Confidence boosting wins created from culture change
With conference wins in back-to-back weeks, Louisville football is a more confident team. The Cardinals defeated Boston College for their first ACC victory since 2017 and followed it with a 62-59 win over 19-ranked Wake Forest in Winston-Salem Oct. 12.
After losing seven games by 20 or more points and finishing 2018 with a 2-10 record, Louisville has the confidence to compete again, says first-year coach Scott Satterfield. Louisville’s win over Wake Forest, the program’s first road victory over a ranked team since 2011 added to its confidence.
“The pep in everyone’s step is a little better and they just get a little bit of confidence to know ‘hey we can play with these guys,’” Satterfield said. “These guys came back yesterday excited to be back here and feel like they are playing for something.”
While the roster hasn’t changed much from 2018, there have been changes culturally and schematically. When the coaching staff arrived 10 months ago, they emphasized consistency and accountability.
“That is probably the biggest change that I have seen is the accountability we have had within our team,” Satterfield said. “It’s the little things, showing up every day, showing up on time for study hall, class, or weights, or treatment, practice, breakfast and lunch, all these little things.”
Satterfield believes if a program starts with the little things, it will lead to results on the field. The Cardinals are 4-2, but face second-ranked Clemson at Cardinal Stadium Oct. 19.
“Within our DNA we want to be a competitive football team and this is every single day in what we want to do in the weight room or on the field,” Satterfield said. “We want to compete at it, if you start doing that every day, then you expect to win.”
