University of Louisville Football Heading for Big Things in 08

In 2007, the University of Louisville football program returns what may be the best team in school history.

Last year, the Cardinals celebrated their first-ever Big East Championship with a win in the Orange Bowl. This year, a run at the BCS National Championship is by no means out of the question.

Led by senior quarterback Brian Brohm, the Louisville offense should once again be among the league's elite. Brohm passed for 3,049 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2006 despite missing two games with an injury. He also tops Mel Kiper's 2008 draft board, and is in position to become the first Louisville player to win the Heisman Trophy.

Flanking Brohm will be wide receivers Harry Douglas and Mario Urrutia. The two are a unique receiving combo who bring size and speed to the U of L air attack.

Recognized as one of the fastest receivers in the game, Douglas is a proven big-play threat who can stretch defenses. In 2006, he led the team with 70 catches for 1,265 yards and six touchdowns.

Urrutia, at 6'6", is a tall, athletic receiver who's made his own share of big plays. He caught 58 passes for 973 yards and six touchdowns last season.

After losing a pair of running backs to the NFL, new head coach Steve Kragthorpe will turn to junior George Stripling and sophomore Anthony Allen in the backfield-a "Thunder and Lighting" combo that should wreak havoc on opposing defenses.

After a leg injury to Michael Bush, Allen emerged to run for 406 yards while leading the team with 13 touchdowns last year. With his bulky 6'1", 235-pound frame, Allen should fill the power void left by Bush.

Stripling, on the other hand, is a quick back whose elusiveness gives the Cards' ground game another dimension. As a freshman, Stripling netted 621 yards and seven touchdowns; as a sophomore, he saw those numbers drop to 459 and five. Still, he figures to be one of the focal points for the Cards in 2007.