Cards Have Spirited Saturday Practice
March 26, 2016 | Football
Team conduct two-hour practice Saturday morning
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The University of Louisville football team put the pads on Saturday, and they wasted no time getting after each other on the both sides of the football. After about an hour into the fourth practice of the spring, head coach Bobby Petrino ended the practice with live tackling periods to get a good look at where his football team is after the first week of spring ball.
The Cards conducted a mini-scrimmage under sunny skies on the practice fields, and the players enjoyed the opportunity to test their teammates for the first time. Sophomore quarterback Lamar Jackson led the offense and spread the football around to a number of his different weapons, especially to the deep wide receiver unit. Sophomore Traveon Samuel made a number of catches in the passing game and senior Brandon Radcliff paced the rushing attack.
Defensively, the Cards made a number of big stops, including James Hearns, who had the biggest hit of the scrimmage when he broke through the line and leveled junior running back L.J. Scott.
"We had a good scrimmage," junior cornerback Shaq Wiggins said. "It was a great opportunity to go head-to-head. The offense had an opportunity to make plays and the defense had the opportunity to make plays. Overall, it was a good scrimmage on both sides."
Wiggins, who is in his third year with the Cardinals, is adjusting to life with a new coach in the secondary. Keith Heyward has taken over as the secondary coach and is instilling a new philosophy with the defensive backs. Heyward and Cort Dennison are sharing a role coaching the entire secondary.
"Coach Heyward has asked a lot of us to step up and be a leader," Wiggins said. "He wants us to be good players. We have talked a lot about me being a leader and not talking as much on the field. I'm always going to be me, but I think I've just focused on being more of a mature player."
Despite coaching his unit for only a week, Heyward likes what he has seen from his players.
"I've liked what I've seen so far this spring," Heyward said. "It's a veteran group, with Jaire Alexander, Wiggins, Trumaine Washington, Chucky Williams and Josh Harvey-Clemons. As long as they continue to learn and play the system coach asks of them, they will be successful."
With a lot of players returning, Heyward does want to see more leadership from his entire seconday.
"I want to develop multiple leaders in the secondary," Heyward said. "Some guys are better leaders than others, but I want them all to step up and be leaders. We have to have accountability in the secondary."
The Cardinals will hit the field for practice No. 5 on Tuesday afternoon at 3:50 p.m. The Wendy's Wonderful Kids Spring Game is slated for April 16 at 1 p.m. at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium.
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The Cards conducted a mini-scrimmage under sunny skies on the practice fields, and the players enjoyed the opportunity to test their teammates for the first time. Sophomore quarterback Lamar Jackson led the offense and spread the football around to a number of his different weapons, especially to the deep wide receiver unit. Sophomore Traveon Samuel made a number of catches in the passing game and senior Brandon Radcliff paced the rushing attack.
Defensively, the Cards made a number of big stops, including James Hearns, who had the biggest hit of the scrimmage when he broke through the line and leveled junior running back L.J. Scott.
"We had a good scrimmage," junior cornerback Shaq Wiggins said. "It was a great opportunity to go head-to-head. The offense had an opportunity to make plays and the defense had the opportunity to make plays. Overall, it was a good scrimmage on both sides."
Wiggins, who is in his third year with the Cardinals, is adjusting to life with a new coach in the secondary. Keith Heyward has taken over as the secondary coach and is instilling a new philosophy with the defensive backs. Heyward and Cort Dennison are sharing a role coaching the entire secondary.
"Coach Heyward has asked a lot of us to step up and be a leader," Wiggins said. "He wants us to be good players. We have talked a lot about me being a leader and not talking as much on the field. I'm always going to be me, but I think I've just focused on being more of a mature player."
Despite coaching his unit for only a week, Heyward likes what he has seen from his players.
"I've liked what I've seen so far this spring," Heyward said. "It's a veteran group, with Jaire Alexander, Wiggins, Trumaine Washington, Chucky Williams and Josh Harvey-Clemons. As long as they continue to learn and play the system coach asks of them, they will be successful."
With a lot of players returning, Heyward does want to see more leadership from his entire seconday.
"I want to develop multiple leaders in the secondary," Heyward said. "Some guys are better leaders than others, but I want them all to step up and be leaders. We have to have accountability in the secondary."
The Cardinals will hit the field for practice No. 5 on Tuesday afternoon at 3:50 p.m. The Wendy's Wonderful Kids Spring Game is slated for April 16 at 1 p.m. at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium.
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