Louisville Football: Predicting the 2018-19 Offensive MVP

Lamar is gone and Bobby Ball 2.0 is expected to be in full effect for this upcoming 2017-18 Louisville football campaign. Let us dig into this depth chart and see who to expect to be the team MVP on the offensive side of the ball.

This article was not needed last season. The reigning Heisman trophy winner was returning to lead the Louisville Cardinals under center. The offense was impressive with Lamar but was also not the quintessential Bobby Petrino and Louisville Football offense we are all used to. Now, Lamar is doing Lamar things in the NFL and the national media is not sold on this Louisville team minus their first ever Heisman winner.

In reality this Louisville Football team is loaded with talent. Louisville’s offense the last two seasons was not the Bobby Ball that fans had come accustom to. Everything that made Lamar a Heisman winner was so different from offenses we had come to know under Coach Petrino. While there are questions circling about this season I think we get a return to Bobby Ball. A big pocket passer that can extend plays with his legs is here.

A seasoned big TE that can catch the ball is here. A receiving core that rivals any in the country is here. A committee full of both power and speed running backs is here. So, who is the offensive MVP?

The nominees are:

Jawon Pass: It starts at Quarterback and 6’4″ 231 pounds Puma Pass would qualify as a large adult son with a cannon of an arm that can also get out of the pocket and make plays with his legs. While it may not be the video game stats we saw from the QB position the last few season, I fully believe he will get the job done. Being voted an offensive team captain speaks volumes to the faith his teammates have in Puma. At the ACC kickoff day Coach Petrino spoke on Pass to ESPN Louisville’s Drew Deener and said “He has great size and can throw the football. I like the way he throws the ball across the middle. I think the one thing he has to do is make good decisions and distribute the football.” This has to be great to hear for the receiving unit and the TE’s knowing Puma will be slingin’ the pigskin all over the field. Puma can also run a 4.78 40 yard dash so if plays break down he still has the ability to extend a play with his legs.

Micky Crum: After missing some time with injury, 6’4″ 255 pound Crum is going to be a big target for Puma this season. Do not let his size fool you. If Micky gets down field there will be hell to pay for the opposing defense. A big TE is always a staple in Bobby Ball and Crum fits the mold, so much so that he is 1 of 63 selected to the preseason watch list for the Mackey Award which is awarded to the nations top tight end.

Petrino has said he is “confident” in his TE unit because they have “really shown that they can play the game.” Tight End coach Chris Klenakis has even stated Crum has the skill set to play full back. Looks like Crum could be a big part of this offense. Micky has been a fan favorite through out his UofL career and I personally hope he has a huge senior season.

Dae Williams: While Lamar was seen as the primary rusher last season, this year I am thinking we get back to more common place run schemes. Coming off an ACL tear the stars are aligned for a breakout season for Dae Williams. Samson may have lost his powers after a haircut but Dae says “Maybe it will make me a little faster on the field” after getting his ears lowered.

The national media is looking for an offensive player to cast their spotlight on and Williams may force their attention. A powerful runner with speed and vision for open holes (which I think will be a plenty with Mekhi on the field) Dae is poised to stand out this year.

A.F.R.O.S (America’s Finest Receivers On Saturday) or Breadwinners as we’ve seen a few places now: These wide outs are special, Senior leader Jaylen Smith is poised to break some school records this season, paired with Seth Dawkins who returns for his junior campaign, and Dez Fitzpatrick, who broke the freshman touchdown record last season at UofL. Needless to say, this is one hell of a wide receiving core.

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Unless you live under a rock, you know Jaylen had an emergency appendectomy back on August 3rd but recently told the media “I think I’ll be back” when referring to the big Bama game to open the season. While getting him back for that game would obviously a huge lift, having the team’s leading receiver from a year ago back for the full season is a bigger priority.

Last year Smith, who missed several games with that fractured wrist that also caused him to come back for his senior season, finished with 980 yards and six touchdowns. As long as he’s healthy, Smith should easily eclipse that 1,000 yard mark, becoming the first receiver since 2007 to do so for Louisville.

Seth Dawkins played in every game and started 10 of them last season. 42 catches for 642 yards and 4 TD’s. Dawkins averaged 15.3 yards per catch last season and with a return to more traditional Petrino play calling his numbers this season could be even greater.

I am all here for the recent comments made by Dez “Sixpatrick” about the Bama secondary. Dez had an incredible freshman season recording 45 catches for 699 total yards and a freshman school record 9 TD’s. I am a big Dez guy and expect him to back up the Bama smacktalk on the field with a stat loaded sophomore season.

Mekhi Becton: Mr. Becton is a full grown man. Moving over to left tackle this season I think we are going to see Pass have plenty of time to make plays, as well as see the running game have its holes to hit thanks to Becton. O Line coach Mike Summers recently said “When he came back just a little over 20 percent body fat and 360 pounds, that showed right there the conviction he’s had in the weight room and during the off season and now I see it in his focus.”

This should scare the living hell out of whoever is lining up across from The Big Ticket.

And the winner is…

Quarterbacks get all the praise in victory and all the blame in defeat. No matter how unfair this is, it is true. Louisville’s offensive line has been the subject of criticism the last few seasons. Fair or not the much improved O Line of last season still caught some slack at times. I am not X’s & O’s football mans but even I know Pass has to stay upright and the ground game will need holes to run through. The MVP will contribute to both of those key items plus all the small things that go unbeknownst to casual fans.

These moving puzzle pieces make up the offense. So many variables are in play when writing a piece like this. One play, penalty, or injury can change everything about this team’s offensive makeup.

The obvious clear choice to offensive MVP is Pass. This team will go as he does but wide outs not dropping balls, getting the running game going, and the dirty work down in the o-line trenches allows Pass to succeed. While Pass will be the most celebrated if this team wins as we all expect them to, the wide outs are already the most talked about offensive stand outs, and everyone loves a running back putting up numbers but none of this is possible without Mekhi Becton ballin’ all the way out. Becton will play on Sundays so before that happens lets celebrate the Offensive MVP while he is here.

Next. Dez Fitzpatrick: Louisville WR’s are Better Than Alabama’s DB’s. dark

Who do you think will be the standout offensive MVP this season? Let me know at @goodtymecharles on Twitter and as always #GoCards #L’sUp

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