In our ongoing Mount Rushmore series, the LWOS College Football department takes a look at the history of the Louisville Cardinals football program and some of the best players to suit up for the Cardinals.
The Cards football program began in 1912 with a club level team comprised mainly of medical school students. After competing many years in small college conferences, the school suspended its football program from 1942-1946 for World War II.
After the war ended the school hired Frank Camp as its coach and football in Louisville really began to take off. Camp moved the program away from its small college roots and joined the Missouri Valley Conference. From there the Cards spent many years as an independent, before moving to the Metro and then Conference USA. The Cardinals finally joined a major league when they joined the Big East in 2005 (they made the move to the ACC in 2014).
Over the years the Louisville program has had a number of really good players, and below we list four who were the best of the best.
Louisville Cardinals Mount Rushmore
Johnny Unitas- (QB- 1951-1955)
When you talk about the best players in the history of Louisville football the first name that usually comes up is Johnny Unitas.
Growing up Unitas wanted to play for Notre Dame but when he tried out he was told he was too small and would get hurt. Unitas wanted to play college football and when he was offered a chance to play at Louisville he took it.
Johnny U was able to play as a freshmen because the Cards were not a part of the NCAA and he quickly became a starter. Unitas finished the season with over 600 yards and nine touchdowns.
When the school deemphasized sports many of the players left the team but Unitas decided to stay. He became a two-way player, playing both linebacker and safety while also returning kicks and punts. Unitas finished his career at Louisville with over 3,000 yards and 27 touchdowns, records that stood for years.
Unitas was drafted in the ninth round by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1955 but was cut in the preseason. The next year he joined the Baltimore Colts under coach Weeb Eubank and the rest is history. “Johnny Clutch” played 19 years in the NFL, was named the MVP three times, was a 10-time Pro Bowler and threw for over 40,000 yards and 290 touchdowns. His record of throwing at least one touchdown in 47 straight games stood until Drew Brees broke it in 2012. Unitas also engineered the game winning drive in the “Greatest Game Ever Played” in 1958 against the New York Giants.
Unitas was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979 and had his number 16 retired by Louisville. There is a statue in his honor in the end zone at Papa John’s Stadium.
Lenny Lyles- (RB/CB- 1954-1957)
Not only was Lenny Lyles one of the best players in the history of Louisville football, he is one of the most important. A Louisville native, Lyles broke the color barrier for African-American scholarship athletes. Lyles was a two-way star for the Cardinals, playing both running back and defensive back.
Lyles was a four-year starter for the Cards and finished his career with 2,786 rushing yards and scored a school record 42 touchdowns. He was the first Cardinal player to run for 1,000 yards in a season when he rushed for 1,287 yards in 1957 and his 300 total points remains a record for a non-kicker. Lyles was drafted in the first round by the Baltimore Colts where he teamed with Unitas and he played 11 seasons in the NFL.
Tom Jackson- (LB- 1970-1972)
Tom Jackson was a two-time Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year in 1970 and 1972 and he led the squad in tackles all three years he was at Louisville. Jackson had at least 120 tackles each year and he finished his career with 373 tackles which was second most in school history at that time. His number 50 was retired by the school in 1999.
Jackson was drafted in the fourth round by the Denver Broncos in 1973 and played 14 years in the NFL. He was a three-time All-Pro and led the team to two Super Bowl appearances.
When Jackson retired he held the team records for games played (191) and seasons played (14). In 1992 he was the 14th player to be inducted into the Denver Broncos “Ring of Honor.” Jackson has spent the last 29 years as an NFL analyst for ESPN and was given the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award from the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015.
Chris Redman- (QB 1996-1999)
Almost all of the quarterback records once held by Unitas are now owned by Chris Redman. Redman was the first in what has been a string of great quarterbacks at U of L over the last 20 years. When he finished his college career Redman held NCAA records for most completions (1,031) and attempts (1,639). His 12,541 passing yards ranks third in NCAA history behind Ty Detmer and Tim Rattay.
Redman was drafted in the third round of the 2000 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens and went on to play 11 years in the league. He was part of the Ravens Super Bowl champion team in 2000 and his number was retired into the Cards Ring of Honor.
Honorable Mention
Below are four more players for who a strong case could be made to be included on Louisville’s Mount Rushmore:
Elvis Dumervil- (DE 2002-2005)
While he didn’t fit the prototype for an elite defensive end, Elvis Dumervil ended up being one of the biggest stars to ever come out of the Louisville program. He had one of the best seasons ever in 2005 when he racked up 20.5 sacks, six of them coming in one game against Kentucky. Dumervil won numerous awards including Big East Player of the Year and he was the school’s first consensus All-American since Lyles in 1957.
Otis Wilson- (LB-1977-1979)
Otis Wilson was a three year lettermen at Louisville and was the defensive MVP of the Cards Independence Bowl game against Louisiana Tech in 1977. Wilson finished his career at Louisville with 484 tackles, second all-time, and 32 tackles for loss, fifth all-time.
Wilson was taken in the first round by the Chicago Bears in the 1980 NFL Draft and was part of one the most fearsome defenses in history. The 1985 Bears defense helped lead the team to a Super Bowl victory and even had a featured part in the “Super Bowl Shuffle.”
Teddy Bridgewater- (QB 2011-2013)
In his three years at Louisville, Teddy Bridgewater set records for most passing yards in a season (4,048) and touchdowns (31), breaking Redman’s records. He led the Cards to a win over Florida State in the 2013 Sugar Bowl by throwing for 266 yards and two touchdowns against the nation’s top ranked pass defense and was named the MVP of the game.
In his final college game (the Raycom Sports Bowl against Miami) Bridgewater threw for 447 yards and three touchdowns and was again named the MVP. Bridgewater was taken in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings and has become one of the best young quarterbacks in the league.
Deion Branch- (WR 2000-2001)
Of all the great receivers who have come through the Cardinal program, Deion Branch may have been the best. In only two seasons Branch totaled 143 catches for over 2,200 yards and 18 touchdowns. Had he played four years Bridgewater would most likely own every school record.
Branch was taken in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots and went on to help the Patriots win two Super Bowls and was the MVP of Super Bowl 39.
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