By Russ Brown
KyForward correspondent
LOUISVILLE — Bobby Petrino was all smiles after his University of Louisville football team had defeated Texas A&M 27-21 in the Music City Bowl last week, as any winning coach would be.
But Petrino had more than one reason to be happy. His cheerful demeanor probably reflected not only his satisfaction with the Cardinals’ 2015 accomplishments, but also his the bright future outlook for his team.
There are a lot of reasons for Petrino, his staff, players and UofL fans to be excited about next season after the Cards (8-5) finished with six wins in their last seven games following an 0-3 start.
UofL’s depth chart prior to the bowl game showed only five senior starters, with 42 of its 43 touchdowns being scored by underclassmen. Then freshman quarterback Lamar Jackson sent 2016 expectations soaring even higher with his record-setting performance against the Aggies when he accounted for 453 yards and four TDs.
Petrino had said prior to the bowl that he considered it a launching pad for next season when UofL will return most of its key players.
“With what we have coming back and winning that game, hopefully it helps us get going for next season,” Petrino said afterwards. “I’m real excited about what we’ve got coming back, because they know how hard it is and how hard you have to work and that nothing is just given to you.
“You have to earn it and go take it. I think we’ll have a confident team, a team that will work extremely hard in the offseason. We’ll push it really hard. We’ll be able to get bigger and stronger and faster with the young guys. I’m excited to get started.”
Including Jackson, freshmen and sophomores accounted for 488 of Louisville’s 534 yards against A&M. The Cards will return their five leading rushers, their entire receiving corps, and the offensive line will return virtually intact.
“These kids are looking toward next year,” UofL offensive coordinator Garrick McGee says. “We should develop the leadership and the commitment to excellence that we need because the whole offensive crew has been out there together before.”
Sophomore running back L.J. Scott says he expects “big, big, big things” from UofL next season.
The Cards are in almost as good shape defensively and Petrino got a double dose of good news Tuesday when safety Josh Harvey-Clemons and middle linebacker Keith Kelsey decided to return for their senior seasons instead of leaving early for the NFL draft.
Kelsey, a first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference pick who was a team captain, tweeted Tuesday night that he intends to return. Kelsey tied for seventh place in the ACC with 107 tackles and his 12 tackles for loss were third-most for UofL. He also was credited with 3.5 sacks, six quarterback hurries, three pass breakups, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble.
The Courier-Journal cited Harvey-Clemons’ grandfather, Woodrow, as it source confirming Josh’s decision. Woodrow Clemons told the newspaper that his grandson didn’t receive a first- or second-round grade on the NFL’s evaluation.
Harvey-Clemons was one of Louisville’s best defensive playmakers last season, finishing third on the team with 88 tackles and tied for second with three interceptions. Against A&M, he recorded eight tackles, including a sack, and also had an interception and a forced fumble.
Two other juniors have asked for an NFL evaluation — linebacker DeVonte Fields and tackle DeAngelo Brown. If they also stay in school, the Cards would return eight starters from a unit that ranked 18th nationally in total defense.
Defensive coordinator Todd Grantham said the win over the Aggies should “kick-start our season for next year.”
“The future is bright,” freshman wide receiver Jaylen Smith says. “We see the other teams in the ACC, they have freshmen playing, but I don’t think any team in the ACC had six or seven freshmen on the field at one time. We had that multiple games.”
The Cards’ strong finish and the number of returning starters should earn them a spot in the 2016 preseason rankings, but they still have plenty to prove. They haven’t beaten a Top-25 team in Petrino’s two seasons, and have lost all four games they’ve played against the ACC’s two heavyweights, Clemson and Florida State. Until they do that, they’ll just be an afterthought on the national scene.
Louisville will get Florida State at home, but will face Clemson on the road in 2016. The remainder of its conference slate hasn’t been set, but the non-conference schedule early in the season is set up for a fast start, unlike 2015.
The Cards will host Charlotte in their season opener on Sept. 3 and travel to Marshall on Sept. 24. Their toughest non-league opponent will be Houston on the road, but not until Nov. 19. UofL will host Kentucky in the season finale on Nov. 26.
BROWN MOVING TO MIZZOU
Petrino will have at least one staff position to fill with the news that safeties coach and recruiting coordinator Greg Brown is leaving to coach the cornerbacks at Missouri.
Brown came to Louisville after serving as the secondary coach at Alabama. Previously, he had been defensive coordinator at Colorado and Arizona.
The Cards tied for the national lead in interceptions in 2014 with 20 and tied for No. 14 with 17 this past season.
“Greg’s experience is unmatched around the country, and the success he’s had with the guys he’s coached at every level is som impressive,” new Missouri head coach Barry Odom said in a news release. “He always produces very well-coached players who compete at the highest level, and he’s got a tremendous track record of developing guys to play at or above their top level.”
A THANK-YOU TO FANS
Petrino says he is grateful to UofL fans for their support throughout the season and in the bowl game in Nashville, and he posted a copy of a letter on Twitter that he had written to fans thanking them.
“Every bowl game is a special experience,” Petrino wrote. “But it is even better when our fans completely take over the location like you all did in Music City. having Nissan Stadium feel like we were back home in Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium was tremendous for our staff and team. . .We couldn’t have done it without you!”
Louisville fans were in the obvious majority in the bowl game, where the attendance was 50,478.