Behind Enemy Lines: Five Questions for Louisville on SI's Matt McGavic
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What better way to learn an opponent's strengths and weaknesses than asking another insider about the team they are facing?
No. 2 Miami faces one of its most dangerous opponents remaining this season, as the Louisville Cardinals (4-1, 1-1).
We take a closer look at what's dangerous about this Louisville Cardinals team, in collaboration with Louisville on SI, and Deputy Editor Matt McGavic.
Miami’s defensive line has already seen one of the top rushing duos in the country against Notre Dame. What challenges does Isaac Brown give the Hurricanes?
On paper, Isaac Brown is a handful to deal with for any defensive front. He has a phenomenal burst, is incredibly shifty, and has true home run capabilities anytime he touches the ball. Not to mention he’s a very good pass catcher out of the backfield. The same can honestly be said for his backup as well.
There’s just one massive problem: both Brown and Watson have been dealing with nagging lower-body injuries. They’re not severe enough to hold them out entirely, but are just enough to impact them - especially for a pair of backs whose game is predicated on speed and agility. Add in the fact that Louisville’s offensive line has been dreadful, and the rushing game has been hard to come by so far this season.
Last season, it was a light show, and Tyler Shough was taken in the second round. Under Miller Moss, does the offense still possess those light show capabilities?
Not quite. While Shough is more so of a gunslinger, Moss falls under the game manager category. That being said, while his arm strength doesn’t compare, there is potential for him to put up numbers. He is very adept in the short-to-intermediate areas of the field, and really shines when it comes to chain-moving throws. He’s the kind of player who lets his skill-position players do the bulk of the work.
In the same breath, he has also been the football equivalent to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. In every game so far, there have been 3-5 plays that just leave you asking yourself, “What the hell was that?” His ghastly pick-six vs. Virginia is a perfect example. It doesn’t help that he isn’t super efficient when dealing with pressure, which has happened fairly often so far this season.
Miami’s defense is rated as the No. 1 team in the ACC, but only by a small metric; Louisville is in second. Just how good is the Cardinals' defense, and do they have the personnel to get pressure on Carson Beck and contain his weapons?
They absolutely have the horses in the front seven to give Miami some fits. Defensive end Clev Lubin is playing like he could be an early round NFL Draft pick, as the combination of his twitch, bend and motor make him a deadly asset on the edge. He’s also surprisingly good at batting passes down at the line of scrimmage.
Additionally, fellow edge rushers Wesley Bailey and A.J. Green have done a great job complimenting Lubin, and defensive tackles Jordan Guerad and Rene Konga have well as the unsung heroes on the line. Meanwhile, linebackers T.J. Quinn and Antonio Watts have played out of theirs mind the last few games both in run support and pass coverage.
The secondary isn’t as adept as the front seven, but they’re still holding their own. Their group of safeties, highlighted by JoJo Evans, have done very well at limiting the massive over-your-head explosive plays. Cornerback has been hit-or-miss, but considering they were viewed as the weak spot on the defense in the preseason, they’re performing much better than expected.
Miami’s secondary has vastly improved since last season, but Chris Bell is playing at another level. What challenges does he bring to the revamped Canes unit?
If you told me Chris Bell would be a first-round pick in next year’s NFL Draft, I wouldn’t be surprised. Bell has always shone as a contested catch type of player, bringing to the table a physical skill set and mentality.
But over the last year-and-a-half, he has really come along in terms of his agility and speed. Slot receiver Caullin Lacy is incredibly shifty, but Bell is the best route runner on the team by a country mile. On top of that, he regularly tops speeds of over 20 mph - and actually is the fifth-fastest offensive player so far this season (per Reel Analytics), topping out at 22.0 mph.
Drops and penalties have been an issue at times, but Bell has a deadly combination of speed, route running, and physicality.
Against Virginia, there was a 10-point comeback in the fourth, something the Hurricanes have been susceptible to this season. “Cristobaling,” as some call it. They aim to fix it, but what elements does Jeff Brohm bring to a game like this?
By no means has Louisville played perfect football this season, especially on the offensive side of the ball. But what this team unquestionably possesses in mental toughness. They trailed 14-6 to James Madison, but scored 22 unanswered to win. They trailed 17-0 at Pitt, then out-scored them 34-10 the rest of the way. While they lost to UVA, they were able to force overtime after entering the fourth quarter down by 10. This team, regardless of circumstances, just does not quit.
Also, while Jeff Brohm himself has left some to be desired from a coaching standpoint so far this season, this is the kind of game his teams always get up for. Clemson in Death Valley last season. Notre Dame in 2023. The Rondale Moore Game vs. Ohio State in 2018, while at Purdue. Even Miami in 2023 after having never won on the road vs. the Canes. “Big Game Brohm” is 100 percent a thing, and it’s something that can’t be discounted this Friday.
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Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University earning a Bachelor of Arts and Science in Communications with a concentration in Print and Digital Journalism. During his time in Starkville, he spent a year as an intern working for Mississippi State On SI primarily covering basketball, football, baseball, and soccer while writing, recording, and creating multimedia stories during his tenor. Since graduating, he has assumed the role of lead staff writer for Miami Hurricanes On SI covering football, basketball, baseball, and all things Hurricanes related.