Louisville linebacker CJ Avery met with the media on Monday afternoon to discuss a handful of things. The Grenada, Ms. native is looking to make a statement in his final year with the program before receiving his master’s degree in December. Here are some takeaways from his brief press appearance.
Avery’s decision to return for his final season was ultimately up to him
The 5-foot-11 standout admitted that he received a variety of different opinions from NFL scouts. Some told him that he should go back to school, while others insisted that he should turn pro. At the end of the day, Avery and his family decided sometime in January that he would return to the program for the fall season.
Avery’s expectations for the defense are sky-high
“Our goal is to be the top defense in the ACC, “Avery said. “We’ve made a ton of improvement over the past couple years. The biggest thing is that each guy trusts the other to do their job.”
Avery also noted how impressed he was with the linebacker core.
“I see a lot of hungry guys that are willing to be great”, he added.
Newcomer Jaylin Alderman has “picked up on football extremely well”, and Avery believes the freshman can be a big-time contributor for years to come.
How Avery and Monty Montgomery can improve
For him, Avery pointed to getting better at making open-field tackles and being a more assertive leader.
As for Montgomery, Avery believes that his teammate can have a very successful season, even better than last year. “Monty’s one of those guys that works hard at everything he does”, he explained. “To take the next step, he just needs to stay consistent and continue to make big plays.”
The full press conference can be watched here.
