Louisville football’s most dangerous offensive weapon can do it all

Louisville football is in need of big-time playmakers for 2019, and their best weapon literally can do it all.

In today’s football landscape, looking and fitting the part is something that sometimes can come before actual production and the quality of a player on the field. For Louisville football, their most dangerous weapon doesn’t necessarily “look” like he’s the most dangerous player on the field. But looks can be deceiving.

Take former Ole Miss standout, D.K. Metcalf, as the perfect example. The 6’3, 228-pound receiver looks like a greek god, chiseled from the perfect stone, made to play football.

If you asked someone to put together the perfect player for football, it quite literally looks like him.

Due to his physique and overall size, he quickly became an overnight sensation with the snap of a photo. Literally.

Even with limited production at Ole Miss, he became an instant first-round favorite across mock drafts due to his blazing 40-time and incredible stature. He is a “prototypical” playmaker.

For Louisville, their playmaker is one the opposite end of the spectrum. While he looks like a dynamic playmaker on the field, off the field you might mistake him for just another guy.

At 5’9 and just 153-pounds, Tutu Atwell has all the potential in the world to be the most dynamic player on the Louisville football roster in 2019 under new head coach Scott Satterfield. We saw glimpses of a potential star in the making during 2018, as the freshmen slot receiver finished fourth in receptions with 24 total for 406 yards and two touchdowns.

Even though he was never used in the way you’d want to use an athlete of his size, Atwell still found ways to become a homerun threat nearly every time he touched the ball. Often outmatched by opposing corners who stood two to five inches taller than him, Atwell used his speed and craftiness to make plays.

This season, with a new coaching staff there’s no denying that Atwell will become the weapon we all thought he could be when he committed to the Cards back in 2017, especially with Scott Satterfield calling the plays.

After Saturday’s first full scrimmage of the summer, Scott Satterfield was asked by local media about the outcome and who stood out. Without evening batting an eye, the first name out of his mouth was Tutu Atwell.

Per Jody Demling of Cardinal Authority, Satterfield said:

"“I think Tutu Atwell will be a great player for us. He will have a great year. He’s fast and very dynamic with the ball in his hands and can make things happen.”"

After practice during the spring, Louisville receivers coach Gunter Brewer, who has coached some of the top receivers in college football and the NFL, was asked about Atwell. He raved about his speed and playmaking ability.

2019 is the perfect storm for Tutu Atwell to step into stardom. At the slot receiver position, Atwell is dynamic over the field and running routes to the outside. There aren’t many corners with the speed to handle him, regardless of his size due to his blazing speed. Atwell has been clocked as running a 4.2 40-yard dash and on the field, it’s easy to see just how special his speed is.

With the offense so focused on running the ball and dominating on the ground, Atwell is a potential decoy in the backfield or another change-of-pace back who can line up with the likes of Hassan Hall, Javian Hawkins, Dae Williams, or Aidan Robbins, and do incredible things. Whether it’s lining up in the pistol, RPO, or even in the triple-option, Atwell is a homerun threat literally every time he touches the ball.

Third but certainly not last, Atwell is a former quarterback who as a dual-threat playmaker out of Miami Northwestern high school, the same school that produced Teddy Bridgewater, dominated some of the top defenses in all of Florida.

As the leader of Miami NW, Atwell threw for over 4,000 yards in his career, while running for another 1,500 yards while leading his team to the District 6A-16 title, in a game where he threw a 52-yard game-winning bomb in front of a packed house.

Satterfield has shown in the past that he’s not afraid to take risks on the offensive side of the ball, and with the quarterback position one with so many unknowns, it wouldn’t be the least bit surprising to see Atwell get a chance to throw the ball on multiple occasions.

Last season, Atwell never was given the chance to show what he could do throwing the football, although he came into the program as was one of the most decorated Miami athletes in his high school’s history. This year, that should change.

While he won’t be the starting quarterback or likely ever line up at the position for a full game, the ability he brings to the field despite being a full-time wide receiver adds another dimension to the Louisville offense, one in desperate need for a spark.

While Tutu Atwell doesn’t look anything like D.K. Metcalf or any of the other “prototypical” playmakers you might see across the nation, what he brings to the Louisville offense is invaluable and could change the fortune of the program during the rebuild under Scott Satterfield.