Louisville football: Fresh start could mean big things for Jawon Pass

Under a new coaching staff, Louisville football quarterback Jawon Puma Pass has a chance at a fresh start.

New Louisville football head coach Scott Satterfield is not one to settle for mediocrity on and off the football field.

Satterfield and his staff have frequently stated that they will only coach the best, and anything less than a near perfect fit in their system is not going to cut it going forward.

The culture change is noticeable under the new staff, even months before their team ever takes the field for a game. Player outings have become a routine thing.

Coaches eating with their position units is the norm. Competition is an every day thing.

Even things like average grades are unacceptable to the staff.

The staff has a work hard, play hard mantra that seems to be growing on the players and everyone around the program.

This culture change is a stark contrast from the previous regime. Players became accustomed to a head coach who many staffers did not have a way to contact, and who many players had never even seen his office.

Players now are made to feel a part of a family. The coaches do their part, and the players are expected to do the same.

Possibly the most important area for a new leadership and a new mindset is in the quarterbacks room- an area where Louisville struggled in 2018. The Cards’s quarterback in waiting, Jawon Pass, had massive shoes to fill after the departure of Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson. When the time came for Pass to take the reigns, the moment looked too big for him.

As a back up, Pass looked solid in some garbage time minutes late in blow outs. In the 2017 and 2018 spring games, most assumed Pass was next in a long line of Louisville legends to take over and lead the Cards admirably.

Instead, outside of a decent game against Alabama- the first start of his career- something seemed to be off. Head coach Bobby Petrino pulled him from the second game of the season against Indiana State, starting a trend that continued in games against Western Kentucky, Clemson, and Syracuse.

Pass never seemed comfortable running the Cardinals offense in 2018, and Petrino gave him a short leash. By the last two games of the season, Petrino was gone, and Pass was suspended for a violation of team rules. What was supposed to be a break out season for the former four star Army All-American became an absolute mess.

However, when Scott Satterfield looks at his quarterbacks unit, he still sees the potential in his rising redshirt Junior quarterback.

“Puma Pass had a really good spring,” Satterfield said on The Drive with Mark Ennis. “Puma was down and out the end of last season. His confidence was low. He’s really gained in confidence and understanding what we’re doing offensively. I have been really pleased with him.”

What was lost in the mix in 2018 is that Pass is still a supremely talented quarterback. It’s tough to get into a rhythm and play to the best of your ability though if there’s a lack of trust in your teammates and coaching staff.

Pass seemed to feel the effects of a coach who had given up, and of a quarterbacks coach who was lacking in experience to put him back on the right track. It showed on the field.

After a year where Pass was an efficient 23/33 for 238 yards, 2 touchdowns, and no picks, Pass only completed 54% of his passes, didn’t reach 2,000 yards passing, threw 12 interceptions, and only accounted for 8 touchdowns.

Satterfield and quarterbacks coach Frank Ponce still see a guy with the ability to lead their team and help them win games in 2019. Pass has all of the tools, too. He has a pro frame, and has showcased the ability to make all of the throws. When needed, Pass can run the ball like “Baby Cam” Newton, as some of his teammates refer to him, accounting for two rushing touchdowns in 2018.

Pass is surrounded by a receiving unit that is one of the best in the ACC, a group of dynamic, speedy running backs, and will play behind an offensive line that is improving daily.

Now, the only thing left is for him to put the pieces together. Under a new regime in 2019, this is an opportunity for Puma to do just that.

Satterfield’s approach figures to be much more beneficial for players who are struggling to jump start their careers. He is much more direct and approachable than Petrino was, and he has a track record for getting the most out of his quarterbacks.

Combine that with the skill set Pass already possesses, and 2019 could finally be the break-out year most Louisville fans were hoping for from the Cards’s QB.