Transcript & Video: Dwayne Ledford & Bryan Brown Recap Virginia, Preview Syracuse

(Photo of Tutu Atwell: Charles LeClaire/USA TODAY Sports)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Louisville Cardinals (2-6, 1-6 ACC) found themselves shorthanded once again and could not overcome their own miscues, falling to the Virginia Cavaliers, 31-17, last Saturday. Next up, Louisville returns home to face the Syracuse Orange (1-7. 1-6 ACC). Kickoff is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 20 at 7:00 p.m.

Prior to their upcoming matchup, offensive coordinator Dwayne Ledford and defensive coordinator Bryan Brown took time to meet with the media. They discussed the previous game against the Cavaliers and previewed the upcoming game against the Orange.

Below is the transcript from their press conference as well as the video:

Defensive Coordinator Bryan Brown

(On of the entire defensive line is back from COVID and other injuries)

Yeah, I think so. I think that'd be the first time we've had everybody back since the Notre Dame game. I think we have probably 95% of our guys back, especially on the defensive line. I think all those guys be back. Linebacker-wise, we're still working through some things with CJ Avery's ankle and things of that nature, but he's much better. So hopefully, we'll be able to have him this week. We got about 98-99% of our guys back, which is awesome to be able to have, especially with these last couple practices, man. Guys are flying around with a lot of energy, especially up front. You got guys like Tabarius Peterson and YaYa Diaby, they hadn't done anything for a while, man. So those guys were really, really amped up the last few days. It's really good to get some of that fresh blood, fresh legs back out there and bring a little bit juice too. I love seeing the beef up front. It's been awesome.

(On if the team has a "show up" attitude given Syracuse's struggles this season)

Not necessarily. I think our guys are focused and hungry. I think that with us being 2-6, I think the guy's are a little bit more focused to be able to get a win. It doesn't matter who it's against, I think they'll be a lot more focused this week as opposed to if we were 6-2, possibly. So, not not too worried about it. The last few practices have been awesome, so hopefully we'll perform on Saturday. But that doesn't worry me right now.

(On managing players who had limited practice reps over the last couple weeks due to COVID-19)

You think about Dayna (Kinnaird), he actually started on Saturday and played a good bit of reps. He was able to do some cardio things, because he was just in quarantine. We had to have him. We didn't have anybody else defense line-wise. I thought he did awesome. I thought he did a really, really good job being on the zoom meetings with Coach Ivey, understanding what we're trying to get done. I thought he did a phenomenal job on Saturday. You think about a guy like Isaiah Hayes, he didn't play as much just because what Virginia posed to us was a lot of different formations and a lot of motion adjustments, and a lot of unbalanced formations and things of that nature. Being a quarterback of the defense, it's a little bit different when you get a different formation. You have to have a lot of reps to be able to play at a faster and higher level. With with Isaiah being out, and was only really able to practice on that Friday, that's why he didn't get a whole lot of reps. But when he did get in, he played phenomenal, he really did. He made some nice plays in the run game. I still think he caused that fumble at the end of the game. But he did a great job, and that just goes to show that we're continuing to grow as a defense, and the guys are continuing to get a lot of focus, a lot of confidence, and are knowing what to do. To be able to hold that team to 31 points, and they previously had 44 points against North Carolina. I thought the guys had a lot of focus, but the guys that came in and play that hadn't practiced last couple weeks was awesome. It's great to see. But we've managed it as much as we could with Malik Clark as well. Coach Ivey had a chart to count the guy's reps, and we did the same thing with Hayes knowing that he wouldn't get a whole lot of reps from the get go.

(On what he sees from the younger guys getting thrown in)

It's been great to be able to get some young guys some reps under the circumstances. They're continuing to grow. Rob Hicks played some defensive end, he had to know inside linebacker as well. That's tough. That's tough on the kid's mind to be able to try to learn two positions, but he did that. We had a guy, Mason Reiger, a walk-on kid, that had to play for us a couple of snaps just to give some guys some blows. But he practiced hard all week and trying to learn things as much as he could, and he spared us. He gave us a couple plays. Same thing with Ja'Darien Boykin - he was able to get some reps. He got back last week. We were able to get Greedy Vance some reps at the nickel spot, and I think we'll keep him there. He's done a phenomenal job for us as well. It's been awesome to get these guys reps this year. Hopefully we can continue to do that so they can continue to grow for the near future and be really, really good for us next year's as well as in the spring.

(On if he sees rust in some players coming back, particularly in Monty Montgomery)

Yeah, yeah I do. You know, Monty's the type that - he just loves the game and he wants to be around it every day. When he came back, he was itching to get back. But at the same time when you've been out for that long, sometimes it does hit you a little bit. But they've practiced well so far and had a really good practice. Monty, that was probably one of his worst games that he's played, but I think he'll be better this week for sure.

(On what he sees out of Syracuse's young guys)

Man, I think that their receiving corps is one of the best in the conference. I think those guys have some real speed. All those guys can really, really run. They pose a threat outside on the edge. The quarterback is athletic, he can throw the football and they sprinkle in some run as well. I think their skill position guys are really, really solid, and they do a good job of getting those guys the ball in space and letting their playmakers make plays. We're trying to do the best we can to limit those explosive plays, and make sure we do a good job of stopping the run and tackling as well. I think our guys are up for the challenge this week.

(On how much playing the younger guys helps them moving forward)

It helps them a lot to be able to understand that they have they got some confidence, and they understand that we got confidence in them as well to go out there and do the job. I think it's very vital, very key that we were able to get these guys a good number of reps this year, because like I said they they don't lose a year. So next year going forward, those guys will be freshmen all over again. You think about the future of this defense and where we've come from from last year to now being a a top 50 defense. It's really promising. We've continued to strive to get better, and with these young guys getting more reps, I think the future is really really bright. Especially with the guys we got coming in.

(On how it felt to get the most of the defense back vs. Virginia)

Oh, man, it was awesome. I wish you would have been here for the first practice when all of them were back. We were all amped up, it was awesome. The kids were really, really jubilant. I think all of our players & coaches, they felt that yesterday as well as even today was our best practice since we've been here. I said that earlier in the year that we had a couple of 'best practices' since we've been here, and this one yesterday topped it. The guy just flew around and they had a lot of energy, a lot of passion, and made a lot of plays. That just goes to show you that with the record that we have, these kids have no quit in them whatsoever. That's one thing we like and hopefully they go out on Friday night and perform well and continue to strive to get better as we have all year.

Offensive Coordinator Dwayne Ledford

(On the what it means to have Hassan Hall back after Javian Hawkins' opt-out)

I think it's huge. He's got a lot of reps underneath his belt. He's a guy who's got a lot of juice in his legs. He can take it the distance, he's very good with the ball in his hand. We're definitely excited about to have him back, and also just excited about the guys that played last week and just how they stepped up with (Maurice) Burkley and also Jalen Mitchell. I thought those guys went in, they competed hard, they prepared well, and I thought they played well.

(On Louisville depth at running back)

I think that the way those guys prepared, I think the way they practice - I'm always somebody that I think if you practice well, if you practice good habits, it's going to show up and those opportunities will come forward for you. I think that that Burkley has made the most of those reps. You think back to the Florida State reps that he got. The opportunity to touch the ball, and you never know when you'll get your opportunity. Those guys have been working hard behind the scenes for a while now. But for us out on the practice field, you see it. You see those glimpses, you see those opportunities when they get it at practice, and it's good to see them to actually be out there on a Saturday getting live reps with it and doing something with that ball.

(On the message regarding preventing turnovers)

From day one when we get together with our guys, we talk about taking care of the football. That's that no matter who the opponent is. That's something we've got to clean up. We've got to do a better job of taking care of the football. You cannot turn over to football and expect to put yourself in positions to win football games. That's something that we're talking about, and the players - they know that Syracuse is a very opportunistic team in taking the ball away, and we've got to do a better job of taking care of it.

(On if at this point in the season that turnovers become a mental thing)

A lot of times when you when you see turnovers, I think you see where a guy's trying to do a little bit of extra. They're trying to fight for that extra yard, or it's right before they hit the ground and the ball starts to come loose. Once they get the experience of being in that situation, we do a lot of drills for that and create those drills to try to create those opportunities for those guys to learn from that as well. It's the same thing like with the penalties. I think a lot of it is you got to do your best, and just remembering that you can't let that ball get loose and get away from you. Obviously defenses, I think they do a good job - we play some some good defenses - do a good job and of stripping the football. That actively go after the ball, and try to create the turnovers. We as an offense have to do a better job of making sure that we keep those fundamentals of taking care of the ball.

(On how not having Javian Hawkins and possibly Tutu Atwell (injury) changes how you game plan)

I think it's something that - our running backs are going to get touches. We know that. It might take something out of it that we were looking into specifically to do. But as far as the overall game plan, whoever that back is, we expect them to be able to get those touches and to be able to do something with the ball as well. Same thing for our receivers - like that slot receiver for us. That guy's going to get his opportunities. Obviously, there's going to be the designed plays to make sure that that you're you're utilizing a Tutu or Hawkins - especially in certain situations. But we try to keep those plays live and just give these other guys opportunities that's also practicing that as well. We try to keep them alive and keep them going.

(On if removing playmakers could possibly make the offense more 'unpredictable')

You can look at it that way. I think that your body of work when you get this late into the season, obviously, you are with what you put on film. But I think that when you take that element away from it, they're probably kind of like 'who are they going to target here? Who's going to be that running back for them now?' For us, it's fun to kind of the to see who's going to step up. Who are those guys that are gonna be able to stuff up and make those plays for us now. That was the exciting thing about this last game. We went up against a Virginia defense that did extremely well against the run. But seeing Burkley and Mitchell make the most of those opportunities that they got in the game, and then just how well they prepared and how well they ran in the game. There are a couple things that they learned from the game as well going forward, and you just look forward to the next opportunity those guys get. Even when you're a backup, you never know when that opportunity is going to present itself. You got to prepare yourself like you are that guy and being ready. That's the fun thing about a coach, it's fun to see when a guy's back there and he's just grinding away, he's waiting for the opportunity. You never know when it's going to happen, and then it happens. You see them go out there, and and they have that success. As a coach, it's fun to see that. It's fun to see that pay off for those kids. We're looking forward to these guys that are getting their opportunities right now to make the most of it.

(On if defenses could play softer coverages knowing that they don't have to face Hawkins or Atwell)

You may see that. If that's something that we're seeing, then we'll do some more things where it's not trying to take the top off the defense, but being more intermediate or underneath with what we're trying to do with our passing game, or with our play action stuff. But that's something that during the course of the game, we have to figure out and figure out quick. How is that defense? Are they playing any different than what they they've shown on film now? Are they approaching the game kind of how we prepared for? Or are they kind of showing something different because they're not expecting someone to be there? That's definitely something we got to keep an eye on.

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