Bobby Petrino may have let the Tiger out of the cage earlier this week, however, the University of Louisville football coach isn’t letting it slip out who’ll be his starting quarterback Saturday.
Petrino rankled many in Clemson Nation when, at his Monday press conference, he said of Memorial Stadium (a.k.a. Death Valley) “maybe it can’t get any louder,” than last week’s atmosphere at Syracuse’s Carrier Dome. Open mouth, insert cleat. Clemson is generally regarded as one of the toughest places to play in the country.
Petrino tried to back-track during the ACC coaches teleconference Wednesday, when he said: “I didn’t really mean to compare them. When you do go on the road, it’s really loud.”
You can bet Memorial Stadium, which holds more than 80,000, will be plenty loud at 3:30 p.m. Saturday afternoon when the Cardinals (5-1, 3-1 in the Atlantic Coast Conference) kickoff against the 25th-ranked Tigers (3-2, 2-1).
Two things that aren’t so certain for UofL heading into the game are: 1. Will Will Gardner or Reggie Bonnafon start at quarterback? 2. Will star wide receiver DeVante Parker make his season debut at Clemson?
Petrino wasn’t giving away the answers to either at his press conference Thursday.
One thing is for sure, though, Louisville’s top-ranked defense will face its toughest test of the season against the Tigers, who rank 10th nationally in passing and 19th in scoring. If the Cards can keep Clemson’s offense quiet they just might be able to keep Death Valley quiet too.
Here’s a quick look at what else there is to watch (or follow) in UofL sports this weekend:
The 16th-ranked men’s soccer team (5-4-1, 3-1), which is coming off a 3-0 loss to No. 5 Indiana, plays at sixth-ranked Notre Dame in an ACC match at 7 p.m. Friday night in South Bend, Ind.
The men’s tennis team will play in the Wake Forest Invitational, which is scheduled run Friday through Sunday, at Winston-Salem, N.C.
The volleyball team (10-6, 2-2) has a pair of ACC home matches. The Cards host fourth-ranked Florida State, which is unbeaten, at 7 p.m. Friday night and Notre Dame at 2 p.m. Sunday at the KFC Yum! Center.
The fifth-ranked field hockey team (10-2, 3-1) plays at No. 13 Syracuse in an ACC contest at 11 a.m. Saturday.
The women’s soccer team (5-5-2, 2-1-2), which beat visiting North Carolina State 1-0 on Chinyelu Asher’s goal in the 68th minute Thursday night, hosts Boston College at 1 p.m. Sunday at Lynn Stadium.
Photo courtesy of University of Louisville Football Facebook Page
