KEY LOSSES
Bilal Powell went from being a little-known reserve back to one of the top rushers in the country, and his combination of speed and toughness will be hard to replace. There's uncertainty at quarterback, where both Adam Froman and Justin Burke graduate, and Doug Beaumont finally sees his storied career as a Cardinal come to an end. The big losses defensively are Rodney Gnat, Brandon Heath and Johnny Patrick.
PLAYERS TO WATCH IN 2011:
S Hakeem Smith -- Smith was the star of the freshman class on the defensive side of the ball in 2010, earning First Team Freshmen All-American honors from Rivals.com. Already one of the team's top tacklers, Smith will get to take on a greater leadership role in his sophomore season.
RB Jeremy Wright -- Wright got some snaps because of injuries to Bilal Powell and Victor Anderson early, and showed enough explosiveness that he stayed on the field even when the dup was healthy. Capping off the year with an MVP performance in the Beef O'Brady's Bowl thanks to his 95 yard kickoff return for a touchdown, he can expect an expanded role in 2011.
WR Josh Bellamy -- A junior college transfer, Bellamy led the Cardinals in receiving touchdowns but wasn't as consistent as coaches or fans would have liked. The playmaker will have to emerge as a breakout star as a senior, given the team's lack of experience under center.
C Mario Benavides -- Benavides was one of the most consistent linemen in the Big East as a sophomore. He'll be even more of a leader in 2010 with another year of experience and with the attrition on the rest of the offensive line.
PLAYER NOTES
--RB/WR Jarvis Giles transferred to the program from South Carolina, and enrolled in school for the spring semester. He will have to sit out the 2011 season, but can play in games starting in 2012.
--OLB Brandon Golson originally signed with South Carolina a year ago, but wound up in prep school instead. He took the time to reassess his choice, and enrolled at Louisville instead. Since he was at the school for the start of the spring semester, he will be eligible to participate in spring practice.
