Louisville’s first real benchmark of the Pat Kelsey era came in a setup that was as unusual as it was useful.
Over the weekend, the Cardinals lined up against Ohio State in what Kelsey described as a closed scrimmage with some flexibility built in, giving both staffs a chance to test things without the usual public pressure. It was not a standard game-day dress rehearsal, but that was the point.
" Jake (Diebler) and I had a ton of conversations going into it. About the structure of the scrimmage and different things we wanted to do. And when you have those closed scrimmages, you can do different things," Kelsey mentioned in Monday's press conference.
After the usual 40 minutes, the two teams went a step further and played an extra eight-minute stretch so both staffs could expand the bench and gather better film on everyone available.
"You can't do that if it's not a closed scrimmage," Kelsey added. "You can step out onto the floor and coach.
Jake and I talked about that too…neither one of us did it that much. But we definitely were out of the coaching box for the majority of the scrimmage."
"Found out a lot about our guys. We were able to play against somebody else for the first time in a long time."
Louisville did not get an official box score from the day, but the Cardinals were tagged as the winner and saw strong work from Seth Trimble and Flory Bidunga against the Buckeyes. Kelsey was quick to point out that the result should be viewed carefully without the full picture, even as he praised Ohio State’s progress under Jake Diebler.
"They're really good. Big, strong, physical, really well-coached. Just another opportunity to go out there, play against somebody else, and compete," Kelsey said of the Buckeyes.
There was also a trust element to the whole exercise. Kelsey said that although he did not know Diebler well, the two coaches trusted each other to keep any useful details from leaking to other staffs. Louisville’s next exhibition, unlike this one, will be public when the Cardinals head to Kansas.
"You're sensitive to what gets out, you know, I gave him my word, and he gave me his my word…so that he could go run all his stuff, and I could run all my stuff…it made me feel really good," he finished.
Kelsey even reached out to Diebler after the scrimmage so they could compare notes on what worked, what didn’t, and what might need cleaning up.
For Louisville, though, the biggest takeaway was not the scoreboard or the tape exchange. It was getting through the day healthy and continuing to build confidence with Karter Knox and Obinna Ekezie Jr 's return to full participation still part of the preseason picture.
Saturday’s scrimmage was only the latest step in a slow build toward a demanding non-conference schedule. The Cardinals already used their summer trip to the Bahamas as an early team-building stop, playing Team Raw Talent in an unbroadcasted exhibition before returning home.
Kelsey said even that opponent was not the most even matchup for his group, and he joked that some of the Bahamian players worked at the hotel the morning of the July game. Still, with 11 new scholarship players, the experience served a purpose.
Now the next test is a much tougher one: Kansas in Lawrence.
"They got a great scheme, and they're extremely talented," said Kelsey when asked about Bill Self 's team. "They're one of the most athletic teams in the country; I think they will end up being one of the most dominant defensive teams…length and athleticism at every position."
Kansas is coming off an 80-62 home exhibition win over Pittsburgh State on Friday, and the preseason 17th-ranked Jayhawks are still working through some roster details after the late addition of 6th-year forward and former NBA Draft pick Trey Kaufman-Renn. Kelsey also noted the depth Kansas used in its opener.
"They played 13 guys, 12 guys, over 10 minutes…so we're planning for a lot of different players, and it'll be a good test for us," said Kelsey.
Both teams are expected to trim their rotations in time, but the exhibition should still give Louisville another chance to sort through options in a tough environment. That makes the difference between the Ohio State scrimmage and the Kansas game hard to miss, especially for a Cardinals roster still getting its first extended looks together.
In Other News...
Louisville Kept Its ACC Hopes Alive But Now Needs Outside Help
Louisvilles win over Syracuse kept the season moving in the right direction, but it did not change the bigger math hanging over the Cardinals. At 4-3 overall and 3-2 in ACC play, Louisville still has work to do if it wants to stay alive in the race for Charlotte, even after taking care of business in a 34-26 finish.
The path now is narrow enough that the Cardinals need help as much as they need wins. Louisville must run the table and hope Wake Forest drops at least two of its remaining games, a tough ask with the Demon Deacons favored in most of what is left on their schedule. The margin for error is gone, and the conference picture is no longer fully in Louisvilles control. [Read more 🡒]
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Now Seth Trimble has entered the picture after a Jefferson County Circuit Court judge granted the UNC transfer a fifth year of eligibility, giving Louisville a chance to add another high-level piece to that mix. His availability could reshape the projected starting five and raise the ceiling even further, but the bigger question is how all of these parts fit together and just how much higher the Cardinals can climb if the roster comes together the way it looks capable of doing. [Read more 🡒]
Louisville Heads Into The Open Date With One Big Debate
Louisvilles 34-26 win over Syracuse came with the kind of swings that can make a Saturday feel longer than it should. Both offenses had their moments early, the lead changed hands more than once, and the turnovers kept the game feeling uneasy right up until the finish. Even so, the Cardinals found enough to get back on track and move to 4-3 heading into their open date.
Now comes the part that matters most for a team at this point in the season: a break to step back and sort things out. Louisville managed just one second-half score, so the off week arrives with a clear opportunity to clean up the uneven stretches that showed up again in conference play. With no game next weekend, the Cardinals have time to reset before the next stretch starts asking tougher questions. [Read more 🡒]