SYRACUSE — Fourth-year Syracuse coach Greg Robinson is poised to get a closer look at a coach who has turned around a team that seemed destined to join the Orange in the Big East basement when the season began.

That would be second-year Louisville coach Steve Kragthorpe, who has four new assistant coaches, a new quarterback, and a new trio of starting linebackers that includes two junior college transfers and a freshman. He’s also had to replace his top three receivers and place-kicker Art Carmody, who scored more points (433) than any other player at his position in NCAA history.

“We had no depth at those positions,” Kragthorpe said Monday on the Big East teleconference. “It’s been a quick learn for those guys. We’ve made some improvement, but we’ve got to make a lot of improvement to be good down the stretch.”

Following a rocky 6-6 season in which the Cardinals tumbled embarrassingly from the top 10 to the middle of the crowded Big East under Kragthorpe, the Cardinals sit 5-2 overall, second in the conference behind UConn and South Florida (both are 6-2), and 1-1 in the Big East after upsetting No. 14 USF 24-20 on Saturday.

Louisville’s defense held the Bulls to just eight rushing yards while the Cardinals had five sacks and forced two interceptions. Wide receiver Scott Long had five catches for 134 yards and two touchdowns, including the go-ahead score midway through the fourth quarter.

“We’re happy, but we know we’ve got to get back down to earth,” Kragthorpe said. “We know we’re going to see a great effort out of Syracuse. I don’t think their record indicates how good they are. I think they’ve got an excellent team.”

Nobody in these parts would agree with that assessment. Syracuse (1-6, 0-3 Big East) is coming off a bye week after a humbling 45-13 loss at South Florida. The Orange did not pick up a first down in the second half, managing just nine yards of offense over the final two quarters.

That loss dropped Robinson’s Big East record to 2-22 as he begins preparation for Saturday night’s game against the Cardinals.

“This is a team that’s got balance on both sides of the ball and plays well together,” said Robinson, who, barring a miraculous finish to the season, likely will soon be looking for a new job. “That’s what we’re seeing, but they’re coming up to our place.”

Louisville is ranked second in the conference in scoring (30.4 points per game) and third in total offense (393.4), averaging nearly 50 more yards rushing per game than the Orange (196-147). And the Cardinals have been respectable despite ranking last in punting, pass defense, and place-kicking.

Syracuse stunned Louisville 38-35 in 2007 behind quarterback Andrew Robinson, who threw for a career-high 423 yards and four touchdowns. But the Orange have not been able to replace the lost production of wideouts Mike Williams and Taj Smith, who had a combined nine catches for 256 yards and three scores in that game. Both have since left school, a big reason the Syracuse offense is ranked near the bottom of college football’s top division, and Andrew Robinson has been benched in favor of former walk-on Cam Dantley.

Still, last year’s game serves as a distinct reminder of what can happen on any given week.

“We’ve talked about it, the parity,” Kragthorpe said. “It’s amazing. It’s a championship game every week. I think you look at everybody every week as a dangerous opponent.”

Notes: Syracuse is one of 46 schools to earn the 2008 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA ) academic achievement honorable mention award. It marks the 17th time the Orange have been so honored, putting them eighth among all schools in the country and tops in the Big East, 11 ahead of second-place Rutgers.