Steve Jones

@stevejones_cj

While preparing for the 1992 season-opener against the University of Louisville, former Ohio State quarterback Kirk Herbstreit studied film of a U of L game at old Cardinal Stadium.

"I remember looking at the field that they played on, and I was like, 'What in the world is this? Is this the state fairgrounds?'" Herbstreit said Monday, drawing laughs from hundreds at the Galt House.

"It is the state fairgrounds. It's still there," reminded WHAS radio host Terry Meiners, who interviewed Herbstreit on stage as part of a Kickoff Luncheon to benefit 21st Century Parks.

The evolution of Louisville's athletic facilities – since the Cards played in that old minor league baseball stadium at the fairgrounds – has been one of the most impressive transformations by an athletic department anywhere, said Herbstreit, who's now a famed college football analyst for ESPN. When he comes in town each year for the Kentucky Derby, the relatively new facilities for football, baseball, softball, track and basketball always catch his eye while he's driving.

"I don't know if anybody has done more in the last 15 years than what Louisville has done as far as facilities," Herbstreit said. "When you're an 18-year-old (recruit) and you see these facilities, that is a big deal, and it shows a commitment, shows a direction, and obviously they're in a new conference. ... I think the momentum for this school is going in a direction where there's a lot of excitement."

Herbstreit said that in the early and mid-2000s, U of L had some talented football teams with good quarterbacks and felt like "the little engine that could." He called the rain-drenched 2002 upset of Florida State a high point that helped advance the program.

"You go back to like 2005 to where we are now, and I would argue that Louisville has made as much of a jump in the last decade as anybody in the country," Herbstreit said. "A lot of that has to do with Tom (Jurich's) leadership, the people he's been able to hire around him, the facilities, the uniforms, just everything, being in the ACC. All this stuff to an 18-year-old matters. When your brand becomes cool to an 18-year-old, that's 90 percent of the battle."

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► ON THE 2016 FOOTBALL TEAM: As for the Cardinals' upcoming season, Herbstreit said ACC Atlantic Division rivals U of L, Clemson and Florida State could all be "top-10, top-12" teams nationally entering the year.

"Bobby Petrino may be the best or one of the best play-callers in the country," Herbstreit said. "You bring back a lot of experience, a lot of depth at receiver, a lot of speed, and then you have a good enough defense to keep you in every game. There's reason to be very, very optimistic."

He said sophomore dual-threat quarterback Lamar Jackson's skill set doesn't necessarily fit with Petrino's traditional pro-style offense, but Herbstreit praised Petrino as a coach who is willing to adjust his system to cater to Jackson's strengths.

► ON THE BASKETBALL PROGRAM: Herbstreit was also asked for his opinion on U of L's decision to self-impose a postseason ban on the 2015-16 men's basketball team as part of the investigation into whether a former staff member arranged to have prostitutes for players and recruits.

Herbstreit said that "as tragic as it was for the current players," he thinks it was the right move to self-impose the ban.

He added that Jurich "is the best athletic director in the country, so if anybody can do what he needs to do to get (the cloud of the NCAA investigation) to move on, it would be Tom."

"If (Rick Pitino) didn't know about the (activities in Minardi Hall) and you can't prove that he knew about it, then I think what they've done is definitely the right move, and I'd be surprised if the NCAA did more than that," Herbstreit said. "One thing about the NCAA is they'll come in, and if you're proactive like that, they really take that into consideration. If you just kind of turn your head and say, 'Prove it,' and then they can prove it, you're in big trouble. But if you come out like how Tom and Rick decided to do and say, 'Hey, we're going to self-impose and take ourselves out of the postseason.' A few weeks ago they cut back some scholarships for about three years. When you start to do those kinds of things, the NCAA will take notice, and that will help their cause."