Louisville Football: 2017 season preview, predictions

Defense

While there will be fewer new faces on the starting defense in 2017 than the offense with seven returning starters, they will have a new leader. In a somewhat bizarre move, Mississipi State and Louisville flipped defensive coordinators. It wasn’t an outright trade, but Louisville’s coordinator of three years, Todd Grantham, went to head the Bulldogs’ defense. Peter Sirmon will come to Louisville after just one year with Mississippi State.

For a team known for its high-powered offense, the defense was pretty solid last year. They were 31st in scoring defense, 37th in passing yards allowed, 14th in total yards allowed and 12th in rushing yards allowed. Those are pretty respectable numbers when your offense is forcing teams to chuck it all over the field to play catch-up to the best offense in the ACC and top six overall.

Senior defensive tackle Drew Bailey leads the charge up front. Bailey, who was named to the Outland Trophy Watchlist for best interior lineman, had seven tackles for a loss and two sacks last season.

The Cardinals have two stud senior linebackers coming back for 2017. On the inside, Stacy Thomas is the leading returning tackler after finishing second on the team with 85 last season, 6.5 for a loss. On the outside, James Hearns is the Cardinals’ leading pass rusher. He led the team with eight sacks and hit the quarterback seven more times. Hearns missed the Citrus Bowl after he was shot in the elbow at a party between the end of the regular season and their bowl game.

A defense led from behind

In a conference that boasts three of the best defensive backfields in the country, Louisville holds its own. The Cardinals will return all four of their starting defensive backs from a year ago. Three are seniors and the lone junior is the best of the bunch.

The safeties are Chucky Williams and Zykiesis Cannon. Williams and Cannon finished third and fourth, respectively, last season in tackles. Williams had three interceptions to go with his 74 tackles. Cannon had 64 tackles and an interception.

Senior cornerback Trumaine Washington had three interceptions and 30 tackles. On the other side of the formation, Jaire Alexander led the team with five interceptions. Alexander was named a Fourth Team All-American and semifinalist for the Thorpe Award, the top defensive back in college football. This year he was named to the All-ACC Preseason Team and Thorpe Award watch list.