April 18, 2012: The Start of Something Special by Louisville SportsReport

VOLUME XVI • NUMBER 34 APRIL 18, 2012

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LOUISVILLE SPORTSREPORT

FEBRUARY 3, 2011

APRIL 11, 2012

LOUISVILLE SPORTSREPORT

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WHAT’S INSIDE:

A, 6

AMERICA’S FOREMOST AUTHORITy ON UNIVERSITy OF LOUISVILLE ATHLETICS®

VOLUME XVI, NUMBER 33 • APRIL 11, 2012

EDITORIAL STAFF GENERAL MANAGER - Jack Coffee SENIOR WRITER AND EDITOR - Russ Brown OPERATIONS MANAGER - Howie Lindsey ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES - Mickey Clark, Betty Olsen and Blanche Kitchen CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Gail Kamenish, Howie Lindsey and Chuck Feist CONTRIBUTING COLUMNISTS Matt Willinger, Jeff Wafford, Jason Puckett and Rick Cushing GRAPHIC DESIGNER - Scott Stortz COPy EDITOR - Rick Cushing

Louisville coach Rick Pitino led fans and his team in a C-A-R-D-S cheer at Fourth Street Live Tuesday night. - photo by Howie Lindsey The Louisville SportsReport is printed in Kentucky and based in Louisville. It is published weekly in January, February and March, monthly in April, May, June and July and weekly mid-August through late December by Louisville Sports News, L.L.C., in Louisville, Kentucky. Louisville Sports News, L.L.C.: Owner and General Manager - Jack Coffee. The SportsReport was founded in 1996. United States Postal Number: 015255 POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Louisville SportsReport, P.O. Box 17464, Louisville, KY 40217. Four weeks advance notice is required on old addresses as well as new. Periodicals Postage paid at Louisville, Ky. Subscriptions are priced at $57.95 each (plus 6% Ky. tax) for 32 issues. Members of the University of Louisville’s Cardinal Athletic Fund receive a special group rate of $39.75 for their initial subscriptions and that amount is applied from each annual donation. Year-round firstclass mailing is available for an additional $53 per year. Please call for Canadian and overseas rates. Not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs unless accompanied by return postage. Publisher reserves right to accept or reject advertisements. Copyright 2008 by Louisville Sports News, L.L.C. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. For subscriber information or circulation questions call 1-502-636-4330. Office hours at 2805 S. Floyd St. in Louisville: By Appointment Only.

COLLINS IS STELLAR FOR CARDS

Now 38-2 with a pair of shutouts last week by senior pitcher Tori Collins, the Louisville softball team runs into Top 25-ranked USF Wednesday at Cardinal Park.

5 TEDDy IS NEAR PERFECT

9 CAPTAINS NAMED FOR 2012 HOOPS

After taking over as starting QB last season, Teddy Bridgewater passed for more than 2,000 yards and was named an All-American. Could the best be yet to come?

Senior-to-be Peyton Siva and George Mason transfer Luke Hancock are the two captains for the 2012 season per Rick Pitino on Monday.

19 ALL SPORTS BANQUET

DOES yOUR BUSINESS NEED TO REACH THOUSANDS OF LOUISVILLE FANS? EMAIL HOWIELINDSEy@GMAIL.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ADVERTISING IN THE LOUISVILLE SPORTSREPORT.

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11 UNDERSIZED BUT UNDAUNTED

A former walk-on with an amazing work ethic, receiver Scott Radcliff came up big for the Cardinals in Saturday’s Spring Game. He had nine catches for 119 yards.

RICHARD MOVING BACK TO FLORIDA

Louisville’s associate head coach Richard Pitino was named FIU’s head coach on Monday. How will Louisville replace the younger Pitino’s incredible scouting ability?

Louisville women’s soccer star Christine Exeter was among the award winners at Monday night’s All Sports Banquet. Check out a full photo gallery from the event inside.

www.cardinalsports.com THE NEXT ISSUE OF THE LOUISVILLE SPORTSREPORT WILL BE MAILED IN JULy COVER DESIGNED BY SCOTT STORTZ COVER PHOTO BY GAIL KAMENISH

CSPA COLLEGE SPORTS PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION

The next printed edition of the Louisville SportsReport is scheduled to go to press in July. For daily coverage of the Cardinals all summer long, log on to www.CardinalSports.com.

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LOUISVILLE SPORTSREPORT

APRIL 11, 2012

LOUISVILLE SOFTBALL

CARDINALS ARE ROLLING ALONG AT 38-2

collins pitches back-to-back no-hitters

By Rick Cushing The University of Louisville softball team, which is ranked 12th in the country, went 5-0 last week, extending its winning streak to nine and its record to 38-2. But that isn’t half the story. The story is senior lefthander Tori Collins, who started the week with a four-hit shutout at Villanova in the opener of a doubleheader on Wednesday, worked two scoreless innings in the nightcap to earn her third save, then pitched back-to-back no-hitters against visiting Longwood Saturday and Sunday. They were the first no-hitters of Collins’ college career. Collins improved to 18-1 and lowered her ERA to 1.11. She has allowed just 21 runs – 19 earned – and 69 hits in 120 1/3 innings, with 136 strikeouts and 32 walks. Opponents are hitting .160 against her. For the week she was 3-0 with a save, her ERA 0.00. She allowed six hits in 21 innings, striking out 17 and walking five. Opponents hit just .087. No UofL pitcher had ever thrown back-to-back no-hitters previously. “I’m so happy for Tori to get her second no-hitter of her career and in back-to-back games,” UofL coach Sandy Pearsall said Sunday.

SWEEP AT VILLANOVA Last Wednesday the Cards swept Villanova 7-0 and 8-4. Collins scattered four hits in the opener, Alicja Wolny went 3 for 3 with a home run and Katie Keller went 2 for 3 with a home run and three RBIs. UofL struck early, with Keller’s fifth home run of the season, a threerun shot, and a solo homer by Wol-

ny staking the Cards to a 4-0 lead in the first. They added two runs in the third on an RBI double by Wolny and RBI single by Jordan Trimble, and Trimble’s RBI fielder’s choice in the fifth made it 7-0. Collins fanned two as the Cards recorded their 16th shutout of the season.. In the nightcap the Cards rallied from a 4-1 deficit in the fourth. Taner Fowler was 2 for 4 with three RBIs, and freshman Whitney Arion hit a two-run homer. Villanova fell to 2514, 0-8. The Wildcats scored four runs in the third off Chelsea Leonard, knocking her out of the game and taking a 4-1 lead. Caralisa Connell (12-1) relieved and worked 2 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing three hits and striking out two. Collins picked up her third save of the season, allowing two hits and striking out one in two innings. The Cards answered with a fourspot of their own in the fifth. Freshman Kayla Soles reached on an error to start the inning and moved to third on a double by Maggie Ruckenbrod. Jennifer Esteban drew a oneout walk to load the bases for Kristin Austin, who reached on a fielder’s choice as Soles scored. Keller’s RBI groundout made it 4-3, and Fowler’s two-run double put the Cards back on top 5-4. Arion’s two-run home run in the sixth increased Louisville’s lead to 7-4, and the Cards made it 8-4 in the seventh on an RBI single by Fowler. COLLINS’ NO-NOS The Cards swept a doubleheader from Longwood on Saturday, 8-0 and 7-1. Collins (17-1) pitched her

Pitcher Tori Collins was congratulated by her teammates after one of her two nohitters last week. - photo by Howie Lindsey

first no-hitter in the opener, fanning eight and allowing only one baserunner, a second-inning walk. The game was called after five innings because of the mercy rule. Every batter in the Cards lineup had at least one hit, with Esteban, Keller, Soles and Fowler each getting two. In the nightcap, Connell (13-1) got the win, allowing one run and two hits and striking out four in four innings. Leonard did not allow a run and fanned three while picking up her eighth save of the season. The Cards got nine hits, with Austin and Wolny going 3 for 4 and Fowler 3 for 3. Wolny drove in four runs, Fowler two. Collins (18-1) came right back on Sunday and registered her second straight no-hitter as the Cards edged Longwood 1-0. This game went the full seven innings. The only run of the game came in the fifth when Trimble connected on a leadoff dou-

ble, moved to third on a groundout by Ruckenbrod and came home on Arion’s two-out single. The Lancers dropped to 26-21. Collins walked four and fanned six. She was aided by several fine defensive plays, including two by Austin in right field. She made a diving catch in the second and a running catch in the seventh. After the latter catch, she threw to first for a double play to end the game. Collins also made a fine defensive play in the sixth. USF NEXT The Cards (38-2, 9-2) will be back in action on Wednesday when they play host to No. 16/18 USF in a Big East Conference doubleheader starting at 4 p.m. Both games will be televised on ESPNU, with Adam Amin and Jennie Finch serving as announcers.

APRIL 11, 2012

LOUISVILLE SPORTSREPORT

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RECRUITING NOTEBOOK LOUISVILLE FOOTBALL 10 AMAZING AND MEMORABLE MOMENTS OF THE 2009-2010 SEASON

STROnG SAYS THE SPRinG GAmE COULD BE THE START OF SOmETHinG SPECiAL

By Howie Lindsey A relaxed and confident Charlie Strong took the podium after Saturday’s Red-White Spring Game. UofL’s head coach spoke of a team filled with potential led by a young quarterback poised to do great things. And he spoke of a program clearly headed in the right direction. “We’re just a totally different team,” he said. “Last year we were trying to get a snap, practices were HOWIE LINDSEY so bad. I said, ‘Can we just get a snap and run a play?’ Now we feel we can function as a team. Even going out there (Saturday), it’s a breath of fresh air. You’re finally beginning to look like a football team.” In less than three years Strong has taken a group that was picked dead last in the Big East for two straight seasons to back-to-back bowl games. With 18 starters returning, including Freshman All-American quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, the Cards likely will be the top pick in the Big East Conference next season. Strong and his staff have been the top recruiters in the league over the past three seasons, building a team budding with young talent. Much of that talent was on display Saturday in front of a crowd of more than 15,000 fans in rainy weather. Strong split the team into offense (Red) and defense (White) and had them scrimmage for four quarters, with only the final quarter utilizing a running clock. Strong spotted the White team 21 points and told the Red team to try to outscore them. And they did, winning 28-24 with a touchdown in each quarter. The White team got a 52-yard field goal from John Wallace in the second quarter. “I spotted the team 21 points because I just wanted to see if we could come back and our defense could hold them,” Strong said. Bridgewater completed a sparkling 19 of 21 passes for 257 yards and three touchdowns. He and backup

Sophomore-to-be Teddy Bridgewater was 19 of 21 for 257 yards and three touchdowns in the Red-White Spring Game Saturday. - photo by Howie Lindsey

Will Stein completed passes to 13 different receivers without a single interception. Four different receivers caught TD passes. “We’re a full-field offense... We’re a lot more multiple than we’ve ever been,” offensive coordinator Shawn Watson said. “… We threw it around more than what we ran today, but that was by design. We wanted to test our quarterbacks, test our receivers, and they really delivered.” Louisville’s young but talented backfield also looked good, with two backs averaging more than five yards per carry -- junior Jeremy Wright (5.2) and sophomore Senorise Perry (7.0). Bridgewater and Stein were not to be tackled, and plays were blown dead if the defense tapped the QBs in the backfield. And even though Louisville’s aggressive defense couldn’t tackle the quarterbacks, UofL still tallied 11 tackles for a loss, with five sacks. Despite a pair of injuries - offensive linemen Alex Kupper (MCL) and Ryan Mack (bruised knee) were helped off the field - the Spring Game was a near-perfect end to a good month of spring practice. Strong said the game was something his team can build on.

“Now it’s all about where are we going to take this team?” he said. “This could be a special group, but it’s about work. A lot is going to be said about this team. A lot is going to be written about this team. Now, are we going to mature enough to handle all the writing out there?” Handling positive press nationally will be something completely new for this team. “Last year we were picked last, we end up in a three-way tie for first,” Strong said. “This year we’re going to be picked first or second, so now we’re going to see if we can work and then can we go play each week and be a consistent team every week? We’ll see. We have a lot of work to do, and we need to improve. We have to go get better.” BRIDGEWATER GETTING BETTER Even before his stellar Spring Game, Bridgewater had the coaches buzzing about his performance. He passed for 2,129 yards and 14 touchdowns in just eight games last season, taking over for the injured Stein in the fourth game, but his coaches say he’ll be even better next season. “A lot of times when guys have had success so early, they get so full

of themselves that they don’t want to listen,” Strong said. “Teddy, he can still develop and get better. He wants it - he wants to be coached.” Said Watson: “Teddy really works at it. He works hard on and off the field. He has to because Will is right there behind him, pushing him every step of the way.” Bridgewater has earned the respect of his defensive teammates as well. “Teddy deserves to be the face of this team, really, because he is a remarkable athlete,” defensive lineman Lorenzo Mauldin said. Mauldin compared Bridgewater to Houdini for his ability to escape pressure. Since the end of last season, Bridgewater has hit the weight room and training table hard. He said he has gained 18 pounds and now weighs 213 pounds. “They couldn’t hit today, but I think it will help me when I take a hit,” he said. “I can also feel it when I throw. It helps the passing game with arm strength and durability.” Louisville opens its 2012 season against Kentucky on Sunday, Sept. 2, at 3:30 p.m. in a game that will be televised nationally on ESPN. The Kentucky game was Bridgewater’s coming-out party last season.

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LOUISVILLE SPORTSREPORT

APRIL 11, 2012

CARDINAL FOOTBALL

2012 FOOTBALL ROSTER NO 1 2 2 3 4 4 5 7 8 9 10 12 13 14 15 18 18 19 19 21 22 22 24 25 26 27 27 28 29 29 30 30 31 31 32 32 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 38 40 40 41 42 43 44 45 45 48 48 49 51 53 54 55 63 64 66 68 69 70 71 72 74 76 79 81 82 83 84 84 85 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 99

NAME Keith Brown Michaelee Harris Preston Brown Charles Gaines Will Stein Robert Clark Teddy Bridgewater Damian Copeland Gerod Holliman DeVante Parker Dominique Brown Luke Brohm James Burgess Andrell Smith Andrew Johnson Matthew Nakatani Titus Teague Terell Floyd Jerry Arlinghaus Adrian Bushell Jordon Paschal Corvin Lamb Daniel Brown Calvin Pryor Zed Evans Mike Addesa Jermaine Reve Jeremy Wright Stephen Goodwin Hakeem Smith Kamal Hogan Anthony Branch DeMarcus Topp Champ Lee Gerald Christian Senorise Perry Alex Witcpalek Grant Donovan George Durant Andrew Fletcher Bo Eggers Tyon Dixon Thaddeus Franklin Ryan Johnson Chris Zelli Aaron Epps Stephan Robinson Jalen Harrington Deon Rogers B.J. Butler John Wallace Mitchell Nelson Deiontrez Mount Nick Heuser Jarel McGriff-Culver Mike Privott Jake Smith Mike Romano Mario Benavides Josh Stearns David Noltemeyer Alex Kupper Kamran Joyer Chris Walker John Miller Chris Acosta Hunter Stout Ryan Mack Chase Petersen Jamon Brown Chris White Eli Rogers Ryan Hubbell Aaron Nance Matt Milton Nate Nord Kai Dominguez Jarrett Davis Scott Radcliff B.J. Dubose Marcus Smith Brandon Dunn Roy Philon Lorenzo Mauldin Dominique Dishman Jamaine Brooks

HT 6-1 6-2 6-2 5-11 5-10 5-9 6-3 6-1 6-0 6-3 6-2 6-1 6-0 6-3 5-9 5-8 5-11 5-10 6-4 5-11 5-8 5-9 6-1 6-2 5-11 5-11 6-0 5-11 6-0 6-1 6-0 5-10 5-10 6-0 6-3 6-0 5-11 6-1 6-0 5-8 6-0 5-11 5-10 5-11 5-11 6-7 5-10 6-2 6-2 6-2 6-0 6-0 6-5 6-0 5-11 6-0 6-4 6-4 6-4 6-1 6-4 6-3 6-3 6-3 6-2 6-3 6-4 6-5 6-4 6-6 6-4 5-10 6-5 6-3 6-5 6-5 6-0 5-9 5-10 6-5 6-3 6-3 6-3 6-4 6-2 6-4

Wt 229 193 258 188 185 182 208 188 190 205 227 200 211 210 187 160 170 201 197 184 180 216 234 210 173 214 180 205 191 183 209 182 180 204 260 192 205 227 235 162 240 211 187 175 201 274 170 231 200 275 180 185 243 236 190 224 315 295 301 285 285 296 285 306 304 290 291 308 295 340 240 185 226 197 205 230 172 175 183 273 256 285 290 240 297 330

EXP LB WR LB CB QB WR QB WR S WR RB QB LB WR CB K CB CB QB CB CB RB LB S CB LB S RB WR S S CB WR LB TE RB LB LS LB K FB LB LB P LB TE WR LB LB DE P/K CB DE FB RB LB OL C C OL OL OL OL OL OL OL DT OL OL OT TE WR TE WR WR TE WR WR WR DE DE DT DT DE DL DT

HT/WT FR RS SO JR RS FR RS SR RS SO SO RS JR FR SO JR RS FR FR SR SO RS SO RS JR SO RS FR RS SR RS SO RS FR RS SR SO RS JR RS JR RS FR RS JR RS JR RS JR RS SO RS JR RS SR RS JR RS SO JR RS JR RS SO RS JR RS SO RS SR RS SO RS SO RS SO RS SR RS FR RS SO RS FR JR JR RS FR RS FR SO RS SR RS SO RS JR RS SO RS FR RS SR RS FR SO RS SR RS JR RS JR SO RS SO RS JR RS FR RS FR SO RS JR SO RS SO RS SO RS SO RS SR RS SO JR SR SO JR JR RS JR SO RS FR RS SO

HOMETOWN (PREVIOUS SCHOOL) Miami, Fla. (Miami Norland) Miami, Fla. (Northwestern) Cincinnati, Ohio (Northwest) Miami, Fla. (Central) Louisville, Ky. (Trinity) Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. (Florida) Miami, Fla. (Northwestern) Bradenton, Fla. (Palmetto) Miami, Fla. (Southridge) Louisville, Ky. (Ballard) Cincinnati, Ohio (Winton Woods) Louisville, Ky. (St. Xavier) Homestead, Fla. (Homestead Senior) Miami, Fla. (Palmetto) Miami, Fla. (Southridge) Shelbyville, Ky. (Shelby County) Pomona, Calif. (Pomona) Port Pierce, Fla. (Port St. Lucie) Covington, Ky. (Holy Cross) DeSoto, Texas (Cedar Valley CC) Trotwood, Ohio (Trotwood-Madison) Miami, Fla. (Northwestern) Atlanta, Ga. (Douglass) Port St. Joe, Fla. (Port St. Joe) Seagoville, Texas (Seagoville) Bradenburg, Ky. (Meade County) Miami, Fla. (Northwest) Clermont, Fla. (East Ridge) Louisville, Ky. (St. Xavier) Jonesboro, Ga. (Riverdale) Montvale, N.J. (St. Joseph’s Regional) Louisville, Ky. (DuPont Manual) Paducah, Ky. (Paducah-Tilghman) Lakeland, Fla. (Lake Gibson) Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. (Florida) Summerville, Ga. (Chattooga) Oswego, Ill. (Oswegol) Louisville, Ky. (Male) St. Petersburg, Fla. (Boca Ciega) Nashville, Tenn. (Montgomery Bell) Louisville, Ky. (Manual) Cincinnati, Ohio (Colerain) Versailles, Ky. (Tates Creek) Louisville, Ky. (DeSales) Jeffersonville, Ind. (Jeffersonville) Tucker, Ga. (Tucker) Louisville, Ky. (Central) Fern Creek, Ky. (Fern Creek) Port St. Lucie, Fla. (Treasure Coast) Kissimmee, Fla. (Osceola) Cecilia, Ky. (Central Hardin) Louisville, Ky. (Male) Fort Walton Beach, Fla. (Fort Walton Beach) Louisville, Ky. (St. Xavier) Downers Grove, Ill. (Downers Grove North) Norfolk, Va. (Lake Taylor) Jacksonville, Ala. (Jacksonville) Port St. Lucie, Fla. (Treasure Coast) Los Fresnos, Texas (Los Fresnos) Louisville, Ky. (DuPont Manual) Louisville, Ky. (Kentucky) Louisville, Ky. (Trinity) Tampa, Fla. (Wesley Chapel) Louisville, Ky. (Ballard) Miami, Fla. (Central) Miami, Fla. (Hileah) Tampa, Fla. (Wharton) Memphis, Tenn. (Wooddale) Bentonville, Ark. (Bentonville) Fern Creek, Ky. (Fern Creek) Elizabethtown, Ky. (John Hardin) Miami, Fla. (Northwestern) Council Bluffs, Iowa (Iowa Western) Louisville, Ky. (Seneca) Belleville, Ill. (Tennessee) Boca Raton, Fla. (West Boca Raton) Montvale, N.J. (St. Joseph’s Regional) Tyrone, Ga. (Sandy Creek) Louisville, Ky. (Trinity) Oakland Park, Fla. (Northeast) Columbus, Ga. (Hardaway) Louisville, Ky. (Pleasure Ridge Park) Lexington, Ky. (Bryan Station) Atlanta, Ga. (Maynard Jackson) Lexington, Ky. (Paul Louis Dunbar) Miami, Fla. (Palmetto)

2012 ROUGH FOOTBALL DEPTHROSTER CHART

OFFENSE

NOSE TACKLE

QUARTERBACK 5 Teddy Bridgewater 6-3

205 Fr.

4 Will Stein

176 Jr.

5-10

RUNNING BACK 10 Dominique Brown OR 6-2

221 So.

28 Jeremy Wright

5-11

199 So.

32 Senorise Perry OR

6-0

201 So.

30 Kamal Hogan OR

5-11

209 r-Fr.

22 Corvin Lamb

5-9

206 Fr.

14 Andrell Smith

6-3

209 Jr.

9 DeVante Parker

6-3

180 Fr.

82 Eli Rogers

5-10

184 Fr.

88 Jarrett Davis

5-10

172 So.

X-WIDE RECEIVER

H-WIDE RECEIVER

Z-WIDE RECEIVER 2 Michaelee Harris INJ 6-2

198 r-Fr.

89 Scott Radcliff

5-10

182 Jr.

81 Chris White

6-4

243 So.

85 Nate Nord

6-5

248 Jr.

80 Stephon Ball

6-4

231 Jr.

66 Alex Kupper

6-3

295 Jr.

78 Aaron Epps

6-5

265 Fr.

70 John Miller

6-2

308 Fr. .

68 Kamran Joyer

6-3

299 So.

TIGHT END

LEFT TACKLE

LEFT GUARD

CENTER 55 Mario Benavides INJ. 6-4

300 Jr.

54 Mike Romano

6-4

295 r-Fr.

53 Jake Smith

6-3

315 r-Fr.

76 Chase Petersen

6-4

294 Fr.

79 Jamon Brown

6-5

320 Fr

71 Chris Acosta

6-3

275 r-Fr.

RIGHT GUARD

RIGHT TACKLE

92 Brandon Dunn

6-3

308 So.

99 Jamaine Brooks

6-4

318 r-Fr.

17 Marcus Smith

6-4

255 So.

90 B.J. Dubose

6-4

257 Fr.

24 Daniel Brown

6-1

219 Jr.

31 Champ Lee

6-0

204 So.

2 Preston Brown

6-0

258 So.

51 Mike Privott

6-0

224 So.

37 Tyon Dixon

6-0

208 So.

48 Deiontrez Mount

6-5

215 Fr.

43 Deon Rogers

6-2

200 So.

5-10

178 Fr.

DEFENSIVE END

SAM LINEBACKER

MIKE LINEBACKER

WEAKSIDE LINEBACKER

CORNERBACK 5 Andrew Johnson

41 Stephan Robinson 5-8

175 r-Fr.

STRONG SAFETY 29 Hakeem Smith

6-1

183 So.

27 Jermaine Reve

6-2

175 Fr.

6-1

190 Fr.

21 Adrian Bushell

5-11

190 Jr.

3 Charles Gaines

5-10

176 Fr.

FREE SAFETY 25 Calvin Pryor CORNERBACK

SPECIAL TEAMS PLACEKICKER 35 Andrew Fletcher

5-8

170 r-Fr.

33 Grant Donovan

6-1

213 r-Fr.

85 Nate Nord

6-5

248 Jr.

5-10

176 Jr.

89 Scott Radcliff (or) 5-10

182 Jr.

82 Eli Rogers

5-10

184 Fr.

10 Dominique Brown

6-2

221 So.

21 Adrian Bushell

5-11

190 Jr.

LONG SNAPPER

HOLDER 4 Will Stein PUNT RETURN

KICKOFF RETURNS

DEFENSE FOX END 44 B.J. Butler

6-2

276 So.

47 Malcolm Mitchell

6-2

236 So.

93 Roy Philon

6-3

272 So.

72 Hunter Stout

6-4

291 So.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

All classes reflect current season, and will be updated at the end of spring practice.

APRIL 11, 2012

LOUISVILLE SPORTSREPORT

PAGE 7

CARDINAL FOOTBALL PHOTO GALLERY

Fans tailgated for the Spring Game on cabooses adjacent to Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium. photos by Howie Lindsey

John Wallace drilled a 52-yard ﬁeld goal at the Red-White Spring Game. The kick was good by at least ﬁve yards.

Running back Corvin Lamb broke free for a run during the Red-White Scrimmage Saturday.

Even though it was a scrimmage, the players took the Spring Game very seriously. The Red team beat the White team 28-24.

PAGE 8

LOUISVILLE SPORTSREPORT

APRIL 11, 2012

COFFEE BREAK WOMEN’S BASKETBALL UofL’s spring sports giving fans a host of good stuff to watch

There’s so much good stuff going on in athletics at the University of Louisville that it keeps my head spinning. Last Saturday the football team previewed the 2012 edition to 15,000 adoring fans in the Red-White Spring Game while the baseball team defeated Seton Hall and the softball team improved to 37-2 with a doubleheader sweep of Longwood, all on the Belknap Campus. There’s no better place to watch the Cards than right here at home because Louisville has the most comfortable facilities in college sports. For old tired backs like mine the chair back seats at most venues make it possible to sit for an entire three-hour baseball, three-hour football or two-hour softball game. And work will soon start on a new soccer stadium with the same amenities as the other sports complexes. Softball continues to be one of the most dominant teams in college sports as a victory on Sunday left the ladies with a 38-2 record, JACK COFFEE numbers unparalleled in UofL history in any sport. They are ranked 12th in the country and one of only four teams with two or fewer losses. Two of the victories last weekend were pitched by Tori Collins, and both were no-hitters, a rather remarkable feat. The Cards will take on league-leading South Florida on Wednesday in a nationally televised doubleheader that starts at 4 p.m. at Ulmer Stadium. Admission is free. Baseball had an uncharacteristic weekend as they lost 2 of 3 to Seton Hall. It was the first series lost at home since 2009 against Notre Dame. The Cards have picked up their hitting from last season, going from a .253 team batting average to .315. The team ERA is 3.22 compared to 3.06 in 2011. Football was the favorite last Saturday as thousands braved potential rain storms (it started raining at halftime) to get a glimpse of the 2012 Cards. My practice is not to get too excited this time of year because it’s hard to evaluate a team playing itself. For instance, if the offense moves the ball repeatedly is it because the offense is good or the defense bad? Or, if the defense dominates the offense is it because the offense can’t block or the team has a front four that overwhelms the offensive line? You get the picture. But there are some things a fan can look for to get a hint of how the team will perform. One thing is, Can the team pitch and catch? I can say unequivocally that this team has an impressive passing game, maybe as good as I can remember. Teddy Bridgewater and Will Stein were fabulous, and I don’t use that word frivolously. Bridgewater completed 19 of 21 passes, Stein 17 of 28, and even Luke Brohm was 2 of 3 for an impressive 38 of 52 in all. It reminded me of the days of Chris Redman to Arnold Jackson, Dave Ragone to Deion Branch, Stefan Lefors to J.R. Russell and Brian Brohm to Harry Douglas. But this team isn’t limited to one or two good receivers. DeVante Parker, Damian Copeland, Andrell Smith, Eli Rogers and one-time, walk-on Scott Radcliffe are all big-time receivers. Radcliffe, a Trinity grad, had nine catches and is a clutch receiver who always seems to be open. The 19-of-21 completion rate for Bridgewater is 90 percent, and offensive coordinator Shawn Watson said he won’t be surprised if the sophomore completes 70 percent of his passes next season. One thing that will help the completion percentage is the lack of dropped passes. Unlike previous years, there were no dropped passes that I can remember on Saturday. Tight ends Nate Nord and Chris White are both good receivers, and Nord has become a good blocker, something lacking from the tight end spot last season. Dominique Brown and Senorise Perry also were effective catching passes out of the backfield, which will strengthen the passing game. Speaking of running backs, the Cards look strong with the return of Brown and Jeremy Wright and the addition of Perry and Corvin Lamb. The kicking game appears to be in good hands, with Ryan Johnson averaging 42 yards per punt and John Wallace kicking a 52-yard field goal. Defensively, the team will look much like the 2011 edition plus the addition of several players who will have an impact -- Jermaine Reve, Tyon Dixon, James Burgess and Dominique Dishman. Thirteen players, many of them on defense, did not suit up for the game. There also are about 20 incoming freshmen not on campus yet who could impact the strength of the defense. The one question mark that I have is the ability of the offensive line. With Alex Kupper going out with an injury early and Mario Benevides on the sideline, I was unable to determine the strength of the line. That situation is usually not finalized until the end of fall practice, so that area will continue to be a concern to fans until the first quarter of the opening game against Kentucky. One intangible from the game was the enthusiasm of the coaches after the game. Among the comments heard were: “much progress, eight good wide receivers, three good fullbacks, now they’re getting it, a lot of competition in practice at every position, DeVante Parker has exceptional talent, really pleased with running game, Nate Nord has really stepped up, very confident with Will Stein, we’re doing things they way they are diagrammed,” and my favorite, “We have a chance to be really good.” What more can I say. I agree.

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APRIL 11, 2012

LOUISVILLE SPORTSREPORT

PAGE 9

LOUISVILLE BASKETBALL

G E O R G E M A S O N T R A N S F E R S H O W E D L E A D E R S H I P A B I L I T I E S E A R LY

hancock Joins siVa as co-captains For 2013

By Russ Brown It didn’t take Luke Hancock long to exhibit the type of leadership that convinced University of Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino to name him a co-captain for the 2012-13 season, along with senior guard Peyton Siva. Hancock sat out last season after transferring from George Mason, but that didn’t stop him from making his presence felt when a couple of players showed up five minutes late for an early-morning weighttraining session at the start of preseason conditioning drills. RUSS BROWN According to Pitino, Hancock told the two unnamed stragglers, ‘If we’re here early, you need to be on time.’ “Here’s a guy who doesn’t even know anybody, who is just feeling his way,” Pitino added, “and right then and there everybody understood his presence as a leader. And he was that way the whole year. He’s one of our better basketball players, but that’s not why he’s been named a cocaptain. It’s because his leadership abilities really stick out.” Reminded of the incident later and asked if he saw his role, in part, as that of an “enforcer,” Hancock rejected that one-word description but acknowledged that he had scolded his tardy teammates. “Not really an enforcer,” he said. “With something like that, if you just give them a reminder that your teammates were here on time, here early, you don’t want to show up late. Guys are ready to get their stuff done and get out. Could be 5:30, could be 6, and you don’t want to be that guy who has somebody waiting on you. So I just made it a point to tell those guys, ‘Your teammates got up, you can get up and get here.’” They’d better get used to it, because the 6-foot-5 swingman from Roanoke, Va., is likely to be a vocal leader throughout his UofL career. “I think that’s just how I am,” he said. “When we’re on the court and guys aren’t talking on defense, to be that guy who steps up and makes guys talk, keeps people’s heads in there when they get frustrated and stuff like that. Just kind of little things. If we have a bad practice and need a team meeting, talk to the guys and tell them, ‘Let’s get ready to go; we

Senior-to-be guard Peyton Siva will be one of Louisville’s two captains next season. The other will be George Mason transfer Luke Hancock. - photo by Howie Lindsey

need to do better today.’ That’s how it was the whole year.” Even though Hancock was obviously one of the new kids on the block, joining such veterans as last season’s tri-captains, Siva and seniors Kyle Kuric and Chris Smith, and wasn’t playing, he said he was accepted immediately and his teammates made him feel comfortable. “When you battle with those guys through three-hour practices and you’re up at 5:30 in the morning with them, that brings you together right there,” Hancock said. “I don’t feel there was one particular instance, but all the little battles we had the whole year kind of brought us together. I don’t feel anybody was trying to make me an outcast or anything.” When he decided to leave George Mason, he said he was attracted to Louisville because his brother lives here, he had played for UofL assistant coach Kevin Keats in prep school and he “wanted to play at the high-

est level.” Hancock, who will have two years of eligibility at UofL, averaged 10.9 points, 4.6 rebounds and a teamhigh 4.6 assists as a sophomore in helping George Mason post a 27-7 record and reach the second round of the NCAA Tournament. He shot 49.4 percent, including 35.9 from three-point range, and hit 81 percent of his free throws. He got 18 points and five assists in the Patriots’ 61-57 upset of Villanova in the first round of the 2011 NCAA Tournament. Aside from his leadership skills, it’s that kind of versatility that he hopes to bring to the Cardinals, where he probably will see action both at small forward and shooting guard. “I see my role as putting pieces together because we obviously have a great team, we return a lot of guys,” he said. “All I really need to do is put it together. I’m going to try my best to take care of the little things, be a rebounder, play defense, pass the

ball, get people shots and then kind of fill in where I can. If I need to score, or whatever it needs to be, trying to help the team however I can. “We just have so many pieces to the puzzle who are great players, and we can obviously play well on a given night. So I don’t feel like I need to come in and score 40 points or anything like that.” He said he’s eager to play next year after being relegated to a spectator’s role during UofL’s surge to the Final Four this past season. Two other Cardinals, Mike Marra and Stephan Van Treese, also missed the season, but for a different reason as both were sidelined with injuries. “I kind of got a backseat view of everything that happened,” Hancock said. “I made the (postseason) trips, so seeing all of that is definitely motivation to get back there. We sit around and talk about it all the time. We’re all so ready to get back and get going again.” While Hancock isn’t shy about getting in someone’s face when necessary, Siva is likely to take a more subdued approach to leadership, much as he did this past season. He and Hancock are likely to form a good cop/bad cop duo. Pitino, though, said he would like Siva to be more aggressive and outspoken. “I thought he did a good job as captain,” Pitino said. “One of his strengths, as well as a weakness, is he wants to please everybody. He wants to please all of you, me. That’s a nice attribute to have, but sometimes you need to put your foot down and say, ‘Now this has to be done,’ like Preston Knowles did. He has to be a little tougher at times.” Is the personable point guard capable of doing that? “I know Luke is, so it will be a good marriage between the two of them,” Pitino said. As far as Siva’s performance on the court, Pitino has few worries. He said the Seattle native has been buoyed by his outstanding play in the postseason when he led the Cards to the Big East Tournament championship and an eight-game winning streak before they lost to Kentucky in the Final Four semifinals. “It’s self-esteem and confidence with Peyton, and he’s very confident right now,” Pitino said. “I think he’s going to have a great senior season.”

PAGE 10

LOUISVILLE SPORTSREPORT

APRIL 11, 2012

GAMEDAY PREVIEW - DAVIDSON

C O M M E N T A R Y

GOOD

Teddy Bridgewater wasn’t just GOOD in the Red-White Spring Game last Saturday, he was GREAT. Completing 19 of 21 passes for 257 yards and three touchdowns, Bridgewater led the offense up and down the field with ease. “He’s had a really good spring,” offensive coordinator Shawn Watson said. “He has been pretty accurate all spring. It is pretty typical to have him in the 70 percent range ... in all the practice situations.” Bridgewater looked poised and confident. He handled the offense, even checking quickly out of plays and into better ones. In fact, the touchdown pass to DeVante Parker appeared to be a play he checked to after defensive pressure showed him an opening. After being a freshman All-American last season, Bridgewater appears headed for a bright future.

BAD

How depressing was it to wake up Saturday morning to rain, with more rain on the way? It seems as if there is bad weather for the Louisville spring football game every year, and this year was no exception. Thank goodness it wasn’t the tornado warning and hail we have had in previous years. Still, there was a nice crowd at the Red-White Game, estimated at 15,000 fans. Coach Charlie Strong was hoping for more than 20,000, and he would have had his wish granted had it not been for the rain. We also want to commend UofL PA announcer Sean Moth for his in-game commentary and play-by-play. We also like his idea of a side of the stadium chanting “GO” and then the other side chanting “CARDS.” Moth said he saw the Denver Broncos fans doing that and thought it would translate well to Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium. We agree.

GOOD

Now that spring practice is complete, the coaching staff will turn its attention to recruiting. They will head out on the road for the next several weeks and then return to campus for a series of football camps in June. The program will host two Junior Cardinal Camps (June 6-8 and June 16-17). The camp is $175 and includes three days of individual instruction for beginning football players. The program will host two Mini Camps for advanced players (June 9-10 and June 16-17), which will include position drills and two days of expert instruction for $55 for a single day, $110 for both days or $160 for overnight. The Cardinals also will host Cardinal Kicking Camp June 9-10 for $65 for one day, $165 for two days and $185 for overnight. Contact Vicky Nugent at 502, 852-6325 for more information. Ever run on a treadmill? Do you remember the dial on the treadmill that turns it faster or slower? On most treadmills, the speed is marked in miles per hour, meaning most of us work out somewhere in the 4.0 to 8.0 range (that’s between a 7:30- and 15-minute mile). At Monday’s Boston Marathon, former UofL runner Wesley Korir won by covering 26.2 miles in two hours, 12 minutes and 41 seconds. If he were running on a treadmill, that would be a 12.3 setting for 26 straight miles. Amazing, right? He also was running over hills and around corners in 80-degree heat.

GOOD

BAD

We are happy to see former Louisville assistant Richard Pitino get an opportunity to be a head coach, but it stinks to see him leave the program. The younger Pitino was named head coach at Florida International Monday following the unsuccessful tenure

B Y

H O W I E

L I N D S E Y

of former Indiana University and NBA star Isiah Thomas. Losing Richard Pitino hurts next year’s team. He scouted 90-95 percent of Louisville’s opponents this past season, and we know of at least two games he helped win with a strategy shift during the game. He’s a bright young mind in the coaching profession, and we have no doubt he’ll build a successful program in the Sun Belt Conference.

GOOD

We are hearing GOOD things about the progress of some upcoming athletic construction projects around UofL. Construction on an expanded baseball stadium is due to start as soon as the final out of this season is recorded, plans are in place for a new soccer complex near the Lacrosse Stadium on Floyd Street, and the program is planning to expand the Howard Schnellenberger Football Complex and add more seating and a berm to Ulmer Stadium for softball. Mark Jurich and his team at the Cardinal Athletic Fund are doing a tremendous job fundraising for each project. For more information on how fans can help, check out UofLSports.com or CardinalSports.com later this week.

GOOD

Want to play pool for a good cause? The J Wagner Group is bringing together former University of Louisville and University of Kentucky stars for a new Derby event to benefit Big Brothers, Big Sisters and Kickoff 4 Kids. Former UofL football players Michael Bush and Amobi Okoye, both currently in the NFL, and former UK basketball player Darius Miller will host the “Battle of the Bluegrass Charity Pool Tournament” on Thursday, May 3. They will be joined by Jeanette Lee, “The Black Widow” of professional pool. The event, which will be held at the Ice House downtown (Washington St.), will cost $20 for admission, and 100 percent of the proceeds go to Big Brothers, Big Sisters and Kickoff 4 Kids. If you think your game is good enough, you can play in the tournament for $250. “Michael and I hope to make this an annual event where everyone can have a good time while raising money for Big Brothers, Big Sisters and my charity, Kickoff 4 Kids,” Okoye said.

GOOD

The University of Louisville All-Sports Banquet at the Kentucky Fair and Expo Center Monday night was a real treat. The event was opened to the media for the first time this year, and it was spectacular. There was a red carpet and photographers as the student-athletes arrived, a band played throughout the event, and the dinner was especially fancy. With well-produced videos and presenters for each award, the event was like the Oscars for Louisville Athletics. Congratulations to all the award winners, and congratulations to the UofL staff for putting on such a first-class event.

GOOD

At one particularly poignant moment during the AllSports Banquet, the screens in the hall went black for a second and white type appeared printing across the screen. The words drew cheers from some tables as they printed like a typewriter: “Class of 2012: 28 Big East titles, 2 National Finalists, 2 Final Fours, 1 College Cup, 2 National Champions.” The athletic programs at UofL have been so tremendously successful since 2008 it’s difficult to remember all of the accomplishments. But when you put it together simply as that video did, it makes a bold statement about the athletic achievements at UofL. What is even better? The future appears even brighter.

GET DAILY UPDATES ON THE CARDS AT CARDINALSPORTS.COM - Want more opinions? follow @howielindsey on twitter

APRIL 11, 2012

LOUISVILLE SPORTSREPORT

PAGE 11

2012 RED-WHITE SPRING GAME

undersiZed but undaunted: radcliFF comes up biG

By Howie Lindsey After Scott Radcliff caught nine passes for 119 yards in the Red-White Spring Game last Saturday, offensive coordinator Shawn Watson paid him a noteworthy compliment. “Every football team needs a Scott Radcliff,” Watson said, noting that Radcliff does everything he can to make himself and his team better. Later that night, Radcliff saw the comment from Watson and retweeted it to his friends and followers on Twitter. “I was kind of shocked, honestly,” HOWIE LINDSEY Radcliff said. “That was really cool. Coach Watson is a great coach, and when he said that it brought a big smile to my face. When you hear something like that, as a player it makes you feel like you have accomplished something. You want to keep going, but it feels like you have accomplished something and you have the coach’s trust. That is what I want to be like, and I want the coach to be able to trust me.” And what does he think Watson meant by the comment? “I don’t know,” Radcliff said. “I guess I just work hard. I come to work every day. I make the plays. I am not the most athletic. I am not the fastest, but I get open. I do what they ask me to do. I am more of a technician. I understand the defensive concepts.” One thing is for sure, Radcliff gets open. He ran through Louisville’s secondary - a secondary that is billed as one of the best in the Big East - as if he was uncovered for much of the game. “During the game everybody kept asking me how many catches I had,” Radcliff said. “I kept saying 10. I wanted to get to 10. I found out the next day that it was nine. That is still great. The thing is, we have so much depth on our receiving corps that it could have been any one of us. I am getting all this praise, but it really could have been Eli (Rogers) or any of the rest of us.” It was the best public performance of his career. Sure it wasn’t in an actual game, but it was a confidence builder for Radcliff. Through his first 29 games he has 10 catches for 124 yards and a pair of touchdowns. “In the position he plays, he is going to get a lot of catches,” said coach Charlie Strong. “He catches the ball and moves the chains. The thing about him is he makes the tough catches. He doesn’t have to run away from anybody, he just has to get open. Where he’s placed is a lot of matchup. It’s him

Receiver Scott Radcliff caught nine passes for 119 yards during Saturday’s Spring Game. - photo by Howie Lindsey

on a linebacker or him on a nickel back. We feel like we can win that battle, and it’s an easy throw for the quarterback because he’s an inside receiver. He can just see the lanes open up.” For Radcliff, perhaps his most famous moment as a Cardinal isn’t either of his touchdowns or his big catch for a two-point conversion during a 25-23 victory over Southern Miss in 2009 or even his sure-handed punt returns, but a muffed catch in the end zone against Kentucky last season. “I knew that was going to come up,” Radcliff said, smiling. “I see that all over the place, and I’ll never live it down. Yeah, it always motivates me. “I know I lost some trust from some people on that. It was a perfect pass. It was one of those that was beautiful. I took my eyes off of it for a second, and it slides right through. And you just can’t do that. It has motivated me, and hopefully I can earn some trust back from some of the fans. I got it back from the coaches and the players, so I need to continue doing that.” After Saturday’s game, QB Teddy Bridgewater said Radcliff was his target because he knows “whatever I throw his way, he’s going to make the play.” “I already had Will’s (backup QB Will Stein, a fellow Trinity grad) trust going back to high school,” Radcliff said. “Now, I just had to work on Teddy.

We have been throwing every day and catching. After we warm up I like to go catch some of his passes to get the feeling again. I want to get his trust, so I have to make the play when the ball is in the air. I know if I don’t I’m going to hear about it later, so I have to make that play.” With the UK game being the first game of the season this year, Radcliff no doubt is hoping for a redemptive moment against the archrival Cats. “We don’t start game-planning until after camp, but in the weight room we have a countdown clock to the Kentucky game,” Radcliff said. “It reminds us of what is ahead. It is great motivation. It is great rivalry. We are hoping to have a great game.” NOT ABOUT 40 When Radcliff was asked his 40-yard dash time recently, he smiled, ducked his head and laughed. Not quite the response most wideouts at the major college level have when asked about their speed. “We haven’t been timed in a year, but it was 4.66 the last time we ran it,” he said. “Hopefully I am faster now because we have been doing a lot of work in the weight room.” Sure, it is just 0.37 seconds slower than the 4.29 former Louisville defensive back Chris Johnson posted at the

NFL Combine years ago, but that 0.37 is an eternity for a skill-position player. While most people don’t know anyone who could run the 40 in 4.66, Radcliff knows he’s surrounded by two dozen or more teammates who are that fast or faster. Always a competitor, Radcliff was quick to add: “I think I am definitely quicker now. We have done a bunch of squats, and we do a lot of running with plates behind us. We work on our legs and do jumps and explosion exercises.” Given his size, speed and position, Radcliff said Trent Guy and Doug Beaumont have been good role models for him. “I have had some great athletes in front of me,” Radcliff said. “I am what I am today because of those guys ahead of me. From Trent Guy to Scott Long to Doug (Beaumont). Those guys took me under their wing and taught me. I followed Doug, and I always watched film on Doug. I still do. We are similar players, both possession receivers. We are the same kinds of athletes. He was a great player, and that is the type of player I would like to be.” One thing about Beaumont Radcliff didn’t want to emulate was his inability to get into the end zone. Beaumont went more than three seasons without a touchdown pass before finally nabbing a TD in the second game of the 2010 season. Radcliff notched his first TD in the first game of the season last year. “I did. I did,” Radcliff said. “He (Beaumont) was upset.” WES WELKER Beaumont isn’t the only receiver to whom Radcliff is compared. Radcliff’s height, weight and speed make New England wideout Wes Welker a popular comparison. Both are 5 feet 9 and 185 pounds, and neither burns up the turf in a 40-yard dash. Welker notched a 4.63 40 at the NFL Combine in 2004. “I hear it a lot,” Radcliff said. “I mean, it is an honor to be mentioned like that. I definitely watch Wes all the time. I love the Patriots since (former UofL player) Deion Branch was there, and I watch them. Their offense is awesome. Being compared to Wes Welker is just awesome.” Welker is a four-time Pro Bowler and has led the NFL in receptions three seasons. He is famous for having the ability to shake defenders who are much faster than him. “I watch the routes he runs from the slot,” Radcliff said. “He has a knack for getting open, and that is what I have to do, too. Get open and make plays.”

PAGE 12

LOUISVILLE SPORTSREPORT

APRIL 11, 2012

2012 RED-WHITE SPRING GAME PHOTO GALLERY

Senior-to-be Will Stein is Louisville’s back-up quarterback. He’s been crucial to starter Teddy Bridgewater’s growth according to offensive coordinator Shawn Watson. - photos by Howie Lindsey

Receiver Damien Copeland was broiught down by a defender after one of his catches during the Spring Game.

Thousands of Louisville fans tailgated around the stadium prior to the Red-White Sporing Game Saturday.

APRIL 11, 2012

LOUISVILLE SPORTSREPORT

PAGE 13

2012 RED-WHITE SPRING GAME PHOTO GALLERY

Offensive linemen Jake Smith (left) and Mario Benavides discussed a series of plays on the Red team sideline.photos by Howie Lindsey

Coach Charlie Strong said Saturday’s Spring Game was ‘a breath of fresh air.’

As rain passed through the area near the stadium, fans took cover in the Central Ave. overpass tunnel.

Freshmen future stars (L. to R.) Keith Brown, Gerod Holliman and Charles Gaines were held out of Saturday’s Spring Game due to injury.

Sophomore quarterback Teddy Bridgewater prepared to hand the ball off to a running back during Saturday’s Spring Game.

The Red-White Spring Game was sponsored by Wendy’s, which is why this gentleman was wearing a Wendy’s red wig with pigtails.

PAGE 14

LOUISVILLE SPORTSREPORT

APRIL 11, 2012

2012 RED-WHITE SPRING GAME

15,000 fans for the spring game

APRIL 11, 2012

LOUISVILLE SPORTSREPORT

PAGE 15

LOUISVILLE BASKETBALL

KEATTS, MCGEE GET PROMOTIONS ON UOFL STAFF

richard pitino takes on a biG challenGe at Fiu

By Russ Brown University of Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino said he is in no hurry to finish completing his staff following the departure of his son and two other employees, but he wasted no time in filling two spots by promoting two current staff members. Richard Pitino officially accepted the head coaching job at Florida International University Monday, RUSS BROWN taking Mark Lieberman and assistant video coordinator Casey Stanley with him. So Rick Pitino promoted Kevin Keatts to the head assistant’s job and named program assistant and former UofL player Andre McGee to Lieberman’s post as director of basketball operations. That leaves two positions still open -- assistant coach and program assistant. “I don’t think there’s any reason to move very fast on it,” Rick Pitino said. “There’s no timetable, we’ve already signed our recruits. We can take our time. It’s like getting ready for the NBA Draft. Do you take the best athlete available, or do you take an experienced four-year player? “All of that in coaching is irrelevant because it’s players that help you win, so we want a combination of a person who can be a good recruiter, a good scout, a loyal person to the program. There’s a lot of factors that go into it. And like I’ve always said, I don’t hire assistant coaches, I hire future head coaches.” This will be the first head coaching job for Richard Pitino, 29, who served as his father’s associate head coach this past season after two years as an assistant under Billy Donovan at Florida. Richard had also been on the UofL staff for the 2008 and 2009 seasons. This past season, he was responsible for scouting reports and also was heavily involved in recruiting. “It was a big treat being able to spend three years with him,” Rick Pitino said. “I was hoping it would go longer, but it didn’t and we’re very excited he’s getting this opportunity.

Associate head coach Richard Pitino is taking over the program at FIU. During his three seasons at Louisville the Cardinals went to two Elite Eights and a Final Four. photos by Howie Lindsey

One of the reasons (he left for FIU) he felt very comfortable recruiting Florida because he was an assistant coach at Florida, so he felt it was a great fit.” During Richard’s three seasons as a UofL assistant the Cards went to one Final Four, two Elite Eights and won three Big East championships -- two tournaments and a regular-season title. Rick Pitino said his son is wellprepared for his first stint as a head coach. “I think he’s more than ready to be a head coach,” Rick said. “He reminds me so much -- and this is the highest compliment I could give anybody -- of Billy Donovan at the same age. He is really very similar to Billy much more than he is to me. He has Billy’s personality, mannerisms. “He did 100 percent of the scouting this year. When he came back from Florida he wasn’t just going to say, ‘Yes dad’ to everything. He very much had a conviction when he watched 18 games on film, he was very sure of himself.” Richard will replace another famil-

iar name in basketball circles, former Indiana University and Detroit Pistons great Isiah Thomas, who was fired after compiling a 26-65 record in three seasons, including 8-21 this past season. His entire staff also was dismissed. Richard steps into a challenging rebuilding -- or building -- situation. FIU has had 12 straight losing seasons, and the current players were so upset with Thomas’ firing that they staged a walkout during the school’s athletic awards banquet last week. Five players have asked to be released from their scholarships, including sophomore forward Dominique Ferguson and freshman center Joey De La Rosa, once prized FIU recruits. So far, the school has denied the requests. The team sent a “letter of support” for the fired staff to FIU President Mark Rosenerg appealing for more reasons for the staff firing and expressing displeasure with the manner in which the firings were handled. “They have to get to know me,” Richard said. “They are not going to want to play for me without knowing me.

T h e most important thing for me is to be around these guys as much as possible. They are going to have to be recruited a little bit. I understand that and I’m confident I can do that. “The first thing we have to establish from Day One is we are going to work extremely hard. Everybody says that, but we are going to live up to it. It’s never going to be easy, but with that hard work is great reward. Hard work can take you a long way. It really inspired me this year to get so much out of our players at Louisville. There are so many great resources here at FIU. You can drive all the way up the state of Florida and find players who can help us here at FIU.” Richard says he isn’t concerned about FIU’s past record of futility, echoing his father’s words in adding, “I worry about the present.” While Richard faces a huge task at FIU, Rick Pitino says he told his son that “any job is a great job if you recruit outstanding players” and Richard said, “Every coach looks great with great players.” Rick indicated he will entertain the possibility of scheduling FIU for a game in the KFC Yum! Center next season. “We’re trying to get him in here to play next season because I never spanked him as a child and I want to give him a good spanking,” the elder Pitino said. To which Richard, displaying his dad’s competitive fire, replied in a text message: “Bring it on.” “Hopefully, we can work something out,” Richard added.

PAGE 16

LOUISVILLE SPORTSREPORT

APRIL 11, 2012

LOUISVILLE BASKETBALL

2011-12 FINAL MEN’S BASKETBALL SEASON STATS MINUTES

TOTAL

3-PTS

F-THROWS

REBOUNDS

Player

Tot

Avg

FGA

Pct

3FG

FGA

Pct

FTA

Pct

Off

Def

Tot

Avg

Blk

Stl

Pts

Avg

Kuric, Kyle

1369

36.0

165

391

.422

231

.329

.791

114

159

4.2

478

12.6

Smith, Russ

837

21.5

149

419

.356

134

.306

110

144

.764

2.5

110 3

449

11.5

Smith, Chris

1099

27.5

122

302

.404

168

.399

102

.735

103

143

3.6

386

9.7

Behanan, Chane

1039

26.0

146

286

.510

.167

138

.594

117

181

298

7.5

380

9.5

Siva, Peyton

1203

31.7

121

301

.402

.246

119

.739

102

121

3.2

114 5

211 131 5

347

9.1

Dieng, Gorgui

1312

32.8

145

276

.525

.500

108

.676

138

225

363

9.1

132 5

364

9.1

Marra, Mike

12.5

.625

.250

.500

2.5

6.0

Buckles, Rakeem

149

13.5

.432

.400

.556

3.8

4.0

Swopshire, Jared

509

13.1

115

.391

.208

.688

109

2.8

128

3.3

Blackshear, Wayne

105

7.0

.293

.300

.583

1.4

2.5

Nunez, Angel

4.6

.381

.375

.500

0.7

2.0

JACKSON, Mark

4.0

.500

1.000

.000

1.0

1.7

Van Treese, Stephan

6.7

.333

.000

.500

2.0

1.3

Henderson, Tim

5.2

.364

.429

.500

0.8

1.3

Ware, Kevin

105

5.3

.296

.000

.333

0.7

1.0

Justice, Elisha

122

4.9

.385

.091

.667

0.4

0.9

Price, Zach

4.3

.308

.000

.267

0.8

0.6

Team

128

Total

8100

963

2281

.422

233

733

.318

568

826

.688

518

994

1512

37.8

706 16

532 562 193

353

2727 68.2

Opponents

8100

857

2233

.384

218

720

.303

508

766

.663

509

935

1444

36.1

745 -

453 621 144

284

2440 61.0

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APRIL 11, 2012

LOUISVILLE SPORTSREPORT

PAGE 17

LOUISVILLE BASKETBALL

cards’ aim should be better next season, pitino says

By Russ Brown Despite its postseason success, the 2012 University of Louisville basketball team was one of the worst-shooting groups in school history. But despite losing its two best marksmen in Kyle Kuric and Chris Smith, coach Rick Pitino believes next year’s club will improve its shooting accuracy. Of course, it won’t take much, because the Cardinals shot just 42.2 percent overall -- second-worst in the last 47 years -- and 31.8 percent from three-point range, lowest since the arc was introduced in 1987. Smith, who was fourth in the Big East in three-point percentage at 39.9, and Kuric, who shot 32.9 percent from long range, are both gone. But Pitino thinks he has additional firepower in sophomores Kevin Ware and Wayne Blackshear, who saw little action this past season, and junior Luke Hancock, a transfer who shot 35.9 percent on treys as a sophomore at George Mason. “Luke Hancock is a terrific basketball player, he really is, in all phases of the game,” Pitino said Monday during a wide-ranging press conference. “He can replace Kyle Kuric without a problem and I believe Wayne, Kevin and whoever ... we’re more than capable of replacing those two guys (Kuric and Smith). “This team won on defense and character, and that’s why they remind me so much of Providence College. Providence won on offense and character, and they weren’t very good defensively. In the Sweet 16, Alabama shot 57 percent against us. We shot 67. The character element was what reminded me so much of this team.” Ater winning 30 games, the Big East Tournament championship, advancing to the Final Four and returning most of its players, UofL will take tons of positive momentum and some very high expectations into the 2012-13 season. But Pitino said it all started two years ago. “I don’t want to understate the Final Four or Big East championship, but I felt when we changed our brand two years ago we’ve had a great experience with the type of people we have in our program, what we’re trying to build recruiting-wise,” he said. “We spend a lot of time looking at character in recruiting, and the people we’re bringing in are of the highest quality. “I think when you’re good defensively, anything can happen, and I think we’ll be much better offensively next year. We weren’t a real good offensive team, and we have the potential to be much better. We have a lot of momentum going into next season, and our

guys feel good about themselves.” Pitino said the Cards’ late-season surge was a testimony to the unpredictability of sports and the benefits of staying positive. UofL lost four of its last six regular-season games, finished seventh in the Big East and dropped out of the top 25, but then won four straight straight games to capture the Big East Tournament title and four more in the NCAA Tournament to advance to the Final Four. “After the Syracuse game we were unranked, not really talked about,” Pitino said. “Then just a short period later we win the Big East championship and go to the Final Four. That’s the good thing about sports, you can get hot and feel good.” UofL already is being tabbed as a preseason No. 1 in some polls, and ESPN Bracketologist Joe Lunardi has the Cards penciled in as a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, playing their first game in the East Regional in Rupp Arena in Lexington. “That’s great. Yeah, I like that,” Pitino said. “I marvel at that man because he absolutely has no life. He’s great. It’s a little bit late for him, I thought he’d be out with his (2013) bracket a lot sooner than this.” Here’s what Pitino had to say about some of his returning players: Russ Smith, who was named the team’s MVP -- “My good friend (TV analyst) Leslie Vissar had one of the greatest comments of all time. I said to her, ‘He’s the most incredible guy; I don’t know where we’d be without him.’ She said, ‘Yep, he was the MVP of both teams.’ That pretty much sums it up. “I think when you get a player with his ability, you’ve just got to let him be

Russ. You can’t stifle him. You have to get him to cut down on his turnovers and bad shots, but I felt by the time we got into the tournament he cut down on a lot of his bad shots.” Gorgui Dieng -- “Gorgui had a terrific season. He’s got to work on going left better, but he had a very good year. Mostly with Gorgui it’s just strength. We want him to get to 255 pounds and play at 250.” Chane Behanan -- “We’ve got to improve Chane’s outside shot; he brings the ball way too far behind his head and it hurts his balance. All these things are very correctable. Chane has to learn to score and guard consistently. His footwork has to get better off his one-on-one move, and he’s got to learn to shoot the ball better. “If he becomes an outstanding shooter he could be one of the outstanding players in college basketball, but he’s got to really work on that. When you bring the ball behind your head, you go backward and start to lose your balance. He’s feeling good about himself right now. He thinks he’s Hollywood, so we just need to keep him humble and he’ll be fine.” Kevin Ware -- “You really haven’t seen the real Kevin Ware, what we see sometimes in practice. We just look up and say, ‘Did you see THAT?’ The guy comes in and we play him at the wrong position first of all. He’s got to play the wing, he can’t play the point.” Wayne Blackshear -- “We were getting really worried because he was very tentative with both (previously injured) shoulders, then all of a sudden the last week of practice he starts showing things that we saw in high school. Where he has to improve is his shooting. His trajectory is too low. His form

is very good, his trajectory is too low.” Mike Marra and Stephan Van Treese, who missed most of last season with knee injuries -- “I really don’t know. I know Stephan is going to be healthy. Rak (Rakeem Buckles) isn’t going to play next year, and Mike Marra had much more serious knee surgery than Rakeem had. I don’t see a lot of playing time for them right now. They have to prove they can beat some guys out.” Zach Price and Angel Nunez -- “Price is going to be a terrific player. Zach has to do one thing; he’s got to stop being a detriment from the free-throw line (4 of 15). Once we cure that, he’s going to be an excellent basketball player. I’m very, very high on him, as I am Angel Nunez. “We want Angel to back up Chane. He obviously has to get stronger, but Angel has as much potential as any player on our team. He’s the biggest gym rat we have. This is a much better class ... we’ve got some strong basketball players.”

BULLET HEADED FOR PIKEVILLE Pitino said rising junior guard Elisha Justice will transfer to the University of Pikeville in his hometown for more playing time and to be closer to his ailing grandparents. “We’re very excited about that,” Pitino said. “Not excited that we’re losing him, but excited that he gets the opportunity to come in here and play next year (in an exhibition) and get his Final Four ring. He wants to play major minutes, and I told him, ‘We’re going to help you get into coaching some day, and if that’s your dream you don’t have to be here for that.’ We’re thrilled for him. We’re going to miss him; he’s been great.” Justice played in 25 games as a backup point guard, averaging five minutes per outing. He missed four games with a broken nose. His best performance came against Arkansas State when he had six points, four rebounds and three asssists in a season-high 28 minutes.

NO INFRARED UofL’s InfraRED uniforms, which the Cards unveiled during the Big East Tournament and wore throughout the postseason, are being retired, although the players liked one element of them. “We’re going to put them on the shelf,” Pitino said. “What our players loved about those uniforms was they were paperweight, they were so light. It wasn’t the color. I’m hoping future uniforms will be the lightness, but they won’t be InfraRED.”

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LOUISVILLE SPORTSREPORT

APRIL 11, 2012

LOUISVILLE TRACK AND FIELD

LOUISVILLE’S WESLEY KORIR WINS BOSTON MARATHON By Howie Lindsey Former University of Louisville cross country and track and field All-American Wesley Korir won the Boston Marathon Monday in a heat-slowed time of 2:12.40. Korir, who has won the Los Angeles Marathon twice and has finished second and fourth in the Chicago Marathon, brought home the Beantown title among a field of 22,426 runners. The unseasonably warm weather caused thousands of runners to drop out of the race before it began. The heat also got to one of Korir’s biggest rivals. Last year Geoffrey Mutai ran the fastest marathon in history, but he dropped out of this year’s race at mile 18 due to cramping from the 80-degree heat. But Korir kept going and won the second-slowest Boston race since 1985. Korir (B.A. in Biology, ’08) said his UofL degree came in handy during the race. “It’s hot out there, in case you didn’t know,” he said in a post-race news conference. “I knew it was going to be hot, and one important thing that I had to take care of today was to really hydrate as much as possible. I guess my biology degree kicked in a little bit.” Korir, who is married to former UofL runner Tarah McKay, has been trying to make an Olympic team (either for Kenya, his native land, or Canada, his wife’s native land) for the 2012 London games. The Boston win assures him a spot. “To me, I think running the Boston Marathon is an Olympic event,” he said. “I don’t care what comes up after this, but I’m really, really happy to win Boston.” A Cardinal from 2005-07, Korir was one of the program’s top runners in cross country and track and currently is the school record holder in four events (three outdoor and one indoor). He earned All-Region cross country honors in 2005 and 2006 and won six individual titles during that span. On the track side, he won the 10K at the 2005 Con-

Louisville’s Wesley Korir won the Boston Marathon Monday, his third marathon win.

ference USA Outdoor Championships and earned All-America honors in 2007 in the 5,000m. Korir’s $150,000 prize from the Boston Marathon will no doubt be put to good use for his charity, the Kenyan Kids Foundation. It is a charity he and his wife founded with the aim of empowering that country’s youth through education, access to health care and sustainable farming. “I’m going to help the people back home with my winnings, with my opportunity of being who I am right now, through the media, through everything,” Korir told Running Times Magazine. The Foundation recently built a hospital in Kitale, Korir’s hometown, in the memory of his brother Nicholas, who was killed by a black mamba snake at the age of 10. “Running is not my destiny,” he told Running Times earlier this spring. “Running is just a steppingstone of what God’s prepared for me. God has put something so amazing for me out there. This running, it’s not Wesley -- it’s not the end of me. God has put in my heart helping the poor of Kenya.”

The Kenyan Kids Foundation began by financing high school education for seven students and currently is helping 40 students attend schools near Kitale through full and partial scholarships. The Korirs’ goal is for the Foundation to continue to support these students throughout high school. Korir and his wife also sponsored a student through pharmacy school, and he has recently graduated. In order to qualify for a scholarship, a student has to come from a family that is unable to provide funding for a high school education and has to attain at least 300 marks on their KCPE (Kenya Certificate of Primary Education). To keep a scholarship, students are required to maintain at least an average of C in high school. If they fall below this standard, they have one semester to improve. They also are required to give at least five hours a week during holidays to community service. The Foundation also partnered with the Hall Steps Foundation to raise funds to help finish a hospital in Wesley’s village that had not

been completed due to a lack of funds, and this year the Foundation is providing five poor families with the financial means to grow their own crops. CHALLENGE: Please join the Louisville SportsReport’s Howie Lindsey in donating $26.20 (or more) to the Kenyan Kids Foundation by logging on to http://www.kenyankidsfoundation.org

APRIL 11, 2012

LOUISVILLE SPORTSREPORT

PAGE 19

2012 ALL SPORTS BANQUET

Senior swimmer Carlos Almeida won Adidas Athlete of the Year at Monday night’s All Sports Banquet. Almeida won Louisville’s ﬁrst NCAA Championship in swimming. - photos by Howie Lindsey

Women’s soccer star Christine Exeter won Adidas Athlete of the Year at Monday night’s banquet.

Adidas Athletes of the Year Christine Exeter and Carlos Almeida posed for a quick picture on the stage Monday night.

Louisville’s basketball team arrived to the 2012 All Sports Banquet. The team posed for pictures as they walked in on the red carpet.

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LOUISVILLE SPORTSREPORT

APRIL 11, 2012

2012 ALL SPORTS BANQUET

Louisville’s Freshmen of the Year were Tanja Kyllainen from swimming, Teddy Bridgewater from football and basketball’s Chane Behanan.

Louisville student-athletes were dressed to the nines as the arrived for the 2012 All-Sports Banquet. photos by Howie Lindsey

Soccer’s Jimmy Crick and Track and Field star Chinwe Okoro were awarded post-graduate scholarships by UofL’s Marvin Mitchell.

Several Louisville women’s basketball players (L. to R.) Bria Smith, Sheronne Vails, Antonita Slaughter and Asia Taylor attended the banquet.

APRIL 11, 2012

LOUISVILLE SPORTSREPORT

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LOUISVILLE SPORTSREPORT

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HOWIE LINDSEY’S

CARDINAL STARS OF THE WEEK

KORIR

COLLINS

WOLNY

RUXER

spencer

OKORO

WESLEy KORIR - MARATHONING The former UofL All-American won the 2012 Boston Marathon Monday, outpacing a field of more than 22,000 runners. Korir, who also has two wins in the Los Angeles Marathon and a pair of top-five finishes in the Chicago Marathon, claimed one of racing’s biggest prizes Monday by out-lasting his competitors, many of whom suffered cramping due to temperatures in the 80s. Korir, a native of Eldoret, Kenya, earned the $150,000 first prize. He finished the 26.2 miles in 2:12.40. TORI COLLINS - SOFTBALL The senior from Lafayette, Ind., was named Big East Pitcher of the Week Monday for her back-to-back no-hitters last weekend. Last Wednesday she also pitched a four-hit shutout against Villanova and worked two scoreless innings in the nightcap to earn a save. For the week she did not allow a run in 21 innings, with three complete-game shutouts. The senior registered her first career no-hitter and struck out eight in an 8-0, five-inning victory over Longwood on Saturday, then hurled a seven-inning no-hitter in a 1-0 victory over the Lancers on Sunday. Collins is 18-1 on the season with a 1.11 ERA. She has 136 strikeouts in 120 1/3 innings and is holding opponents to a .160 batting average. ALICJA WOLNy - SOFTBALL Wolny, who was named Big East Player of the Week Monday, led the Cardinals to a 5-0 week, batting .692 with nine hits, eight RBIs and four runs scored. The El Dorado Hills, Calif., native posted a 1.077 slugging percentage, with two doubles and a home run. The junior also walked four times to give her a .778 on-base percentage. She had three multi-hit games, including a 3-for-3 performance with two RBIs in a 7-0 victory over Villanova. Wolny is second on the team with a .395 average and is tied for the team lead with five home runs this season. No. 12 Louisville (38-2, 9-2) will play host to No. 16/18 USF (40-6, 13-1) in a doubleheader Wednesday at 4 p.m. Both games will be televised by ESPNU, with Adam Amin and Jennie Finch calling the games. JARED RUXER - BASEBALL The freshman right-hander from Indianapolis was named Big East Conference Pitcher of the Week on Monday after his impressive performance in a 12-0 victory over No. 2 Kentucky last week. Ruxer allowed only three hits in six shutout innings with a career-best six strikeouts to earn the victory as the Cardinals became the first team this season to shut out the Wildcats. Overall, Ruxer is 5-0 with a 1.98 ERA in 2012. He is the third Cardinal to earn Big East Player/ Pitcher of the Week honors this season, joining sophomore infielder Ty Young (March 19) and senior outfielder/first baseman Stewart Ijames (Feb. 27). The 22nd-ranked Cards will return to action with a road game at Indiana on Tuesday at 3 p.m. The IU game will be followed by a pivotal series at Big East leader USF this weekend in Tampa. AHLIVIA SPENCER - WOMEN’S TRACK AND FIELD The sophomore from Indianapolis broke the school record in the 800m Saturday evening at the Texas Roadhouse Border Battle at Cardinal Park Track and Soccer Stadium. Spencer was timed in 2:08.75, breaking the 4-year-old school record of 2:09.30 that was set by Tarah McKay in 2008. During the recently concluded indoor season she broke a 6-year-old school record in the 600m and etched her named in the school’s annals as the 500m record holder. “I thought Ahlivia had a terrific race today with a two-second personal best,” coach Ron Mann said. “She continues to show remarkable development as a middle-distance runner, and it’s exciting to watch her progress.” CHINWE OKORO - WOMEN’S TRACK AND FIELD The redshirt senior from Darien, Ill., posted victories in the discus and the shot put at the Border Battle Saturday. Her discus mark of 184 feet, 6 inches (56.24m), which was a personal best, ranks third nationally and ranks as the fifth-best throw in school history. Okoro’s winning shot put toss of 55 feet, 3 1/2 inches (16.85m) ranks in the top 10 nationally and is not only another personal best, but it is the third-best throw in school history. “Overall, I felt we had a great effort all around,” Mann said. “Chinwe Okoro gave us an excellent.

APRIL 11, 2012

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LOUISVILLE SPORTSREPORT

APRIL 11, 2012

LOUISVILLE SPORTSREPORT’S CARDINAL KIDS

Three month old Reagan Short, proud to be a Cardinal fan!

David Wilson of Charlie Wilson’s Appliance and TV and his 5-yearold grandson Drew.

Charlie ﬁnally met the Cardinal Bird at the UofL vs. Villanova basketball game!

LOUISVILLE SPORTSREPORT • PERIODICAL POSTAGE PAID

Joe and Barbara Strohbeck’s youngest grandson, Joey Vermillon, was ready to go to the game.

DO YOU KNOW A CARDINAL KID? SUBMIT A PICTURE OF YOUR CARDINAL KID BY SENDING AN EMAIL TO: MYCARDINALKID@GMAIL.COM

One-year old Lazzeris Ray Herron.