LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Ten laps around the concourse at L&N Cardinal Stadium, about 3.3 miles.
That's how far Jeff Brohm, his son, Brady, and 3 University of Louisville staff members walked late Monday morning — after Brohm's weekly media session, but before he dialed back into preparation for the Cardinals' home football opener against Murray State Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
U of L athletic director Josh Heird spoke confidently that the program expects its largest crowd since the 2019 season — the year before Covid emptied the building and uninspiring football drained much of the Cardinals’ mojo.
Do not be surprised if Thursday night stirs Louisville's largest gathering since 58,187 fans, a stadium record, showed up to watch the Cardinals lose to Notre Dame, 35-17, on Sept. 2, 2019.
Although Monday was Labor Day, stadium workers labored as if game time was coming, cleaning bathrooms and seats, stocking drink coolers and concession stands and arranging furniture in suites.
The work continued around Brohm and his group as they quietly completed their laps, walking past the Hall of Fame portraits that include Jeff Brohm on the East side of the concourse.
The Cards' comeback victory over Georgia Tech Friday night in Atlanta has only pumped more adrenaline into the moment.
You play them one at a time, but the Cards figure to be a heavy favorite against Murray State, an FCS program. The Racers have lost their last half-dozen games against Louisville by an average score of 53-10.
Then comes the game in Indianapolis against Indiana, which ranks last in the nation in total offense after losing to Ohio State, 23-3. Then there will be a home game against Boston College, which failed to defeat Northern Illinois in its season opener.
The path to the Cardinals' first 4-0 start since the magical Lamar Jackson Heisman Trophy season of 2016 looks as direct as an 8-yard down-and-out. The buzz should only grow.
"I can't predict how many (fans will attend)," Brohm said.
"But I know if you play a good brand of football and your team shows fight and grit and toughness, and you find ways to improve each and every week and compete at the highest level you can, people are going to come watch.
"That's what we've got to provide."
The Cards provided that Friday night in Atlanta. They showed an ability to respond to adversity, accept coaching and make adjustments. Better to come from behind and win, 39-34, than to smother an outclassed opponent 53-6.
You learn more about yourself.
More than two days after the Cardinals gave up 28 points in the second quarter and trailed Tech, 28-13, at halftime, I asked Brohm what he learned about his team's performance after studying the game video.
"I think that we didn't execute extremely well, on offense, missed some opportunities that we had, that could have got us points early and set the tone better," Brohm said.
"And that definitely definitely hurt us. So we weren't near as sharp, especially in the passing game.
"I thought our runners ran hard, for the most part, the entire game. I thought our offensive line played hard, the entire game. That was really good to see. We just need to be more consistent.
"In the second half we were a little bit sharper. And we're able to move the ball and get points and we have to be sharp. That's the football game, you got to be sharp, so you don't get to make a lot of mistakes and misfire and to do things that are going to cost you.
"I think defensively, we started off well in the first quarter. In the second quarter, we got spinning a little bit. We got a few backups in in certain spots, miscommunication on a few calls. Not getting getting lined up.
"We gave up too many throws behind line of scrimmage for big yards, which can't happen.
"You know, we've got to tackle the football and rally to it. We got to play up closer. But we gave up too many easy plays in the second quarter.
"And you know, we were probably in man to man coverage a little bit too much and had guys spinning and not lined up correctly with some motions. And we got some calls in late (from the sidelines) as well.
"So it was a combination of a lot of things. Second half, we did some different things actually, that we had luckily worked on throughout spring, summer and fall.
"We changed some things up. We got more sound in what we were doing. We got our calls in faster. We got lined up and really we played really good football until the very last drive of the game where we were probably in prevent (defense) too much and gave up a couple easy completions.
"But there was improvement. So I just think that there's a lot of things to work on."
And a lot of things to think about during those 10-lap walks around the stadium, the same stadium where it will all happen again Thursday night for Jeff Brohm and his first Louisville football team.
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