Starter-vs.-starter practice fun for Cards

As the University of Louisville football team readies for one of its best opponents of the season – No. 13 Georgia in the Belk Bowl – the Cardinals' starters already are facing some stiff competition: themselves.

In contrast to the regular season when the starters play against scout teams of underclassmen and backups, the Cards have been playing a lot of first-string offense against first-string defense during bowl practices.

"It's great," linebacker Keith Kelsey said. "They have some great players on the offensive side, too, in DeVante Parker and those guys. We do a lot of competing out there."

Stopping lauded UGA freshman running back Nick Chubb on Dec. 30 could be the key to victory for the Cards, and Kelsey said U of L's defense is getting adjusted by practicing against the Cards' own powerful, high-caliber backs Brandon Radcliff and Dominique Brown.

"We could see some of that similar running style," Kelsey said.

Senior cornerback Terell Floyd said the starters-versus-starters - or "good-on-good" - practices - have been fun and competitive.

"You get to compete more when you're going against the No. 1s because the pace is faster than when the scout team (is out) and they're coaching and teaching and it's a little bit slower pace," he said. "So I feel like you get to go out there and play fast against pretty good guys."

Floyd said he and the other veteran defensive backs have enjoyed the challenge of checking Parker, the superstar wide receiver.

"We're all used to playing against No. 9, so it's always fun to go against him again," he said.

Floyd said both the offense and defense have had their winning moments during this month's workouts.

"It goes both ways because we're a pretty good team, man," he said. "We've got talent on both sides of the ball."

Steve Jones can be reached at (502) 582-7176 and followed on Twitter at @SteveJones_CJ.