CJ Avery – Noteworthy
Watching injured from the sidelines last season gave Louisville junior linebacker C.J. Avery a different glimpse of the defense. “We had a rough year last year,” said Avery, who missed three games because of an undisclosed injury. “Seeing how they played from the sideline made a big difference in me and made me see how I can help with being a vocal leader and playing out there with them.” That motivation is going to be needed after a 2018 season that broke records – in all the wrong ways. Louisville was the first Power Five team ever to allow more than 50 points in five games in a row. They gave up 100 more points than any other team in school history. The Cardinals finished winless in the ACC for the first time and 2-10 overall.
“Nobody wants to go 2-10, man. You wake up every day and you tell yourself, you can’t go 2-10 again. Everything that you do is motivated toward having a better year next here,” Avery said. It won’t be easy for Louisville. But redshirt senior cornerback P.J. Mbanasor said the players have come out under new coach Scott Satterfield and defensive coordinator Bryan Brown with a lot more positivity and a “refreshed and energized point of view.” “I think last year woke a lot of people up as far as players. We’ve seen how bad it can get, so everyone is motivated to do better,” Mbnasor said. – Courier Journal