He may be “Baby Bush”, but Anthony Allen sure looked all grown up Thursday night. The sophomore running back made his claim to become Louisville’s next feature running back, rumbling for a school-record 275 yards and two touchdowns on 35 carries as the Cards overcame another shaky defensive effort for a 58-42 win. Brian Brohm added a career-high 401 yards and threw five more TD passes while Harry Douglas (100 yards, 1TD), Mario Urrutia (142 yards, 2TD), and Gary Barnidge (126 yards, 2TD) all went over 100 yards receiving.
Kick the Football Season off with style. Here is another round of CE exclusive wallpapers for the Cardinal Faithful. Whether you are in the mood for an Art-O-Matic field goal or just want to have a convenient schedule at your mouse-click we've gotcha covered.
It wasn’t the game Cards fans wanted to debut the 2007 season or the Steve Kragthorpe Era, but it sure included all the same fireworks from years past. Coach Krag and the Cards showed a packed house that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Behind Brohm’s great Heisman campaign kick-off (16-of-21 passing, 375 yards, 5 total TD’s), Louisville overwhelmed the overmatched Murray State Racers 73-10. Harry Douglas caught 5 passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns while Gary Barnidge added 4 receptions for 46 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
It was less than 12 months ago that Cardinal fans were pouring over the season schedule, looking for the big games and potential let-downs. Following important out-of-conference tilts against Miami and Kansas State, games that would say a lot about the status of the program in the big picture, Middle Tennessee State certainly seemed to be lying in wait for an unexpected upset. And for the first 30 minutes, the Blue Raiders looked poised to do just that.
But after Louisville overcame an early 10-3 deficit and poured it on for a 44-17 win, the realization was that Middle Tennessee wasn’t entirely just a trap game. With a stout defense, game-breaking special teams led by All-American KR Damon Nickson, and a balanced, productive offense, the Blue Raiders were a solid team hiding out in the Sun Belt Conference. And with most of their key cogs returning for another go-round in 2007, they could be even better this year.
Taking a Quick Glance at the Cards’ Football Openers
If the Louisville football Cardinals were looking for a one-word motto to describe the upcoming season, “Change” would seem as good a candidate as any other. Gone are Cardinal stalwarts Michael Bush, Amobi Okoye, and Bobby Petrino, a trio that has certainly left a sizeable mark on the past four seasons in the meteoric rise from Conference USA paupers to BCS princes. Gone too, it would seem, is the usual July buzz building towards another Governor’s Cup opener against in-state rival Kentucky. That left with the ESPN season-opening time slot when UK AD Mitch Barnhardt took his proverbial “ball home” and moved to Week 3.
But don’t let all the new faces (Steve Kragthorpe) and new places (ESPN Classic?) fool you; nothing has changed in the expectations and anticipations of the Louisville fans. With Brian Brohm and a talented cast returning for one more go at a national title, lofty goals are still the rule at the Howard Schnellenberger Football Complex. And while the schedule may mention Murray State and Middle Tennessee State on the football docket, the season still starts in Commonwealth Stadium September 15.
Whether you prefer offense, defense or just gazing at the current, past and future UofL NFL stars, the 2007 Spring Game had something to offer you. What better way to celebrate the end of the spring practice season than with an exclusive CE photo gallery.
2007 University of Louisville men's basketball signees made their first appearance in front of a mixed crowd of Cards and Cats fans eager to catch a glimpse of the future. Preston Knowles and George Goode combined for 22 points including a block by Goode over future Wildcat Mike Williams that drew a roar from the Cardinal faithful. The Gold team was wiped out by the Black in a romp 140-117, but it didn't damper the spirits of the fans who welcomed the incoming freshmen with their usual warm Freedom Hall welcome. Not so warm was the welcome son of a past Louisville great Derek Smith whose son was dazzling, scoring 19 points. All hurt feelings aside, the recepetion is NOT what Derek Smith would have expected from his beloved fans I'm sure. Enjoy the photos!
It’s tourney time! In the great tradition of the Louisville Cardinals annual pilgrimage to Bracketville, Cardinal Empire celebrates with some of the absolute best wallpapers you will find ANYWHERE on the net. Folks here at CE are just excited to be back and it shows in these SEVEN high-quality background images.
He may be “Baby Bush”, but Anthony Allen sure looked all grown up Thursday night. The sophomore running back made his claim to become Louisville’s next feature running back, rumbling for a school-record 275 yards and two touchdowns on 35 carries as the Cards overcame another shaky defensive effort for a 58-42 win. Brian Brohm added a career-high 401 yards and threw five more TD passes while Harry Douglas (100 yards, 1TD), Mario Urrutia (142 yards, 2TD), and Gary Barnidge (126 yards, 2TD) all went over 100 yards receiving.
If the Louisville football Cardinals were looking for a one-word motto to describe the upcoming season, “Change” would seem as good a candidate as any other. Gone are Cardinal stalwarts Michael Bush, Amobi Okoye, and Bobby Petrino, a trio that has certainly left a sizeable mark on the past four seasons in the meteoric rise from Conference USA paupers to BCS princes. Gone too, it would seem, is the usual July buzz building towards another Governor’s Cup opener against in-state rival Kentucky. That left with the ESPN season-opening time slot when UK AD Mitch Barnhardt took his proverbial “ball home” and moved to Week 3.
2007 University of Louisville men's basketball signees made their first appearance in front of a mixed crowd of Cards and Cats fans eager to catch a glimpse of the future. Preston Knowles and George Goode combined for 22 points including a block by Goode over future Wildcat Mike Williams that drew a roar from the Cardinal faithful. The Gold team was wiped out by the Black in a romp 140-117, but it didn't damper the spirits of the fans who welcomed the incoming freshmen with their usual warm Freedom Hall welcome. Not so warm was the welcome son of a past Louisville great Derek Smith whose son was dazzling, scoring 19 points. All hurt feelings aside, the recepetion is NOT what Derek Smith would have expected from his beloved fans I'm sure. Enjoy the photos! 