By Gavin Lapaille
Not often do redshirt freshmen from the University of Louisville football team get to contribute right away. Josh Chichester, however, is doing just that, just in a slightly different way than how he might have expected.
Chichester, a redshirt freshman wide receiver on the football team, joined the men’s basketball team last month when the Cards were without five frontline players. His 6-foot-8, 225-pound frame gave U of L a much needed boost inside.
Chichester was gracious for the opportunity to join the team. He is the first athlete to play both football and basketball at U of L since Joshua Tinch played for both squads from 2002-04.
“I always wanted to play basketball coming out of high school,” Chichester said. “Football is my first priority, but I wanted to try both when I got to college. When all the injuries happened, that call came.”
Chichester was a three-year starter at Lakota West High School in West Chester, Ohio. His senior season he averaged 13.1 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.7 block shots, garnering first-team all conference and all city honors. He is currently the school’s career rebounding leader.
Chichester has appeared in four games for the Cards, scoring his first points on a tip-in dunk in a win against Iona College. His most extensive action came last Saturday against the University of Kentucky, where he scored two points in a season-high four minutes of action. He also had a block and a rebound.
U of L head coach Rick Pitino said Chichester can help the team, but is struggling to learn the offense.
“Josh is a very good athlete, a very good basketball player,” Pitino said. “He can go in there and play defensively, he can rebound and he is long. He is just really struggling learning the plays.”
Chichester agreed with Pitino that he is having a difficult time grasping the playbook.
“[The plays] all sound the same, they all tend to roll around the same concept,” Chichester said. “It gets confusing to me but I’m starting to pick it up.”
For now, Chichester is concerned with helping the basketball team. He said the transition from football to basketball wasn’t as hard as he thought, because he didn’t see the field last season as a redshirt. The hardest part was the conditioning.
“When I first came I wasn’t in fair condition, basketball wise,” Chichester said. “The transition was cool.”
Chichester isn’t sure right now if he will play for the basketball team past this season, instead focusing on the season ahead. He believes his biggest contribution to the team will be the excitement he brings to practice and to the locker room.
“I get excited a lot,” Chichester said. “I think that branches off on some of the players.”
Chichester’s time to seriously contribute to the Cardinals may come next season on the football field. Scout.com rated him No. 14 in the nation among wide receivers coming out of high school after catching 36 passes for 723 yards as a senior at Lakota West. With the departure of receivers Harry Douglas and Mario Urrutia, U of L football head coach Steve Kragthorpe expects Chichester to compete for a starting job next season, something he isn’t ready to think about.
Chichester said he does believe he will be more prepared for football when summer workouts begin.
“I’ll be in top condition since we run all day everyday,” Chichester said. “Summer workouts will be a breeze. Hopefully, I’ll have a step up on the rest of the team.”
Kragthorpe seems to agree.
“He will definitely be in better shape,” Kragthorpe said. “I think it’s good for him to get out and work on his conditioning.”
After one of the most disappointing football seasons in recent memory, Chichester is hopeful next season will be better.
“Hopefully, we do better than we did this year,” Chichester said. “Make a bowl game, compete for the National Championship. Just work hard.”
