Petrino made Dyer earn U of L's No. 5 jersey
University of Louisville running back Michael Dyer approached his new coach this winter and asked him a big question.
Could he change his jersey number to No. 5, the former uniform of Teddy Bridgewater, Louisville football's most recognizable face in recent memory.
"I said, 'Well, Mike, let's see how you do in spring ball,'" U of L coach Bobby Petrino said.
So Dyer, a 5-foot-9, 213-pound back who missed some early spring practices and drills, finished the April workouts with a bang, running for 150 yards and three touchdowns.
A few months later, the former Auburn and Arkansas State tailback posted a picture of him wearing the No. 5 jersey. He is No. 26 no more.
"He's certainly not going to throw the ball in it," Petrino joked. "Michael and myself never even thought about it as taking over Teddy's number."
Dyer's jersey change is one of several updates that Petrino provided in Thursday's meeting with the local Louisville press three days before the Atlantic Coast Conference football media days in Greensboro, N.C.
Senior left tackle Jamon Brown dropped 20 pounds and "has come a long way," Petrino said. Dyer's peer in the backfield, projected starting back Dominique Brown, added 20 pounds of muscle to his frame.
On defense, James Hearns moved from linebacker to defensive end and added 47 pounds to his 6-foot-3 body.
The newly released media guide contains a pre-season depth chart, which lists junior Keith Brown as a starting middle linebacker. That's big news for Brown, a heralded prospect out of high school who required ACL surgery last fall.
Beyond that, the biggest boost, Petrino said, has been the return of several key offensive linemen.
Senior Chris Acosta, junior Kelby Johnson and sophomore T.C. Klusman can each provide depth along the lines, while junior Ryan Mack, who missed all of spring practice, is penciled in as the starting right tackle.
"I'm very excited about the depth and the looks we have on the offensive front," Petrino said. "I feel a lot better about that and the competition we'll have there."
Petrino said U of L purchased a Bod Pod, a machine designed to measure body fat, to help players recognize their best playing weight while maintaining their agility and speed.
The coaching staff will begin its physical testing of the players in the coming weeks. Practice is set to start August 5, but new rules allow for the staff to work closer with its team over the summer on agility and other physical training.
"We'll be testing in a few weeks to see how much stronger and what type of shape they're in," he said.
The depth chart listed redshirt freshman Kyle Bolin and senior Brett Nelson as the backups to Will Gardner at quarterback, but Petrino said Thursday that the fight for those backup spots is far from over.
Freshman Reggie Bonnafon and junior-college transfer Pat Thomas were brought in to challenge for depth-chart spots.
Petrino wasn't thrilled with the quarterback play he saw in the spring, and again brought up the position on Thursday.
"Quarterback is the No. 1 concern," he said. "We're replacing a guy who played at a very high level. I was pleased with the progress we made in spring, but we have a long way to go."
On Monday, Petrino will address ACC reporters for the first time. To many, the media day represents the official start of a football season. Petrino's comments on Thursday made it sound like things have already picked up on U of L's campus.
"It's good to be closer back to football," Petrino said. "I'm very excited about the gains that we've made."
Reach Jeff Greer at (502) 582-4044 and follow him on Twitter (@jeffgreer_CJ).