Louisville started the second half with an opportunity to extend the lead and run away with the game, but turnovers became an issue. The Cards’ defense also stepped up to keep BC at arm’s length. Let’s
look at some of the plays from the third quarter.
Isaac Brown has a fumbling issue, but I’m actually not bothered by it. This is another run where he fumbles the ball while fighting for yardage. I’m not excusing his fumbles, but I’d rather him fumble the ball trying to fight for yardage, than getting stripped because he doesn’t have the ball high and tight. He needs to do a better job of being aware of the situation once he starts to fight for the yardage. That will lead to him covering the ball when there is a more likely case of the ball being contacted and leading to a fumble.
This appears to be another blown coverage by the Cards. Jabari Mack at the bottom of the screen is not in man coverage, and none of the linebackers appear to pick up a man at the snap either. So, this looks like cover three, which would mean Tayon Holloway at the top of the screen should be passing off this post route to the safety and dropping off to take the tight end who is left open on the play for an easy touchdown.
From what I’m seeing, this is the second instance in this game where BC was able to just run a tight end through the middle of the field for a big gain. This is more of a misdirection design with the tight end leaking out after faking a block, but the coverage is the issue. BC likely saw something on film for them to run similar plays like this. Holloway and the other corners have to be able to trust the call and pass off receivers when they leave their zone. Mack was caught doing the same against Miami.
Plenty of guys to call out on this play, but I really liked how Khalib Perry played this from the snap. He stays patient as he has a responsibility to contain the quarterback if he keeps it on this play, then he gets after it with a great angle to the ball. He is helped out by the play of others as D’Angelo Hutchinson gets downhill to take out a blocker. Then Mack and Antonio Watts get around their blocks to slow down the runner and force him inside. Perry is then there to make the tackle.
Watts also does a great job to beat the block and then get in on the tackle and strip the ball out. I know I’m going to be alone on this, but the refs blew the call here but the explanation made sense to me. I think the side judge missed the fumble and then blew the whistle. The ref calling it a touchdown intitially shows how bad the crew was on the call, but the whistle always leads to the outcome the Cards got.
This feels like the first time the Cards have seen an obvious blitz, with the play ending up in a throw down the field. BC brings a linebacker at the snap with a delayed blitz behind it. Louisville ran the same blitz in the second quarter. The Cards pick up the blitz, and Isaac Brown does a great job taking on the second blitzer. Miller Moss looked great on this play compared to what we’ve seen at times this year. The second blitzer is free when he gets his eyes up after the fake. I feel like he wouldn’t have trusted his blocking like this a few weeks ago, and he would have looked to bail on the pocket. Really good to see him stand in the pocket and deliver this ball with good mechanics.
Louisville has to be able to do this consistently for the rest of the year. Teams will look to add more guys to the box to stop the run, and the Cards will need to use play action to get favorable matchups on the outside. They also have to be able to handle pressures like this because teams will continue to test them to see if they’ve improved. This type of blocking has not been the standard until now, and I’d love to see Jeff Brohm start to look for a handful of opportunities to get the ball down the field like this.
Chris Bell has had a handful of big plays this year, including his two touchdowns against Miami. While it’s been great to see him make the explosive plays, it’s just as much fun to watch him turn a three-yard route into a fifteen-yard gain.
Bell catches this pass with a corner on his back and two players running towards him from the inside. He easily gets the corner off him, but then he stumbles towards the sideline. All it takes is a solid block from Nate Kurisky to keep the second defender from getting to him cleanly, and Bell is able to use his speed to get up the field before running through a shoulder tackle and spinning for five more yards. There is no other receiver in college football who can do this.
Miller Moss follows up his touchdown pass with pressure in his face with this extremely poor decision from a clean pocket. Moss stares down receivers in a way that you just do not expect from a veteran quarterback. You can watch the player who picks this pass off read his eyes and drift right into the passing window. He is heads up with Moss at the snap, and it’s probably the easiest interception he’s ever had.
This pass has nearly no chance of being completed, even if this defender isn’t there. Bell is blanketed, and there is another defender in the area who would make it hard to lead Bell with a pass. This ball is tipped at the line, but it likely would not have mattered if it weren’t. It’s also worth noting that the defensive tackle stops his rush and puts his hands up in part because it’s clear where Moss is going with the ball.
The defense saves the offense here with a turnover right after Moss’ pick. Clev Lubin has only half a sack since the second game of the season, but he’s racked up 28 total pressures during that time. He also leads the Cards with five passes broken up on the year, with plays like this one being one of those five. This is a very athletic play, but it’s also a heads-up play once he couldn’t get around the edge on the tackle. He identifies the back going past him into the flat and looks to take away the pass. Grayson James doesn’t see him lurking, and Lubin is able to make the play. Jordan Guruad caps off the play with a nice catch for the interception.
