James Burgess in middle of Louisville's new defense

The mass exodus on defense left a big void in the middle of the the University of Louisville's linebacking corps.

It's now 2014, and Preston Brown isn't standing tall at inside linebacker anymore. The third-round NFL draft pick is playing for the Buffalo Bills after starting 36 games in the middle of Charlie Strong's 4-3 defensive scheme.

But when Brown left, he pegged his locker partner and fellow starter as the Cardinals' next star middle linebacker. James Burgess started all 13 games at outside linebacker as a sophomore last year. He totaled 71 tackles, third-best on the team, after having 28 tackles and two interceptions with four starts as a freshman.

Now the Homestead, Fla., native has secured a starting spot as one middle linebacker, with Keith Kelsey and Keith Brown battling for playing time at the other middle position.

"We could be No. 1 in the country," Burgess said of the U of L linebacking corps. "We're looking really good. We all bulked up this offseason. We all added 10-15 pounds to fit into the 3-4 defense. We kept our speed."

The biggest challenge now is finding the moxie that made U of L's defense one of the top three in the FBS last season. The Cardinals ranked No. 1 in total defense and against the run, No. 2 in scoring defense and fifth against the pass.

The 2014 Cards are tasked with living up to those expectations, whether they're fair or not.

The coaching change brought a drastic difference in game philosophy. Under Strong, the offense's job was to eat the clock, grind out yards and churn out points, allowing the defense to rest for its next suffocating series.

Under new head coach Bobby Petrino, the offense's job is to score and score quickly. That could mean the defense will spend a lot more time on the field — or it might take on an aggressive, turnover-forcing focus to get the U of L offense back out there.

In other words, the numbers probably won't match. But Burgess and fellow linebackers Brown, Kelsey, Lorenzo Mauldin and Deiontrez Mount will look familiar, and that experience is what the coaches are banking on to lead the Cards through the transition to the new scheme.

The switch has been tough at times, with running backs gashing the defense for 300-plus yards in a closed scrimmage two Mondays ago, but Petrino said Tuesday that the defense is getting better every day.

Burgess said Louisville's D is "light-years" from where it was in spring practice and at the start of August camp. He said it with confidence, like a linebacker who's been there before. That's what the Cards need this fall from the 6-foot, 227-pound junior.

So far, that's what they say they're getting.

"Right now it's about getting better with more communication," Burgess said. "We're still working to get better and get everyone on the same page."

U OF L LINEBACKERS AT A GLANCE

Sam - Ht. - Wt. - Yr. - Exp.

Deiontrez Mount - 6-5 - 246 - Sr. - 3L

Nick Dawson - 6-3 - 265 - R-So. - 1L

Finesse Middleton - 5-11 - 246 - R-Fr. - RS

Mike

Keith Brown - 6-1 - 236 - R-So. - 1L

Keith Kelsey - 6-1 - 225 - So. - 1L

Isaac Stewart - 6-2 - 240 - Fr. - HS

Mo

James Burgess - 6-0 - 227 - Jr. - 2L

Stacy Thomas - 6-1 - 249 - R-Fr. - RS

Will
Lorenzo Mauldin - 6-4 - 244 - Sr. - 3L

Trevon Young - 6-4 - 233 - Jr. - JC

Henry Famurewa - 6-2 - 232 - Fr. - HS

L -- Letters won. JC -- Junior college. HS -- High school.

Position coach: Todd and Tony Grantham share the coaching responsibilities with the linebacking corps. Todd, also the defensive coordinator, works with the outside backers. Tony, who handles special teams as well, coaches the inside men.

Strengths: There's a ton of speed, strength and tackling skill in this group. Mauldin is a top-flight pass rusher, and Brown, Burgess and Kelsey are all talented inside linebackers. A healthy Brown is a huge plus for the front seven.

Weaknesses: This is one of the more talented position groups on UofL's roster, though Brown and Mount's health will be worth watching.

Watch for: Kelsey started out as one of the first-team middle linebackers in preseason practices and impressed in the spring. He'll share time with Brown.

Bottom line: The linebackers are charged with quite a few challenges this fall, particularly Brown, Burgess, Mount and Kelsey. They'll be asked to use their speed to rush the passer and get sideline to sideline against fast teams like Florida State and Clemson.

-- Jeff Greer

Reach Jeff Greer at (502) 582-4044 and follow him on Twitter @jeffgreer_cj.