By William Qualkinbush.

With apologies to Wofford and Appalachian State, Clemson’s 2015 football schedule begins with a Thursday night trip to Louisville that kicks off the conference slate. In the first part of our series, we’ll take a look at how attrition and recruiting will affect the Cardinals after a 9-4 campaign that featured a 5-3 mark in ACC play.

The Damage

The principle area of concern is at wideout, where five of Louisville’s top six receivers are gone. That includes 1,000-yard pass-catcher DeVante Parker, a top five receiver and probable first-round pick in the NFL Draft. Reliable options like Eli Rogers and Kai De La Cruz are gone, too, along with possible late-round draftee Gerald Christian at tight end.

Highly-touted interior offensive lineman John Miller should be drafted in the front half of the proceedings this season, while tackle Jamon Brown has been a mainstay on the edge. Two of Louisville’s top three rushers have departed, but neither Michael Dyer nor Dominique Brown did much in the final month of the season anyway.

All three of the Cardinals’ early draft entries came from the defensive side of the ball. Safety Gerod Holliman led the nation with 14 interceptions last season and should be one of the first safeties off the board. Fellow safety James Sample isn’t as highly regarded by pro scouts, but he led the team with 90 tackles and picked off four passes. Cornerback Charles Gaines was one of the ACC’s best at his position.

Edge rusher Lorenzo Mauldin is also gone after terrorizing opposing quarterbacks all season long. D-linemen B.J. Dubose and Deiontrez Mount are also gone, leaving a large void up front for Bobby Petrino to fill.

The Newcomers

The Cardinals did a solid job acquiring talent during this recruiting cycle, as they signed the 30th-best recruiting class in the country, according to Scouts, Inc. Replacing those departed receivers was the top priority, and they did it with flair. Petrino inked a pair of four-star Floridians in 6’5” Devante Peete and 6’2” Emonee Spence.

Louisville also brought in UAB transfer Jamari Staples, who averaged over 21 yards per catch a year ago for the Blazers. Staples will have two years of eligibility remaining.

For some reason, dual-threat quarterback Lamar Jackson signed with the Cardinals over home state Florida, even though three returning QBs saw playing time last season and a fourth—Tyler Ferguson, a transfer from Penn State—should be squarely in the mix.

A whopping seven members of Petrino’s recruiting haul came from the recruiting ranks, including the top-rated defensive end (Devonte Fields) and top five players at tailback (Jeremy Smith) and tight end (Cole Hikutini). Offensive tackle Geron Christian—Gerald’s brother—was a solid addition, and the Cardinals got a speedster in four-star athlete Traveon Samuel, who stands 5’7”.

Replacing the depth in the defensive backfield remains a concern. That element was the weakest part of the Cardinals’ class. Petrino did sign safety Khane Pass from loaded Carver High School in Columbus, GA.