Breaking NFL news:Tyler Shough of Louisville face two years off suspension leaving in….
Breaking News:Tyler Shough of Louisville face two years off suspension leaving in….
Nobody had to repeat those numbers for guard Austin Collins and center Pete Nygra, a pair of Cardinal offensive linemen, who spoke to the media after practice Monday. They were aware.
But they were also asked about the importance of keeping Shough from violent landings on his collarbones while also protecting the fibula that Shough broke in the fourth week of the 2023 season at Texas Tech.
“It’s in the job description to protect for him,” Nygra said.
“We take pride in not getting our quarterback hurt,” Collins added.
Assistant coach Richard Owens built an offensive line that was generally a strength of the 2023 Cardinals. U of L finished fifth in the Atlantic Coast Conference in rushing, sending a pair of backs (Jawhar Jordan and Isaac Guerendo) into the National Football League.
But the unit did allow 2.29 sacks per game, which ranked 11th in the 14-team ACC. The Cards were also eighth in offensive plays that resulted in tackles for a loss at 5.29.
Two starters return — tackle Michael Gonzalez, a preseason first-team all-ACC performer and Collins, who took over after Renato Brown was injured.
Owens said that he wants the 2024 offensive line to be deeper and more versatile. He expects guys to be able to play multiple positions.
“The depth helps with the competition and guys pushing to get better every day,” Owens said.
“We’ve got some pieces we can move around and fit guys in when somebody gets tired or somebody’s struggling a little bit, let’s change it up. Get somebody else in and get them reps.”
