C.J. Avery has been a mainstay on the Louisville defense for the last few years and his decision to return for a fifth year really bolstered the chances of the Cards defense taking a step forward. Bryan Brown will need a leader on the defense after a few key veteran leaders moved on and Avery will play that role well.
Louisville will be very strong on the inside with Avery and Monty Montgomery. While Dorian Etheridge led the team in tackles for loss last season, he really tailed off after the first quarter of the year. Monty Montgomery took on most of the snaps after a while and he made the most of it.