Storyline: Louisville has all the right Cards (no pun intended). But Lady Luck will be a huge factor in the Cards’ bringing home the ACC title … and perhaps more.
As die-hard Kentucky Wildcat fan it pains me to say this: the Louisville Cardinals will have a very good football team this year. And I don’t mean “bowl eligible” good, either. I’m talking about “College Football Playoff” good.
Louisville, currently ranked #19 in the preseason AP poll, has the potential to climb high in the rankings. Why? UL has three major things going for it this year.
Bobby Petrino
Putting aside scandals and an interpretation that he’s the Larry Brown of college football, Petrino is an excellent coach–at least at the collegiate level.
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Petrino left Louisville in 2006 to become head coach for the Atlanta Falcons. But, like Nick Saban, he couldn’t convert college-level success to winning consistently at the pro level. The Falcons went 3-10 and Petrino saw the writing on the wall.
He then bolted to Fayetteville to coach the Razorbacks. Petrino was decent at Arkansas, posting a 34-17 record in four seasons, but he was fired after a motorcycle accident brought into light his affair with former Razorback volleyball player, Jessica Dorrell.
His career on life support, Western Kentucky basically “rented” Petrino for a season before the coach returned to his old haunt, The ‘Ville, for the 2014 season. He has done quite well for himself there, too, posting a 17-9 record that includes a bowl victory over SEC powerhouse, Texas A&M.
Petrino is sustaining the high level of performance achieved by his predecessor, Charlie Strong. And he’s improving the program by bringing in top-caliber recruits and transfers. One of those players is going to be a key to Cardinals’ success this year.
Lamar Jackson
If you haven’t seen Louisville QB Lamar Jackson’s 61-yard run against Texas A&M in last year’s Music City Bowl, then I recommend you watch it on YouTube. That play demonstrates Jackson’s ability to run the ball. He weaved around and sped through an Aggies’ defense that was one of the most experienced in the SEC last season.
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Jackson is young, but he has a chance to bring home some trophies by the time the season is over. After impressive outings against Kentucky and A&M to close out last season–combined with a strong showing in pre-season camp—Jackson has been named the starter for 2016. That means he won’t be in battling for starting QB as he was last year.
But to be the best he can be, Jackson needs to improve his passing. Jackson completed just 54.6 percent of his passes last season. If he can improve his ability to attack through the air, then Jackson can become one of the best QBs in college football.
So watch out, Deshaun Watson! Lamar Jackson is going to give you a run for your money!
Experienced Defense
The Cardinals return eight starters on a defense that was in the nation’s Top 20 last season. That’s another reason why the Cardinals are going to keep pace with Florida State and Clemson this year. Three players will be key for the Cardinals this year.
Keith Kelsey
S Josh Harvey-Clemons is returning in the secondary. He had an impressive 2015, recording 88 tackles and three INTs last season.
LB Keith Kelsey will also be huge for the Cards. The senior-to-be had 107 tackles last season.
Devonte Fields will be a crucial part of Louisville’s D-line. The TCU transfer was a team leader in sacks last year, bringing down the opposing QB 11 times.
The Cardinals have a defense that rivals FSU’s stop-crew. It will be an entertaining match-up when the teams meet 9/17 at Papa John’s.
Warning: Challenging Schedule
The Cardinals’ potential for success this season is like a poker game. Louisville has all the right Cards (no pun intended). But when it comes down to it, Lady Luck will play a factor in the possibly bringing home the ACC title … and perhaps more.
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The reason? It’s the schedule. In addition to playing FSU at home, the Cards face Clemson at “Death Valley” in a game that could decide the division, Later, the Cards will take on a very good Houston squad in Texas.
First up, though, is FSU. The outcome of that game will tell us a lot about prospects for Louisville football, 2016
