While the entire college football world is nearing the chaotic early signing period, more than half of the Football Bowl Subdivision is also preparing for a...
Scott Satterfield Issues Apology to Louisville Fans over South Carolina Rumors
Dec 10, 2020
Louisville head coach Scott Satterfield is interviewed after the Music City Bowl NCAA college football game against Mississippi State Monday, Dec. 30, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn. Louisville won 38-28. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Louisville football coach Scott Satterfield wrote a letter apologizing to fans for his interest in the South Carolina job:
Satterfield has spent the past two years with the Cardinals, going 8-5 in 2019 before struggling to a 3-7 mark with one game remaining in 2020.
His name came up regarding the South Carolina opening in November after Will Muschamp was fired, but he reaffirmed his commitment to Louisville on Twitter. It was later revealed he interviewed for the open position, but Satterfield then said it was just a "conversation."
"My intentions were never to leave or go anywhere else, but I thought I owed an obligation just to listen because of where it’s at. That’s it," he said last week, per Cameron Teague Robinson of the Louisville Courier-Journal.
The coach is now apologizing to the season ticket holders and vows to be more honest.
"In the days, weeks and months ahead I will do what is necessary to earn back the trust and support of each and every one of you," Satterfield wrote.
Scott Satterfield Says He Won't Leave Louisville for South Carolina Vacancy
Dec 5, 2020
Louisville head coach Scott Satterfield runs onto the field prior to the start of an NCAA college football game against North Carolina State in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday, Nov. 16, 2019. (AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker)
University of Louisville head coach Scott Satterfield said he won't be leaving the school for South Carolina after speaking with the Gamecocks.
The Cardinals coach told the Louisville Courier-Journal he "owed an obligation just to listen [to South Carolina] because of where it's at."
Satterfield is in his second full season at U of L and has gone 11-12 with the ACC program. The 2019 season was especially revelatory for the coach, who finished with a 8-5 record (5-3 ACC) and a victory over Mississippi State in the Music City Bowl en route to earning ACC Coach of the Year.
South Carolina fired head coach Will Muschamp on November 14 after five seasons.
Satterfield told the Courier-Journal he informed Louisville athletic director Vince Tyra of his discussion with South Carolina but said the call as more of a "conversation" than an interview:
"When [South Carolina] reached out, I told Vince they reached out, and I told him I wasn't interested in talking to those guys. Well, they circled back in a week, and so I said I would listen to what they had to say—and the reason being is that it's a few hours away from my parents, who are both getting older and I've seen them one time this whole year [due to COVID-19].
"... I went to listen to a conversation and that's what it is. I kept Vince abreast with that, too. I'm not trying to hide anything from anybody. I'm not that person."
Satterfield, 47, is a native of Hillsborough, North Carolina, about three hours north of the S.C. campus. He previously played quarterback at Appalachian State before going on to coach at his alma mater, eventually taking over the program in 2013.
According to ESPN's Adam Rittenberg, the Gamecocks are nearing a hire and have focused on Oklahoma assistant head coach Shane Beamer, Louisiana coach Billy Napier and Coastal Carolina coach Jamey Chadwell as their top candidates.
College Football Picks Week 4: Predictions for Top 25 Games on Upcoming Schedule
Sep 21, 2020
Auburn quarterback Bo Nix runs against Minnesota during the second half of the Outback Bowl NCAA college football game Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2020, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
The SEC makes its debut on the college football schedule in Week 4.
With each of the 14 programs playing a 10-game conference schedule, we should be treated to high-quality matchups every week.
The Kentucky Wildcats and Auburn Tigers fit that billing Saturday afternoon, as they face off in the only Top 25 clash between SEC squads.
The other two ranked matchups come from the ACC and The American. The one in the ACC between Louisville and Pittsburgh pits a team looking bounce back from a home loss against one off to a 2-0 start.
Florida State at No. 12 Miami (-11) (7:30 p.m., ABC)
No. 16 Tennessee (-3) at South Carolina (7:30 p.m., SEC Network)
NC State at No. 20 Virginia Tech (-10)(8 p.m., ACC Network)
Troy at No. 18 BYU (-14.5) (10:15 p.m., ESPN)
Predictions against the spread in bold.
Predictions
No. 23 Kentucky at No. 8 Auburn (-8)
The first window of Saturday's SEC slate gives us an intriguing battle between an upstart team in the SEC East over the last few years and a consistent figure in the SEC West.
Kentucky has four consecutive winning seasons under Mark Stoops, and it has found a way to win amid difficult situations over the years. In 2019, the Wildcats rode Lynn Bowden to a 7-5 regular season and bowl win over Virginia Tech after quarterback Terry Wilson suffered an injury.
Wilson is back under center in 2020, but he needs to develop chemistry with skill position players thrust into larger roles.
Running backs Asim Rose and Christopher Rodriguez, and wide receivers Josh Ali and Allen Dailey carry experience, but they all took a backseat to Bowden's dynamic play-making ability in the second half of last season.
The Wildcats could be in good shape moving forward, but it may take some time for Wilson to regain a rhythm in the pocket without reps to regain his in-game confidence.
Auburn has the edge in experience between its quarterback and wide receivers since Bo Nix returns alongside Seth Williams, Anthony Schwartz and Eli Stove, who had the three best reception and receiving yards totals for the Tigers in 2019,
Nix was not the best quarterback in the SEC as a freshman, but he was consistent with 16 touchdowns and six interceptions, one of which occurred in the final six games.
If Nix avoids turnovers and works well with his experienced receiver trio, the Tigers could get off to a much-needed 1-0 start ahead of a road trip to Georgia to start October.
No. 24 Louisville at No. 21 Pittsburgh (-3.5)
Louisville has plenty of defensive errors to fix ahead of its trip to Pittsburgh.
The Cardinals were gashed on countless occasions by Miami's play-action game Saturday that put them in a hole they could not dig out of.
Scott Satterfield's team faces the treacherous combination of a rolling offense and an in-form defense in Week 3.
Pittsburgh outscored Austin Peay and Syracuse 76-10 in the first two of four home games to start the campaign.
Of course, there was a steep upgrade in opponent from the FCS Governors to Pitt's first ACC foe, but both performances are worth noting because of how dominant the defense was.
In the 21-10 win over Syracuse, the Panthers limited the Orange to 171 total yards and 51 rushing yards while forcing a pair of turnovers.
If they apply the same defensive pressure to Malik Cunningham, the Louisville quarterback may not have time to find Tutu Atwell on deep balls.
Pitt's stingy defense could also limit the output of Javian Hawkins, who put up 235 rushing yards on 46 carries in Louisville's first two games.
If the Panthers take away one or two of the Cardinals' top offensive weapons, they could continue to rise up the ACC standings.
Miami, Louisville and a Showdown for Respect in Clemson-Dominated ACC
Sep 16, 2020
Miami Hurricanes head coach Manny Diaz in action during an NCAA college football game against Central Michigan, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
No matter the result Saturday night in Cardinal Stadium, neither Miami nor Louisville will suddenly be the ACC favorite. That title will belong to Clemson until proven otherwise.
But this prime-time clash—this lone Top 25 matchup in Week 3—is a chance for both teams to make a statement.
Miami is desperate to shake a reputation of failing to meet expectations, and Louisville wants to show its rebuild is ahead of schedule. Yet every loss is a setback to whatever growth Miami touts, and only marquee wins can legitimize Louisville's vision.
This isn't a battle for the ACC. No, it's basically to see which program has a shot to contend with Notre Dame—and maybe North Carolina or Virginia Tech—to appear in the ACC Championship Game and try to end Clemson's reign.
Progress, however, will always require a victory like this one.
The pressure is largely on Manny Diaz and Miami, which trudged a to 6-7 record in 2019 after a 7-6 mark the year prior. It's a familiar story for the Hurricanes, who regularly recruit at a high level but constantly have a destructive weakness.
Lately, it's been the offense.
In 2018, they were tied for 116th in yards per attempt and ranked 111th in gains of 10-plus yards through the air. Last season, Miami finished 96th in red-zone touchdown rate, 128th in sacks allowed and 129th in third-down conversions.
That shortage of explosive plays and overall inefficiency is impossible to overcome in an offense-driven era.
The worst part for the 'Canes? According to yards allowed per play, they boasted the nation's third- and 12th-best defenses in 2018 and 2019, respectively. The unit has encountered some issues, but it has consistently played well enough to win. In the last two years alone, Miami scored 21 points or fewer in 10 of its 13 losses.
Is this finally the year it changes?
During the offseason, Diaz replaced Dan Enos and his methodical offense with high-tempo coordinator Rhett Lashlee. Miami pulled D'Eriq King from the transfer portal, and the former Houston star gives the offense a true playmaker at quarterback.
When a play breaks down, King is still a threat. Miami has never had a quarterback who can do this:
In the season-opening win over UAB, King finished only 15-of-23 with 141 passing yards and one touchdown. Yet it's fair to be patient—bizarre offseason, new teammates, first game in 11 months—and acknowledge King, Cam'Ron Harris and the running game is Miami's best asset anyway. At the same time, averaging 6.1 yards per passing attempt is not a sustainable way to win.
On Saturday, he'll be facing a secondary looking to make amends for last year's disaster. Even as Miami's offense struggled for much of the season, Jarren Williams tossed six touchdowns in a 52-27 win over Louisville.
The Cardinals opened 2020 with a 35-21 triumph over Western Kentucky, holding the Hilltoppers to 5.6 yards per pass attempt. There's a massive difference in talent between WKU and Miami, though. The 'Canes will likely push for 30-plus points.
However, Louisville has the firepower to respond.
Second-year coach Scott Satterfield has already established an identity that the players believe in. That's no easy task, but it's imperative to building a winning team.
The Cards want to focus on the zone-running game with Javian Hawkins and Hassan Hall, who combined for 2,026 yards and 14 touchdowns last year. Mix in play action and stress the defense both horizontally and vertically on passing downs.
While that may sound straightforward, many teams are just calling plays—not running an offense.
Junior quarterback Micale Cunningham is the key because he's an efficient passer and mobile threat. He finished 2019 with 11.5 yards per pass attempt and 22 touchdowns to five interceptions, and he added 482 yards and six scores on the ground. Zone reads, rollouts, scrambles, draws—he demands respect on all of them.
It helps to have these receivers, too.
Tutu Atwell is electric, having racked up 1,276 yards and 12 scores on 70 catches last year. Dez Fitzpatrick is closing on 2,000 receiving yards for his career, and junior college transfer Braden Smith had 110 yards in his Louisville debut last week.
Miami has another solid defense—especially up front with Temple transfer Quincy Roche and UCLA transfer Jaelan Phillips—but cornerback is an early problem area for the unit.
"I thought at corner we were average," defensive coordinator Blake Baker said after the UAB game, per Christy Cabrera Chirinos of the school's official site.
Al Blades Jr. is mostly dependable for the 'Canes, but DJ Ivey is inconsistent and the rest of the depth chart is inexperienced.
What wins out, King's creativity or Louisville's structure? Miami's defensive line or Louisville's playmakers? Both have superb running backs, shaky offensive lines and a special teams unit that committed errors in the opening week.
Neither side is perfect. Far from it, really.
If this were a normal year, Miami/Louisville would be a sidebar to the week's biggest matchups. But in 2020, prime-time eyes will be focused on a not-so-quietly important clash to programs aiming to be part of the national conversation every week.
Miami and Louisville can only start climbing toward Clemson and the highest rung of the ACC ladder by winning these types of games consistently.
Follow Bleacher Report CFB Writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.
Music City Bowl 2019: MSU vs. Louisville TV Schedule, Time and Odds
Dec 29, 2019
Louisville running back Javian Hawkins (10) runs the ball during the first half of the NCAA college football game against Kentucky, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2019, in Lexington, Ky. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)
The Louisville Cardinals were one of the best stories in the FBS in 2019, as first-year head coach Scott Satterfield exceeded expectations and led them to a 7-5 record and a Music City Bowl berth.
After flipping their record from 2-10 to 7-5, the Cardinals will try to reverse their recent bowl history, as they were 1-3 in Bobby Petrino's final four postseason clashes. Mississippi State regressed by two wins in Joe Moorhead's second season and it is facing a familiar foe at Nissan Stadium.
Two years ago, the Bulldogs defeated the Cardinals in the TaxSlayer Bowl. The SEC West side is 6-3 in bowl games this decade.
Music City Bowl Information
Date: Monday, December 30
Start Time: 4 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Odds (via Caesars): Mississippi State (-4); Over/Under: 63
Preview
The biggest piece of news ahead of the Music City Bowl was Mississippi State's quarterback decision. Penn State transfer Tommy Stevens was confirmed as the starter with Garrett Shrader dealing with an injury, per ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg.
Stevens last played against Abilene Christian on November 23, when he threw for 165 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Since the start of October, the senior has four scoring throws, three interceptions and 770 total yards in four appearances.
He will have support in the backfield from running back Kylin Hill, who opted to play in the Music City Bowl instead of focusing on the NFL draft, per Tyler Horka of the Clarion-Ledger: "I'm playing in the bowl game. The only way I'm not playing in the bowl game is if I can't play in the bowl game injury-wise. Other than that, I'm playing in the bowl game."
Hill could be the difference-maker Monday, as he has four 100-yard outings in his past five games and ran for 275 yards in the previous two.
Louisville allows 211 rushing yards per contest, which is the fifth-worst mark of any program participating in a bowl game. In their regular-season finale, the Cardinals gave up 517 rushing yards to the Kentucky Wildcats.
Hill has not fared well in bowl games, as he produced 29 yards versus the Cardinals two years ago and 43 against the Iowa Hawkeyes last season, but that may change when he takes on the 2019 version of Louisville.
Mississippi State concedes 63 fewer rushing yards per game than its ACC foe, but it could be put under duress by the combination of quarterback Micale Cunningham and running back Javian Hawkins.
Hawkins, a freshman, has 375 rushing yards in the past two contests and is one of the few players to rack up a triple-digit performance versus the Clemson Tigers' ninth-ranked rushing defense.
The reliance on the run and the poor numbers both squads have put up against it could make the Music City Bowl a close, entertaining affair. Since 2010, six of the nine Music City Bowls have been determined by one possession, and in the past five seasons, all but one participant in the event eclipsed 20 points.
In five of their wins, the Bulldogs have hit at least 28 points, while the Cardinals have put up over 30 in six of their seven triumphs. Those trends suggest the over of 63 could be the best bet for Monday's ACC-SEC clash in Nashville.
