Louisville Football Daily Newsletter (Aug. 12)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - As the old saying goes, "things get better with time,' and that's exactly what University of Louisville co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Chris Klenakis expects of his offensive line this season.

After an up-and-down season last year– filled with freshmen and inexperienced players in the starting lineup – the Cardinals' offensive line struggled early before turning into a bright spot toward the end of the season. Now as the freshmen grow up and the others gained more experience, this is a unit that is expected to be much improved.

Freshmen Geron Christian and Lukayus McNeil, who were consistently in the lineup in 2015, developed as the year went on, and started to bring the others along as well.

An all-ACC selection last season, Christian was the only player to start all 13 games on the offensive line and will develop into one of the top linemen in the league over the next few seasons, while McNeil—who made nine starts - brings a toughness and physicality needed at that positon.

"We really only had two guys who played football last season in Tobijah Hughley and Aaron Epps," Klenakis said. "We never used that as a crutch. We went to work every day and got better, and now we just want to pick up where we left off after our bowl game."

This season should be a whole lot different for the UofL offensive line, with four starters returning and some added depth. Klenakis feels this group is much further along because they know the offense and what's expected of them.

"It's a heck of a lot different," Klenakis said. "You aren't re-teaching every day. You're able to pick up and continue the progressions, and start the next day where you finished before."

One player who has stepped into the starting lineup after the first week of camp has been senior guard Khalil Hunter, who transferred to the Cardinals in 2015. After seeing limited action a year ago, Hunter is pleased with his progression and where the line is now

"I feel like the offensive line is coming along," Hunter said. "I feel like we are all improving. There were times last year when we were going the wrong way on assignments. We got better each week during the season and hope we can make bigger strides this season."

Klenakis is fortunate to return his center in senior captain Tobijah Hughley, who has 23 career starts on the offensive line. A former walk-on from Lexington, Ky., Hughley is one of the most intelligent players on the team and the leader on the offensive front.

"He has been in the battles and been in the situations," Klenakis said. "He has seen the defenses and made adjustments. He knows what adjustments that need to be made and he can anticipate the quarterbacks audibles because he knows them."

Klenakis wouldn't commit to a starting five at this point -- just nine days into camp. Three of the spots appeared to be filled with Christian, McNeil and Hughley, but there will be a fight for the final couple of spots along the offensive line.

"I don't really know that," Klenakis said. "We have a scrimmage tomorrow and practice next week. We just have to come out and get better."

The Cardinals will take a step at figuring out all the starting lineups when the squad hits the field at 9 a.m. on Saturday morning for their first major scrimmage of fall camp.

University of Louisville Athletics

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Players Mentioned

Geron Christian

Aaron Epps

Tobijah Hughley

Khalil Hunter

Lukayus McNeil

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