Senior Brandon Dunn is the swing man on the defensive line, playing either defensive tackle or nose. The massive tackle recorded 28 tackles and two sacks last season and is a big run-stopper in the middle of the defense.
Redshirt freshman Pedro Sibiea is another big body on the defensive line who will add depth to the defensive front. He had a solid spring and is a good addition to the line this season.
Senior Roy Philon has battled back injuries, which kept him out of spring practice. The Lexington, Ky., native registered 27 tackles and 2.5 sacks last year after playing through intense pain. If healthy, Philon can be a major force at tackle.
Junior B.J. Dubose is back after missing half of last year. A 6-foot-5, 273-pounder, Dubose registered 15 tackles in limited action, but proved to be a disruptive force. By adding additional weight, Dubose will likely move inside.
At the nose position, junior Jamaine Brooks came on last season and was an impact player for the Cardinals. Another big body at nose tackle, Brooks totaled 19 stops and could be headed for his best season in 2013. He suffered a leg injury that should keep him out for the first few weeks of the season.
Sophomore DeAngelo Brown received playing time last season as a true freshman and gives the Cardinals another big, athletic body at tackle. Incoming freshmen De’Asian Richardson and Kyle Shortridge also will be key contributors to the defensive line this season.
Player Focus: DeVante Parker from Vimeo.
Louisville wide receiver DeVante Parker has been one of the nation’s most unknown receiver, but might has been the most productive. In two seasons, Parker has caught 58 passes for 1,035 yards and an amazing 16 touchdowns.
The 2012 season was the most productive for Parker, grabbing 40 receptions for 744 yards and a team-best 10 touchdowns. In averaging 17.8 yards a reception, Parker tallied 13 plays of 20 or more yards, including a career-long 75-yard reception on the opening play of the second half in a win over Pittsburgh.
The wide receiver unit is one of the best in the country and Parker will be one of the highlighted players entering the 2013 season.
University of Louisville running backs coach Kenny Carter will appear with Howie Lindsey and Matt Willenger on the Earlybirds show on 790 AM at 8:07 a.m. to discuss the Fourth Annual Women’s Clinc and talk about the running back position heading into the 2013 season.
The Cardinals return two of their top rushers and will also benefit from the return of Dominique Brown, who missed 2011 with a knee injury.
Teddy Bridgewater is one of Louisville’s seven first-team honorees.
Preseason recognition is beginning to roll in for the two-time defending conference champion and Sugar Bowl victors Louisville.
The Cardinals placed a conference-best 18 on Phil Steele’s 2013 Preseason All-American Athletic Conference Team, headlined by Teddy Bridgewater as one of Louisville’s seven first-team honorees.
In addition to Bridgewater, DeVante Parker and Gerald Christian also earned first-team offense accolades. On defense, Roy Philon, Preston Brown, and the dynamic secondary of Calvin Pryor and Hakeem Smith picked up recognition.
Offensive lineman Jake Smith was the only Cardinal, offensively or defensively, on the second team, but Louisville had seven named to the third team.
Kicker John Wallace was Louisville’s lone special teams member on the squad.
The Cardinals open their 2013 campaign with consecutive home games, first playing host to Ohio on Sept. 1, and then facing Eastern Kentucky on Sept. 7 at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium. Louisville returns 19 starters from a squad that posted an 11-2 mark last season.
The 2013 University of Louisville football season opener versus Ohio is just 100 days away. The Cardinals take on a solid Bobcat team, who won nine games last season, including a win in the Independence Bowl.