Cardinals Open Conference USA Slate
October 02, 2000 | Football
Oct. 2, 2000
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- The University of Louisville football team's 3-1 early season record is the best start for a Cardinal club since 1993 when they opened the season 5-0. The Cardinals will try to improve on their early success travelling to Birmingham to open their 2000 Conference USA slate.
The Blazers also enter the contest with a 3-1 mark after chalking up a 47-2 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette a week ago to open a four-game homestand. UAB comes into the contest with an 0-1 C-USA mark after a loss to Kansas in Week Two.
Due to a scheduling imbalance, C-USA designated the Blazers' contest with Kansas as a league game.
UAB owns the league's top running game led by junior Jegil Dugger. At 5-11, 212 pounds, Dugger is C-USA's leading rusher, averaging 107.5 yards per game. Dugger has hit paydirt three times and has gained 430 yards on 73 carries this season.
Thirteen different players have carried the football for UAB this season and the ground game has outgained the passing game, 773 yards to 462 through the season's first four contests.
Senior quarterback Daniel Dixon has completed less than 50 percent of his throws this season and no Blazer receiver has more than nine catches.
Defensively, UAB has forced 15 turnovers in four games and did not allow an offensive score a week ago versus Louisiana-Lafayette.
Safety Adrian Singleton is the team's top tackler with 25 stops in 2000 while linebacker Adrian Abrams owns a team-high seven tackles for loss.
Junior placekicker Rhett Gallego is the nation's third-leading field goal kicker averaging two FGs per game. He is eight of eight this season including four-of-four tries from outside of 40 yards.
Following their C-USA opener with UAB, the Cardinals return home to Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. U of L will open a three-game homestand Oct. 14 as Cincinnati visits for the annual battle for the Keg of Nails. Kickoff is currently slated for 2:00 p.m. ET.
SCOUTING THE CARDINALS
Quarterback -- Conference USA's second most prolific scoring offense at more than 33 points per game is marshalled by sophomore quarterback Dave Ragone.
With just four collegiate starts under his belt, Ragone rates among the Top 25 in two different statistical categories. The lefthander is 22nd overall in passing efficiency with 140.2 points while his 242.75 yards of total offense per game ranks him 25th in the nation.
For the year, Ragone is completing 61.9 percent of his passes (78 of 126) for 893 yards and nine touchdowns. The sophomore has been intercepted just three times this season.
Ragone has added the threat of running the football to the Cardinal offense and is the team's third leading rusher with 78 yards on the season. He set a career-high a week ago carrying the football nine times for 47 yards and his first career score.
In the pocket, Ragone helped the Cardinals to a victory over UConn by connecting on 19 of 31 throws for 253 yards and two touchdowns in a 41-22 win.
Two weeks ago, Ragone set career-highs versus Florida State with 24 completions and 44 attempts but was limited to just 207 yards passing by the Seminoles. Ragone did not throw a touchdown pass as the Cardinal offense was shut out for the first time since 1992 when Arizona State blanked U of L 19-0 in Tempe.
Ragone opened the season completing 35 of 51 throws for 433 yards and seven touchdowns in high-scoring wins over Kentucky and Grambling.
In his last two contests, Ragone has completed 43 of 75 tosses (57.3 percent) for 460 yards and two touchdowns as the Cardinals split decisions with Florida State and Connecticut.
In his first collegiate start versus Kentucky in Week One, Ragone showed the composure of a veteran guiding U of L back from a 19-7 third quarter deficit. On the evening, Ragone completed 23 of 30 passes for 256 yards and three touchdowns against the Cardinals' in-state rival. He was not intercepted in his debut as a starter.
On the ground, Ragone has shown the ability to make plays outside the pocket, rushing 18 times including a long run of 19 yards versus Kentucky.
An all-state performer at St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland, Ragone guided his alma mater to the Ohio big school state semifinals in football and state championship game in basketball.
The sophomore is backed up by veteran QB Mike Watkins. A fifth-year senior from Fort Pierce, Fla., Watkins served as Chris Redman's understudy for the past three seasons and missed out on the starting spot by a narrow margin to Ragone during the off-season.
A capable signalcaller with game experience, Watkins has competed 49 of 80 throws over the past three campaigns including a 20 of 30 performance in place of an injured Redman to close out the `98 regular season with a win over Army. Watkins threw for a career-best 338 yards and three scores while running for another in the victory.
Watkins has only seen action under center versus Grambling when he completed three of four passes for 25 yards and scored a pair of touchdowns on the ground during U of L's 52-0 win.
The Cardinals pack talent all the way back to the No. 3 spot where local product Gerry Ahrens continues his apprenticeship as a redshirt freshman.
As a high school senior, Ahrens threw for almost 4,000 yards and 47 touchdowns guiding Male High School to a state title, breaking the Kentucky prep record for single season yardage once held by Redman and Cleveland Browns QB Tim Couch.
Running Back -- Juniors Tony Stallings and Chris Lester are the Cardinals' first two options in the running game, sharing time as the feature back in U of L's one-back scheme.
Stallings continues to lead the Cardinals in rushing with 271 yards through four games and ranks fifth among C-USA backs averaging 67.8 yards per game. He has scored a team-high four rushing TDs including a six-yard burst to close the scoring in U of L's 19-point win a week ago.
Stallings has been the Cardinals' top rusher in three of four games this season and topped U of L with 61 yards on nine carries versus UConn despite being supplanted in the starting lineup by Lester.
Lester plugged his way to 41 yards on the ground on a team high 11 carries against Connecticut, drawing his first career start at U of L.
On the year, Lester has carried the ball 39 times for 146 yards and one score.
Stallings and Lester have combined to catch seven passes out of the backfield for just 31 yards this season.
In the season opener versus Kentucky, Stallings and Lester combined to rush for 215 yards on 30 carries as U of L debuted a two-headed monster to replace all-Conference USA runner Frank Moreau. The pair also caught two passes for 20 yards to account for 235 all-purpose yards in the win over Kentucky.
Stallings, who rushed for more than 1,200 yards and 19 touchdowns as a senior in high school, totaled 144 yards on just 15 carries and scored a pair of touchdowns after halftime in the win. His one-yard touchdown plunge gave U of L a short-lived 20-19 lead, but it was his 25-yard scoring blot up the middle in overtime that sent the Cardinal faithful home happy. His efforts also earned him C-USA Offensive Player of the Week laurels.
In their first two seasons under the direction of John L. Smith and his staff, the Cardinals produced a 100-yard rusher in 14 of 24 contests. With the ball-carrying responsibilities split between Lester and Stallings, U of L has had just one 100-yard rusher this season (Stallings -144 vs. Kentucky).
Stallings opened his collegiate career on the defensive side of the football where he earned all-C-USA all-rookie laurels as a linebacker posting 54 tackles and a pair of sacks.
Lester joined the Cardinals midway through two-a-days and was working on the Cliffnotes version of the U of L playbook prior to his 71-yard showing versus the Wildcats.
A blocking back most of his prep career in Miami, Lester earned all-Western States Conference honors a year ago for Hancock (CA) Junior College. Lester rushed for more than 1,000 yards in 1999 and posted a 198-yard day in the California JC state title game.
Redshirt freshman T.J. Patterson and sophomore Henry Miller provide back up to Lester and Stallings.
Miller and Patterson each saw playing time versus Grambling with Miller gaining a team-high 63 yards on just five second half carries while Patterson posted 22 yards in three tries during his collegiate debut. Patterson also saw late duty versus Connecticut, getting three carries for 11 yards in the fourth quarter.
Patterson was recognized by the coaching staff as U of L's Offensive Scout Team Player of the Year a season ago while Miller was the Cards' top returning rusher from a season ago.
Wide Receiver -- Gamebreaking talent Arnold Jackson returns to the fold after earning a fifth-season of eligibility from the NCAA. Jackson opened his collegiate career as a partial qualifier but progressed by NCAA standards and received an extra season with the Cardinals.
The nation's top returning receiver for the second consecutive season, Jackson has his sights firmly set on the NCAA Division I-A all-time record for passes caught in a career.
Jackson has pulled in 23 passes for 228 yards and two touchdowns despite being dogged with double coverage in his first four starts of 2000.
U of L's all-time leading receiver has been held in check but still appears among the nation's top 50 pass catchers, averaging 5.75 grabs a game to rank 26th.
The Jacksonville, Fla. native finished the past two seasons rated among the top 10 in that category.
Jackson, who caught a school and league record, 101 passes a season ago now owns 260 career grabs and is 39 shy of breaking Trevor Insley's Division I mark of 298 career grabs set a year ago. Forty-two more catches will push Jackson ahead of future NFL Hall of Famer Jerry Rice into second place on the NCAA all-division list.
Please note - The 2000 U of L media guide states Rice holds the all-division mark with 301 catches. The 2000 NCAA Record Books lists Scott Pingel of Westminster (Mo.), a Division III school, as the all-time leader with 436 career grabs.
Jackson enters Week Five in ninth place all-time among Division I-A receivers with his 260 career catches and with five grabs this week, Jackson can catapult into fifth place all-time
A first-team all-league choice each of the past two seasons, Jackson's 101 catches in 1999 marked just the 20th time in NCAA I-A history a receiver had surpassed the century mark.
Jackson has caught a pass in all 39 of his collegiate appearances (longest streak in the nation) and the smallish wideout has also caught five or more passes in 27 of his last 28 contests.
A.J. enjoyed his finest evening of the 2000 campaign versus Connecticut, catching seven passes for a season-high 96 yards and returned to the end zone for the first time since the season opened.
A 1998 JC All-American, Deion Branch actually leads the Cardinals in receiving with 26 catches for 332 yards and a team-high four touchdowns. A highly-billed newcomer to the U of L offense, Branch caught a team-high nine passes for 116 yards in the 41-22 win over Connecticut a week ago. The 123-yard night marked the second time in four games Branch had eclipsed the century mark.
In the season opener, Branch caught a team-high nine passes for 123 yards and two TDs as U of L upset in-state rival Kentucky in overtime. One week later, Branch hit paydirt twice again as part of a three-catch, 73-yard outing versus Grambling.
At 5-9, 180 pounds, the shifty Branch spent all of the 1999 season as a member of the Cardinals scout team instead of wasting a season of eligibility amongst a veteran group of pass catchers.
After four games, Branch finds himself ranked 11th nationally and first in C-USA, averaging 6.5 catches per game.
During the `98 campaign at Jones County (MS) College, Branch totaled 69 catches for 1,012 yards and nine scores helping JCC to an undefeated 12-0 mark.
Branch added kick and punt return duties to his job description at JCC averaging 12.8 yards per punt return and 19.6 per kick return.
Senior wideout Zek Parker joins Jackson as a returning starter for the Cardinals after getting the nod in nine games as a junior. Like Jackson, Parker was a partial qualifier and can petition the NCAA for a fifth season of eligibility after the 2000 campaign.
Parker saw limited playing time in the opener versus Kentucky, catching just one pass for four yards. The Alabama native experienced dizziness after receiving a hard tackle on his first kickoff return of the night.
Against Grambling, Parker pulled in two balls for 67 yards including the Cards' first TD of the night, a 50-yard strike from Ragone. Parker pulled in a season-high three passes against Florida State but could wiggle free for just 10 yards.
Parker got U of L on the board versus UConn, pulling in a 32-yard scoring pass from Ragone midway through the first quarter. Parker would catch just one more pass on the night but remains as the Cards' No. 4 receiver with eight catches.
Sophomore Damien Dorsey and senior Allen Carroll battle for the No. 4 receiver spot in the Cardinals' multiple-receiver package.
The excitable Dorsey earned a letter in 1999 as a redshirt frosh but did not catch a pass in the `99 regular season while Carroll has totaled just four catches in two seasons with U of L.
Carroll was thrust into the starting lineup versus Kentucky after Parker had his bell rung on a kickoff return, but did not catch a pass.
Dorsey has played sparingly but has pulled in just two passes this season.
Tight End - Sophomore Ronnie Ghent made the Cards' game against Florida State two weeks his own personal coming out party, catching a career-high seven passes for an equally-impressive 123 yards including a 46-yard catch and run to set up a U of L scoring opportunity.
On the season, Ghent is the Cardinals' No. 3 receiver statistically with 11 grabs for 156 yards and no touchdowns.
Ghent, however, was blanked a week ago as UConn closed down the sophomore without a catch.
Ghent splits time with redshirt freshman Richard Owens at the tight end spot with the duo spliting the first four starts at the position. Owens gives the Cardinals a prototypical tight end at 6-4, 260 pounds for blocking purposes while Ghent is no small character at six-feet, two-inches and 235 pounds.
Owens dressed for all 12 U of L contests a season ago but did not see action while Ghent sat out the `99 campaign after failing to meet NCAA initial eligibility requirements.
Owens got the start versus Grambling in Week Two and made his initial collegiate catch a memorable one. The Florida native pulled in a 10-yard scoring pass from Dave Ragone in the second quarter to give U of L a 21-0 lead.
Ghent earned the starting assignment in Week One and caught three passes for 24 yards in the thrilling win over Kentucky.
An all-area player on both sides of the football as a prep senior, Owens caught 19 passes as a senior at Middleburg (FL) High while Ghent grabbed 15 passes including five scores at Lakeland (FL) HS.
Junior Chip Mattingly provides U of L with a hard-nosed blocker in short yardage and is a two-year letterwinner for the Cards with his special teams play.
Offensive Line -- Offensive line coach Art Valero welcomes back a veteran core at the middle of the offensive line but has a pair of virtually untested veterans at the tackle spots.
Preseason all-C-USA choice Jason Padget anchors the offensive line from the center position. A quick study a season ago in his first campaign at center, Padget was voted one of four captains by his teammates following spring practice.
Underrated guard Joe O'Shaughnessy is in his third season as a starter on the offensive front and is one of the strongest Cardinals. A native of Columbus, Ohio, O'Shaughnessy and his fellow linemen have opened holes for a pair of 1,000-yard rushers and all-league running backs in each of the past two seasons.
Junior Aaron Dardzinski continues to improve as the Cards' most agile offensive lineman and is in his second season as a starter. All three interior linemen answered the bell in 12 consecutive games a year ago.
Junior Rob Eble missed the Connecticut contest after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery on Sept. 26 and was replaced in the lineup by junior college import Michael Bowers.
The Cardinal offense didn't miss a beat piling up more than 400 yards of total offense for the third time in four games.
Eble is expected to return to action this week versus UAB and will reclaim his place opposite Scott Graham on the U of L offensive line.
Redshirt freshman Jason Hilliard and sophomore Antoine Sims serve as reserves at the guard slots while ever-improving Ariel Rodriguez serves as Padget's understudy.
Over the past two-plus seasons, the U of L offensive line has protected the quarterback well, allowing just 48 sacks in 1,176 passing opportunities or one every 24.5 attempts. Against a strong FSU pass rush two weeks ago, the Cardinal offensive line allowed just three sacks on the night in 47 passing opportunities.
Defensive Line -- After a pair of seasons where depth was an issue along the U of L defensive front, the 2000 campaign sees the Cardinals two-deep and then some in the trenches. That depth came into good use over the past two weeks as the Cardinal defense has been on the field for more than 80 plays in each of the last two contests.
Senior captain and defensive tackle Donovan Arp returns to anchor the front four following a junior season that saw him total a team-best 16 tackles for loss. The Salt Lake City native also tied for the team lead with seven sacks in `99.
Arp's return, however, was put in doubt after the normally durable tackle suffered a ruptured Achilles' tendon midway through spring practice.
Following surgery, an aggressive rehabilitation program and some help from good genetics, Arp was back on the football field for the beginning of two-a-day drills less than four months after suffering what could have been a career-ending injury.
On the season, Arp has recorded 15 tackles (eight solo) including seven for loss while notching a pair of quarterback sacks. He is tied for third on the team with five quarterback pressures.
Arp is joined by another comeback kid at the starting tackle spot with senior Derrick Kennedy returning to the lineup after missing all of `99 due to appendicitis and a post-operative infection.
A three-year starter with 97 career tackles, Kennedy eases the loss of all-conference tackle Mike Gantous and gives the Cards a vocal leader on the defensive line.
Kennedy has flourished in his return to competition as well. Through four games, Kennedy leads all defensive linemen with 19 tackles including two for loss and has shown a big-play ability up front. He has forced a pair of fumbles, recovered two more, registered a sack and tipped a pass that resulted in a Curry Burns' interception versus Kentucky.
Against Connecticut, Kennedy chalked up a career-best seven tackles and was credited by the coaching staff with a pair of QB pressures.
Redshirt freshmen Scott Lopez and Dewayne White took advantage of the added reps in Arp's absence this spring and boosted themselves into backup slots. White has seen significant action in the first four games, registering nine tackles and three sacks.
An Alabama native, White recorded a career-high two sacks in the lopsided win over Connecticut.
Junior college transfer Kobi Clark adds a fifth variable to the d-line equation, recording two sacks to go with six tackles so far this season. Clark registered the Cardinals only sack of Heisman Trophy candidate Chris Weinke in the 31-0 loss in Tallahassee. He is also tied for the team lead with six quarterback hurries.
Senior Matt Sexton returns for his third season as a starter and is an unsung staple for the defensive line.
Sexton finished tied for third on the team with five sacks a year ago despite missing a month with a broken hand.
The steady senior leads a young stable of ends who are looking to improve on the 30 sacks registered by U of L a season ago.
In the 2000 season's opening weekend, Sexton topped all defensive linemen with four tackles as well as a quarterback pressure. He, however, has not recorded a stop in the last three contests.
Sophomore Michael Josiah captured headlines following his four-sack performance versus Grambling in Week Two. Josiah, who tied for the team lead with seven sacks a year ago, tied the U of L single game record getting to Tiger QB Randy Hymes four times in the first half. His performance tied him with former U of L standouts and current NFLers Carl Powell and Joe Johnson.
For the year, Josiah owns five sacks to lead the team and has a team-high six quarterback pressures. He has also forced a fumble to go with 16 total tackles.
A native of Kenya who is in just his fifth season of organized football, Josiah was honored by The Sporting News a year ago as a second team freshman All-America selection after totaling seven sacks to go with nine tackles for loss in 1999.
Josiah's classmate, Devon Thomas was hampered by injuries in 1999 but recovered to have a strong bowl performance totaling four tackles and recovering a fumble. Thomas opens 2000 as a backup but continues to push for more snaps.
In his first four weeks of play, Thomas has tallied two tackles for loss and one quarterback pressure.
All-C-USA freshman choice Chad Lee helped fortify an injury-depleted unit in 1999 and returns with senior Toby Dawson to give U of L five choices at defensive end as well. Lee owns six tackles and one sack while Dawson recorded a pair of sacks in the win over UConn on Sept. 30.
Linebacker -- Senior captain Rashad Harris enters his fourth season as a starter for the Cardinals at a linebacker spot.
A starter in 28 consecutive contests for the U of L defense, Harris has surpassed the 90-tackle plateau in each of the past two seasons. He totaled 96 stops in `99 including a career-best nine for loss for the bowl-bound Cards.
Harris is currently third on the team with 28 tackles including 18 solo stops. The senior posted nine tackles in the loss to Florida State two weeks ago and corralled a season-high 10 versus Kentucky in Week One.
Harris opened his collegiate career three seasons ago as a 17-year-old starter and has been a contributor on defense ever since.
A native of Huntsville, Ala., Harris also enters his second season as a captain for U of L.
Sophomore Michael Brown joined Josiah on the TSN Freshman All-America second team after making quite a splash in his first season as a defender.
Brown returns as the Cardinals' top returning tackler after posting 104 in 1999. So far in 2000, Brown seems to have his sights set on being U of L's top tackler once again.
Brown is tied for the team lead with 33 tackles including a pair for loss. The undersized but ultra quick LB has forced one fumble, recovered another and blocked a field goal during the season's first four games.
A record-setting RB at local Butler High School, Brown recorded 13 tackles for loss, topped U of L with three fumble recoveries and returned his only interception as a frosh for a touchdown against Chattanooga in 1999.
Along with rookie All-America laurels, Brown brought home Conference USA all-freshman honors after recording at least seven tackles in the Cards' six league games.
Junior college transfer Jeromy Freitag (pronounce FRY-tag) has made an impact on the Cardinal lineup since getting his first career start two weeks ago versus Florida State. Freitag has responded by totaling 13 tackles over the past two weeks including a team-high eight stops against Connecticut.
At 6-1, 225 pounds, Freitag was a two-year starter for Sacramento City College and helped SCC to a No. 6 state ranking.
Sophomore Jeremy Collins moves to a backup role after starting the first two weeks next to Harris and Brown. In those two regular season games as a starter, Collins posted six tackles including four solo stops.
Collins saw time in all 12 games a season ago getting the start in U of L's appearance in the Humanitarian Bowl and collecting 11 stops in Boise.
Sophomore B.J. Steele joined the Cardinals as a walk-on a year ago and lettered as a true rookie on special teams. He and redshirt freshman Rod Day will provide depth for Collins and Harris while 1999 Scout Team Defensive MVP Michael Everett and junior Jeff Brunelli provide support for Brown at the bandit position.
Everett accounted for four tackles and his first career interception in extended playing time versus Grambling in Week Two and got four more stops against FSU.
Day has been a pleasant surprise grabbing seven tackles over the past two weeks.
Secondary -- U of L's secondary is led by its senior cornerback tandem of Antonio Roundtree and Rashad Holman. The duo enters their third season as starters on opposite sides of the field and gives the Cardinals a pair of veteran playmakers on the back row.
Holman currently is tied for fifth nationally with three interceptions in his first four contests of 2000 including a pair off of FSU quarterback Chris Weinke. For his career, Holman has intercepted 11 passes to rank among the top five in U of L history.
A graduate of local Male High School, Holman is five picks shy of tying former All-American and current Miami Dolphin Sam Madison for the career mark of 16.
His 10 PBUs move him into second place all-time on the U of L charts, 14 behind career leader Madison.
On the season, Holman owns 22 tackles to go with his three interceptions and has registered a team-high 10 pass breakups in four games.
Holman was the Cardinals' most productive DB a season ago intercepting a team high five passes and breaking up 10 more.
Roundtree opened the 2000 season as a preseason all-C-USA choice by the league's coaches. Hampered by a shoulder injury midway through the `99 campaign, Roundtree recorded 38 tackles and broke up six passes a year ago. Those numbers were a significant drop from the 59 stops and 15 PBUs he recorded in `98 to earn first-team all-league honors.
The 5-7 corner made the most of his one interception last season, returning it 56 yards for a touchdown in the season opener with Kentucky.
A native of Jacksonville, Fla., Roundtree opened his career as a running back for the Cardinals but was moved to the secondary with John L. Smith's arrival in the Derby City.
Roundtree recorded a career-high 11 tackles in the loss to Florida State in a staunch defensive effort from the secondary. He is currently eighth on the club with 17 tackles this season.
Sophomores Anthony Floyd and Curry Burns have showed big-play ability in their four starts at the safety positions combining on 56 tackles.
Burns is knotted with Michael Brown atop the tackles charts with 33 including a career-high 16 against Florida State two weeks ago.
The Miami native nailed down his first career touchdown against UConn when he picked up a Husky fumble and rambled 31 yards for a score.
Burns opened the season gathering 10 in his starting debut versus Kentucky. The Miami native also intercepted a third quarter pass and returned it 33 yards to set up a short scoring drive for U of L.
Burns' biggest play of the night came on the final play of regulation when he leaped and blocked an 18-yard game-winning UK field goal try. His block sent the game into overtime where Floyd's INT preceded a game-winning TD romp by Tony Stallings.
Floyd, an all-C-USA rookie choice a year ago, is tied for 24th nationally with a pair of interceptions in his first four games of 2000. The Youngstown, Ohio native is fourth on the team with 23 tackles including a career-best eight in the season opener where he also intercepted a pass.
Against Florida State, Floyd pulled in two turnovers, intercepting a Weinke pass just before halftime and recovering a late fourth quarter fumble to thwart a final FSU scoring drive.
As a rookie in 1999, Floyd finished tied for second on the club with three interceptions.
Juniors Brian Gaines and Justin Thomas continue to fight for nickel back honors with Gaines holding a slight edge.
A fierce hitter and special team contributor, Gaines has seen plenty of playing time in his two previous seasons while Thomas drew four starts at safety in 1999.
Gaines owns nine tackles so far this season in extended playing time and he forced a fumble to go with four tackles in the loss to Florida State.
Promising redshirt freshman Josh Minkins and junior Mike White serve as backups at the cornerback positions. Both have seen action this season at CB with White breaking up four passes and recording three tackles in limited playing time.
Special Teams -- In the early going of the 2000 season, the U of L special teams have shown the ability to pull off some big plays.
In the season's first three contests, the Cardinals blocked a pair of field goals, returned a punt for a TD (called back due to penalty), executed the first two fake punts in John L. Smith's 28-game reign as head coach and returned a kickoff 69 yards.
Week four saw the Cardinals improve on the basics of the kicking game, getting standout efforts from sophomore punter Chris Sivori and placekicker Wade Tydlacka.
Sivori struggled through the first two weeks of the 2000 season averaging 35.1 yards per punt in his first seven tries but has turned it around the past two weekends.
An all-C-USA freshman choice following the 1999 season, Sivori averaged 43.8 yards per kick including a career best 55-yarder versus Florida State. Versus UConn, Sivori averaged 44.2 yards per kick and dropped three of his six tries inside the Huskies' 20-yard line.
So far in 2000, the local St. Xavier graduate has dropped six kicks inside the opponents' 20-yard line. He recorded just eight in his rookie season.
Tydlacka (pronounced ta-LASH-ka) takes over for the graduated Jon Hilbert and is a perfect 16 of 16 in extra point tries this season.
A graduate of local Trinity High School, Tydlacka is an impressive three of four in his field goal tries this season including two of two a week ago in the win over Connecticut.
Tydlacka hammered home a 51-yard try as time expired in the first half to set a career-high and miss the school record by just one yard. He followed up the 51-yarder with a 36-yard field goal to cap the first drive of the second half and help U of L run off 20 consecutive points.
U of L's return game features two of the most exciting players in college football with Zek Parker returning kickoffs and the ever-elusive Arnold Jackson handling punt return duties.
Including his 91-yard touchdown return in the Humanitarian Bowl, Parker brought back three kicks for scores in 1999 and had a fourth called back due to penalty.
He continues his stellar play in 2000 ranking fifth in the nation in kickoff returns. Parker is averaging 30.33 yards per return including a 69-yard third quarter burst versus Kentucky. The 69-yard return immediately followed a UK defensive touchdown and set up a game-tying TD early in the fourth quarter.
For his career, Parker averages 24.4 yards per kickoff return and has rated among the top 50 in college football the past two seasons.
Jackson averages 10 yards per punt return over his three-year career and has not signalled for a fair catch since his freshman season. During that rookie campaign, Jackson hit paydirt from 85 yards away versus Illinois and brought another punt back 70 yards in his first collegiate start versus UK.
Jackson has ignored the fair catch sign during the first four weeks of the 2000 campaign but has been limited to 98 yards on 13 returns. Jackson's long return of the season came one week ago when he brought a UConn punt back 32 yards to set up a scoring drive.
Sivori and Tydlacka do not have to worry about the ball getting back to them with junior Chip Mattingly returning for his third consecutive season of standout long snapping. A reserve tight end and linebacker along with his special teams duties, Mattingly is one of the nation's finest longsnappers consistently clocking at NFL levels.
Mattingly's top backup, Richard Owens was called into duty against Florida State after Mattingly left the contest with a concussion. Owens was flawless in getting the ball back to Sivori and added a special teams tackle against the Seminoles.
Mattingly returned to full-time duty a week ago against Connecticut.
