University of North Carolina Athletics
Louisville Game Guide
October 4, 2005 | Football
Oct. 4, 2005
By Adam Lucas
Carolina travels to Louisville this week in search of its first three-game win streak since the conclusion of the 2001 season. As always, TarHeelBlue.com will be your home for exclusive stories and photos throughout game week. To start you off, we've put together a comprehensive Louisville game guide packed with all the information you need to get ready for the Cardinals. In the days to come, we'll have reports from John Bunting's Tuesday press conference, Lee Pace's Friday mailbag, and much more.
Until then, we've broken down the game guide into five sections: the basics, storylines, at the game, watching the game on TV, and names to know. And of course, if you need some quick stats, check out the Tuesday Talking Points.
The Basics
Game Time: North Carolina at Louisville, 4:30.
Carolina's game notes can be found here and Louisville's official football site is here.
The game will be televised in Louisville on WHAS-TV. The game will be televised in the Triangle area on WTVD. Fans outside the Triangle can order the ESPN Gameplan package to receive the TV broadcast. More information on that package is available here. The game is also available on Sirius satellite radio channel 125 and XM Radio channel 193. The XM broadcast will feature the Tar Heel Sports Network feed.
Last time: On September 25, 2004, Louisville snuffed every bit of positive energy lingering from the previous week's Carolina victory over Georgia Tech. The Cardinals rolled up 30 first downs and quickly expanded on a 10-0 halftime lead on the way to a 34-0 victory. Louisville averaged 6.0 yards per play and gained 278 rushing yards in the win.
Gameday weather: Check the local weather forecast before heading for the game.
Injury report: Jacoby Watkins left Saturday's game with an unspecified illness but has practiced this week. Tom O'Leary, a special teams standout, had a hip flexor and did not play against Utah. Mike Mason is still nursing a shoulder injury and is likely to play.
The big injury news concerns Ronnie McGill, the Tar Heel tailback who has been recovering from a torn pectoral muscle. Sunday night, Bunting said the tailback could be added to the rotation for this weekend's game. "From what I gather, Ronnie is going to be allowed to go full-go this week," Bunting said. "If that is the case, I think there is a very good chance that he will play on Saturday versus Louisville." If he plays, McGill is unlikely to carry the full running burden. Instead, he'd probably be rotated into the game for approximately 20-25 snaps.
Radio Coverage: Tar Heel Sports Network coverage begins at 3:30. Keep in mind that the local FM affiliate has changed to 106.1 FM. Fans making the trip to Louisville can search for the Tar Heel Sports Network in-stadium feed low on the dial--this week's frequency is likely to be 88.9 FM. If it can't be found on the low ranges of the spectrum, search high (near 107.9 FM) instead. The in-stadium frequency is determined by which frequencies in the area already contain competing stations.
Game week TV/radio coverage: John Bunting Live airs Thursday night at 7 and the John Bunting TV show airs Saturday morning at 9 a.m. on FOX Sports. If you need some Tar Heel radio coverage to get you through the week until Thursday, check out Woody Durham's daily shows or the archive of Monday's Tar Heel Talk show, when Jones Angell and Adam Lucas were joined by special teams coordinator and running backs coach Andre Powell.
Storylines
Louisville's potent offense: The Cardinals have put up some pinball-type numbers this season--553 yards in a 63-27 win over Oregon State and 608 yards in a 61-10 win over Florida Atlantic. They rank seventh in the nation in total offense and have exhibited a fairly balanced attack. Even in their lone loss, a 45-14 defeat at the hands of South Florida, they posted 493 yards of total offense.
Carolina running game: This will remain a storyline of Carolina's season until the Tar Heels can do it consistently. The ground game took a step back against Utah, as Carolina picked up just 85 yards on 39 carries.
"There's some yardage we're missing when we don't follow the scheme or don't see the cutback," Bunting said. "There have been some times we've run up the back of a lineman rather than run into a hole. There are some vision things we have to be concerned about. In retrospect, we should've put Justin Warren in there to play. We've got to get him snaps every single game."
If Warren is going to play and Ronnie McGill returns, the tailback picture could grow very crowded. Running backs coach Andre Powell has said that ideally he wants it to be a three-back rotation, so practice this week should be very competitive in the offensive backfield.
Sack stats: Carolina has quietly rolled up 14 sacks in the past three games, and they rank 14th nationally in that stat. But they're playing a Louisville squad that is tied for second in the nation in that same category.
Saturday's winning team is likely to be the one that best protects the quarterback. The two teams have gone about their pressure very differently--11 different Tar Heels have sacks, with Tommy Davis leading the team with three. Over half of Louisville's 19 sacks have come from one player, Elvis Dumervil, who has 11.
The Cardinal offensive line, which averages 311 pounds per player, has been a team strength, as they've allowed just 8 sacks all season. Four of those came in the loss to South Florida. The right side of the line is especially daunting, as tackle Jeremy Darveau weighs in at 321 pounds and guard Kurt Quarterman combines his 348 pounds with deceptive speed for a big man.
Meanwhile, Carolina offensive line coach Hal Hunter is still juggling his offensive line. Center Ben Lemming's status will be updated later this week. Versatile Arthur Smith saw some snaps at center against Utah.
At the Game
Listening to the Tar Heel Sports Network at the game: Woody, Rick, Lee and Jones will be on the air at 3:30 p.m.
Carolina team hotel: Louisville Marriott downtown
Pregame activities: Start game day right by joining the Rams Club and General Alumni Association tailgate party in Louisville.
Tickets: The game is listed as a sellout.
How to get to the game: All lots adjacent to the stadium are reserved for season ticket holders. The best public parking is at the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center. Go to Gate 1 of the fairgrounds off I-264 and follow Ring Rd. to the public lots. You can learn more about Papa John's Stadium and various parking tips and stadium policies by clicking here.
What to do in Louisville: Even if you don't like horse racing, you have to go to Churchill Downs, the most famous racetrack in the world. Plan to spend an hour or two at the Kentucky Derby Museum (502-637-1111), which features a 360-degree HD movie. The track is very close to Papa John's Stadium, so you might be able to do the game and Churchill Downs on the same day. Take the guided tour, as many of the horses are likely to still be in residence in mid-October.
If you're more into baseball than horses, you can check out the Louisville Slugger Museum (502-588-7228). If you (or someone you're traveling with) need a break from sports, try the Belle of Louisville (866-832-0011), the oldest Mississippi River-style stern wheel steamboat operating today.
Watching at Home
If you're purchasing the Gameplan package and plan to turn down the sound, you'll probably encounter some delay. For the Cliffs Notes version on why that happens and one possible solution, click here and scroll down to the last answer.
A full list of Tar Heel Sports Network affiliates can be found here.
Names to Know
Whether you're at the game or watching it with your buddies at home, it helps to have a few names to throw out to cement your status as the Tar Heel guru. Six to remember:
Elvis Dumervil: The numbers look like a misprint: Dumervil has a nation-leading 11 sacks--almost twice the number amassed by the second-place individual--in four games this season and keys a defense that ranks second in the country in sacks. His six sacks in the season-opening win over Kentucky were a single-game school and Big East record. At just 6-foot-0, he has a low center of gravity that he combines with long arms and a quick first step to present a major problem for Tar Heel offensive linemen. He comes from good bloodlines as well--three half or full brothers played major college football, including two at Syracuse and one at Louisville.
Mike Mason: He had a career-high 82 yards on four receptions Saturday, including a 40-yard grab that set up a fourth quarter touchdown. He's always had the physical skills to break the big play, but the even more encouraging part of his performances over the past two weeks has been his timing. He caught the biggest pass of the season, a 3rd and 7 reception at NC State, and converted two more third downs against Utah.
"I want to do even more," he says. "I just want to contribute to the team and help us win. I grew up a Carolina fan. So I'm waiting for the day I can have a breakout year and be the top receiver."
Michael Bush: Louisville's junior tailback will be one of the best backs Carolina faces all year. At 6-foot-3, 250 pounds, he's a load to tackle, but he's surprisingly athletic and the Cardinals use him regularly catching passes out of the backfield (he has 8 catches for 114 yards this season). Bush is coming off a career-high 204-yard performance against Florida Atlantic and is averaging 6.5 yards per carry this season. His 13.5 points per game average ties him for the national lead.
Trimane Goddard: He lost the battle for the starting strong safety job in training camp but didn't sulk. His patience paid off against Utah, as Watkins left the game early and Goddard stepped in and played well as the nickel back. The sophomore is one of Carolina's surest tacklers, which makes him a good fit at safety, but he also has cornerback-like coverage skills.
Bunting thinks highly of Goddard's play, saying, "We think Trimane Goddard is one of our best football players." To reward his effort, the coaching staff moved him to the point of attack side on kickoff coverage. It paid off, as Carolina's previously shaky kickoff coverage was better against Utah.
Mario Urrutia: Joshua Tinch (basketball fans might remember him as former hoops recruit Greg Tinch) leads the Cardinals in receiving, but it's Urrutia who is the big-play man. The 6-foot-6 freshman will present a matchup problem for Carolina's cornerbacks, and he's got speed to go with his size, as he's averaging 26.2 yards per catch.
Adam Lucas is the publisher of Tar Heel Monthly and can be reached at alucas@tarheelmonthly.com. He is the coauthor of the official book of the 2005 championship season, Led By Their Dreams, and his book on Roy Williams's first season at Carolina, Going Home Again, is now available in bookstores. To subscribe to Tar Heel Monthly or learn more about Going Home Again, click here.
