FOOTBALL PREVIEW ‘17
LOUISVILLE
OUTLOOK
If you would have told Louisville fans their team would finish 9-4 on the season
with a win over Florida State and Lamar Jackson would win the Heisman
Trophy, nearly all of them would be as happy as could be with the outcome. But
the way last season finished, with three-straight losses including disappointing
performances against arch-rival Kentucky and the bowl stinker vs. LSU, have
Louisville fans wishing for more in 2017.
The good news? Jackson is back for his junior season, and a good number of
talented players join him on both sides of the ball. Louisville figures to be an
ACC contender again this season.
COACH SPEAK
Bobby Petrino: “We have high expectations
for this team. I know our coaching staff does.
I know our players do. Certainly, our fans and
our administration have high expectations for us,
and this is a really tough conference. It’s going
to be very competitive. Every team that we play
has really good players. Every team that we play
is very, very well-coached, so we’re going to
have to do a great job of being in great condition,
developing our depth, and being able to perform
in the fourth quarter when the pressure is on.
I think that’s what you’re going to see, a lot of
fourth quarter wins or fourth quarter losses this
year throughout the conference.”
Photos by Darrell Russell
22 EXTOL SPORTS / AUGUST 2017
TEAM STRENGTH
Quarterback. With Jackson in the pocket for
year three, Louisville figures to have the most
dangerous offense in the ACC and perhaps the
nation. Jackson broke Michael Vick’s ACC records
last season, and he was still figuring out Bobby
Petrino’s full offense. How good could he be this
season? That may depend on the next item.
BIGGEST QUESTION
Offensive Line. Louisville struggled mightily at
the end of the 2016 season and the LSU and
Houston games were extremely frustrating for
Jackson. He didn’t have a second to think much
less make a play in either of those two games.
Louisville lost starters Tobijah Hughley, Kahlil
Hunter and Kiola Mahoni from last season’s line.
Returning starters Geron Christian and Lukayus
McNeil are both all-conference caliber, but the
players around them will determine the overall
line performance. Can Kenny Thomas, Toriano
Roundtree, Linwood Foy, Cole Bentley, Mekhi
Becton and others step in to make Louisville’s
line more effective?