Tag Archives: Lamar Jackson

Critical Year for U of L Cards, Part I: How We Got Here

Football, , , ,

Warning: Some content contained herein may be painful for diehard Louisville Cardinal football fans. 

November 9. 2006.

It was the moment Cardinal Faithful had believed would arrive since The Schnell had proclaimed it inevitable years before.

The Cardinals were not only on the cusp of a seemingly implausible dream come true, they had breached the perimeter.

Yes, Schnellenberger, not as wise about the future of college football as he thought, had jumped ship in a pique. He didn’t like that the school prexy had joined a conference. So The Pipe left for a one and done campaign as Supreme Commander Sooner Nation.

Yet his promise remained in the hearts of the loyal, though the vision faded somewhat in the campaigns right after he abdicated. There was the immediate and precipitous decline under Ron Cooper. A revival of belief under John L. Smith. But he too didn’t buy in entirely, going AWOL in Mobile during a bowl game after some success.

Enter the savant. Bobby Petrino 1.0. Continue reading Critical Year for U of L Cards, Part I: How We Got Here →

Louisville CardFile: Kentucky

Football, , ,

In retrospect, there was a single play that indicated how inevitable U of L’s payback victory over its hated arch rival really was.

The outcome of the smackdown was already a given when the Cardinals, up 37-10,  started a drive at their own one yard line with 12:58 to play.

Lamar Jackson, who has blamed himself for last season’s loss because of his game-denying giveaway late in that battle, fumbled on first down. In the end zone. But, as cool as he was all day — and make no mistake, LJ has never been as collected and in charge as he was Saturday in Commonwealth Stadium — Jackson picked up the ball, intuited where there might be a crack through which to escape, found it, foraged for yardage and Heismaned his way for a 15 yard pickup.

This one was never in doubt. That play was typical of how U of L rose to the occasion every moment.

Two and half minutes later, U of L finished the 99 yard journey when Jackson lofted a TD pass to Jaylen Smith.

For all the incredible feats of legerdemain that Jackson has performed while at the helm of the Cards, his demeanor and flawless performance against the Wildcats Saturday stands at the top of the list for me. Continue reading Louisville CardFile: Kentucky →

Thursday’s U of L Cardinal Conversation

Basketball, Fandom, Football, , ,

There’s a singular question/ complaint I’ve heard way more than any other this week.

And I suppose, bless her heart, it’s all Asia Durr’s fault. Interest in the women’s team has rocketed skyward, after her school record scoring blast last Sunday.

“How come there’s no story in The Courier-Journal about the U of L women’s game?” (I’m hangin’ on the “The” and hyphen, though I don’t know why.)

“The paper didn’t even run the box score of Louisville’s win at Ohio State.”

Etc, etc, etc.

While the once great newspaper has some reporters that are good, are professional and care about getting the stories and reporting them, both in the sports department and on the news side, the C J sucks.

It is full of typos. What news there is, for the most part, is sparse. It is as if Gannett doesn’t want you to buy and read the paper edition. I haven’t subscribed for years. It is seriously sad.

It’s become bird cage liner.

The paper covers the men and football and UK pretty well, Louisville FC, but that’s about it for sports. The web site administrators seem hell bent on cornering the market on pop up ads.

As for women’s sports, others too, if you’re a Cardinal fan, head to gocards.com, the school’s site. There will always be some stories, and the box scores. And, I’ll always be around here at seedyksports.com for pithy commentary, and at Mike Rutherford’s cardchronicle.com, which covers the U of L scene with a gangsta lean.

 * * * * *

Interesting doings down Arkansas way that could possibly affect U of L. Continue reading Thursday’s U of L Cardinal Conversation →

Louisville CardFile: NC State

Football, , ,

At The All-American — the marvelous college football section of theathletic.com, a great new sports site worth subscribing to — Stewart Mandel recently listed 15 coaches at Power 5 schools he believes have job security.

Bobby Petrino was among three from the ACC. (Dabo Swinney and David Cutcliffe are the other two. Though after last night’s performance, NC State’s Dave Doeren might be added were Mandel to update this morning.)

The pundit is maybe, probably correct. Given all the turmoil at U of L, given that the school’s troubles have taken permanent residence on ESPN’s screen scrawl, it is most doubtful the BP is going anywhere. Some stability, or at least a sense thereof, is required.

But, after another underwhelming performance in an important game, the question must be asked: When, if ever, will Bobby Petrino Era II live up to expectations? Is that still dumbfounding smackdown of Florida State on Game Day last season it?

That remains the only Cardinal W against a ranked foe during Petrino’s second go round.

The loss to #24 Wolfpack seemed so very familiar. Continue reading Louisville CardFile: NC State →

Louisville CardFile: North Carolina

Football, ,

Oh that there were a fresher portmanteau, a combination of two words into one that would dazzle anew as Lamar Jackson continues to do.

Oh for a new descriptor you haven’t read elsewhere already while trying to consume every adjective writ about college football’s best player, an adjective that you haven’t heard ad nauseum from the lips of studio wags as LJ highlights run in tape loop throughout the day after the Cards’ noon victory.

But, sigh, my ever feeble creativity is locked down.

I can do no better than this.

Lamarvelous.

La. Fuckin. Mar Ve. Lous.

The best player in the history of U of L football deserves more. I am not worthy. Sorry.

As anyone who has watched him play knows, it’s not just the stats that were they not legit would seem hyperbole, impossible.

It’s the panache. The instinct. The maturation of his game which is geometrically improved over last year’s Heisman campaign. Continue reading Louisville CardFile: North Carolina →

Seedy K’s Peerless Pigskin Prognostications: Week I

Football, Gaming, , , ,

Thanks to the divine, full spectrum guidance of patron saint ROY G BIV, the Rainbow Warriors of Hawaii secured a waning moments W at UMass. Thus making for as satsifying a return trip to Diamond Head as there can be stuck in coach on a plane for 5100 miles.

Not to mention the victory secured as peerless an opening foray as yours truly could have hoped for. Along with wins by the Cougars, Bulls, Rams and The Cardinal, the kid started the season 5-0, prediction wise.

While I would like to boast ad nauseum, to be honest, last week’s meager slate of battles was hardly what could be termed a severe test of prognosticatory prowess.

A boffo schedule this coming weekend provides a legitimate chance to yet again prove my mettle. Thus I shall cut short the verbosity, and get right to it.

This week’s winners in five huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge games: Continue reading Seedy K’s Peerless Pigskin Prognostications: Week I →

Louisville CardFile: Wake Forest

Football, , , ,

cardfootballAt halftime, I called my pal Badger Billy, a Wisconsin alum who loves the Cards as much as his guys from cheese country, though he now resides in the heart of SEC Country.

I started to let loose with my rant about Louisville’s horrid first half performance, ” Given the circumstances . . . . ” when he cut me off, crowing, “How ’bout my Badgers?” Wisconsin, sitting right behind the Cards in the rankings had battered the hapless Illini, 48-3.

That was part of what I was talking about.

Given the circumstances, meaning the Cards aspiring to the Final Four and the teams right ahead of Louisville — #5 Ohio State — and right behind — #7 Wisconsin — having rolled big, and the reality of #2 Clemson’s losing to Pitt at home, and that both #4 Washington and #3 Michigan at the moment were on the ropes . . . given those circumstances as perspective, Louisville’s first half offensive performance was the worst in U of L football history.

Which is what I said. I was sad. I was pissed. Continue reading Louisville CardFile: Wake Forest →

Louisville CardFile: Boston College

Football, ,

CardHelmetTwo of the hardest aspects of a team’s performance to quantify statistically are discipline and focus.

You can get a sense of it generally, but specific numerical confirmation remains elusive.

Yet every once in awhile a line jumps from the statistics page, which verifies a team came ready to play.

Such was the case during U of L’s 52-7 dismantlement of Boston College in Chestnut Hill.

Zero penalties.

No inadvertent holds. No false starts. No late hits. No woofing. No illegal blocks. No impeding receivers.

Zero penalty yards.

So rare is that the case that it’s happened but three times in U of L pigskin history. The last time was during an otherwise forgettable 22-19 Cardinal W over Cincy on September 22, 1979. The other two occasions came in ’60 and ’52.

So impressive do I, for one, find that stat, I will not dwell on the eight TFLs and two sacks surrendered by the Cardinals still iffy OL to the Eagles good but not that good D. (Though, obviously awaiting consistent Final Four quality play from the Big Uns up front, the guys charged with protecting Heisman hopeful Lamar Jackson, I had to mention those numbers.)

No penalties. For only the third time in U of L football history.

Good work, Cardinals.

 * * * * *

Allow me now to praise James Quick. Continue reading Louisville CardFile: Boston College →

Louisville Card File: Virginia

Football, ,

cardfootballOn the most revelatory college pigskin Saturday of the campaign, the road to the Final Four narrowed considerably, becoming much more arduous for the Louisville Cardinals.

On a U of L squad with legitimate CFB Playoff/ New Year’s Six aspirations, several key players and one unit turned in Belk Bowl performances.

On a day in Charlottesville when the Cards again seemed surprisingly out of sync on both sides of the ball, they proved their mettle by grinding out a win.

All of which I’ll get to, but let’s begin with Lamar Jackson, who while playing very good but at less than peak performance level, showed his Heisman worthy mettle.

 * * * * *

With 1:57 to play, Louisville got the ball back with a chance to redeem itself.

It needn’t have come down to this, but it had. Continue reading Louisville Card File: Virginia →

Louisville Card File: North Carolina State

Football, ,

CardHelmet

Corrected 10/23 9:50 am

On a postcard perfect Pigskin Saturday, Louisville won the toss, chose to receive.

Ball Game!

Okay, not exactly. But close.

Lamar Jackson to Cole Hikutini for 8 yards.

Jackson to James Quick for 12 yards.

Jackson to Jaylen Smith for 16 yards.

Jackson, on a designed keeper up the middle. 36 yards. Touchdown.

Four plays. 72 yards. 1:33. 7-0.

The Wolfpack was toast. Continue reading Louisville Card File: North Carolina State →