For the Louisville Cardinals, two important eras in the program's history came to an end after last season. Charlie Strong, who oversaw the revitalization of the program, moved on to coach Texas, and was replaced by prodigal son Bobby Petrino, who helped get Louisville on track from 2003-2006. It also sees the end of a very successful run in the American Athletic Conference. The Cardinals return some talented starters, but losing star quarterback Teddy Bridgewater will be a big obstacle to overcome in Louisville's inaugural ACC season. Petrino's notoriously powerful offenses will help the transition, while the nation's top defense in terms of yards allowed returns four starters. While a conference championship would be a stretch (especially with Florida State in the same division), Louisville could certainly manage a nine or ten win season.
Offense
The loss of Bridgewater is undoubtedly the biggest individual hole to fill in 2014, but there appears to be a capable replacement in sophomore Will Gardner. While Gardner will not be expected to replace the first round pick's production of 3970 yards and 31 touchdowns to only four interceptions, he did have a great spring game. With an experienced offensive line and skill players, as well as Petrino's passing game reputation, Gardner should excel.
Louisville returns a glut of talent at running back, wide receiver, and tight end. Two seniors return in the backfield, with Domonique Brown the lead back after piling up 825 yards and eight touchdowns as a junior. The other senior ball carrier is well know Michael Dyer, who was one of the heroes in Auburn's national championship victory in 2011, but ran in to multiple off field issues in his career. Dyer only accrued 223 yards last season, but should see more time with the departure of Senorise Perry. True freshman L.J. Scott will likely be the third back in the rotation, with the goal of taking over in 2015.
At receiver, senior DeVante Parker is the big name to keep an eye on. Parker considered jumping to the NFL after 55 receptions, 885 yards, and 12 touchdowns, but returned to the promising aspect of Petrino's passing attack. Fellow seniors Kai De La Cruz and Eli Rogers will team up with promising sophomore James Quick to help keep defenses from keying on Parker. At tight end, senior Gerald Christian returns after making 28 catches for four touchdowns.
The Cardinals return four starting linemen, including three seniors, to what should be a top three or four unit in the conference. Left tackle Jamon Brown is the biggest name, but left guard and center John Miller and Jake Smith will be solid as seniors as well. Right tackle Ryan Mack returns as a junior after making his name last season, while right guard is the only opening along the line.
Defense 
Only four starters return from the nation's top statistical defense, but those include some big names. The one sure starter on the defensive line is senior defensive end Lorenzo Mauldin. Mauldin racked up 9.5 sacks, and briefly considered a move to the NFL. The rest of the line is up for grabs, with senior B.J. DuBose and juniors Sheldon Rankins and Aaron Ahner competing for the other end spot. At the nose tackle position, junior DeAngelo Brown and redshirt freshman Johnny Richardson look to be the primary contenders for the starting role.
In the 3-4 defense, it is essential to have talented and experienced linebackers. Louisville has a decent mix of the two, with one returning starter, but talent is ready to fill in. Junior inside linebacker James Burgess is the lone returning starter, and is the leading returning tackler with 72 last season. Deiontrez Mount is a senior, and is expected to start at one of the outside spots, with junior college transfer Trevon Young on the other side. Sophomore Nick Dawson will compete with Keith Kelsey for the other interior spot, and both are very talented options to team up with Burgess.
The secondary is also a mix of experience and youth, as the cornerback group has it in leaps and bounds, but the safety positions are almost all newcomers. Junior Charles Gaines led the team with five interceptions, and mans one corner spot, while senior Terell Floyd will cover the other half of the field. At safety, groups of juniors and freshmen will compete for time, with newcomers likely seeing the most action. Returning juniors Gerod Hollimon and Jermain Reve will attempt to hold off junior college transfer James Sample and redshirt freshmen Richard Benjamin (a converted high school receiver), Terrence Ross, and Charles Williams. True freshman Michael Johnson could play his way in to the rotation.
Special Teams
This could be a strength of the team, with returning contributors all over. Junior kicker John Wallace hit on 20 of 24 field goals, and senior punter Ryan Johnson had a solid junior season. Between Gaines, Quick, and De La Cruz, the Cardinals will have several threats in the return game.
Schedule
Louisville has a mixed bag of opponents in the nonconference slate, ranging from Murray State and FIU, to Kentucky and Notre Dame. The Cardinals open their ACC lives with Miami coming to Papa John's Cardinal Stadium in the opening week. Other home conference dates include Wake Forest, NC State, and Florida State. Road trips within the conference will take them to Virginia, Syracuse, Clemson, and Boston College.
Prediction
A tougher schedule will make repeating the success of the last two seasons unlikely, but the Cardinals return a very talented cast of talent. Being placed in the Atlantic division was a tough draw, but between Petrino's coaching and key returners, a top three finish is expected. If Louisville can win three of their four games outside of the conference, a finish of at least 8-4 is easily reachable. Gardner seems as if he will adjust to the new staff quickly, and have a productive first season linking up with his explosive receiving corps. Expect the newcomers to finish at that 8-4 (5-3) mark by winning one game they are not expected to, and slipping up somewhere (perhaps on the road) to finish third in the Atlantic Division.
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