2005 Cardinal Football Outlook - Defensive Backs
August 25, 2005 | Football
Aug. 25, 2005
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - With the Louisville football team's 2005 season-opener at Kentucky fast-approaching, UofLSports.com will be providing a daily preview of the Cards' first season in the BIG EAST Conference. Today's ninth installment looks at the Cards' defensive backs.
2005 Louisville Defensive Backs
The microscope will be on this group this fall as the Cardinals must replace three starters from the secondary, including first team All-Conference performer Kerry Rhodes at free safety. The Cardinals must find replacements for one corner and two safeties, as Antoine Harris, Brent Johnson and J.T. Haskins exhausted their eligibility.
Louisville is fortunate to have junior William Gay back for his third year as a major contributor. Gay, in his first season as a starter last year, quietly had a great season. He recorded just 21 tackles, but opposing wide receivers didn't register many big plays against him.
The other corner position will likely be manned by a pair of talented but untested performers in red-shirt freshmen Rod Council and Deon Palmer.
Council is expected to step right in at one corner and give the Cardinals another solid corner. He red-shirted a year ago, but was the best corner on the scout team. The 5-10 product of West Charlotte High School has excellent speed and has good technique. He benefitted from a year of practice and should be ready to take over.
Deon Palmer, a transfer from Georgia Southern, will get an opportunity to compete for playing time behind Council, but also be moved to safety to add more depth. He should have the ability to step right in and play well. He had a good spring and should be a much-needed player in the secondary this fall.
The return of junior Gavin Smart will also be a plus. Smart played in six games a year ago before separating his shoulder and missing the rest of the season. He went through spring drills, but avoided contact. Sophomore Bobby Buchanan is a talented performer with good speed who will be able to add depth at the cornerback position.
The Cardinals lost both of their starting safeties, but the Sharp brothers, Antoine and Brandon, could jump right into the fray. Antoine, who played mostly at corner in nickel situations, developed well in his first season in the defensive backfield.
Antoine, who played wide receiver at the University of Florida, stepped in as a cornerback and recorded 29 tackles and recovered two fumbles. Brandon has earned two letters for the Cardinals, playing mostly on special teams and in a reserve role in the defensive backfield. But 2005 could be different, as Brandon will compete for a starting position. He recorded 11 tackles a year ago.
Sophomore Jonathan Russell got his feet wet last season on special teams and at safety. He recorded 11 tackles and his first career interception a year ago. Russell used the spring to be ready to compete for a starting position at free safety. Red-shirt freshman Justin Deeley has impressed the coaches and will get on the field this season.
The Cardinals added six talented freshmen to the six during the signing period and Petrino thinks they can all make a difference. Travis Norton from Lincoln High School (Fla.), Lamar Alston from Paducah Tilghman High School (Ky.), E.K. Sawyerr from Godby High School (Fla.) and Stephen Garr from Male High School (Ky.) will each get a chance to compete in the secondary, while Darius Mann from Don Bosco Prep (N.J.) and Richard Raglin from Southside High School (Ga.) could provide depth at safety.
