Phil Steele Names Five Louisville Players to 2021 Preseason All-ACC Teams

(Photo of Kei’Trel Clark via University of Louisville Athletics)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Long time college football expert Phil Steele recently released his 2021 College Football Preview magazine, and as part of his Preseason All-ACC teams, five Louisville players were selected.

Cornerback Kei’Trel Clark was named a First Team defensive back, and offensive lineman Caleb Chandler made Second Team as a guard. Three Cardinals were selected to the Fourth Team: offensive lineman Cole Bentley (as a guard), outside linebacker Yasir Abdullah (at LB), and placekicker James Turner.

Clark was an immediate contributor in his first season with Louisville. He tallied 36 tackles (27 solo), 2.0 for loss, an interception, and 10 pass breakups - the latter of which tied for the most in the ACC and eighth nationally. He was a Second Team All-ACC selection, and one of two returners from Louisville's five All-ACC honorees from 2021.

Chandler saw action in all eleven games last season, and is Louisville's top returning offensive lineman. According to PFF, his overall grade of 75.1 and run block grade of 78.2 leads the Cardinals, while his pass block grade of 66.7 places second only to Bentley's 69.8.

Bentley started in the first 10 games of the 2020 season, before he was deemed unavailable for the regular season finale vs. Wake Forest due to COVID-19 contact tracing. Bentley was named to the 2020 Rimington Trophy watch list last October, which is awarded to the top center in college football.

Playing in all eleven games last year while starting seven, Abdullah is one of Louisville’s top returning pass rushers. His 7.0 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks are both second on the team among returners, only to Monty Montgomery’s 7.5 and 4.0. He also logged 33 tackles (18 solo), and led the team in forced fumbles with three.

A semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award, Turner finished 13-of-15 on field goal attempts, closing the year by hitting eight consecutive field goals. His 86.7 field goal percentage was the third-best percentage in Louisville history. He was also a perfect 40-of-40 on PAT attempts, the fifth-most PAT attempts made in a season without a miss at UofL.

Unsurprisingly, Atlantic Division and league favorite Clemson had the most selections with 14, followed by Coastal Division favorite North Carolina’s 12. Louisville had the second-fewest players named, ahead of a three-way tie for last with Duke, FSU and Virginia’s four.

Louisville will kickoff the 2021 season against Ole Miss in the annual Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga. on Monday, Sept. 6.

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