If Clemson is the measuring stick, Louisville football is playing a different game.
By Nick Conner
Clemson put on a show on Saturday, while Louisville football continues its journey to a new land of disaster.
In Death Valley on Saturday it was hard to dislike anything the Clemson displayed. The beautiful (and full stadium for a noon kick), tailgating all across campus, knowledgeable and passionate fans, and a coach using every weapon possible–including touchdown scores by a defensive lineman and a holder (his own son). All these things are possible in the Louisville Football program. But being competitive, and consistently playing with the likes of Clemson is becoming a farther away dream.
It’s hard to comprehend the free fall the Cards have taken since their last trip to Clemson Memorial Stadium. Simply put, the Louisville program should be closer than it was two years ago. Factors like: the recent expansion of Cardinal Stadium, a highly paid Head Coach, highly-touted recruits following in the footsteps of a Heisman Trophy QB, a passionate Athletic Director–yet the Cards are nowhere close to where they should be.
A program that in its last visit to Clemson Memorial Stadium had the future National Champion Tigers (and Deshaun Watson) on the ropes, that same program two years later handed the Tigers 77 points and looked like a dumpster fire.
The Louisville sideline speaks a good deal to the current state. After deferring the kickoff–something Bobby in his first stint would have never dared to do–Clemson began to quickly dismantle the Cards.
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Timeout after timeout Bobby Petrino stood by himself on the sidelines, not in huddles, not talking to players, not coaching, just standing by his lonesome and screaming into his headset. This being the same Petrino who calls plays for the offense. A three-and-out in the third quarter induced a lone interaction between Petrino and an offensive player, in which he yelled at one of his OL rather than encouraging and mentoring his young QB, Puma Pass.
How does Petrino justify calling plays, yet not coaching, or even being in offensive huddles during the game? Like many things that have unfolded this year, there is no reasonable explanation. Outside of Petrino, players looked less than interested from the sideline, and looked like they had watched a negative amount of film when on the field.
A quick comparison only makes things clearer. At Quarterback, true freshman Trevor Lawrence has quickly blossomed under Dabo Swinney and has led the Tigers to new heights offensively this season.
Across the field, Petrino lined up Sophomore Puma Pass who has looked anything but comfortable after spending a season learning the offense behind Lamar Jackson. Pass has progressed, but has looked nothing like Petrino hinted at in the offseason.
Which Petrino–father or son– is to blame for the maturation of Pass is unclear, but the buck must stop with the Head Coach. Similarly, Swinney put on a display of how to utilize offensive weapons (mostly in the run game), such as Travis Etienne and Tavien Feaster.
The running showcase put on by Clemson was matched by only 81 rushing yards for the Cards, which once again highlighted Petrino’s lack of developing and sticking to a RB this year. Less than stellar player development, communication breakdowns, and horrific defense showed up in droves on Saturday.
Petrino has simply let the success and hype Lamar Jackson (and co.) brought to Louisville two years ago disintegrate into a very weak football team. Recruits continue to decommit, players continue to run their mouths on twitter, and talented football players are not producing. It’s simply time to go in a different direction.
Next. Bobby Petrino and staff lose 3rd commit in four days. dark
This fan base wants and deserves to be in the same breath with Clemson on an annual basis, and this staff won’t cut it. This program will be in a different place when it visits Death Valley in two years time, and it cannot be with this staff.