CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WDRB) -- According to Google Maps, just 0.7 miles separate the pain of the past from the promise of the future.
Charlotte is the ACC's landmark city, where the conference holds most of its major events. So, any Louisville Cardinal coming back to the city for ACC Kickoff of course remembers the last conference game here: a 16-6 downer of a title debut in a loss to Florida State.
Standing in the Uptown Hilton just outside of Radio Row, senior defensive back Quincy Riley was asked what it was like to be so close to the Carolina Panthers' Bank of America Stadium, where U of L fell short of its first ACC championship.
"It was a good feeling when we were there," Riley said. "The result wasn't what we wanted last year.
"But this year, we're going to be there again."
The confident cornerback doesn't drip with that belief in a boisterous way. Maybe because he has put in the work to earn it.
Riley transferred to Louisville before current head coach Jeff Brohm took over. A star at Middle Tennessee State, he ranked second in the country in 2021 with 5 interceptions before deciding to go elsewhere. The South Carolina native chose the Cardinals over SEC programs in Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Tennessee, plus ACC foes in North Carolina and North Carolina State.
That production carried over to quickly make him a contributor for the Cards, spreading his wings more as a ballhawk with back-to-back seasons of three interceptions. Over five collegiate seasons, he has 13 interceptions.
Louisville defensive back Quincy Riley speaks to the media at the 2024 ACC Kickoff in Charlotte, N.C., Wednesday, July 24, 2024. (Photo by Nell Redmond/ACC)
He could have declared for the NFL Draft, but chose to return and be a leader for Louisville.
"It's never about the NIL," Riley explained when asked about being comfortable coming back to college. "Playing under Jeff Brohm, Ron English and Steve Ellis, I feel like I can gain the most I ever did playing college football than jumping right into the next level and being under-coached."
Ellis, who is Riley's position coach, has credited his star cornerback for a professional approach. The second-year Cardinal secondary coach is entering his 14th overall season of coaching and has stated he's seen Riley continue to mature.
Earlier today, Steve Ellis (@CoachSteveEllis) gave some good insight into the growth of Quincy Riley. "It's a totally different person. Sometimes, I don't really know who he is right now. And that's the way it should be. He's professional. He's about his business." pic.twitter.com/BWBU8n4RKK
— Tyler Greever (@Tyler_Greever) April 2, 2024
"When I first got to college, I worried about the bigger things more so than little things," Riley said. "So now, with me being an older guy, I worry about strict details. The little things are going to help me push someone and bring somebody along with me.
"With Coach Ellis, I know he's going to be there if I need somebody to talk to. He's going to push me and show me the way I need to lead. So, I appreciate Coach Ellis a lot. That's another reason I came back this year, to be under him knowing that he can coach me hard and show me how to be a pro when I'm not a pro yet."
Other areas he wants to improve before hopefully raising his NFL Draft stock include his physicality. The six-foot corner is listed at 195 pounds and said he bought in to a better diet with help of nutritionists, and of course, his offseason training too.
"They really took care of me, like they let me know what I need to do, what I don't need to do and showed me the way," Riley said. "I just follow them."
He hopes following their footsteps can quicken his own. Riley, who was the 2019 South Carolina Boys 4A Track Player of the Year in high school, explained he hasn't done much speed work while in college. He said it has been a more frequent focal point this offseason.
"I just had to take of my body and do the little things right," Riley said. "I felt faster. I gained weight though, so I was more muscle and that helped me be faster."
Open practice for Louisville. Some Quincy Riley action here: pic.twitter.com/QwAfQRFLlc
— Tyler Greever (@Tyler_Greever) April 4, 2024
It is all about the little things for Quincy Riley. And while he would love for them to pay off in a big way at the NFL Draft, he is really worried about making sure he doesn't look longingly 0.7 miles down the road again.
"I want to more so be a winner," Riley said. "I'm not thinking about the draft or anything. I just want to be a winner, for real. Once you win, everything is going to take care of itself."
Louisville defensive back Quincy Riley breaks down his desire to win in his final season and his growth over his career.
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