Notebook: Louisville Football Preseason Week 3
The preseason period for Louisville Football is progressing rapidly, as the program is now three weeks in having completed their first week under a regular season practice schedule & third week overall.
The Cardinals got back to work on Tuesday, August 18 after classes resumed the day before, culminating with the program's second scrimmage of the offseason on Friday, August 21.
Media was barred from physically attending camp and the scrimmage, but several coaches & players were made available over the week to give updates on the status of camp, as well as discuss a variety of other topics pertaining to the program.
Louisville Report was there for it all, and below is our notebook of everything that transpired during the first week of camp.
The Cardinals will return to the practice fields on Monday at 4:00pm.
Related: Notebook: Louisville Football Fall Camp Week 1 & Week 2
Day 11
Red Zone Defense & Turnovers stand out in scrimmage
When the Louisville Football program held their first scrimmage of the 2020 preseason, one of the more noteworthy takeaways was the defense's performance in the red zone and ability to create turnovers.
"The guys got better as we went on and got a good bit of sacks and had like seven turnovers on the day," he said. "Ended up being pretty good in the red zone. I think they may have scored two out of the ten times down in the red zone."
While this may have taken place in a closed scrimmage and not an actual game, seeing the defense respond and make these kind of plays down the stretch with high frequency could be paramount to an overall defensive improvement in 2020.
"We've come a long way," defensive end Tabarius Peterson said. "Everything is looking great. We just gotta work on our technique and learning plays and things like that. We all get those guys together, defense should be amazing this year."
Tabarius Peterson a motivated leader for defensive line
Tabarius Peterson is determined to be a better player in his final season for Louisville football. When players were sent home amid the coronavirus pandemic in the spring semester, Peterson went above and beyond workouts designed for him.
Not only that, but defensive coordinator Bryan Brown says Peterson has emerged as a leader on the defense in his redshirt senior year.
“TP has done a great job defensively trying to be that leader that we ask him to be,” Brown said.
“As much I can get my plays pointed out, I wanted everybody else to get their plays pointed out,” Peterson said. “If my plays getting pointed out can encourage other players to do better, and want to have their plays pointed out, that’s awesome.”
Inside Linebacker adding & developing depth after starters
Bryan Brown admits that inside linebacker depth is a concern for Louisville football, but the defensive coordinator can turn to players beyond Dorian Etheridge and C.J. Avery.
Monty Montgomery and KJ Cloyd wait behind the senior linebackers that combined for 163 tackles last season.
“We got to get Monty on the field at times because he's a playmaker,” Brown said. “Sometimes he may be out of a gap where he will make a play.”
After arriving to practices last week, Brown opted to have Cloyd participate and learn along the way.
“He is a thumper,” Brown said. “He will hit you, he can run. He is a problem for those linemen.”
Day 12
Javian Hawkins is staying humble and leading his teammates
Even with all the hype surrounding him heading into 2020, running back Javian Hawkins is having no issue staying grounded.
"I think he's still humble," running backs coach Norv McKenzie said in a teleconference following Wednesday's practice. "He and I talk a lot about the preseason accolades and what not. That's a compliment to what he did last season, but as you guys know he has to kind of hit the reset button and wipe his slate clean."
He's not just focusing on himself however. Accompanied by running back/kick returner Hassan Hall, the duo have been trying to bring up the younger guys in the running back room and be a leader for them.
"They lead by example by how hard they practice. I think the guys that's behind them are trying to match their ability and intensity," McKenzie continued. "They've done a really good job in term of bringing those guys along from a mental standpoint and also a physical standpoint."
Renato Brown knows "why" he plays for Louisville
When members of Louisville football’s offensive line placed names of the people who they are playing for on a wall in its meeting room, offensive tackle Renato Brown knew who he would honor the 2020 season to.
“Coach Ledford has helped me with a lot, not only on the football field but as a father figure because last year I lost my father during the season last year,” Brown said. “He has been helping me through everything.”
Brown had an idea of what he was working for following some direction from Ledford.
“Last year, he [Ledford] told me ‘spots were open, go get it, you have to act the part, you have to be more physical and more fast,’” Brown said.
Louisville's running backs go beyond Hawkins & Hall
Javian Hawkins and Hassan Hall aren’t the only capable running backs for Louisville football this season, as has been obvious throughout the preseason.
Maurice Berkley had over 200 all-purpose yards in Louisville's first scrimmage according to running backs coach Norval McKenzie. Aidan Robbins, Jalen Mitchell and Tobias Little also contributed.
“We call ourselves a stable for a reason, we have a ton of good horses,” McKenzie said.
Although Louisville’s rushing attack ranked inside the top-25 last season nationally, McKenize doesn’t want individual accomplishments to define the group.
“Our expectations in our room is to get better every single day,” McKenzie said. “I want them to be team-oriented guys.”
Hassan Hall has formed a "brotherhood" with Javian Hawkins
At this point, it's no secret that Louisville has one of the best running back duos in all of college football.
Javian Hawkins will continue to get most of the reps for the Cardinals heading into the 2020 season, but right behind him is a guy who has just as much speed & agility in Hassan Hall.
"I think he's a really good compliment to Hawkins. They're 1a and 1b so to speak," running backs coach Norv McKenzie said. "That kid can start in a lot of programs, we're gonna play him a lot.
Despite competing against each Hawkins for playing time, Hall has far from a contentious relationship with him.
"It's a brotherhood. When it comes to those two guys, they're very supportive of each other," McKenzie said. "You know you have sometimes where a guy wishes he would have had more carries or wish he would have been in that limelight, but Hassan isn't like that. He supports Hawkins, and Hawkins supports him."
Offensive line becoming closer in second year
Physicality and finishing plays remain an emphasis for Louisville football’s offensive line, but with another year under the direction of offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford, the linemen are forming together even more.
“Inside the meeting rooms it’s a more family vibe,” offensive tackle Renato Brown said. “We were close last year, but we are really molding together this year.”
Competing against the offensive line in practice, defensive end Tabarius Peterson has noticed improved from the group.
“The o-line has been doing great, we have a couple new guys that have come in and produced a lot,” Peterson said. “They are hard workers. This year has been amazing going against them.”
Day 13
Continuity & Depth Leading to Improved Secondary
The secondary was one of the Cardinals' weak spots last season, but safeties coach ShaDon Brown has already noticed some improvement in the secondary during Louisville's fall camp.
"Now the kids know what to expect," he said. "They know the schemes and they understand kind of what Coach (Bryan Brown)'s thinking when he calls a game as opposed to having a new coordinator and new coaches every year."
Another reason Brown believes the secondary will take a step forward is because of the depth they have developed over the offseason - both by acquisition of talent and experience gained by in-house players.
"We're gonna be able to play more guys. I though last season we were limited in the number of guys that we played," Brown said. "We're still a year away from having the depth that we want and need, but we've added some pieces that I think can help us."
Russ Yeast eased back into reps
Russ Yeast might be back to 100 percent, but Louisville football safeties coach ShaDon Brown isn’t going to rush the senior back prematurely.
“I think he is at 100%, he has made some plays out there that shows you he is 100 percent,” Brown said. “I’m not 100 percent ready to make him 100 percent.”
Brown estimated Yeast takes part in 25 to 30 percent of reps in practices some days, while adding more on others.
“I truly believe you want to get your thoroughbreds to the Derby,” Brown said. “He is one of the thoroughbreds. I’m going to make sure I get him to the starting gate on Sept. 12 without any hiccups.”
Kei'Trel Clark fits into Louisville's secondary after transfer
When Kei'Trel Clark was granted eligibility for the 2020 season by the NCAA this week, his excitement manifested into a back flip.
Clark felt comfortable at the school and liked the culture of the Louisville football program after leaving Liberty.
“The coaches were very transparent with me,” Clark said. “They kept it real, that’s one of the things that I felt like I needed at the time.”
Clark was a bright spot for the secondary during fall camp, and the 5-foot-10, 165-pound corner is a welcomed addition to the secondary.
“Tre is an unbelievable player,” safeties coach ShaDon Brown said. “He has great ball skills and is very competitive.”
Clark has fit into the locker room as he shows his playmaking ability on the field.
“We feel like he can lock down one side of the field and now we don’t have to play somebody over the top of him all the time,” Brown said. “He has come in and picked up the scheme.”
Freshman safeties growing during preseaosn
As of right now, safeties coach ShaDon Brown feels comfortable giving four guys a majority of the in-game reps between the two safety spots: Russ Yeast, Isaiah Hayes, Jack Fagot & Trenell Troutman.
But right behind them are a pair of freshmen safeties who have made great strides over the offseason and into fall camp in Lovie Jenkins & Josh Minkins.
"Lovie's done a great job," safeties coach Bryan Brown said. "I think the thing's that most impressive is he's been physical. He's come up and tackled, and I think he's getting better in terms of the pass game."
"Josh Minkins has great speed and range, exactly what we saw when we recruited him," Brown said. "As far as athleticism, he may be the most athletic DB we have out there being a six-foot-three guy. He's gained 15 pounds since he's been here already and he can run like a deer."
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Day 14
No media availability for the final day of practice for the week.
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