player to record 150 receptions and 2,000 yards receiving.
-
Senior quarterback Stefan LeFors became just the 10th
quarterback in school history to throw for more than 4,000 yards in his
career. LeFors has thrown for 4,197 yards, which is 10th all-time in school
history.
-
The 2004 senior class begins this season as one of the
winningest classes in the history of U of L football. This group enters the
year with a 31-13 mark and three straight bowl appearances. The 2003 class set
the mark for wins when they wrapped up their careers with a 36-15 record.
-
After five weeks, the Cardinals rank 11th in the country in
rushing, averaging 239.60 yards per game after a 214-yard performance against
#3 Miami last Thursday in the Orange Bowl. It marked the 12th time in 18 games
under coach Petrino that the Cardinals have rushed for more than 200 yards in
a game. The Cardinals are 10-2 when rushing for more than 200 yards in a
contest.
SOUTH FLORIDA
-
Louisville will be the first ranked opponent USF meets this
season. The Bulls are 5-8 all-time against ranked foes, including those at the
I-AA level in the Bulls first four season. USF is 1-3 against I-A ranked
opponents, with a lone win over Bowling Green in 2002.
-
USF strongside linebacker Stephen Nicholas is one of seven
Conference USA players on the Butkus Award Watch List compiled by the Downtown
Athletic Club of Orlando. Nicholas was named a freshman All-American by The
Sporting News last fall when he had 46 tackles and 5.5 sacks.
-
Despite playing in just three collegiate games, true freshman
Chris Johnson has already made an immediate impact on East Carolina’s
offensive unit ... In his first career start, Johnson rushed for a team-high
96 yards and one TD on just six carries against Wake Forest -- an amazing
average of 16.0 yards per carry
-
Running back Andre Hall is 29th in the nation in kickoff
returns with an average of 25.5 per return. Hall is also averaging 94.6
rushing yards per game, with an average of 5.8 yards a carry.
STATISTICAL COMPARISON
| |
Louisville |
South Florida |
| Rushing Offense |
239.6 |
154.0 |
| Passing Offense |
264.8 |
158.8 |
| Total Offense |
504.4 |
312.8 |
| Scoring Offense |
42.2 |
24.8 |
| Rushing Defense |
90.4 |
140.2 |
| Passing Defense |
204.8 |
210.8 |
| Total Defense |
295.2 |
351.0 |
| Scoring Defense |
13.8 |
30.8 |
| 3rd Down Conversion |
37/71 |
30/74 |
| Turnover Margain |
+8 |
-1 |
ITV PREDICTION
There won't be a post-Miami letdown, but this will be a game that Louisville
gets tested early.
South Florida Andre Hall will run and run often, so the
Louisville defense must return to it's pre-Miami second half form and limit
USF's ground yards. Offensively, Louisville will once again use a very
balanced attack, but will test the Bulls secondary frequently, more than it has
against previous opponents.
It'll be close in the first half, but the Cardinals open it up in the second
frame, securing it's fifth victory of the season by the time the fourth quarter
arrives.
Louisville 37 South Florida 17
"Get Used To It!" - Bobby Petrino