For as spectacular as Louisville soccer’s 2023 season was, the Cardinals need to accomplish much more in Yr 2 beneath Jeff Brohm.
Regardless of shedding some key contributors on each side of the ball, U of L returns necessary gamers who now have expertise in Brohm’s system. And the Cardinals used the NCAA switch portal to fill the holes on their depth chart.
U of L will face a tougher schedule — with street video games at Clemson and Notre Dame — because it appears so as to add to the historical past it made in Brohm’s first season.
Listed here are eight program information the Cardinals have a shot at breaking this season:
Louisville soccer particular person information
Passing yards in a recreation and season
Report: 592 yards by Chris Redman vs. East Carolina in 1998; 4,042 yards by Redman in 1998
Though Tyler Shough has but to play a full season of school soccer as a starter, he’s proven he could be a top-tier passer when wholesome, posting a 13-7 file as QB1. Statistically, his finest season was when he was at Oregon in 2020 — which was shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic — and averaged 222.7 passing yards per recreation. Being in Brohm’s pass-heavy system with loads of cross catchers round him ought to present him with a stable shot at Redman’s information.
U of L may even face a pair packages that had weak cross defenses final season. Stanford was final nationally in passing yards allowed (298.0 per recreation) and Jacksonville State gave up 241.3 passing yards per recreation in 2023.
Profession begins
Report: 53 by Caleb Chandler (2017-22)
Had offensive lineman Renato Brown not suffered a season-ending knee damage six weeks into the 2023 season, he’d be solely 5 video games away from tying his former teammate Chandler’s file for many profession begins. Now sitting at 40 begins, it’ll take U of L making the ACC championship recreation and a bowl recreation for Brown to develop into this system’s chief in profession begins.
Sacks in a season
Report: 20 by Elvis Dumervil in 2005
Defensive lineman Ashton Gillotte set a objective of reaching 10 sacks final season. He completed with 11 whereas adjusting to a place he hasn’t performed since highschool. After a 12 months of studying beneath defensive coordinator Ron English and line of defense coach Mark Hagen, Gillotte determined to return to high school the place he’s anticipated to be much more dominant this season.
Louisville soccer single-season workforce information
Factors per recreation and season complete
Report: 49.8; 597 in 2004
Louisville missed out on key scoring alternatives all through the 2023 season however nonetheless managed to common 30.7 factors per recreation, which ranked forty third nationally. Including gamers like Caullin Lacey and Ja’Corey Brooks to the passing recreation whereas bringing in a bruising working again like Peny Boone may make for an excellent higher-scoring offense this season.
Interceptions
Report: 28 in 1966
Devin Neal recorded a team-high 4 interceptions in his Louisville debut after incomes a beginning spot at security final season. English mentioned the dearth of depth within the defensive backfield created fatigue for the gamers, which confirmed up through the latter phases of the season. With a deeper group this season, the Cardinals have an opportunity to create much more turnovers within the passing recreation whereas sustaining momentum.
Sacks
Report: 50 in 2000 and 2022
Gillotte, who performed a key position within the 2022 record-tying mark, isn’t the one Louisville participant with the potential to get within the backfield. Mason Reiger picked up steam all through the season and completed with 5 sacks. Between the additions Louisville made within the switch portal with guys like Thor Griffith, who is predicted to reach in the summertime, and Jordan Guerad, the line of defense shouldn’t have any issues creating much more havoc for opposing quarterbacks in 2024.
Discipline objectives
Report: 21 in 2006
Kicker Brock Travelstead started the 2023 season by making 4 consecutive subject objectives and ended the marketing campaign with this system’s fourth-most made subject objectives in a season, going 17-for-24. That included the game-winning kick at N.C. State and hitting 4 subject objectives towards Notre Dame. Counting Nick Lopez’s 40-yard subject objective at Miami, Louisville was solely three away from tying the 17-year-old particular groups file. Travelstead is again this season and may go for the file with improved accuracy and consistency. He hit a tough patch halfway via 2023 however made all 4 of his closing subject objective makes an attempt, which included a 46 yarder within the Governor’s Cup.
Attain Louisville soccer, girls’s basketball and baseball beat author Alexis Cubit at acubit@gannett.com and comply with her on X at @Alexis_Cubit.
This text initially appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville soccer can break these information in Yr 2 beneath Jeff Brohm
