Quarterback Malik Cunningham Talks Offseason
(Photo of Malik Cunningham: Charles LeClaire - USA TODAY Sports)
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - With summer getting about ready to get started, the 2021 season for the Louisville football program is now less than three months away. Talking for the first time since spring practice, Cardinals quarterback Malik Cunningham took some time to meet with the media.
He discussed the wide receivers room with out Tutu Atwell and Dez Fitzpatrick, newcomers, the offensive line and more. Below is the transcript from the press conference:
(On what it's like to be the offensive skill position leader now with Atwell, Hawkins and Fitzpatrick gone)
It's been a very good task, a big task. The guys are buying in, and I'm trying to get the timing down with the receivers. We've got a lot of new faces, and are just working with those guys, even in the tight room. We've got a lot of new additions to the team, and it's been going pretty good this summer.
(On if he status as a leader is helping him hold himself more accountable)
Yes sir. They see me up and ready to go, they're gonna work hard to get their best foot forward. If I'm down, they'll come over and check on me, which I'm probably never down, but if I'm having a long day or whatever, they'll come over and check on me. Just buying in, and trying to get everybody on board with this upcoming season.
(On what it's been like getting used to new faces)
That's been kind of crazy, because I'm around these guys every day, especially the receivers. There's not a time that I'm not with those guys. Whether we're going out to eat, or just hanging out in the room watching some of the NBA playoff games, and just trying to get that bond and gel with those guys. It's kind of better than what it has been like in the past with Tutu and Dez. Just having those guys around me even more, it just makes it better, and they can trust me, and I can trust them. It helps a lot, because they'll know where I want them to be at, just watching film together. They'll come into this upcoming season just knowing the ins and outs of the plays, or where I need them to be when I need to do it, and just stuff like that. Just trying to get that chemistry down and get ready for the season.
(On how he has been working on cutting down turnovers over this offseason)
It's been going pretty good. I mean, turnovers are not something that you can practice or work on. I would say decision making and just a lot film, just knowing the tendencies of different defenses, and taking the ball down when I need to. Turnovers are not something you can really work on in the offseason, besides watching film. In my eyes, you can't really do much about that. Just gotta be smart with the football this upcoming season, and that's what we're working to do.
(On how much the disappointing 2020 campaign fuels both himself and the team)
I think about that every day. After I wake up, I think about some of those turnovers, or even when I watch film. You just got to learn from it. It builds fuel to me. I'll just go in with a better mindset, and I just know everyday that I can do better working on something, and just try not to think about those turnovers.
(On how much different it feels to be on campus vs. this time last year during COVID)
It's like night and day. It's been so much of a difference. It's actually been a good transition, just knowing that we're all back here, and we're one or two people away from opening this thing and back up. It's been good to have everybody back, and been able to not wear masks, people are vaccinated. We can just do a lot around the stadium, stay for extra hours and not have somebody tell us what we can do, what we can't do, and things like that. It's been good.
(On what it's like to see Justin Marshall and Josh Johnson finally get their chance)
It's like a blessing in my eyes, because those guys stayed on for a long time. We all came in together, and now it's that time to show everybody, show Card Nation, the world, what they're capable of doing. Not just those two, we still got Braden (Smith), Jordan Watkins, Shai Werts, Tyler Harrell. I've been putting in a lot of time with those guys in the film room and on the practice field, even outside of here. We work on just being together, that brings a lot to the table, and I'm ready to see what those guys do this year.
(On Shai Werts and his transition to wide receiver)
Shai's a very smart player. He knows the ins and outs of football. He brings a lot of experience to that to that receiver room, and is somebody that those guys can lean on for anything. We call him uncle around here. A lot of guys feed off his energy, very positive guy, and a very good athlete who can- he can even play quarterback, but he's gonna be good for us in the receiver room.
(On how the newcomers Ahmari Huggins-Bruce and Demetrius Cannon have looked)
So far, all those guys are coming along, especially Meech (Cannon). They're finally understanding the workouts, and why they're doing this. When the guys first come in, a lot of guys are always asking and looking around like, "why are we doing this, this or that?" and not understanding that they just need put their head down and work as a freshman. You only get so many opportunities, so many practice reps. I'll tell those guys all the time you got to take advantage of the times when coach (Gunter) Brewer puts you in there. You got to know what you're doing, know the playbook, know the ins and outs of stuff, and how it's gonna work out good for those guys. They've been doing pretty good
(On the biggest thing he is doing differently this offseason)
I would say definitely the film room, and extra footwork things. Coach is trying to help me out with little mechanics, tweaking my game a little bit. So I've been doing those each and every day trying to get better.
(On seeing recruits on campus for the first time in a while)
It's just a blessing to see a lot of those young guys and then (QB commit Khalib Johnson) asked me where I'm from. Just seeing the guys come up, the younger guys come through, and have an opportunity to play college football, it's a blessing. That's a good opportunity for those guys to take care of their families down. It's a good experience for those guys, for me as well.
(On if they enough receivers and running backs to get back to where they were offensively)
Oh yeah, we definitely have enough of them. I see these guys work every day. I know in the backfield, Jalen Mitchell, Greg Rossiers, Maurice Burkley and Trevion Cooley, a lot of those guys are going to help us this year with Javian Hawkins being gone, and including myself, running the ball. I can't wait to see those guys this year.
(On the offensive line)
That's the biggest part of this whole offense, they make the operation go. When all those guys ended up coming back, I just loved it. Those guys are getting better each and every day. Guys are moving around a little bit on line, and now they're taking pride in protecting me. I'm trying to do my best to take care of those guys on the weekends, stuff like that, just hanging out with them, and spend some time with them. Offensive linemen, they don't get too much limelight, and those guys really deserve it. So every time I get, try my best to shout those guys out, because without them, there's no me
(On Cardinal Stadium being at full capacity in 2021)
That's gonna be great. When we break out, get those big plays and get the crowd into it, it's gonna be fun to see all the fans back, the kids, the supporters, the ones who were there during COVID. We get to have all our families there, even the coaches' families, the players' families, it's gonna be good this year.
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