All Clemson Goes Behind Enemy Lines With Louisville Cardinals Publisher

1: Revenge was a big topic for the Cardinals this offseason after they felt they let the game slip away last year, is it as big a deal for them as they made it seem?

- All signs seem to indicate that it’s still very much a big deal to them. Last year’s game was the arguably the best shot that Louisville has had at taking down Clemson, and they squandered a golden opportunity to do so. Quarterback Malik Cunningham said both over the offseason and immediately after their win over James Madison that last year’s loss still leaves a bad taste in his mouth, while head coach Scott Satterfield said earlier this week that it’s one of the games that haunts him the most. Given how close last year’s game was and the current win streak they’re on now, they not only have the confidence that they can finally get over the hump, but have the motivation to do it as well.

2: Malik Cunningham is as dynamic a QB as the Tigers have seen, what makes him so special and what can he do that can stress the Tigers defense?

- I don’t want to blindly compare him to Lamar Jackson like many have done since Cunningham took over, but his skill set athletically speaking is Lamar Jackson-esque. He does a good job of extending plays and escaping pressure in the pocket, and doesn’t let himself get sacked easily unless there is just no one open. He might not be as agile as Jackson, but he still possesses great open field speed. One big difference this year is that his efficiency and production through the air hasn’t been the same. This is mainly a combination of a lack of a true deep threat for Louisville, and a slight problem with overthrowing receivers that has developed over the last two seasons.

3: Speaking of Cunningham, how is he doing since he suffered his injury to his non-throwing hand? Will he be limited in any way?

- The early indicator is that Cunningham should be as close to a full go as he can be. While he has had an issue in the past with being somewhat injury prone, no one can question the resilience he has when it comes to playing through his injuries. I could see the coaching staff limiting the amount of designed runs drawn up for him, but that’s it, barring some unforeseen setbacks over the week of practice.

4: What would a win over the Tigers mean to Scott Satterfield and the Cardinals program as a whole?

- Without being too hyperbolic, this would probably be the biggest win for the program since their 2016 thrashing of Florida State. Not too long ago, this team was 2-3 and coming off of a truly terrible loss to Boston College. At that point, the writing seemed to be on the wall that Satterfield was a dead man walking. Instead, Louisville is now on their longest winning streak since that 2016 season, and the potential of that signature win of the Satterfield era (besides the WF win two weeks ago) is right there for the taking. Louisville is already doing extremely well by their standards on the recruiting trail, and a win over Clemson would very much help their cause on that front.

5: What do the Tigers have to do to win? What does Louisville have to do to win?

- It all centers around the run game. Louisville’s passing game isn’t as dynamic as it has been in previous years due to aforementioned reasons, and they’ve been fortunate to have a stellar ground game that makes up for it. If Clemson can make Louisville one-dimensional and force Cunningham to get more involved passing the ball, that likely bodes well for the Tigers considering how inconsistent he has been as a passer this year. Conversely, if the defense doesn’t set the tone early and lets DJU get settled in like they did last year - or if they let the environment get to them like they did at Syracuse earlier this year - it will be an uphill battle to climb.

Be sure to check out Louisville Report for all of the latest information regarding the Tigers upcoming opponent.

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