Louisville Making Progress in Special Teams During Fall Camp

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Over the course of preseason fall camps at any college football program across the nation, most attention is paid towards the offense and defense. That being said, the third phase of the game - special teams - is just as important as the other two.

Louisville knows just how important special teams is, mainly because they haven't performed all that well in this phase over the last two seasons. In 2020, they had trouble winning the field position battle due to subpar punting, then in 2021, their ability to connect on field goals took a big step backwards.

As the Cardinals have progressed through the offseason and into fall camp, head coach Scott Satterfield has been happy with the steps that special teams has taken since the end of last season. He's particularly pleased with how punter Mark Vassett has progressed.

"I think Mark's been way more consistent this fall camp," he said. "He's producing a lot more hang time on his punts. Last year, he was just inconsistent in punting the football. We got to do a lot better. We got to flip fields when we do punt the ball."

The punter from Melbourne, Australia came over to Louisville as a 25-year-old true freshman, and was solid for someone who had only touched a football for the first time a little more than a year prior. He averaged 41.8 net yards per punt, which was good for 65th in FBS, and he has only gotten better as he's gotten more comfortable.

"He's been a lot more consistent with that, and he feels a lot more comfortable," Satterfield said. "You think about last year, he just came into a new country, and then playing football, which was kind of new to him. He's a lot more comfortable and at ease."

Over at placekicker, there is still an ongoing competition between James Turner and Brock Travelstead. A year removed from his stellar 2020 campaign that earned him an All-ACC Honorable Mention, Turner struggled in 2021. He connected on just 14 of his 22 attempting, including 6-for-13 on attempts 40 yards. It even got to the point where Travelstead, while he didn't attempt any field goals, stepped in late in the year for extra point attempts.

The two have been battling in camp, and Louisville is close to naming a starter. Whomever is chosen, Satterfield is confident that they will get the job done.

"We'll see after next week who's going to trot out there with the ones, but it's going to be a competition," he said. "We're going to put the best guy out there that we think has gives us the best chance to knock down field goals."

Louisville will begin the 2022 season when they travel to upstate New York to face Syracuse on Saturday, Sept. 3.

(Photo of James Turner: Charles LeClaire - USA TODAY Sports)

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