LOUISVILLE, Ky. — LOUISVILLE
Top receiver lost to injury
Louisville is going back to basics, and the Cardinals are doing it without their top receiver.
Coach Charlie Strong said Monday senior Doug Beaumont is out indefinitely with a knee injury sustained in a 35-28 loss to Oregon State on Sept. 18, a devastating blow to an offense that has struggled at times to move the ball.
“Doug does a lot for us,” Strong said. “What’s key is other guys got to step up. We have enough guys who have not been playing well, but need to do their job and guys understand that.”
Beaumont leads the Cardinals (1-2) with 16 receptions and 244 yards and scored the first touchdown of his career in a victory over Eastern Kentucky on Sept. 11. He had surgery last week and Strong put no timetable on Beaumont’s return.
In his place Strong is hoping underperforming receivers Josh Bellamy and Andrell Smith and tight end Cameron Graham can fill the void left by Beaumont on Saturday when Louisville makes a rare road trip to Arkansas State (1-2).
The trio has a combined 254 yards receiving this season but has been chastised by Strong for making critical mistakes.
“Guys can improve and we need to improve,” Strong said. “We need to be more consistent; you see a lot of dropped balls and missed assignments.”
Louisville will be the first team from a Bowl Championship Series conference to visit the Red Wolves. Strong admits it’s telling of how far the Cardinals have fallen that they will serves as Arkansas State’s homecoming opponent.
“Maybe that says something about us,” Strong said.
FLORIDA
Rainey agrees to deal
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Florida receiver Chris Rainey, kicked off the team after being charged with aggravated stalking two weeks ago, agreed to a plea deal on a misdemeanor charge Monday.
The State Attorney’s Office and Rainey’s attorney said the player agreed to perform 10 hours of community service or pay $100 to a domestic violence shelter. He also must undergo evaluation and any required counseling for anger management and domestic violence issues.
If Rainey completes those requirements and stays out of trouble for six months, the charge will be dismissed.
Florida Coach Urban Meyer said Monday that Rainey was still “not part of the team.” Asked whether Rainey definitely would not play Saturday against top-ranked Alabama, Meyer said, “This week? Oh, yeah.”
Rainey, one of Florida’s more dynamic offensive players, was arrested Sept. 14 and charged with aggravated stalking, a third-degree felony. He allegedly sent a woman a threatening text message that read, in part, “Time to die ....”
The victim, who used to date Rainey, said in court she did not want him prosecuted. She also said was in “full support” of the state’s decision to reduce the charge.
Rainey, from nearby Lakeland, has six receptions and a touchdown this season. He also served as the team’s primary punt returner.
Demps in protective boot
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Florida running back Jeff Demps will miss some practice this week with a bruised foot, but he could be back for Saturday’s game at top-ranked Alabama.
Coach Urban Meyer said Monday that Demps was still wearing a protective boot on his left foot. Demps bruised his foot Sept. 18 at Tennessee and reinjured it during Saturday’s 48-14 victory against Kentucky. Meyer said tests showed no ligament damage or broken bones.
“I’m hearing positive things about later in the week,” Meyer said. “He actually had an X-ray and a scan on his foot. It’s a sprained foot. It’s not broken, there’s not a stress fracture. I took a deep breath on the sideline when they said we’re going to go take him to get a scan. But it came back negative. Now it’s just we’ve got to get him healthy.”
Demps leads the seventh-ranked Gators with 367 yards rushing and has scored twice. He also has 11 receptions for 61 yards.
Sports, Pages 22 on 09/28/2010