If you want to know why Kentucky is the sixth most obese state in the nation, look further than the names of the two main sports venues in it’s biggest city: Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium for college football, the KFC Yum! Center for college basketball.
We are a fast food nation aren’t we? Kentucky deep Fried Chicken and pizza that possesses White Castle levels of innate laxative have major power at UL. No wonder the USA is raising a nation of Eric Cartmans. Well, the Cardinals can use that as their future OL recruiting base.
Moving on to the healthier, more athletic players on the football field, UL has good talent at WR and RB, but a good old-fashioned QB controversy brewing. It’s Will Stein vs. Teddy Bridgewater
2010 was: pretty solid in most areas other than the passing game. UL utilized a power running game and a tremendous defense (9th in passing, 18th overall) to finish with a winning season, including a victory in something held in St. Petersburg called the Beef O’Brady’s bowl. Which sounds like the most redneck thing ever. And that statement means a lot coming from me- Because I spent Christmas 2009 in a house the size of a triple wide trailer in some white trash Virginia town where there was no cable and blackberry service (I guess U.S. Cellular overlooked this place, a land where it’s shirtless driving season even in winter), and my girlfriend at the time’s family included more than one person who required a stomach stapling.
BMOCs: Bridgewater is the program’s highest rated signal caller recruit since Brian Brohm. RB Victor Anderson, FS Hakeem Smith, QB Will Stein, LB Dexter Heyman, RB Jeremy Wright, SS Shenard Holton
2011 will be fruitful if: They have a balanced offense. The run sets up the pass, they establish the pass in order to set up the run. Pick your cliche, and those phrases are as about as cliche as girls doing that “duck lips” pose in photos posted online (see hot UL cheerleader pic at the top of this post) for an example. Another cause for optimism is the starting safeties. As good a combo as you’ll find.
2011 will be awful if: they can’t figure out the youth issues at corner. There are six DBs in that top 30 rated recruiting class, some of them have to play now! Also the OL has serious disaster potential, and that could be catastrophic for a QB trying to establish myself. Personally, I think they’ll go with Bridgewater, and that’s probably not a bad thing. There are poor secondaries in the Big East for him to feast on.
Bottom Line: Look at the ratings below. Why am I high on this team? Or am I just high? The answer is that UL played the 4th most freshmen in the nation last season, and I think they’re ready to lead this team to be a possible dark horse in the Big Least conference. Conventional wisdom- an oxymoron if there ever was one, believe that this is the rebuilding year, and 2012 is the Cards’ year to be aces high. I disagree, I think 2010 was the rebuilding year.
Louisville Rankings: #72 Athlon, #71 Lindy’s, #79 Phil Steele
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#71 Ole Miss Rebels
Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net. He’s also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Walter Football.com, Yardbarker, and Fox Sports You can follow him on Twitter