The Louisville football season is over without a bowl game for the first time since 2009, and now the Cardinals have to face a burning question earlier than usual: What’s next?

This program took a nosedive this season, finishing with its worst record (2-10) since 1997. It came so soon after the Lamar Jackson era that included two trips to the Heisman Trophy ceremony.

The offseason starts now. The coaching search begins in earnest. Here are five questions the Cardinals have to tackle in the next nine months:

1. What do the Cards do now?

This is uncharted territory for the players in this program. Last year, as in any year, they practiced through December for the bowl game. They spent the holidays in Jacksonville, Florida, ended their season on Dec. 30 and then returned home for a few days before the start of the second semester.

The players woke up Sunday with no head coach, no practice schedule and no direction. They have a mandatory week off with the season over, after which they’ll be close to having a new coach if they don’t already. They’re in charge of themselves regarding classes and conditioning.

Then the rebuilding process starts.

More:Tyra's shortlist of Bobby Petrino replacements goes beyond Jeff Brohm

“Everyone has a perspective on how they’re going to keep it together, but I think a lot of guys are just going to kind of get away from football for a little bit and just get their mind off things and then, when a decision is made, that’s when we come together and start the new year,” linebacker C.J. Avery said.

That’s probably the right approach. This season wore on everyone, as it would any team. The Cards are in dire need of a fresh start.

2. What lies ahead of these players with a new coaching staff?

Coach Bobby Petrino lost control of his team in some ways this season, and when a new staff takes over, major changes are in order.

Interim head coach Lorenzo Ward suspended four players from Saturday’s game and two from last week’s game (and another for the first quarter of that game) for unspecified violations of team rules. Those included skipping team obligations and walkthroughs.

Suspensions would indicate a lack of commitment. How does the new staff alleviate that? Is more discipline coming? Will attrition follow?

Incoming head coaches typically bring in some of their own players and recruits and also sometimes run off some of the current ones. The extent of that process remains to be seen.

3. How does Louisville recruit?

For the time being, Louisville’s shorthanded support staff is recruiting for a program without a head coach, an unenviable position with less than four weeks left until the early signing period.

Athletic director Vince Tyra is up against the clock to bring in a new coach who can secure the 2019 recruiting class — not just any new players to fill holes, but even the 10 commitments on board now, who are still receiving offers from other schools.

This will be a small recruiting class, as Louisville will lose only about a dozen players. But for the rebuild, the program could use an infusion of talent to contribute right away.

Read this:U of L lost another recruit. Now it has the ACC's smallest 2019 class

4. What’s next for the coaching staff?

After a tumultuous season, Louisville only had six non-interim coaches left at the end: Ward, running backs coach Kolby Smith, co-offensive coordinators Lonnie Galloway and Mike Summers, defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder and cornerbacks coach Grady Brown.

Ward said those coaches were scheduled to meet with Tyra on Sunday to discuss their fate. It’s likely there will be a complete overhaul. Smith and Ward would be the only possible holdovers.

When those coaches have decisions, that creates more ripples. Some of Louisville’s players who played for specific assistants could leave with them. So could 2019 recruits.

Tough day for the Petrinos:Bobby's son and sons-in-law also fired

5. How long before we see new faces?

Whoever the next coach is, it’s likely he’ll be creative with roster construction over the next nine months. The most pressing issue is at quarterback, where Louisville could seek a graduate transfer.

The small outgoing senior class doesn’t offer a ton of flexibility, but without many recruits on board for this class, that could leave spots for transfers coming as late as August. Last summer, for example, Louisville brought in transfers P.J. Mbanasor and Rodjay Burns.

The Cards could lose as few as four starters on offense and two on defense, but those units could still look much different when 2019 kicks off.

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Jake Lourim: 502-582-4168; jlourim@courierjournal.com; Twitter: @jakelourim. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: www.courier-journal.com/jakel.