Another Clunker in Chapel Hill: Tar Heels Beat Cards 14-7

That was brutal.

The Cards-Carolina game of 2011 was a penalty-maddening monstrosity, a terrible anti-beauty witnessed by a national audience. What's frustrating is that Louisville did not come out and play like the outmanned, overwhelmed opponent as so many had forecast. Not only did we play our way into contention at game's beginning, but by all judgments we should have built a two-score lead to last us through much of the game. In the first half, we were the better team.

Clearly there is a lot of talent flying around on the field. But nothing ever works in sync. Penalties, mistakes, and a hook-it-left golf swing from kicker Chris Philpott doomed all drives and flattened any momentum in this game. That we moved the ball so capably in the first half to have nothing to show for it at half's end broke the backs of our players and their collective spirit as they headed into the locker room.

And that would be all she wrote, for the Cards offense was downright dysfunctional in the second half. Suddenly nothing out of Shawn Watson's playbook worked, though towards the end it became hard to decipher much difference between him and his predecessor. Perhaps that's an unfair judgement to make, but all I can convey is how frustrating it was to watch us run off-tackle on 1st and 25, following yet another penalty, down by two touchdowns and only minutes to play.

I can't even muster the will to discuss special teams.

The Louisville D played like giants today. But those guys can only keep up the rabid intensity of which they are so clearly capable when the hunters know their earnings won't go to waste.

Stats here.

Cards surrender a big opportunity and lose a non-conference game that easily could have been theirs. I don't know if the problem is coaching or discipline or youth. I just know it sucks.

Game Time

BEAT NORTH CAROLINA.


Game available here.

Bozich says Sanford not all the way gone

From Bozich's blog:

Offensive coordinator Mike Sanford is not in Chapel Hill.

But reports that Sanford has been dismissed from the staff are inaccurate. Sanford is in the first season of a two-year contract. His status will be determined next week, and there is a reasonable chance Sanford will return to the staff in another role.

Watson is expected to focus on establishing a single back, perhaps sophomore Dominique Brown, today against North Carolina.

 Full post here.

...and predictions

I have to be honest. I have not been looking forward to making my prediction this week. Last week's loss was sufficiently deflating, then the Big East Conference disintegrated before our very eyes and is now decomposing, followed now by this whole Sanford ordeal.

So yeah, rough week, and it takes its toll on game-time enthusiasm even when you're headed into one of the most anticipated match-ups. But hey, you know the last time it felt a little like this? Kentucky. And even though North Carolina is a significantly better, more talented opponent than UK, you gotta believe by now that Charlie Strong's specialty is motivation, especially when the chips are down, the bottom's falling out and the team's coming off a bad performance and a nightmare week. At least I sure hope that's the case. So let's do this.

But where to begin? Not only do we not know which quarterback is going to get the starting nod, but we've got an entirely new offensive playcaller, Shawn Watson, at the helm.  He's the quarterbacks coach, if that tells you anything. A QB coach now calling the shots, you gotta figure we might be more willing to air it out, right? After all, we brought him in here to help develop Teddy Bridgewater. Yep, brought him over from Nebraska...

Let's start with defense.

I have to think that the defensive squad is poised to rally, after Strong let 'em know in no uncertain terms how much they let down the team on that opening drive last week, surrendering all momentum from Kentucky in one fell swoop. Not really fair, since the defense is regularly trusted to carry the day, but that's the way it is. Look for Dexter Heyman to recover from a semi-poor outing against Marshall -- only two tackles in that last game, though both were for losses. I see Dexter matching his season high of eight tackles, including his second sack of the year. I think we would all feel reassured if Anthony Conner comes up with an INT today as well. That's not really a prediction, just an aspiration.

Okay, I'm babbling a bit here; let's get focused. I predict a big day for the defense led by Hakeem Smith, who will break up some big pass plays (he leads the team with three pass breakups on the season) and help Louisville contain Giovani Bernard. As for Greg Scruggs, he's had somewhat of a quixotic year so far, having only recorded ten tackles altogether but leading the team in sacks. Let's say he turns those numbers upside down... no sacks, but a high number of tackles on the day. And a defensive fumble recovery will force a big-time momentum shift late in the game. Some of this has to come true for us to win.

As for the offense? It won't be pretty, but they'll string together enough operable plays to get some points on the board and preserve a narrow lead. The one thing I don't recall in the Strong era is many late-game come-from-behind victories (hardly shocking given the offensive philosophy in place). I don't see this game being a first, so the Cards will have to battle their way to a narrow lead in the first half and fight like hell to protect it during the second.

Only now, as we have apparently entered the post-Sanford playcalling era, protecting the lead can no longer boil down to trying to expire the clock for quarters on end. Louisville has to remain aggressive, not settle; it has to have the mindset and combativeness and determination to stretch a one-touchdown lead to... dare I say it... two touchdowns. Here's hoping that they can do that, because an offensive turnover by Teddy B. in the third quarter will eradicate part of that lead. Yet the Cards will hold on for victory, assuming an eighty yard performance from one of our running backs (I vote Dominique Brown, but still have no clue what happened to him last weekend) and a big receiving day from -- can't believe I'm predicting this -- Chichester. Let's call this one for the Cards, 20-17. Player of the Game: Chi.

Go Cards!

Oh yeah, what about quarterback?

Lost amid all the commotion regarding the Strong Tirade, the collapse of the Big East Conference and now the Sanford ordeal, it still remains an open question who will start at quarterback tomorrow.

I believe that most fans expect to see Bridgewater at the helm; but Will Stein finally did put the pads back on last Tuesday. If Stein's ready to go, does Strong stick with Teddy?

And the earliest of reports is that the coaching staff brouhaha that might have led to Sanford's pink slip involved disagreement about how to use Teddy Bridgewater. Is that to say that Strong wanted to see better utilization of Bridge's abilities? Or less?

Holy Saint Howard, it's been a confusing week!

**Breaking Again**

Brett McMurphy reports that Mike Sanford is "no longer with the program." 

**BREAKING**

Now official. OC Mike Sanford did not travel with the team to North Carolina. QB coach Shawn Watson will presumably take over his duties.

Very weird. Why not just part ways? I've heard of marriages reconciling after trial separations, but not coordinators.

Predictions predictions...

Despite all their personnel advantages, I keep reminding myself that UNC hasn't been as impressive on the field this season as they have been on paper. They struggled to overcome Rutgers by 2, and came out on top in an ugly contest against ECU. They've given up over 500 yards of offense in each of their last two games.

The Cards can win this game. It feels like one of those flukey seasons where we'll get beat by underdogs, but then show up as a different team when we are the underdogs. But a lot of things have to go right early. This is one of the most "sensitive" teams I can recall, one that fully admits that they relished the UK win too much, and that seems to wear emotions on the collective sleave when the breaks are beatin' the boys.

So I think the Cards need to score first. Louisville has shown the ability to move the ball down the field efficiently, but then transforms into one of the worst redzone teams in college football. That must be cured tomorrow to have any chance. I think Jeremy Wright puts the Cards on the board first with an impressive scamper from about the 15-yard line, the kind we were counting on seeing a lot this season.

The defense again struggles in the first half. They keep a lid on the running game only to give away big chunks of yardage on 3rd and longs. But a fumble gives Louisville an extra possession in the second quarter. They can't cash it in for a touchdown, but it gives them a boost and takes them into the locker room down 14-10.

UNC scores first in the 3rd and things will look bleak. But Bridgewater takes them downfield at the end of the quarter and scrambles for a TD, making the score 21-17, and the Cards gain confidence as the proverbial "alligator blood" team.

The 4th quarter will be won by the Cardinal defense that is faster and more aggressive than UNC anticipated. Louisville is blitzing on almost every down and winning more often than not. Teddy gets the ball in his hands with about 6 minutes left. He marshals the coulda woulda drive he shouda against, well, Marshall, and cashes in for a TD to Andrell Smith. The sideline goes nuts. UNC's final drive stalls around midfield with some solid, chest hair-growing play from the young secondary.

UofL scores the upset 24-21. Player of the game? Teddy Bridgewater. It's gotta be.

Enemy Dossier: Giovani Bernard

NAME: Bernard, Giovani AKA "Lightning" (as half of a "Thunder & Lightning" running back duo. Bernard doesn't like the moniker cause it implies he's flashy and not rugged. He believes he's both)

HOMETOWN: Davie, FL

SIZE & STATS: 5'10'', 205lbs (2011: 78 carries, 548 yards, 7 yard avg, 7 TDs)

CARDINAL COUNTERPART: Vic Anderson

POSITION ADVANTAGE: UNC

MR. RED'S ANALYSIS: Coming out of high school, Bernard was heralded as the second ranked running back in the state of Florida, and one of the top #15 backs in the nation. A torn ACL caused him to redshirt his freshman sesason, and he is just now getting back to full form. Bernard's listed at 5'10'' but most believe he's a even a couple inches closer to sea level. But he still packs a whallop; a short, powerful back in the Maruice Jones Drew mold.

He's making a name for himself for yards after contact; one hit or sloppy tackling won't get him to the ground. He's not blazingly fast, especially coming off knee surgery, but has more than enough pep to break off some big runs.

Somewhere in the trio of Anderson/Wright/Brown are all the parts of a better running back. But to date, we don't have anything close to the complete package that is Giovanni Bernard.

Whoa

So apparently there is a little fire to the smoke that's been swirling the past couple days, that friction exists between some UofL coaches, particularly between Charlie Strong and OC Mike Sanford. Rumors first surfaced that Sanford had not been running the offense in practice this week, per custom, and hasn't been available to the media. According to CL Brown, Strong would only offer tepid denials of any turmoil and when asked if Sanford was going to be calling the plays against UNC would only say: "He's still on staff".

Major subplot for tomorrow's game.

Major Cardinal Laws announcements!

Thanks to my own inestimable worth (but mostly our fairy godbloggers over at Card Game) Mr. Red has been chosen to represent the Louisville Cardinals in "The Biggest Fan of the Big East" competition sponsored by Volvo.

Last year, if you recall, the whole shebang was won by Steve Springer, son of chief-observer Charlie, who must still must be pinching himself every time he starts his new sedan, the ultimate prize of the contest.

But all that is very much getting ahead of myself. More immediately, I get to attend Big East Media Day on October 19th in New York City, fully press credentialed, to take part in the happenings and meet the players and coaches. Dream come frickin' true. A huge thanks to Charlie Springer, of course, and you can read updates about the competition, especially Big East Media Day, on his site, UofL Card Game, and here. There's other aspects of the contest, lots of them, which I'm learning about as I type and will no doubt harangue you about in the coming months. But for now, Mr. Red is NYC-bound and I couldn't be happier.

Also, our other big news, Cardinal Laws will be making an appearance in print! There's a new publication in town you may have noticed, simply called "The Paper". It's a local and independent monthly publication dedicated to all things Louisville. It's chock full of talented young writers that are passionate about the city... going green, keeping Louisville weird, social justice, all that jazz. It's a really great read and one that you'll no doubt be seeing more of in the coming days.

Mr. Red will be joining the fun and writing sports columns for them beginning November 1st. Since it's a monthly publication, it presents a different challenge than a minute-by-minute blog; pieces need to stand up, by themselves, for a month or longer. But it's also a great chance to write some longer, more creative columns on the rich role sports play in this little 'burg. Cardinal sports, of course, most of all. And you definitely don't want to miss my first piece for November, I'm really excited about it.

We've been doing this for a little over two-years now, so it was time for a fresh coat of paint, a Cardinal Laws renaissance if you will. So if you read and like the blog, do us a solid and tell a friend. Lots of good stuff coming in the coming months. Stay tuned.

Go Cards.

Freeeeeee-fallin'...

OK. I tried. I wanted the Big East to make it work, it's still conceivably possible. But with the news today that TCU is out, instead joining the Big 12 (again, days after saying the opposite in a meeting of Big East football schools), it's clear that Tom Jurich and Louisville simply cannot afford not to make the move.

There has to be at least some solidarity when you're trying to build a league, or rebuild, as in this case. And in this climate that's just impossible.

So polish up those cowboy boots. If Missouri stops "exploring" and starts acting on going to the SEC, then the B12 won't wait long before adding two new members. And the latest indications are that Louisville is high on the Big 12 expansion list. If Cardinal football must go west to fulfill our Manifest Destiny, so be it.

Just another day in the Commonwealth

He said what? Oh no he didn't. Rick Bozich writes a column. Cal's a petty douchebag. Matt Jones goes apeshit. Rick Bozich looks like Paula Dean. Pitino responds: 59-years bitches, I ignore the ignorant. Big Blue goes crazy in faux-outrage. Pitino crossed a line. Did he call our coach ignorant? Jay Bilas brought in to mediate.

Just another day in a state with too much basketball and not enough bridges. Embrace it, hate it, shake your head at it. It's who we are.

* Like I said below, except perhaps misuse of the word "envy", I don't know what was so controversial about Bozich's article. Every one of Cal's "jabs" was well-documented, discussed, and yes, celebrated by UK fandom when they happened. There's a pattern here, which is what Bozich was writing about. If you don't want Calipari to be called out for being a petty douche, well, then stop being a petty douche.

* I actually like Matt Jones' stuff, well, some of it. I do think he's talented. But he has to be the most thin-skinned media personality I've ever seen. He loooves to dish it out, but he sure can't take it.

* Here was Pitino's response when he was asked about the latest "controversy"...

I ignore the jealous, I ignore the malicious, I ignore the ignorant and I ignore the paranoid.

Apparently, these words have crossed a line with Big Blue Nation and done hurt their feelers. Cal was just playin' around, now you have to go call our coach ignorant. Say it all together now, awwwwwwwww.

Please, I sure hope UK fans are being disingenuous with this kind of talk, cause if not, it reflects a level of obtuseness I wasn't prepared for.

Rick Pitino, coming off a humiliating public scandal, consistently asked about a rival coach who is obsessed and constantly jabbing, and a vocal fanbase that seems intent on destroying him no matter how gracious he trys to be. His quote, obviously, was directed towards the proverbial "all that". True to his autobiographical stream of consciousness that he talks in nowadays, he's learned to ignore "all that" in his 59 years.

UK fans trying to claim that Pitino has gone beyond the pale with his remarks, as if they were directed solely towards John Calipari are just being dumb, deliberately or inadvertantly. But even if he had directed it towards Cal, he would have been totally justified.

* Bozich's error in his column I think, was when he resorted to diminishing the success Calipari has had in Lexington, taking slights at UK's Elite 8 loss to West Virginia. If the premise of his piece is that Cal is jealous of Rick, then comparing the last two seasons isn't the best place to start.

That's where I think he messed up. He could have written a column just saying that Calipari needs to get a life and start acting like a damn grownup, and he would have been spot on. Trying to shoehorn critiques of his on-court accomplishments is where the piece got muddled, and opened himself up to attack.

* Again, I think Rick Pitino comes out looking like the only half-decent one in the whole thing. Cal's pettiness started it all, Bozich wrote a column he perhaps could have better edited, Matt Jones inserts himself into the argument and races straight to the bottom.
 
No doubt, this will only go down as part of the "back and forth" war between Cal and Pitino. But it's not! That's what irks me most about the whole thing. Calling it a back and forth would in some way justify Calipari's behavior when it's been completely over the top.
 
The only times I can recall Pitino "engaging" this phony war is when he made a comment about SEC basketball being a sub-par basketball conference and now, with these "scathing" remarks when he said he has learned to ignore ignorant, malicious, or paranoid talk. For shame, Rick, for shame.
 
Rick Pitino and UofL fans have a complex relationship. It is a shame that we need these occassional mud-flings for him to come out smelling rosey.

Bozich tells Calipari to get a life...

In his column today, which details the litany of Cal's obsession with Rick Pitino and Louisville. It's a good read, but I disagree with him on one thing when he writes that Calipari suffers from a first-rate case of "Pitino Envy".

Jealousy is too simple, too logical a solution that doesn't really capture this situation I don't think. It's more of Calipari just being utterly small and immature. And wallowing in it with a fanbase that loves being the same, one that adores his pettiness and equates it with bravery.

Hurry up, Sanford

I've been thinking about Mark Sanford and the Louisville offense a lot this week. He caught a lot of heat from others, including me, after the disaster against Marshall. Much of it was warranted, as Coach Strong read select portions of the Riot Act to his coaching staff after the game for failing to prepare them. But it seems like the generic complaint now to hurl at a stuggling offense is that the playcalling is "too vanilla" so I just wanted to make sure I wasn't just following the herd.

Statistically Sanford called a perfectly balanced game: 29 passes and 29 runs. That should be the benchmark, especially when a team isn't blessed with either a Green Bay Packers passing attack or an Oakland Raiders personnel for smashmouth football. Unless you do one thing spectacularly well, which we don't, a balanced attack should be the goal.

But what concerns me is the inability to create an effective gameplan. Against both FIU and Marshall, it looked like Strong & Sanford believed to have superior personnel; show up, line up, and execute the plays, any plays, and victory would follow. It sure didn't work out like that, whether it was because our personnel ain't that superior, or that they failed to execute, probably both, the offense became painful to watch for long stretches.

This week there are no excuses. Let me be clear, I'm not predicting an offensive explosion against UNC's vaunted defense, it's just that this week there will be no excuse for a stunningly uncreative gameplan. Unlike FIU and Marshall, there is absolutely no way an offensive-mind can look at these rosters and see many Louisville advantages. Therefore, a W is going to require being more creative and strategic. You're gonna have to churn those wheels a little bit, wrinkle up that playbook.

There are things this team can do well. Stick with that hurry-up offense that Teddy seemed to like so much. And as one blogger wrote yesterday (can't remember where but H/T to whoever you are), when your offensive line can't open up running lanes and can't hold a pocket for long strikes, you gotta look to the short, quick throws to relieve some of that pressure. Slants, screens, even that option run to Senorise Perry last week was one of our most effective plays of the day. Josh Bellamy looks fiercesome once getting his hands on the ball from a quick outlet. And whatever happened to the famous "amorphous pocket"? If the o-line can't hold up, roll Bridgewater out (designed, not forced) so he has time to deliver downfield. And you just know there has to be a trick play involving Dominique Brown's seldom-used throwing arm in the playbook somewhere.

Even then it may not be enough. But it at least it'll show there's a brain rattling around our OC's headset.

Missouri exploring options, Big East exploring new members, Mr. Red exploring efficient methods for suicide

From ESPN. Missouri looking to jump to the SEC, days after the university president said precisely the opposite about keeping the Big 12 strong.

Wake me when we have a new conference. Somehow, somewhere, Tim Fuller is behind this.

Enemy Dossier: Quinton Coples

NAME: Coples, Quinton AKA "Q"

HOMETOWN: Kinston, NC

SIZE & STATS: 6'6'', 285lbs (2010 stats: 59 tackles, 33 solo, 10 sacks, 1 forced fumble)

CARDINAL COUNTERPART: Greg Scruggs

POSITION ADVANTAGE. UNC

MR. RED'S TAKE: According to draft guru Mel Kiper, but for the existence of Stanford QB Andrew Luck, Quinton Coples would have an excellent chance of hearing his name called first in the NFL Draft. So I guess you could probably just end the anaylsis right now, with a simple Gulp.

Coples has moved from tackle and end depending on the needs of his team throughout his college career and has excelled at both. He's described with every adjective you'd expect from a top NFL pick: explosive, freakishly strong, athletic, long-arms. He's been described as "the prototypical elite defensive end" and has been compared to NFL studs like Mario Williams and Julius Peppers.

He'll be lining up across Hector Hernandez for much of the contest, and therefore I'll stop here before I start to cry.

Petey Pablo says watch out

West Virginia has John Denver. New York has Sinatra. But for me, no state has a collective anthem quite like North Carolina and Petey Pablo, who's been instructing Tarheels to take their shirts off and wave 'em round their heads like a helicopter since 2001. You still hear the song occasionally now, but at the time, it got people fired up.

And Petey wasn't being entirely provincial. The last verse he starts telling other places to raise up, seemingly listing every location in the planet, until finally he just uses a catchall "The WHOLE WORLD baby, c'mon and raise up!". That was our cue; "Hey, did he just say the whole world? We're in the world! (well, unless you're John Calipari) Whoohoo!

The Cards face their biggest challenge of the season when they travel to Chapel Hill this Saturday. The story of North Carolina football is an interesting one. Primarily a basketball school, but blessed with those powder blue colors that work wonders on recruits, the Tarheels have been completely up and down as a football program. But they have consistently produced some big-name NFL talent, particularly on the defensive side of the ball.

They've struggled since 1997 when Mack Brown ditched them to become the Czar of Texas. Things seemed to be improving under Butch Davis, until they were slapped with sanctions and vacated wins due to players' contacts with sports agents. Davis was fired five weeks before the start of practice this season.

They're now being coached by interim coach Everett Withers, who may be able to erase the first part of his title if he keeps his team playing at this level. They're stocked with NFL talent, including a sure-fire top-10 defensive end. It's that talent we'll be evaluating in the coming days...

Mister Mr. Red says...

Re-paint the damn field! I took my Pops, a passionate UofL fan, but one that hasn't gone to a live game in awhile though, to the Marshall game. We had a great time, minus the outcome.

His first observation though, from the UPS FLIGHT DECK. Why don't they paint the damn endzone?

I'd argue if I could, but Pops is right. What's the point of building and refurbishing a state of the art stadium if you're not going to keep the mid-field and endzone paint up-to-date?

It really does look like the field hasn't gotten a fresh coat in awhile. And really, if you're gonna break the bank for new facilities, why skimp on the easiest and most obvious thing to make the field visually pop?

Calipari denies Louisville's existence, obsessed with

Add another wrinkle to John Calipai's one-sided obsession with the Louisville Cardinals. While being interviewed about Big Blue Madness, patting and fawning UK fandom which studies reveal is required every 37 minutes lest they slip into a diabetic coma, he said this about the awesomely awesome awesomeness of the Wildcat faithful, and the true reason for that awesomeness. Here's what he had to say...

It's a unique thing. There's no other state, none, that's as connected to their basketball program as this one. Because those other states have other programs. Michigan has Michigan State, California has UCLA, North Carolina has Duke. It's Kentucky throughout this whole state, and that's what makes us unique.

Louisville is so irrelevant, in fact, that Calipari has been on a mission to schedule practices and games in the Cards arena, requesting Cardinal coaching legends to coach in his numerous UK alumni games, and cannot go a single interview without mentioning the total non-factor of the Louisville Cardinals.

It's starting to get a little creepy. Again, it's nothing that big, just another passive-aggressive dig, or as his legions call it, being a badass with the biggest brass balls in the world that is in your face with everything he does.

Are you ready for some nonsensical rammmblin'! It's a Monday night parrr-day!

Like most, I'll be tuning into MNF in a few moments. But I'm saddened that ESPN has decided to pull the famous musical intro after Hank Williams Jr. did this hilarious, tough to follow, tough even to tell if it's offensive or not but he's definitely crazy interview with Fox & Friends over the weekend.

I was inspired. After comparing Obama golfing with John Boehner to Hitler golfing with Netanyahu, it got even crazier. Even the friendly Fox News peeps couldn't follow his logic, and said so. In retort...

I'm glad you don't brother! Because a lot of people do!

My new favorite line. Forget the blogosphere, I'm itchin' to use this one in a court of law.

Judge: Counselor, may I remind you that you are grossly out of order, are yet to make a cogent point, and smell strongly of booze.
Mr. Red: Weh-hell, la dee frickin' dah. Let's just put all our cards on the table then. I'm glad you don't follow me, Your Honor! Because a lot of people do! U! S! A! U! S! A!

Is Trace Adkins still around? We need a diddy for this movement. Sanity is overrated.

Teddy fighting his flight

Marshall QB Rakeem Cato and Teddy Bridgewater do a lot of the same things. But the most noticeable difference between the two on Saturday was that Cato was making his 5th start while Bridgewater was making his first. It showed. Cato didn't look like the better QB necessarily, just a slightly more seasoned one, while TB looked like he was figuring things out on the fly.

But one interesting aspect of Teddy's maturation process is how his instincts are precisely the opposite of what you'd expect from a young QB. Most, especially those with half-decent wheels, tuck their heads and the football at the first sense of a collapsing pocket and take off like frightened rabbits.

Teddy doesn't do that. Even on plays where there was a lot of green in between, when I was shouting "Run it!" from the UPS FLIGHT DECK, he would coast back, cognizant of the line of scrimmage, waiting for his receivers to get open.

It didn't work mind you, at least not often enough. And for this game, he perhaps could have been better served by taking the 4-5 yards in front of him. But for the long-run, I was impressed by his poise and the darting eyes locked squarely downfield. He's a kind you can't pigeon-hole as an "athlete QB", a double-edged sword for that position if there ever was one.

Still needs to learn that discretion is the better half of valor, though. Hell, I live my life by that motto. Had my mom knit it on my pillow. Mom, MEATLOAF!

It's OK to throw that ball away, Teddy. He was taking far more punishment than he needed to on Saturday. One of his best plays of the day was when he chucked it into the 3rd row after rolling out of a collapsing red-zone pocket, when you could tell that all his instincts were telling him make a play make a play make a play. He did, in spectacular fashion, three plays later.

He's good. Really good. Potentially great. The only variable is, well, you know.

"We took a step back"

The rap on Charlie Strong and why it took him so long to land a head coaching gig was that he was a poor interviewer. Perhaps the person doing the interviewing should have punched him in the mouth before starting his questions, because Strong finds a clarity of voice and vision when he's pissed off.

He doesn't crave the microphone like a Rick Pitino, never will. He does it because it's part of his job, and the job itself is what he was born to do. He's a brass tax coach, one for whom the nuts and bolts of the game are the fascinating parts. The most impressive moments in his press conference today weren't any grandiose statements, they were the effortless demonstrations of his knowledge of the sport. Like when analyzing the 28-32% for 3rd down-conversion defense the Cards failed to hit, the rattling off the heights of North Carolina's behemoth offensive line, or recalling precisely what went wrong on a given play when one was brought up by a questioner.

No matter how skilled the surgeon, she won't be worth a damn if unable to properly diagnosis the problem. We've seen shellshocked coaches before with Kragthorpe (sincere congrats on getting that win against the Cats, Coach) or currently with Joker Phillips, who seems to be as confused as anyone as to what's ailing his offense.

In that regard, we've got our guy. He's not panicked, he's not confused, he knows exactly where he wants the program to be. He's pissed we're not there already.

Angry Charlie, part deux

HERE. At noon.

Depressingly true quote of the college football weekend that reminds us that it's a joke

(while watching #7 Wisconsin utterly destroy #8 Nebraska in every phase of the game Saturday night)

BRENT MUSBERGER: Well, whataya think Kirk, do the Badgers have a chance to raise that championship trophy?

KIRK HERBSTREIT: Wellll, they're going to need a lot of help.

We are (property of) Marshall

The optimism pervading Papa Johns on Saturday was short-lived. The 3rd largest crowd in Cardinal history was quickly reminded that we're going to stink this season. There were glimpses of what we can only hope is future greatness, but it's not going to be this year. Not with this offensive line. Not with this much youth in the secondary. Not with Mark Sanford calling games like this. Others...

* Penalties are getting to be a problem. A big one. It was noticeable against UK, but I just chalked it up to passion, the rivalry, and the desire to make an impact. But now it's undeniable. The personal fouls, roughing the quarterbacks, and false starts are killing this team. It's sloppy football, and it brings back painful memories of recent squads and habits we hoped we had fired. Or at least outgrown.

* Mark Sanford, welcome to the hot seat! Abysmal playcalling and non-adjustments. When Louisville went to the hurry up for that brief flurry in the 2nd quarter was the only time in the game that the Marshall defense looked uncomfortable. For a few brief drives, Teddy was poised and was finding wide open receivers all over the field. Then halftime. Then back to the same old, "two runs and a third and long pass" that Sanford calls like clockwork. His chickenshit calls in the 4th quarter were downright embarrassing. It was as if he was completely satisfied with the 13 points his unit put on the scoreboard and just started killing clock.

Of course, Sanford is no Petrino. Such expectations would be unfair. But there is way too much explosiveness on this roster to only score 13 points.

* Trace Adkins. Say what you want about him, but that redneck sumbitch can sing.

* The game was largely a tale of two Teddys. Bridgewater couldn't unstick a gummed up offense in the first quarter. And after a while, things started getting uncomfortable; it was akin to a basketball game when your team has like 6 points in the first 12 minutes and you start doing quick math in your head. You stop hoping to win the game, and instead just focus on not becoming the lead story on Sportcenter for all the wrong reasons. His worst play was at the end of the first quarter when he completely forced a throw to the sidelines that should have been intercepted. A jackass in my section started calling him "the Sherman Minton Bridgewater" which was actually pretty funny.

But then the 2nd quarter happened, TB was allowed to operate in the no-huddle, and we saw the same QB that electrified the team against UK, and the one capable of making plays we haven't seen from a Cardinal QB since, well, perhaps ever. He has great feet, great instincts. His dash to the endzone was sensational.

Then the second half happened. And I don't know what the hell that was. Really didn't even seem like Bridgewater's fault. It was just a Twilight Zone of suckitude.

* But on the bright side I nailed my prediction for Bridgewater's stats. And loyal readers know that doesn't happen very often. I think I'm also correct that Teddy showed enough to lead the team the rest of the way. Our dreams of a bowl are on life support anyways, so the more experience TB gets the better. Still, I firmly believe he gives us the best chance to win football games.

* Vic Anderson's catch and run TD was completely sick.

* Josh Chichester's catch and run when he was so wide open he momentarily forgot what to do and just sorta collided with the closest Marshall player was completely hilarious.

* A pretty awful outing for the Louisville secondary. As a whole, I think the defensive unit did enough to win the game, but pass defense was our Achilles heel all afternoon. No player had a worse day than Stephan Robinson, who was routinely torched. If Rakeem Cato had been a tad more accurate on two longballs, this one wouldn't have even been close.

But except for Robinson, I guess I'll try and find a small silver lining in that, by and large, the corners and safeties were in a position to make plays all game. They just, um, didn't. I still don't know how Adrian Bushnell didn't pick off a sideline pass he had defended perfectly, and not only that, but somehow allowed the Marshall receiver to come down with the football. On the first drive when Marshall took it right downfield, there were at least two times when the defender broke on the football, gambled, lost, and gave up a big gainer. Under Kragball, our DBs often wouldn't be within a 10-yard radius of the receiver. Yesterday, the bodies were there. They just consistently did not make the play right in front of them.

* Two defenders that did earn their meal tickets this week? Hakeem Smith and Roy Philon.

* On the flip side, a tough game for Cardinal Laws favorite, Anthony Conner. When one of our surest tacklers and fireplugs is getting slipped by for big yards, it just wasn't our day.

* But it could have been. I'd much rather a win, no matter how hideous. So in that regard, that big 3rd down conversion to Andrell Smith that was negated was a huge momentum-changer. I don't know what the refs got to see, but it sure looked like a catch to me. Not even close, really.

* Scott Radcliff, umm, thank you for your punt return services to date. We'll let you know if you're needed again in the future.

* A great atmosphere at Papa Johns. Packed house (well, if you're including "the Terrace" thousands), loud at the right times, and from what I understand, an impressive showing at the beleaguered Card March). During Charlie Strong's fury in the post-game, he was fully appreciative of that fact. In fact, it only increased his rage. He talked about how proud he was of the fans, and how he's embarrassed that the "changing the culture" talk needs to start in his own locker room, not in the stands.

* Charlie Strong's words after the game are going to be dissected greatly in the coming week. He was angry and forceful like we haven't seen him before. He's pissed. He's not used to losing and he doesn't plan on acquiring a taste for it. Last year's travails followed the familiar narrative of a hopeless program finding hope once more. But Strong is sick of that now. It's Year 2, and he wants to win. He's gonna have to take his share of responsibility, of course, I think he'd certainly agree.

But in his post game radio Q&A his anger wasn't even directed at his players really (well, some), it was mostly directed at his coaching staff that he believed completely crapped the bed when it came to preparing the team to compete. And after watching that first quarter, how can you really argue?

Charlie Strong appears to be a head coach that delegates considerable responsibilities to his staff. He trusts them and trusts that their will to win is as fierce as his. In the moments of honesty that only happen after leaving the field in defeat, he sounded almost like a man betrayed.

It ain't gonna be a fun week of practice for the player's next week. But I got the feeling it's gonna be even longer for some of his assistant coaches.

* I don't think anyone knows where this season is going. We don't completely suck, we just suck a lot of the time. It's a weird dynamic to try and quantify, catalog, and easily reference.

Some of the frustration stems from untapped potential. One of my "wow" moments from the UPS FLIGHT DECK was just watching receiver Michaelee Harris go in motion from one side of the field to the other pre-snap. He flew! Said to my dad, "Holy shit he's fast". But the play was a run, one of our numerous unsuccessful ones.

By most any rational, objective logic, this isn't gonna be the year. We're 2-2 and face an uphill battle to bowl eligibility. But just when you're ready to throw in the red-towel and engage is some good-natured gallows humor with your Cardinal compatriots, you see a flash of play that makes you say, "Damn, why can't we do that more often".

Mr. Red doesn't know the reason. But I think we have a Coach that's determined to get to the bottom of it.