Ask Me Anything: U of L success help Strong?

Ask Me Anything is back for its third helpin' of the 2014-15 school year. I'm excited about it. You're excited about it. When this all gets sorted out, I think you and me should get an apartment together*.

(* Note: I do not have any space in my apartment to live with you and also my lady friend would probably not like that. Sorry.)

If you are unfamiliar with AMA, at least with the ones we do here on the University of Louisville beat, why don't I try to explain 'em in 140 characters:

You ask me questions about anything, from Louisville and other sports-related topics to random, weird stuff, and I answer them.

You can send me your questions on Twitter (@jeffgreer_cj) or email me at jgreer@courier-journal.com.

Let's get this early September party started.

@Scoddee: Will the reflected glory of UofL's current season help Charlie Strong get to next year?

Jeff: Oh, this is quite the topic this week, isn't it? Texas gets rolled by BYU. Louisville wins its second straight. The city had mixed reactions to that juxtaposition, as highlighted by Adam Himmelsbach's column and ensuing "voicemail bag" session.

I can really only say two things:

(1) I heard it a few times after Louisville's defense stole the show against Miami: With the exception of James Sample and Pio Vatuvei, two junior-college transfers, each of Louisville's key contributors on defense are Strong's guys. He recruited them and he developed them. He deserves credit for that.

(2) I don't know how much that impacts Strong's status with Texas. I don't think it's one-and-done for Charlie. I would be shocked if it was two-and-done. And while Texas' 41-7 loss to BYU deserves to be panned and dissected, it's a shortsighted approach to any discussion about Strong and Texas. One game a tenure does not make. I have maintained that he will do well there. I am not ready to give up on that feeling because of a rocky start.

Ken: Looking at the college football landscape, do you think Louisville landed in a good spot in the ACC vs. the BIG 12?

Jeff: No question about it. The impending ACC Network with ESPN would make it an even better deal for Louisville. Right now, it's hard to beat the setup: It's a great hoops conference for a huge hoops community, plus the chance to be very good in a football league right away. What's not to like?

@JWA_Two: Who ends his career at U of L as a higher draft pick: Reggie Bonnafon or LJ Scott?

Jeff: That's a tough one. I'll say Scott, for now. Bonnafon looked very impressive against Murray State. He has been very good since he got on campus. What I don't know is if he's an NFL quarterback prospect just yet. He's just a freshman. Scott, on the other hand, already has a big ol' NFL body and he's a year away from starting as a sophomore.

@Riegling25: How is DeVante Parker progressing? Will Michael Dyer play Saturday? Will Bonnafon see 1st half PT?

Jeff: DeVante is doing well. He was on the sidelines for the Miami game and seems to be in good spirits. Everything went smoothly with his surgery. Just be patient with his recovery.

I think Dyer plays Saturday, but we get another update in an hour and I could be totally wrong. As for Bonnafon, I'm not sold yet on him coming in. They were hesitant to do it against Miami. That said, they played him a lot against Murray State, and maybe that's a sign of what they might do with him going forward. This question is really a mystery to me as of now.

@MandraeAllen: How good can Shaquan Aaron be? What's his floor/ceiling at U of L?

Jeff: He can be very good. He could be a starter this season if Wayne Blackshear struggles at all. He's got great length for his position and is supposed to be a very good scorer. I'll make a conservative bet that he starts as a sophomore. By the time his career ends, he will be one of the team leaders in scoring.

@CARDSALLDAY26: Who is your favorite coach to interview or interact with at Louisville? The most down-to-earth one.

Jeff: Every time I chat with Rick Pitino, I learn something new. Women's soccer coach Karen Ferguson-Dayes is really nice, and men's soccer coach Ken Lolla is, too. I love talking soccer with them. I'll say baseball coach Dan McDonnell is the most "down to earth." He's a genuinely thoughtful and friendly guy in my interactions with him.

Let's get through some rapid fire:

Tim Sullivan: Is it Monti-SELL-o or Monti-CHELL-o?

Jeff: Yes.

@TheCardConnect: Favorite Seinfeld episode?

Jeff: Oh, it has to be "The Marine Biologist." Very close behind: "The Slicer."

@CardChronicle: DePaul.

Jeff: Lost.

@JBDoes180: Who's the biggest "celebrity" you've ever met?

Jeff: Sports figure - LeBron James; elected official - Joe Biden; celebrity - Jonah Hill. Kind of disappointing, I know.

@snicklefritz35: Have you found your access to the football team has changed at all with the new coaching staff?

Jeff: Petrino talks more than Strong. We get three chats with him a week. Strong had one. The player/assistant access is similar. I'm definitely not complaining.

@Chadinthe502: Do you think it's possible to train a kangaroo to deliver your mail?

Jeff: I can't even get my new puppy Lilly to pee outside. That kangaroo would laugh and laugh and laugh.

Lawrence: Van Buren Boys vs. "Ribbon Nazis" Bob and Cedric: Who wins in a street fight?

Jeff: I don't know, man. Bob and Cedric are a pretty nasty duo, but there's strength in numbers. I'll take the VBB.

@bg_mahoney: If you were ruler of the world, what laws would you make?

Jeff: All ice cream shops would be 24-hour operations. That would be my only law.

And we wrap this one up with a serious (and seriously tough) question:

@CardinaIStrong: Who has more All-Purpose yards at the end of the season...Dyer or Parker?

Jeff: I will take ... Dyer. He will have, what, four weeks extra playing time than Parker? In theory, anyway. Now, I've seen all the rumblings about Dyer's injury and why it's taking so long for him to come back, but I won't change my opinion unless he misses the Virginia game.

Returning from a fractured metatarsal is hard. That's why I would pump the brakes on expecting too much too soon. I've seen guys come back from those fractures and they're fine. I've seen guys get cleared to play and then take another month or two to be themselves again. And when an NFL future is in the balance, that kind of stuff looms large. I'll have a story early next week about this very subject. TEASE.

See y'all in Charlottesville.