What ACC coaches are saying about Pat Kelsey's Louisville Cardinals basketball rebuild

What ACC coaches are saying about Pat Kelsey’s Louisville Cardinals basketball rebuild

Posted by Admin October 11, 2024 Basketball

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Whether Pat Kelsey can revive the Louisville men’s basketball program during his first season as the Cardinals’ head coach will be one of the most intriguing storylines to follow in the ACC.

“There are a lot of reasons (why) Louisville basketball needs to be good,” Kelsey said Thursday, during the conference’s 2024-25 season tipoff event at the Hilton Charlotte Uptown. “You might say, ‘Well, Pat, that’s a lot of pressure; that’s a lot on your shoulders.’ It’s what you stinkin’ signed up for.”

The past two seasons, U of L was the ACC’s doormat — compiling a 5-35 record against league opponents under former coach Kenny Payne. Everyone knew whom Commissioner Jim Phillips was talking about Wednesday, when, in outlining how the conference can earn more NCAA Tournament bids, he said, “We’ve had a drag at the bottom.

“Because of rebuilds or new coaching situations or the transfer portal, we’ve had some teams that have had really difficult seasons,” he added. “I really believe the bottom of our league won’t be maybe as bad and in as difficult of a spot they’ve been the last several years.”

Kelsey is hoping to put an end to that kind of talk with a completely overhauled roster consisting primarily of veterans he acquired through the NCAA transfer portal. It’s a tall task, but the 49-year-old Cincinnati native exudes confidence in his ability to get it done.

“There’s a lot of evidence that these guys are very, very productive players,” he said. “They’re bought into the system, bought into our culture; and I’m really blessed and lucky to coach them and excited about the season.”

Some of his colleagues around the conference share that sentiment, too. Here’s what seven other ACC coaches had to say about Kelsey joining the league and the rebuild he faces at Louisville:

Syracuse coach Adrian Autry laughed when he was asked about Kelsey on Thursday. The question took him back a few months to the ACC’s spring meetings in Amelia Island, Florida.

“I’m laughing because, at the meetings, Pat at that time was obviously reconstructing his roster,” Autry said. “He probably was the guy who was in and out of meetings the whole time; and every time he came back into a meeting, or when we finished a meeting, he had a commitment.

“I haven’t had a chance to really kind of sit down and spend time with him. During those meetings, people are still working — so there’s a lot of, ‘Excuse me; I’ll be right back’ and stuff like that. But, obviously, I’ve had a chance to watch him, watch his teams from afar. (He’s) a guy who’s energetic, passionate and can coach. He’s had success everywhere he’s been, so I expect him to do the same thing at Louisville.”

U of L visits Syracuse for a 7 p.m. tipoff Jan. 14.

Kelsey is 1-0 against Clemson coach Brad Brownell. That win came back in 2014, when Winthrop defeated the Tigers on their home court.

“I haven’t coached against him too much,” Brownell said, “but I’ve seen his teams. He’s a terrific young coach. His guys play really hard; and they play fast. He’s got a tremendous job at Louisville.

“There’s no question in my mind — he’s going to get that thing flipped around; and he’s going to recruit well; and he’s going to coach them well; and they’re going to be a real factor. I wouldn’t be shocked, looking at their roster, if it’s this year. He’s going to be a good addition, for sure.”

Louisville hosts Clemson for a 7 p.m. tipoff Jan. 7.

Jeff Capel‘s Pittsburgh teams dealt Louisville some of its most-lopsided losses of the Payne era. He thinks the series will get more competitive with Kelsey taking over the Cards.

“First and foremost, he’s a really good coach,” Capel said. “You look at his track record, what he’s done at previous stops, and he’s been highly, highly successful. He brings high energy.

“Obviously, Louisville is one of the bigger brands in college basketball, so he has that behind him — a fan base that really wants to win. He’s been able to go out and get talent (for) this year’s team, and we anticipate him restoring that program back to one of the better programs in college basketball.”

Louisville plays Pitt twice in 2024-25 — first on the road Jan. 11, then March 1 at the KFC Yum! Center.

Kelsey has deep ties to Wake Forest, having worked as an assistant there from 2004–09 under his mentor, the late Skip Prosser. He is 0-2 all time against coach Steve Forbes; they squared off twice when the former was at Winthrop and the latter was at East Tennessee State.

“Pat’s teams play really hard; they’re well-coached; they run good stuff,” Forbes said. “I think he’s a guy who maximizes the talent of his players. He gets the most out of them. He’s kind of like me, probably; he probably has more Burger King All-Americans than McDonald’s All-Americans, but he gets them to play.

“(Louisville) made a great hire. He’s a Wake guy. He’s got a lot of fond memories of coach Prosser, and I think him and Chris Mack were instrumental in starting Tie Dye Nation. We’re trying to keep that going — we’ve really reignited our home crowd — and I’m sure that the Yum!, it won’t take much to pack it. They love basketball. They’ve just got to have a reason, and that’s kind of what we’ve done.

“He’s going to work; he’s going to hustle; he’s going to recruit. I know his staff. It’s just going to be a lot harder of a game.”

Louisville welcomes Wake Forest to the Yum! Center for a 7 p.m. tipoff Jan. 28.

Kevin Keatts knows firsthand what it’s like when Louisville is firing on all cylinders. He was an assistant on Rick Pitino’s staff from 2011–14; during which time the Cards reached the Final Four twice and won a national championship.

“Pat Kelsey’s been doing this for a long time. I don’t have any advice; I’m sure he will figure it out, because he’s a good coach,” said Keatts, whose storybook Final Four run with the Wolfpack last spring began with a win over U of L in the ACC Tournament.

“I would say this to you; and I know Louisville has a tremendous reputation and rich tradition in basketball, but I would say it’s pretty hard to compare the three years that I was a part of, and grateful to be a part of, to any teams that are following. My first year was a Final Four. (The) next year, we went back and won the whole thing; and then my last year was a Sweet 16. We didn’t lose many games.

“I think now, moving forward, (Louisville) has to get its own identity and just figure it out; and I think Pat will do a good job of getting his own identity and putting his mark on the program.”

The Cards visit N.C. State for a 7 p.m. tipoff Feb. 12.

Having been raised in Jeffersonville, Indiana, Notre Dame coach Micah Shrewsberry reveres Louisville’s tradition and is looking forward to Kelsey getting the program back on track.

“I’ve known Pat for a long time, and the one thing you always know about him is he’s a high-energy guy. You can see that,” Shrewsberry said. “Growing up down there, I know how passionate (Louisville’s) fan base is and what they want to do. He’s kind of the right guy for that — to energize that fan base again.

“When I was (an assistant) at Butler, we opened the Yum! Center. That was the first game in the Yum! Center, and it is one of the hardest places to play in college basketball when Louisville is rolling. I think he’ll get it back to that level; and I’m excited about that — because that’s going to help our league.”

The Cards visit the Fighting Irish for an 8 p.m. tipoff Feb. 16.

Kelsey battled Mike Young‘s 2012-13 and 2013-14 teams at Wofford during his first two seasons as a Division I coach at Winthrop. He lost both of those games but got revenge Nov. 20, 2022, when Charleston beat Virginia Tech in the championship game of the ESPN Shriners Children’s Charleston Classic.

“We beat the hell out of them,” Young said, reflecting on those early matchups. “He’s a darn good coach; and he beat the heck out of me two years ago down in Charleston.

“I think a lot of Pat; and (I’m) happy for him that he’s at Louisville,” he later added. “I know he’ll do a heck of a job there; he’s good.”

U of L travels to Virginia Tech for a 9 p.m. tipoff Feb. 25.

Reach Louisville men’s basketball reporter Brooks Holton at bholton@gannett.com and follow him on X at @brooksHolton.