You’d be hard-pressed to find a college football coach who would turn down the addition of a 300-pound defenseman with Division I experience, especially when that player had more solo tackles than them during the COVID-shortened 2020 season most returning members of a team’s line of defense built over an entire 2021 season.
In short: Welcome to Louisville, Jermayne Lole. The 6-foot-2, 305-pound Arizona State transfer announced his commitment to the cardinals on Friday, just a week after the redshirt senior’s official visit to the 502.
Lole’s quick response in announcing his engagement speaks volumes about his time with Scott Satterfield and members of the Cardinals staff during which time he tweeted, “It’s different out here.” The former sun devil was visit planned Florida on Friday, Texas Tech on May 27th and Oregon on June 3rd.
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What did Jermayne Lole do in the state of Arizona?
Lole, a three-star post-high school candidate, joined the transfer portal in late April after three seasons at Arizona State. He was Focus on professional football‘ However, the country’s No. 2 centre-back, who heads into the 2021 campaign, did not see the field after suffering a tricep injury during a pre-season training session that required surgery.
One has only to look back at Lole’s performance during the 2020 ASU season, shortened to just four games by the coronavirus pandemic, to see the productivity he will bring to the Louisville center defense, which posted 4.4 rushing yards per in 2021 attempt allowed. Lole tallied 24 tackles (17 solo, five for loss) and resolved two passes.
What does Jermayne Lole bring to Louisville’s defense?
Compare Lole’s 2020 stats — a small sample, to be sure — to the performance of the returning Louisville defenders in the 2021 season, and the results are staggering. Only YaYa Diaby had more solo tackles (24) than Lole in 2020, spanning 13 games. It feels like a safe bet to say that barring injuries or other unforeseen circumstances, Lole will be plodding away on starting defense when the unit takes the field in Syracuse in Louisville’s Sept. 3 season opener. And the cards will be better for it.
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As a sophomore in 2019, Lole totaled 72 tackles, good for third-best by an Arizona State lineman in program history, and was credited with just one missed tackle. His 6.5 sacks this season were more than any U of L lineman had in 2021.
Since then, Lole has had an abbreviated season and year of rehab to further develop speed and physicality jump to tape. He has a proven ability to drop blockers and the motor to chase opposing quarterbacks when pressure is forcing them out of the pocket.
Lole’s experience will also be a welcome addition to a unit looking to replace seniors Malik Clark and Jacquies Turner. His presence in the positional space could help spur the development of up-and-coming sophomore Ashton Gillotte and other underclassmen.
Measured at a follow-up tweet A native of Long Beach, California, Friday will also fit in well among Cards fans.
“You guys let me know where I can get a Peyton Siva jersey. I need this,” Lole wrote, adding a laughing emoji.