Eight Louisville Players Named Athlon Sports Preseason All-ACC Selections
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The 2022 college football season might be roughly three months away, but the folks over at Athlon Sports are getting a head start when it comes to releasing preseason all-conference teams.
They recently released their 2022 Preseason All-ACC teams, with eight members of the Louisville football program being recognized. They had the ninth-most selections in the conference, with Pitt leading the way with 14.
Tight end Marshon Ford and offensive guard Caleb Chandler were both named to the First-Team Offense, and cornerback Kei'Trel Clark was named to the First-Team Defense. Louisville's three First-Team selections tied with Wake Forest and NC State for second-most in the conference, with Clemson's eight leading the way.
Outside linebacker Yasir Abdullah landed on the Second-Team Defense, while defensive tackle transfer Jermayne Lole was tabbed to the Third-Team Defense. Louisville had three Fourth-Team selections, with offensive tackle Renato Brown on Offense, safety Kenderick Duncan on Defense, and running back Jawhar Jordan as a Specialist at kick returner.
Ford finished the 2021 season with 49 receptions and 550 receiving yards - both of which were team team-highs - as well as two receiving touchdowns. The 6-foot-2, 240-pound tight end was named Third Team All-ACC for his efforts.
Chandler was by far was the top performer on arguably the most underrated offensive line in the ACC. Not only was the 6-foot-4, 313-pound guard voted as a First Team All-ACC selection for his efforts, but he was also named as on of the top 101 players from the 2021 season according to Pro Football Focus.
Despite missing a sizable chunk of the season due to a torn ACL, Clark was still one of the more productive defensive backs in the ACC. The 5-foot-10, 180-pound corner's nine pass breakups finished tied for second in the conference, as did his three interceptions, and he finished atop the league in passes defended per game (1.33) by a wide margin. He also finished with 40 tackles and 3.5 for loss, and was name Second-Team All-ACC.
Abdullah put together one of the best seasons from a Louisville pass rusher in this millennium. His 10.0 sacks led the team and was the most a Cardinal defender since 2015, and his 17.5 tackles for loss was good for seventh-most in a single season in UofL history. The 6-foot-1, 235-pound edge also logged 61 total tackles, three pass deflections and a forced fumble to be named Second-Team All-ACC.
Coming over from Arizona State, Lole brings a ton of talent and production at nose tackle. The 6-foot-2, 305-pound defensive lineman was forced to miss the 2021 season due to a triceps injury, but had 24 tackles, 5.0 for loss and 1.5 sacks in just four games during the Sun Devils' COVID-shortened 2020 season.
Along with Chandler, Brown helped set the tone for the Louisville offensive line. The Cardinals averaged 209.8 yards on the ground per game in 2021, with the overall offense finishing the season averaging 446.2 yards - which was 21st in FBS - and 31.6 points per game.
Duncan gave the backend of the defense some solid production in his first year with the program. The 6-foot-3, 225-pound transfer from Georgia Southern tallied the third-most tackles on the team with 76, while also adding 3.5 tackles for loss, four pass breakups and an interception for an All-ACC honorable mention.
Jordan joined the program in fall camp, and the Syracuse transfer also saw limited reps during the regular season due to injury. He finished with 301 all-purpose yards and 183 kick return yards in 2021, including a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the First Responder Bowl vs. Air Force.
Louisville finished last season with an overall mark of 6-7 and 4-4 in ACC play, including a 31-28 loss in the First Responder Bowl against Air Force. The Cardinals kick off the fourth year of the Scott Satterfield era on Saturday, Sept. 3 at Syracuse.
(Photo of Marshon Ford: Alton Strupp - Courier Journal via Imagn Content Services, LLC)
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