By Whitney Spencer
As I walked out onto the University of Louisville football practice field for the first time since last season, I was hit with an instant surprise. The gates were open and hundreds of people lined the sides of the field. Dozens more filled the bleachers that were placed a few feet back.
Whistles blew and players moved with cat-like quickness from spot to spot, never resting until they were off the field. Players communicated with one another before, during and after the play. Sometimes words of encouragement were heard, but other times brute honesty was given amongst teammates. And if players did something wrong, they paid the price and then did it again the right way.
It was very obvious within the first 10 minutes of practice that the face of U of L football was about to change. Hard work was no longer optional; it was mandatory if players wanted to be on the field with first-year head coach Charlie Strong. He and his coaching staff made it clear that if you didn’t want to play, there were plenty of people who would gladly take that spot.
At one point, a receiver didn’t run hard enough to catch up with a pass that was thrown deep. A few players on the sidelines encouraged the player, saying “Come on.” But one coach was quick to point out: “We don’t beg for plays; we make them or we sit.” That sent a chuckle through the crowd of people and a clear message to the receiver.
It was an interesting change to see the head coach scouring closer to the defensive side of the ball throughout practice, since many of the Cardinals’ problems were on that side during the past few seasons.
Strong isn’t shy when it comes to letting players know what he expects. Several times he made defensive units line up back-to-back if he didn’t see what he wanted. Still, he made sure to give credit where credit was due.
Some may have wondered if the presence of an audience would deter the focus of the players. But, if anything, it made them increase their intensity. Dropped balls didn’t just get a player 25 up-downs, but a few shouts from the crowd as well.
Leaping, catching or last-minute dives to catch balls didn’t just get a pat on the helmet, but an ovation from the fans. Strong’s belief that this football team isn’t just his, but the whole city of Louisville’s, may just give this squad more reason to buy into his new system.
The change that sold me was the reactions from the players. Practice didn’t seem to be a daunting task for those who wanted to be there. Guys whose names no one knew got to show their skills; and the guys you already knew were genuinely happy for them. This wasn’t a team holding their heads down, but a team ready for their new beginning and ready to fulfill their new team motto to “take another step.”
Once practice was finished and the helmets came off, smiles were spread across players’ faces. They appreciated the fan support and the hard work from their teammates. They just enjoyed playing the game. Rarely did I see this reaction last season. Three practices into spring football and Strong has already started etching his mark on Cardinal football.
