Clemson will begin spring practice Wednesday, but the Tigers aren’t the only ones in the ACC taking the field over the next couple of months.
With early preparations for the 2022 season on the horizon for teams throughout the conference, The Clemson Insider is going around the league to take a look at where other teams stand going into the spring starting with the eight teams on the Tigers’ schedule. Next up is Louisville.
Head coach: Scott Satterfield (fourth year)
2021 record: 6-7, 4-4 ACC
Key personnel losses: RB Hassan Hall, WR Jordan Watkins, OL Cole Bentley, LB Jack Fagot, DB C.J. Avery, DB Qwynnterrio Cole, DB Greedy Vance
Key returners/additions: QB Malik Cunningham, RB Jalen Mitchell, WR Tyler Harrell, WR Tyler Hudson, TE Marshon Ford, LB Yasir Abdullah, LB Mohamed Sanogo, DB Kenderick Duncan, DB Kei’Trel Clark, DB Jalen Alexander
Spring gleaning: Louisville knows who will be leading its offense this fall. Cunningham (3,971 total yards, 39 total TDs) returns as arguably the ACC’s most dangerous dual-threat quarterback for the league’s No. 3 rushing offense. A three-year starter, Cunningham enters his final season with the Cardinals second in program history in rushing touchdowns by a quarterback (38) and second in total touchdowns (100).
Louisville also has its second-leading rusher (Mitchell) and two of its top three wideouts (Ford and Harrell) back, but shoring up a defense that wasn’t great last season will be a focus for the Cardinals this spring, particularly on the back end. The Cardinals are losing three of their top five tacklers, including Avery and Cole, who combined for 183 stops last season. Alexander, a safety transfer from Duke, is being counted on to help. Abdullah (10 sacks) is one of the ACC’s top edge rushers. Clemson will host Louisville on Nov. 12.
Spring game: April 3 at Cardinal Stadium