Louisville Offensive Line Rebounding From Slow Start to Season

After a rough two-game stretch to open up the season, the Cardinals' offensive line is starting to perform at the level that was expected of them.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Over the first two games of the 2021 season, Louisville's offensive line was not performing up to the level of play that was expected of them. Viewed as one of the stronger and more experienced position groups on the entire roster heading into the season, it was actually one of the main contributors to the Cardinals' slow starts against Ole Miss and EKU.

Both in the run game and in pass protection, they were not generating nearly the push, nor executing in the manner that was expected. This led to the Cardinals averaging 3.3 yards per carry, and quarterback Malik Cunningham throwing for 113 yards in the first halves of both games combined.

But over their last two games against both UCF and Florida State, a switch has seemingly flipped for the line. The overall effort and execution took a noticeable uptick, and it's not by accident, as the offense line room made a concerted effort to be more prepared for game day.

"You can give a hype video, you can give a speech before the game, none of that stuff means anything," offensive line coach Jack Bicknell said. "What means something, is going out on Tuesday and getting it done in practice, and all those things. That's where I think we're improving. We've had some tough games, but I can see progress every day in the group."

Against Ole Miss and Eastern Kentucky, Louisville was averaging 27 points and 398.0 yards per game, while allowing six total sacks and nine total tackles for loss. In their two-game span vs. UCF and Florida State, the Cardinals averaged 36.5 points and 448.0 yards, while giving up two sacks and nine tackles for loss. Sure, they are small sample sizes, but there is a clear increase in offensive efficiency and production.

Guys like center Cole Bentley and and guard Caleb Chandler have said that the line needs to work on their overall precision and cohesiveness. As of late, Bicknell is starting to see that unfold in practice, and attributes that to the position group as a how buying into what he is coaching.

"They're starting to buy into how important that is - just the technique and being specific - and doing exactly the way it's coached," he said. "We have very specific language as to how we're doing things. Everybody better talk that language, and to me, I think they're starting to buy into that."

Not only that, but the linemen are becoming much more vocal in an attempt to help everyone get on the same page as it pertains to protection. That uptick in communication, attention to detail, and overall effort in practice is starting to pay dividends.

"We all made a lot of sacrifices to this game, and we're just trying to impose our will," offensive tackle Renato Brown said. "That's what we try to go out there and do. We just try to be physical and dominate every chance we get. That's what happened in the first half (vs. UCF), and the momentum kept rolling, and we we rolled with it."

Kickoff at Wake Forest is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 2 at 12:30 p.m. EST.

(Photo of Louisville Players via Cindy Rice Shelton)

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