How Wiggins' Injury Impacts Already Struggling Louisville Passing Attack
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Heading into the season, the Louisville football program knew that wide receiver would not be their strong suit on offense - and it took a massive blow just three games in.
After going down with an injury in the Cardinals' home-opener against Florida State this past Friday, wide receiver Dee Wiggins is now done for the year. He suffered a toe injury in the first half of the 35-31 loss to the Seminoles, one that required him to be carted off the sideline, and will undergoing surgery later this week. The early prognosis, according to head coach Scott Satterfield, is estimated to be four to five months.
"It's a shame," Satterfield said. "I feel like he was getting ready to hit his stride ... I hate that for Wiggins. Great kid, great attitude, and plays hard."
A transfer from Miami, Wiggins was expected to play a major role in the Cardinals' passing game, especially as a deep threat. He started each of the first three games of the season for Louisville, logging four receptions for 67 yards.
With Wiggins going down, it further depletes a position group that is already one of the most thin on the roster in terms of depth.
Out of the Cardinals' current eight scholarship receivers, two are transfers in Tyler Hudson and Wiggins, and two more are true freshman in Chris Bell and Chance Morrow. Braden Smith is coming off of a devastating knee injury, although it seems he has bounced back from it. Josh Johnson, while coming off of a career year, has just 24 receptions for 229 yards in five years. Jaelin Carter was just recently award a scholarship in fall camp. That leaves Ahmari Huggins-Bruce, who snagged 29 receptions for 444 yards as a true freshman last year.
The retooled wide receiver room, one where most of the players are taking on bigger roles than the ones they had last season, will already have to see their roles adjusted moving forward. Satterfield said Tuesday that Huggins-Bruce will likely see more time at the outside Z-receiver spot that Wiggins had started at, and that Carter - who has been Hudson's backup all season - will likely "end up stepping up in a more prominent role."
Satterfield also doesn't rule out giving some playing time to Bell, a player who he said has "really practiced hard, as if he's going to play" over the last few weeks. But regardless of who has what role moving forward, Satterfield still wants to rotate as many guys as he can at wideout so that they can go up-tempo.
"We had one drive (vs. FSU) that was a 14-play drive, and we're in tempo, and they're getting tired," he said. "You got to be able to sub those guys. I think we're gonna have to play some more guys."
But even before Wiggins' injury, Louisville had struggled to get the passing game going. Through three games, their 213.7 passing yards per game ranks 97th in FBS and 13th in the ACC. Of their 641 total receiving yards, Hudson and Huggins-Bruce account for 374 of them. Quarterback Malik Cunningham, who threw 19 touchdowns passes last season, has just one heading into Louisville's upcoming game vs. USF.
"You would like to see some more touchdown passes, and the one thing that we haven’t gotten is a longer touchdown pass, the big play," Satterfield said. "That’s what I’d like to see more of. ... But some of the longer touchdown passes that we’ve had, it would be nice to be able to get some of those dialed back up.”
Louisville's passing game has struggled to get going in the first three games, but not totally because of the wideouts. Cunningham has also had his issues as a passer to start the year, ranging from keying on Tyler Hudson too much, to a fair amount of inaccurate passes and a handful of bad decision making.
Sure, receivers have occasionally struggled to generate separation, especially against Florida State, but Cunningham has played a role in the sluggish passing attack to start the year. So far, he is 51-of-85 for a 60.0 percent completion rate, but that comes with three interceptions and just 596 passing yards. Not to mention that the pass protection, from an offensive line that was expected to be the strength of the offense, has been average to start the year.
"I think just being able to trust those guys, and find chemistry, and know where they're going to be - little nuances in the passing game that are holding us back," offensive coordinator Lance Taylor said. "It's not just one person. It's not just Malik. It really falls on all of us. From receivers, to quarterback, to pass protection. All of those things are included."
Regardless of exact role, the coaching staff believes that if everyone is on the same page, it will eventually sort itself out moving forward.
"We know in the receiver room, regardless of what happens within our room, we're still gonna play this week," wide receiver Braden Smith said. "We're gonna play next week, life goes on. We got to adjust, and we'll be able to do that. We got guys in the room that can be flexible and can move around. Coaches will make that adjustment, and we'll be just fine moving forward.
Louisville will get their first chance to improve the passing game when they host USF this weekend. Kickoff against the Bulls is set for Saturday, Sept. 24 at 12:00 p.m. EST.
(Photo via Jamie Rhodes - USA TODAY Sports)
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