ACC Football - 2021 Louisville Cardinals Preview
Our Louisville Cardinals preview 2021 anticipates this team improving on its 3-4 conference mark and 4-7 overall record from last season. Although the Cardinals started the 2020 season with a 35-21 win against WKU, that was followed by four straight losses. This is a team that last year never put up two wins in a row. They start off the season against Ole Miss and then take on Eastern Kentucky and UCF. All of these games need to end up in Louisville’s win column. If they do, we anticipate the Cardinals posting a winning 7-5 mark.
Louisville Offense
It all starts with Louisville quarterback Malik Cunningham. Cunningham, now a junior, looked like the real thing in 2019, but 2020 saw him take a huge nosedive, as he tossed a dozen INTs and lost three fumbles. He did throw 20 TD passes and rushed for seven more scores while accumulating over 3,200 total offensive yards. Still, for this team to be successful, Cunningham must play consistently. Tight end Marshon Ford returns having caught 25 passes with a half-dozen of those receptions going for scores. Most of the rest of the receiving corps is untested.
RB Hassan Hall also underperformed in 2020, as he went from 501 rushing yards the year prior to 223. The Cardinals need him to perform better. The O-line is experienced, but it must show more athleticism. If they can do so, the rush attack will benefit.
Louisville Cardinals Preview 2021 - Defense
Senior ILB C.J. Avery returns as the team’s leading tackler with 79 while junior ILB Monty Montgomery is back as Louisville’s top sack man with four. The linebacking unit is the best part of the Cardinal D. Last season, OLB Yasir Abdullah recorded 24 tackles in his last five games. Hopefully, he can pick up in 2021 where he left off last year. In front, defensive ends YaYa Diably and Tabarius Peterson are accomplished edge rushers. However, the team is in need of someone who can collapse the pocket.
The secondary sees just one starter return, former Liberty corner Kei’Trel Clark. First-team All-Sun Belt free safety Kenderick Duncan comes to the Cardinals from Georgia Southern. He looks to be a solid addition. The strong safety spot will likely go to one of two freshmen, while junior Chandler Jones starts at the second corner position.
Specialists
Our Louisville Cardinals preview 2021 observes that last season as a freshman placekicker James Turner was 40-of-40 on extra points and 13-of-15 on field goals. The punting position will be manned by 24-year-old Mark Vassett, an Australian construction worker. Vassett comes to Louisville after de-committing to Michigan State. Hall and Braden Smith, a sophomore wideout, will bring back kickoffs, while senior wide receiver Shia Werts is first in line to return punts.
Louisville Cardinals Preview 2021 - Projection
Last year, this team did not make it to a bowl. Our Louisville Cardinals preview 2021 finds that will not be the case this season. Although defense is a concern, the Cardinal offense has a real run/pass threat in Cunningham. Plus, TE Ford is a sound scoring threat. On the other side of the ball, LB Avery will be the glue that keeps that group focused as well as energized. In fact, we expect the linebacking unit to be the best part of this defense. Last season, in a sea of 15 ACC teams that included Notre Dame, the Cardinals finished 12th. In 2021, we project them to end up fourth in the Atlantic Division.
ACC Football - Louisville Cardinals 2021 - Predictions:
Fourth Place - ACC Atlantic
Holiday Bowl vs. Washington