Seven bold predictions for the Louisville football 2019 season
By Jacob Lane
Jacob Lane – EDGE/OLB Boosie Whitlow will lead the Cardinals in sacks in 2019
It’s time to make sacking the quarterback great again around these parts. That’s why Louisville football and defensive coordinator Bryan Brown, need a quarterback-hungry hero to emerge.
Look no further than redshirt senior Boosie Whitlow.
To go from four tackles and zero sacks in just three games to potentially leading an ACC program in sacks in just a matter of a few months says a lot about a player.
First, his statistics and lack of playing time in 2018 are more about the incompetency of a coaching staff and unwillingness to use legitimate talent in the right place and right time.
Second and most importantly, it also says that a player is special, and that is the most important reason why I believe Boosie Whitlow will be a sack artist for the Cards this season.
The 6’3″ 255-pound pass rusher showed in very limited snaps as a freshman that he could be a very valuable player, securing 14 tackles, five tackles for loss, including one sack in just 9 games, and when a coaching staff that teaches rushing the passer at a high level and a hungry player combine, good things happen. After watching from the sidelines in 2018, thinking he transferred to Louisville to be an important part of the defense, Whitlow just needs someone to believe in him and let him show his talent – and that’s what he will do in 2019.
He’s fast, he’s strong, he’s athletic, and he’s elusive – and with opposing team’s having little tape or much knowledge on who he is or what role he’ll be playing early on in the Bryan Brown led defense – I see it leading to confidence building early, thus a major breakout season for Whitlow.
2019 statistics prediction: 65 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks