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Pirate Notebook No. 73
Wednesday, July 24, 2002

By Denny O'Brien
Staff Writer and Columnist

At Louisville, defense wins championships

©2002 Bonesville.net

MEMPHIS —  John L. Smith is all smiles these days.  As well he should be.

On Tuesday, the Louisville head coach mingled with the Conference USA media in a pair of ostrich-skin boots, discussing the Cardinals' back-to-back league titles and the prospects for a three-peat.

Often asked to reveal the secret of the U of L's success, the free-spirited Smith never flinched at offering the most important ingredient of a championship recipe:

Defense.

Prior to Smith's arrival, the Cardinals were known primarily for their quarterbacks, headlined by names like Johnny Unitas, Browning Nagle, and Chris Redman.  That tradition has continued with Heisman hopeful Dave Ragone, but it is the other side of the ball, insists Smith, where his team has done the things which have made the difference between winning titles and being a contender.

"Well, to win a championship, you have to do that (play defense)," Smith said.  "If you don't play defense, you're not going to win a championship.

"When we finally stepped up and won a championship is when we came through defensively.  Consequently, we've won two, and if we're good enough defensively, we'll have a chance to win three.  It's not going to happen if you don't play defense.  You might win some games, but you're not going to win the league."

The Cardinals had one of their best seasons defensively in 2001, limiting opponents to 17.8 points per game, tenth best in the nation.  On six occasions, the "Red and Black Attack" held opponents to ten points or less.

With ten starters returning, there's no reason to think the Cards won't equal last season's production.  If they don't, Louisville could be in for a struggle while the offense breaks in new talent.

"We have to step up and do that again this year," Smith said.  "We've put a lot of pressure on our defense to say that 'You guys have to keep us in the first half of the season.  You guys have to win some games 17-10.'" 

"Our offense needs to mature, so the defense has some pressure on it.  Hopefully, they'll answer the call this year.  I think we're going to be pretty darn good defensively."

One facet that should remain solid is the Cardinals' pass rush, led by reigning defensive player of the year Dewayne White, whose 15 sacks last season were second only to Syracuse's Dwight Freeney (18).  Constant pressure, coupled with a fast, physical secondary should make passing yards tough to come by for opposing quarterbacks this season.

Possessing a handful of All-Star candidates, Louisville offers a different defensive scheme than most of its C-USA brethren.  Instead of deploying that trendy 4-2-5 blitzing model, the Cards rely primarily on their front four to apply pressure, which enables the secondary to play press coverage on the corners. 

"Big strides from a personnel standpoint have taken place in the secondary," Smith said.  "That allows us to do the things that we want to do — attack, and go get guys.

"We're not going to become a wholesale, all-out blitz team.  It's only a four-man rush.  Those guys have a lot of pressure on them up front, but we've gotten a lot better to where we can do that."

In an era ruled by revolutionary defenses, it's hard to imagine the Cardinals, who were among the nation's worst when Smith arrived, finding success with such a traditional approach.  Then again, what else would you expect from a coach whose everyday attire is accessorized by a pair of exotic cowboy boots.

Eagles craving for redemption

With Louisville anointed by C-USA coaches as the hunted, Southern Miss has officially proclaimed itself the hunter.  After five consecutive trips to the postseason, the Golden Eagles saw that string snap last year after a disappointing 6-5 campaign.

Now, they're as hungry as ever.

"That's (hungry) a good word to use," Southern Miss head coach Jeff Bower said.  "That was disappointing for us last year not to go to a bowl game and not to have that kind of year.

"I think there's a lot of pride in our football team.  It was a sad locker room after that last game when you don't win and you don't go to a bowl game.  I think that has created an atmosphere where our players are hungry."

Spending the holidays at home greatly increased the Eagles' championship appetite, a sensation that carried them through spring practice and offseason conditioning.

According to All-C-USA linebacker Rod Davis, USM has been focused on a return to the top of the league standings since last season's finale, which netted a disappointing loss of not only the game, but also a bowl bid,  to Texas Christian.

"We laid all the marbles on the line against TCU in the last game, and they just flat-out beat us," Davis said.  "It's just something that just drives us this year to be a better team.

"After that game, the leaders stepped up and set goals for the 2002 year.  We came together and united as a team and became a family — a bigger family.

"I believe that was our downfall last year.  We weren't a family.  We started, in the locker room, maybe pointing fingers at each other.  But this year, our family has just grown stronger."

Much of the reason for the Eagles' revised focus is the return of 18 starters, nine of whom made up one of the stingiest defenses in the nation last season.  Southern Miss surrendered just 17 points per game in '01, including a league-best 14 in conference games.

Even though USM lacks the star power of past seasons, Bower believes his blue-collar unit could be one of the best ever in Hattiesburg — providing the group continues its steady improvement.

"It's got a chance," Bower said.  "We were pretty good there last year, but there are some things we could do better.  We gave up too many big plays last year, and we've got to eliminate mental mistakes.

"There's a lot of pride there.  We've developed a reputation for playing well defensively.  I think if we can stay and develop depth at a position or two, I think it's got a chance to be real good."

One position that shouldn't concern the Eagles' 12th-year head coach is middle linebacker, where Davis has solidified himself as one of the nation's best.  At 6-3, 246 pounds, Davis has the physical attributes of a one-man wrecking crew, not to mention the attitude of a legendary throwback.

When asked if his calendar was circled for Louisville's visit to the deep south, Davis offered a smile and a stern reply:

"We'll hit him (Ragone) all day," Davis said.  "Hit him early, start early, and go long.  It will be a long day for Ragone — a long day for Louisville when they enter the 'Rock.'"

Nix healthy, eager to return

Aiding Bower's enthusiasm for the upcoming season is the much-awaited return of Derrick Nix, who hasn't seen extensive action since 1999.  The senior running back suffered an ankle sprain early in 2000, then fell victim to a kidney ailment as a result of medication, keeping him sidelined all of last year.

After two years of watching, the 225-pound bruiser is back, and he's feeling better than ever.

"I feel really good right now," Nix said.  "I feel 100 percent.  This is the best I've felt in about two years.  I'm just real anxious to get back on the field.

"It was really hard to sit back and watch.  There were times last season when I felt I could go out there and help the team.  But, I had to sit out."

Instead of dwelling on his misfortunes, Nix took advantage of his absence from the field.  Plenty of time was spent in the weight room, where he fine-tuned his chiseled physique while trimming his 40-yard dash time.

"I never had a real redshirt year since I've been here," he said.  "I played as a true freshman, so this has kind of helped me.  I got to go lift, work out, and get stronger and faster.  It's been nothing but a plus for me."

Nix's return couldn't have come at a better time, according to Bower.  Last season, USM amassed just 96 yards rushing per contest, while gaining a dismal 2.6 yards per attempt.

"We really missed him the past couple of years," Bower said.  "He's an outstanding player that (not only) brings us a lot on the field, but brings us tremendous leadership.

"He's a good receiver and a good pass protector.  I've always said the strength of his game is he doesn't have a weakness.  He does everything really well."

Send an e-mail message to Denny O'Brien.

Click here to dig into Denny O'Brien's Bonesville archives.

02/23/2007 01:46:06 AM
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