Cardinals not as porous as earlier in season
? In a perfect world, West Virginia might have played Louisville a month or so ago and it wouldn?t have been any big deal. After all, at the time the Mountaineers had one of the best offenses in the country and Louisville?s defense was one of the worst.
Can you say ?laugher??? Well, West Virginia?s offense is still as good as ever. In fact, with a healthier Pat White at quarterback, it might be as good as it?s ever been.
Louisville?s defense, though, isn?t quite the sieve it once was. In fact, the Cardinals might finally be on the cusp of turning into the sort of well-balanced bunch that had them ranked in the top 10 to start the season.
All of which makes tonight?s ESPN showcase between No. 6 West Virginia (7-1, 2-1 Big East) and Louisville (5-4, 2-2) a lot more interesting than anyone might have imagined ? or at least more interesting than it appeared in recent weeks. Remember, before the season began, this was supposed to be the unrivaled game of the year in the Big East.
?I think Louisville?s probably playing their best defense recently, in the last two or three weeks,?? West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez said. ?They?ve got quite a few new starters, they?ve found out what those kids can do well and they?re putting them in a position to make plays now. I think earlier in the year, particularly when you?re dealing with new starters, you?re always trying to find out what schemes they can do well, what they can handle. And by midseason you figure it out.??
Truth be told, Louisville?s defense might not have to play extraordinarily well tonight to make this another classic. After all, the average score of the two games the teams have played against each other as members of the Big East is 45-39. West Virginia won 46-44 in three overtimes two years ago in Morgantown, then the Cardinals won 44-34 last year in Louisville when both were unbeaten and ranked in the top 5.
But given West Virginia?s resurgence on defense ? the Mountaineers are in the top 15 nationally in every major defensive category and No. 4 in total defense ? it might behoove Louisville to have a defense that can at least slow down WVU?s offense so that the game doesn?t become another 80-point shootout.
Whether the Cardinals actually have that is a matter for debate. Yes, they have played better in the past three games, allowing an average of just 20.7 points after surrendering huge numbers (42, 40, 38, 44) in the first part of the season. And in the last four games the total yards allowed by Louisville has dropped each week ? 582, 460, 305 and 270. But those last two games ? the ones in which UL posted its best defensive numbers ? came against Connecticut and Pitt, which rank No. 78 and 100 in the nation, respectively, in total offense.
How the Cardinals will fare against a West Virginia team that is third in the nation in rushing and No. 13 in total offense is the big question. And first-year Louisville coach Steve Kragthorpe knows that.
?It?s an offense that?s tough to defend because they have so many weapons,?? Kragthorpe said. ?If you look from last year to this year, Pat [White] is throwing the ball a lot more efficiently. So that makes them much more dangerous.??
Of course, there is no guarantee, either, that West Virginia?s defensive success to date will translate into success against Louisville and Brian Brohm, who figures to be the first quarterback taken in next April?s NFL draft. While the Cardinals have had their defensive deficiencies this season, Brohm and the offense have been just fine, ranking sixth in the nation in both passing and total offense. As obscene as are some of the yards allowed by Louisville?s defense, they pale in comparison to some posted by the offense, including an almost unfathomable 729 yards in a 58-42 win over Middle Tennessee State. Three times this season the Cardinals have gone over 625 yards in total offense.
Still, Louisville?s two worst performances as far as yards are concerned were in the last two weeks ? 321 yards at Connecticut and 356 at home against Pitt.
?You?re talking about one of the top offenses in the country and one of the top quarterbacks,?? Rodriguez said. ?Nobody?s really stopped them, and the last couple years they had a lot of yards and points against us as well. So it?s a tremendous challenge. It?s the biggest test we?ve faced defensively.??
? In a perfect world, West Virginia might have played Louisville a month or so ago and it wouldn?t have been any big deal. After all, at the time the Mountaineers had one of the best offenses in the country and Louisville?s defense was one of the worst.
Can you say ?laugher??? Well, West Virginia?s offense is still as good as ever. In fact, with a healthier Pat White at quarterback, it might be as good as it?s ever been.
Louisville?s defense, though, isn?t quite the sieve it once was. In fact, the Cardinals might finally be on the cusp of turning into the sort of well-balanced bunch that had them ranked in the top 10 to start the season.
All of which makes tonight?s ESPN showcase between No. 6 West Virginia (7-1, 2-1 Big East) and Louisville (5-4, 2-2) a lot more interesting than anyone might have imagined ? or at least more interesting than it appeared in recent weeks. Remember, before the season began, this was supposed to be the unrivaled game of the year in the Big East.
?I think Louisville?s probably playing their best defense recently, in the last two or three weeks,?? West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez said. ?They?ve got quite a few new starters, they?ve found out what those kids can do well and they?re putting them in a position to make plays now. I think earlier in the year, particularly when you?re dealing with new starters, you?re always trying to find out what schemes they can do well, what they can handle. And by midseason you figure it out.??
Truth be told, Louisville?s defense might not have to play extraordinarily well tonight to make this another classic. After all, the average score of the two games the teams have played against each other as members of the Big East is 45-39. West Virginia won 46-44 in three overtimes two years ago in Morgantown, then the Cardinals won 44-34 last year in Louisville when both were unbeaten and ranked in the top 5.
But given West Virginia?s resurgence on defense ? the Mountaineers are in the top 15 nationally in every major defensive category and No. 4 in total defense ? it might behoove Louisville to have a defense that can at least slow down WVU?s offense so that the game doesn?t become another 80-point shootout.
Whether the Cardinals actually have that is a matter for debate. Yes, they have played better in the past three games, allowing an average of just 20.7 points after surrendering huge numbers (42, 40, 38, 44) in the first part of the season. And in the last four games the total yards allowed by Louisville has dropped each week ? 582, 460, 305 and 270. But those last two games ? the ones in which UL posted its best defensive numbers ? came against Connecticut and Pitt, which rank No. 78 and 100 in the nation, respectively, in total offense.
How the Cardinals will fare against a West Virginia team that is third in the nation in rushing and No. 13 in total offense is the big question. And first-year Louisville coach Steve Kragthorpe knows that.
?It?s an offense that?s tough to defend because they have so many weapons,?? Kragthorpe said. ?If you look from last year to this year, Pat [White] is throwing the ball a lot more efficiently. So that makes them much more dangerous.??
Of course, there is no guarantee, either, that West Virginia?s defensive success to date will translate into success against Louisville and Brian Brohm, who figures to be the first quarterback taken in next April?s NFL draft. While the Cardinals have had their defensive deficiencies this season, Brohm and the offense have been just fine, ranking sixth in the nation in both passing and total offense. As obscene as are some of the yards allowed by Louisville?s defense, they pale in comparison to some posted by the offense, including an almost unfathomable 729 yards in a 58-42 win over Middle Tennessee State. Three times this season the Cardinals have gone over 625 yards in total offense.
Still, Louisville?s two worst performances as far as yards are concerned were in the last two weeks ? 321 yards at Connecticut and 356 at home against Pitt.
?You?re talking about one of the top offenses in the country and one of the top quarterbacks,?? Rodriguez said. ?Nobody?s really stopped them, and the last couple years they had a lot of yards and points against us as well. So it?s a tremendous challenge. It?s the biggest test we?ve faced defensively.??
