Louisville Cardinals Spring Game 2015: What to Watch

Nov 29, 2014; Louisville, KY, USA; Louisville Cardinals wide receiver DeVante Parker (9) runs the ball against the Kentucky Wildcats during the second half at Papa John

Will anybody step up to replace Devante Parker? 

James Quick is a very nice receiver for the Cardinals, but it is hard to see him ever being a No. 1. He appears to be better in the slot, and that is where Petrino has been using him this spring.

With that in mind, replacing Devante Parker still seems like a wide-open competition. Parker was the safety net for both quarterbacks last year after 43 receptions for 855 yards.

It doesn’t help that slot guy Eli Rogers is gone too, so the Cardinals need to find somebody at receiver. The spring game Friday could help a lot with that.

Petrino needs to see who can be a deep threat and a safety net at the seem time, regardless of who the quarterback is. To make things more wide open, even tight end Gerald Christian is gone.

As a matter of fact, five of the six leading receivers are gone from last year. With a whole new crop, finding a No. 1 isn’t just the only thing to look for. This spring game will also be good to show the other guys that could be reliable targets because the field is wide open outside of Quick.

Keith Towbridge appears as if he will be ready at tight end, so keep an eye out for that as well.

Next: What does the secondary look like in comparison to last year?