Petrino Recaps Wake Forest; Previews Syracuse Game
November 02, 2015 | Football
Cards return home to face Syracuse on Saturday at 12:30 p.m.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Coming off a 20-19Â road win at Wake Forest on Friday night, the University of Louisville football teams returns to Papa John's Cardinal Stadium on Saturday to face Syracuse at 12:30 p.m. The game will be shown on the ACC Network and on WAVE 3 in the Louisville area .
The Cardinals won for the fourth time in five games with another strong defensive performance, forcing five Demon Deacon turnovers and recording four more sacks in holding Wake to 266 yards of total offense. Defensive end/linebacker Trevon Young, the ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week, for the second consecutive week, recorded 3.0 sacks and forced a fumble to preserve the one-point win.
"We have made people have to throw the ball more and he can really rush the passer," Petrino said. "He has great get-off speed, he has great moves, he is long, he can turn speed into power and he is just getting those opportunities. Even a year ago, every day in practice it was man this guy can really rush the passer, he is going to be really good for us. Then he had the injury so I am just so happy that he has been able to come back from really not doing much after that injury until this August. Maybe he is just starting to really get into shape and I think that is the thing because he didn't get as many opportunities to rush the quarterback early in the year."
The Cardinals will be tested again this week with an athletic quarterback in Syracuse's Eric Dungey. Taking over as the starter, Dungey has thrown for 1,140 yards and 1 touchdowns, while rushing for 308 yards and a team-high five touchdowns.
"Yeah, he's a good player," Petrino said. "I'm impressed when I watch him on video. He gets the ball out of his hand quick, he can make throws that they ask him to make, he's very athletic, very competitive. He's certainly a guy that we'll have to know where he's at, what formations they're in and how they're going to use him because they do so much with him. They throw the ball, run option, run draws so we're going to have a great idea what formations they're in and what personnel groups they have out there with him."
The Cardinals evened their record at 4-4 and 3-2 in the ACC, and are looking for their third-straight win. If the Cardinals are going to continue their winning ways, they will have to improve on offense. Despite the one-point win over Wake Forest, the offense was able to muster 317 yards of total offense, and Petrino wants to his offense get better.
"We have to execute, you know we have to drive the ball, mix the run and the pass, the play-action game, get to third down and know we are going to have it protected, keep our vision downfield and make the throws into tight coverage," Petrino said. "I feel good in one aspect that I feel James Quick and (Jamari) Staples are really doing a great job for us getting open on time and catching contested passes and making plays."
"We are not consistent at all and we have to quit hurting ourselves, we continue to hurt ourselves with negative plays or penalties and when you are moving backwards all the time, it puts a lot of pressure on you. If you can go through a game and always go forward on every situation, then you have a chance to be consistent. We are starting to get more explosive plays, more chunk plays down the field and that should help us score more points."
Elvis Dumervil to be Honored
Former UofL defensive and Baltimore Ravens linebacker Elvis Dumervil will have his No. 58 jersey honored after the first quarter of Saturday's game againsr Syracuse. Dumervil will be the 20th jersey to be honored in school history. The 5-foot-11 defensive end ranks second all-time in school history with 32.0 career sacks from 2002-05. He led the country in sacks in 2005 with 20.5 en route to winning the Bronko Nagurski Award for the top defensive player in the country.
Louisville head coach Bobby Petrino, who coached Dumervil, for the final three years of his career, remembers Dumervil sitting in office begging him to leave him as a nose guard, Petrino pulled ranked and moved the under-sized player to defensive end, and the rest is history. Dumervil went on to be a fourth-round selection of the Denver Broncos and has enjoyed a 10-year NFL career.
"Yeah we used to get a lot from Elvis, and could really rush the passer," Petrino said. "I will never forget when I first came here we had him in spring ball at nose guard. He came in my office after spring ball and he would not leave, he would not leave my office because he wanted to see if I give him a chance at defensive end. I said, 'Elvis nobody can block you at nose, you are so active, you are so tough, nobody can block you.' He said, 'Coach I am only 5'11.' I said, 'Still, nobody can block you.' He said, 'Well if you move me to end, nobody will block me there either.' So we kept going back and forth and then I said okay we will give you an opportunity at defensive end and then it is history but man he was good at nose guard. He was so disruptive and you couldn't run the ball, you couldn't pass protect but he has done pretty well at the defensive end spot.
Barnidge Having Big Year for the Browns
Head coach Bobby Petrino recruited former UofL tight end Gary Barnidge, who is having his biggest season this year with the Cleveland Browns. In eight games this year, Barnidge leads the team with 40 receptions for 567 yards and six scores. Barnidge played three seasons for the Cardinals (2004-07) tallying 108 receptions for 1,491 yards before being drafted by the Carolina Panthers.
"Oh I think it is great for Gary," Petrino said. "Gary is a guy that every time he played here he did everything you asked him to do. He was an unbelievable player for us as a true freshman, he made a bunch of plays to help us have a great season. I still picture the plays he made at Boise in the Liberty Bowl in that big game so it is great to see him have success. He is a kid that is always full of life and went full speed on everything you asked him to do."
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The Cardinals won for the fourth time in five games with another strong defensive performance, forcing five Demon Deacon turnovers and recording four more sacks in holding Wake to 266 yards of total offense. Defensive end/linebacker Trevon Young, the ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week, for the second consecutive week, recorded 3.0 sacks and forced a fumble to preserve the one-point win.
"We have made people have to throw the ball more and he can really rush the passer," Petrino said. "He has great get-off speed, he has great moves, he is long, he can turn speed into power and he is just getting those opportunities. Even a year ago, every day in practice it was man this guy can really rush the passer, he is going to be really good for us. Then he had the injury so I am just so happy that he has been able to come back from really not doing much after that injury until this August. Maybe he is just starting to really get into shape and I think that is the thing because he didn't get as many opportunities to rush the quarterback early in the year."
The Cardinals will be tested again this week with an athletic quarterback in Syracuse's Eric Dungey. Taking over as the starter, Dungey has thrown for 1,140 yards and 1 touchdowns, while rushing for 308 yards and a team-high five touchdowns.
"Yeah, he's a good player," Petrino said. "I'm impressed when I watch him on video. He gets the ball out of his hand quick, he can make throws that they ask him to make, he's very athletic, very competitive. He's certainly a guy that we'll have to know where he's at, what formations they're in and how they're going to use him because they do so much with him. They throw the ball, run option, run draws so we're going to have a great idea what formations they're in and what personnel groups they have out there with him."
The Cardinals evened their record at 4-4 and 3-2 in the ACC, and are looking for their third-straight win. If the Cardinals are going to continue their winning ways, they will have to improve on offense. Despite the one-point win over Wake Forest, the offense was able to muster 317 yards of total offense, and Petrino wants to his offense get better.
"We have to execute, you know we have to drive the ball, mix the run and the pass, the play-action game, get to third down and know we are going to have it protected, keep our vision downfield and make the throws into tight coverage," Petrino said. "I feel good in one aspect that I feel James Quick and (Jamari) Staples are really doing a great job for us getting open on time and catching contested passes and making plays."
"We are not consistent at all and we have to quit hurting ourselves, we continue to hurt ourselves with negative plays or penalties and when you are moving backwards all the time, it puts a lot of pressure on you. If you can go through a game and always go forward on every situation, then you have a chance to be consistent. We are starting to get more explosive plays, more chunk plays down the field and that should help us score more points."
Elvis Dumervil to be Honored
Former UofL defensive and Baltimore Ravens linebacker Elvis Dumervil will have his No. 58 jersey honored after the first quarter of Saturday's game againsr Syracuse. Dumervil will be the 20th jersey to be honored in school history. The 5-foot-11 defensive end ranks second all-time in school history with 32.0 career sacks from 2002-05. He led the country in sacks in 2005 with 20.5 en route to winning the Bronko Nagurski Award for the top defensive player in the country.
Louisville head coach Bobby Petrino, who coached Dumervil, for the final three years of his career, remembers Dumervil sitting in office begging him to leave him as a nose guard, Petrino pulled ranked and moved the under-sized player to defensive end, and the rest is history. Dumervil went on to be a fourth-round selection of the Denver Broncos and has enjoyed a 10-year NFL career.
"Yeah we used to get a lot from Elvis, and could really rush the passer," Petrino said. "I will never forget when I first came here we had him in spring ball at nose guard. He came in my office after spring ball and he would not leave, he would not leave my office because he wanted to see if I give him a chance at defensive end. I said, 'Elvis nobody can block you at nose, you are so active, you are so tough, nobody can block you.' He said, 'Coach I am only 5'11.' I said, 'Still, nobody can block you.' He said, 'Well if you move me to end, nobody will block me there either.' So we kept going back and forth and then I said okay we will give you an opportunity at defensive end and then it is history but man he was good at nose guard. He was so disruptive and you couldn't run the ball, you couldn't pass protect but he has done pretty well at the defensive end spot.
Barnidge Having Big Year for the Browns
Head coach Bobby Petrino recruited former UofL tight end Gary Barnidge, who is having his biggest season this year with the Cleveland Browns. In eight games this year, Barnidge leads the team with 40 receptions for 567 yards and six scores. Barnidge played three seasons for the Cardinals (2004-07) tallying 108 receptions for 1,491 yards before being drafted by the Carolina Panthers.
"Oh I think it is great for Gary," Petrino said. "Gary is a guy that every time he played here he did everything you asked him to do. He was an unbelievable player for us as a true freshman, he made a bunch of plays to help us have a great season. I still picture the plays he made at Boise in the Liberty Bowl in that big game so it is great to see him have success. He is a kid that is always full of life and went full speed on everything you asked him to do."
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