CARDMarch @ 5:15!!
TCU at (12) Louisville
November 10, 2004 | 7:30 p.m.
Louisville, KY | Papa John's Cardinal Stadium
840 WHAS | espn2
QUOTES
Louisville Head Coach Bobby Petrino
On TCU: They are a very good football team.
You watch them on video and you wonder how they are 4-4. They have tremendous
speed offensively, two very experienced quarterbacks who've won a bunch of games
for them, two really good running backs, defensively, they are very fast. Same
guys basically we played against last year...a couple of new defensive linemen,
the same real good linebacker, and corners. You know they play a physical game
of football. During the game last year when we played TCU our players were kind
of like, 'Yeah maybe we can do this' and started getting more and more
confidence as the game goes on. I think we can match up with them physically. We
definitely need to be able to control the line of scrimmage with our offensive
line and running backs. Defensively, we're going to have to get pressure on the
quarterback. If we don't do that, it's going to be a very difficult game.On
having a short week to prepare for TCU: We really haven't had
time to think about the Memphis game a lot. The coaches came back and started
working on Friday. We gave the players Friday off, practiced Saturday and
Sunday. Today is Thursday to us, we're completely out of it. It's a real short
turnaround. We're going to try to get them there fresh, a lot of mental work,
extra videos, walk-throughs, cutting practice back (Saturday we only went out in
helmets) they practiced at a very good tempo and had a lot of enthusiasm.
On the possibility of TCU running an offense similar to
Memphis: Well, they're a little different style of offense. TCU
is a very fast tempo offense. They do what you call, Get up, Get down, Get off
so they break the huddle very quick, get to the line of scrimmage, snap the ball
right away, throw a guy in motion really quick. It's a very very different style
of offense then Memphis. They're very effective at what they do, they run the
option which is going to cause us to make sure we have our assignment correct on
every play. We're going to have to tackle a lot better than we did the other
night...we missed tackles that allowed them to make big plays.
Memphis Head Coach Gary Patterson
Gary Patterson (AP) |
On
Louisville: You have to be like them and attack. They're very good at
what they do. Louisville's quarterback (Stefan LeFors) scrambles against
everyone. Another thing you have to do is tackle well. Their wide receivers are
very good at breaking tackles, and they run about five tailbacks at you.
Louisville uses nine to 10 personnel groups. There are situations where they get
up on you and use new groups against you. Their best tailback in that system
might be Kolby Smith. The difference in Louisville from when we first played
them in 2001 is their defense is a lot better. I think I read somewhere that 38
percent of the offense they have allowed has come in the fourth quarter when
their twos and threes come in.
On having extra time to prepare for U of
L: We have extra time to get ready and their time is short. Louisville
has to play a Thursday night game on the road at Memphis and won't have a lot of
time to evaluate. We won't have to worry about as many new things going in. We
do enough offensively for them to have problems getting ready. (Head coach Bobby
Petino) gave them extra time off after South Florida. Louisville hasn't really
been that beat up. It's hard to be when you're up by 35 at half all the time.
On Bobby Petrino: Bobby Petrino has made them
a lot more accountable and given that team much more substance. He's done a
tremendous job. I like to study coaches and players in interviews. He's done a
great job changing that group. That's what they needed. Their players talk about
`we' instead of `I.'
NOTES
GAME NOTES
This is the fourth meeting between the two programs, with
TCU winning all previous meetings, including 31-28 last fall.
Louisville currently holds the best ranking in school record
at 12th in the AP Poll.U of L is 3-0 at home this
season and 8-1 in two seasons under the direction of Bobby Petrino.
The Cardinals are attempting to go 5-0 in Conference USA play
for the first since the 2001 season.TCU defeated U
of L 45-31 in the only meeting in Papa John's Cardinal Stadium.LOUISVILLE
LeFors with Petrino (ITV) |
-
Quarterback Stefan LeFors continues to be amazingly accurate in
the passing game. The senior hasn't thrown an interception since the third
quarter of the Kentucky game. Over the past three games, LeFors is
completing 75.6% of his attempts and has thrown for 805 yards and 7 touchdowns.
-
Linebacker Robert McCune recorded 12 tackles in the win against
Memphis, marking the fifth time this season that he has reached at least a
dozen.
-
Receiver Joshua Tinch caught a career-high 8 passes against
Memphis. Tinch needs just four catches to surpass his mark of 26
receptions of a year ago. However, he is still looking for the end zone
this year.
-
Despite not recording a sack against Memphis, senior defensive
end Marcus Jones now has 18 career sacks, sixth most in school history.
- The QB duo of Stefan LeFors and Brian Brohm have combined to throw to 14
different receivers this season. U of L is 12-2 during the past two
seasons when seven or more players catch a pass during one game.
- Kicker Art Carmody set a new record for consecutive PAT's converted in the
56-49 win at Memphis last week. Carmody has now made 39 PAT's in a row,
surpassing the previous mark of 35 straight, which was set by Wade Tydlacka and
Nate Smith.
TCU
-
The 10 points scored in their loss to Cincinnati last weekend
was the fewest points the Horned Frogs have scored in a game since the 2001
galleryfurniture.com bowl.
-
In the previous three outings against Louisville, TCU outscored
the Cardinals 38-10 in the first quarter and 86-33 by halftime.
-
The 32.6 points per game average for the Frogs this season is
the third most in school's history through eight games.
-
TCU has done a good job this season holding on to the ball.
The Frogs have committed just 8 turnovers
STATISTICAL COMPARISON
| |
Louisville |
TCU |
| Rushing Offense |
235.4 |
160.5 |
| Passing Offense |
284.3 |
273.1 |
| Total Offense |
519.7 |
433.6 |
| Scoring Offense |
44.0 |
32.6 |
| Rushing Defense |
118.6 |
121.1 |
| Passing Defense |
207.4 |
304.2 |
| Total Defense |
326.0 |
425.4 |
| Scoring Defense |
18.1 |
33.2 |
| Net Punting |
33.53 |
35.39 |
| Turnover Margain |
+9 |
+3 |
ITV
PREDICTION
The Horned Frogs have been a thorn in the side of
Louisville for the past three seasons and once again have the tools to pull an
upset. TCU, like Memphis, has a great balanced attack on offense with
quarterbacks Brandon Hassell and Tye Gunn, as well as two dangerous running
backs in Lonta Hobbs and Robert Merrill. However, unlike previous seasons,
the Horned Frogs defense can be porous at times, especially against the pass.
Louisville's offense, which hasn't been slowed much this
season, will once again move the ball frequently and while TCU has a decent rush
defense, it won't be able to slow the trio of Eric Shelton, Lionel Gates and
Michael Bush. The key for U of L will be how the defense responds after
giving up 49 points in their last outing. The Cardinals defensive front
must get pressure on the Frogs quarterbacks and all signs point to that
happening.
The Cardinals slow down the Frogs more than once and pull
away in the end.
Louisville 42 TCU 24
"Get Used To It!" - Bobby Petrino