Louisville might be stuck in the mud.
Louisville is replacing a QB who turned in 10,375 yards of total offense over two seasons. To go along with those yards he added 96 touchdowns. That’s some decent production if you ask me. After close wins over a much-improved Purdue and an injury-maligned North Carolina team, Louisville looked pretty average over the rest of the season. The defense was not spectacular and the offense had a tough time protecting Lamar Jackson. Aside from a blowout win over in-state rival Kentucky, the Cardinals didn’t register anything that would qualify as a signature win. Louisville brought in the 32nd ranked recruiting class nationally, but that was only good for seventh in the ACC. The future in the home of the Louisville Slugger will hinge on the continued success of the offense to go along with better pass protection and some help from the defense.
NCAA ’19 Prestige Ranking
Three stars from me. Not a ton of history to this program and at its height, they won a Sugar Bowl under then head coach Charlie Strong. A Heisman trophy winner is great for perception. However, the Cardinals need to produce better year-by-year results to improve national perception of the program.
Last Year’s Record: 8-5 (4-4 ACC)
Projected Returning Starters
Offense: 7
WR Jaylen Smith (980 yards receiving), WR Seth Dawkins (642 yards), WR Dez Fitzpatrick (699 yards), LT Mekhi Becton, LG Kenny Thomas, C Robbie Bell, RG Lukayus McNeil
Louisville brings back four starters on the offensive line to help protect newcomer QB Jawon (Puma) Pass. Usually experience is a good thing, but the O-Line had trouble in pass protection at times last season. In theory, another year of experience should help them. Bringing back three of the ACC’s better receivers should help too. Word is that Pass has a live arm and all the potential in the world. Head Coach Bobby Petrino knows how to get the most out of uber-talented quarterbacks. Expect Pass to be the next in a long line of successful QBs under Petrino.
Despite their troubles in pass protection, Louisville cleared lanes in the rushing attack. They ranked 15th nationally checking in with just over 245 yards on the ground per game, although those were mostly attributable to Jackson.
Defense: 4
DT G.G. Robinson, LB Dorian Etheridge, CB Russ Yeast, S Dee Smith
Louisville had a bad defense last year. The offensive prowess was able to mitigate defensive issues most of the time. The offense should once again be able to shoulder the load. If Louisville is expecting anything better than another 8-4 season, they have to improve defensively. Louisville lost three games in which they scored 25 or more points. They have to be able to hold their own in the trenches on defense if they want to contend. Corner P.J. Mbanasor, an Oklahoma transfer, should make an immediate impact in the defensive backfield. In short, the numbers on defense have to improve.
Special Teams
The Cardinals bring back both their punter and kicker. Furthermore, Seth Dawkins is back to handle return duties. The kicking game is in solid hands with Mason King punting and Blanton Creque handling placekicking duties.
Tyroil Smoochie-Wallace All Name Team Member:
Jawon Pass. He’s a quarterback, his last name is Pass. This isn’t even touching on the alliterative “Puma” moniker. Let the kid sling it this year.
Key Losses: QB Lamar Jackson
Lamar Jackson dazzled in his two years for the Cardinals. No loss hurts as much as he does. Louisville always had a chance to win with him taking snaps. It’s never easy to replace 10,300+ yards and almost 100 touchdowns.
Five Year Average Recruiting Ranking: 34
Louisville has recruited well nationally. Keeping up in a conference as strong as the ACC will always be tough. At Louisville, identifying and securing the players that fit their system on offense will always be a must, especially when they have to recruit against ACC powers such as Clemson, Florida State and Miami. That isn’t even mentioning upstarts such as NC State and Virginia Tech. Talent won’t matter as much if Petrino can’t have his defense ready to play.
Alcohol Prediction for Fans by Season’s End:
Vodka RedBull. It’s fun, it’s exciting, it gets the heart going. You never know where a night of Vodka RedBull will take you. You do know one thing, you won’t be very satisfied when it’s all said and done. Louisville limps to 6-6 in a season that sees them go through some growing pains on defense. That schedule sets them up for some early losses and tough stretches in the middle of the season. The Commonwealth Cup against Kentucky could be a battle for bowl-eligibility.
Outlook:
Louisville may seem like they’re in rebuild mode now that Lamar Jackson is gone. The offense is still going to put up points, but that was never the concern. The defense will need to start pulling their own weight if Louisville is ever going to contend for the ACC, let alone the College Football Playoff. Louisville takes trips to Virginia, Boston College, Clemson and Syracuse in what is a pretty reasonable ACC road slate. However, that opening-weekend tilt with Alabama isn’t exactly a tossup. Home games against Florida State and NC State will be tough as well. Getting to eight wins could be tough, but that offense will have Louisville in most every game this year.