Photo by: Taris Smith | Louisville Athletics
Louisville Defense Passes Opening Test
September 04, 2024 | Football
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - University of Louisville co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach Ron English is proud of what his defense accomplished in game one and shed light on what he believes can make his team great.Â
The Cardinals defense shined in the season opener against Austin Peay, shutting out the Governors in Saturday's 62-0 victory.Â
"We have a lot of good players here. I told them before the game I want to see you strain. If you want to be great on defense, you have to strain. If you want to be average, you can move around," English said. "I thought a lot of people strained on a lot different plays."
In addition to shutting out the Governors, UofL's defense packed the statline by recording 14 TFLs, seven sacks, and one interception. They were even able to get in on the scoring clinic as defensive lineman Ramon Puryear recovered a fumble for a 22-yard touchdown.Â
Louisville's coaching staff celebrates these statistical achievements, but English ultimately wants his defense to do three things for each and every game.Â
"We talk about getting to the football. The second thing is we want to be physical. The third thing is we want to be disciplined," he said. "As a byproduct of that, you have to stop the run, get stops on third downs and limit scoring."Â
On Saturday, the Cards were able to check off all three wants on English's list. His defense not only shut out Austin Peay, they also held the team to just 34 rushing yards, limiting the run considerably. The defense was also able to get stops on third downs more times than not, forcing the Governors to go 4-of-15 on third down attempts.Â
Week two will provide a new challenge for the Louisville defense as Jacksonville State head coach Rich Rodriguez and his Gamecocks come into town. English shared what makes Rodriguez's team a tough opponent and what the coaching staff's plan is for the big game.Â
"[Rodriguez] is the forefather of that offense. He is the forefather of that system. He's proven for years and years to be successful. He is going to challenge you in a lot of ways," he said. "[The defense] is going to be conflicted at times where they have to do exactly what they're told to do. The coaches have to spend a lot of time making sure we are telling them the appropriate things in terms of assignment and alignment."
English and the Cards defense continue to prepare this week for Saturday's matchup against Jacksonville State with kickoff set for 3:30 p.m. ET at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium.
The Cardinals defense shined in the season opener against Austin Peay, shutting out the Governors in Saturday's 62-0 victory.Â
"We have a lot of good players here. I told them before the game I want to see you strain. If you want to be great on defense, you have to strain. If you want to be average, you can move around," English said. "I thought a lot of people strained on a lot different plays."
In addition to shutting out the Governors, UofL's defense packed the statline by recording 14 TFLs, seven sacks, and one interception. They were even able to get in on the scoring clinic as defensive lineman Ramon Puryear recovered a fumble for a 22-yard touchdown.Â
Louisville's coaching staff celebrates these statistical achievements, but English ultimately wants his defense to do three things for each and every game.Â
"We talk about getting to the football. The second thing is we want to be physical. The third thing is we want to be disciplined," he said. "As a byproduct of that, you have to stop the run, get stops on third downs and limit scoring."Â
On Saturday, the Cards were able to check off all three wants on English's list. His defense not only shut out Austin Peay, they also held the team to just 34 rushing yards, limiting the run considerably. The defense was also able to get stops on third downs more times than not, forcing the Governors to go 4-of-15 on third down attempts.Â
Week two will provide a new challenge for the Louisville defense as Jacksonville State head coach Rich Rodriguez and his Gamecocks come into town. English shared what makes Rodriguez's team a tough opponent and what the coaching staff's plan is for the big game.Â
"[Rodriguez] is the forefather of that offense. He is the forefather of that system. He's proven for years and years to be successful. He is going to challenge you in a lot of ways," he said. "[The defense] is going to be conflicted at times where they have to do exactly what they're told to do. The coaches have to spend a lot of time making sure we are telling them the appropriate things in terms of assignment and alignment."
English and the Cards defense continue to prepare this week for Saturday's matchup against Jacksonville State with kickoff set for 3:30 p.m. ET at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium.
Players Mentioned
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