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Louisville football: 5 players to watch against Western Kentucky

By Will Reddington

LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY - SEPTEMBER 02: Jawon Pass #4 of the Louisville Cardinals runs for a touchdown against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on September 02, 2019 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY - SEPTEMBER 02: Jawon Pass #4 of the Louisville Cardinals runs for a touchdown against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on September 02, 2019 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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LOUISVILLE, KY – OCTOBER 05: Rodjay Burns #10 of the Louisville Cardinals makes a tackle near the sideline against Clinton Lynch #22 of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the first half of the game at Cardinal Stadium on October 5, 2018 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
LOUISVILLE, KY – OCTOBER 05: Rodjay Burns #10 of the Louisville Cardinals makes a tackle near the sideline against Clinton Lynch #22 of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the first half of the game at Cardinal Stadium on October 5, 2018 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Rodjay Burns

Outside linebacker

Rodjay Burns has always been an easy guy to cheer for. The local Trinity high school product transferred from Ohio State in 2017 to join the hometown Louisville Cardinals. Going into the season, most figured Burns would be the most or one of the most dynamic players on the Louisville defense. Through two games, he has not disappointed.

He’s recorded a sack in each of the first two games and was fantastic against EKU despite rumors that he may be held out of the game due to injury.

This WKU team will have an offense that is somewhere in the middle of the two opponents the Cardinals have played so far, definitely not as good as ND, definitely not as bad as EKU. So UofL is going to need Burns to keep his production up to be as stingy as they’ve have been so far.

Western Kentucky has a dangerous run game behind Gaej Walker, who like Hawkins has had 100 yards in each of his team’s first two games, along with the dynamic playmaking of Lucky Jackson at receiver.

If there’s anything we know about Tyson Helton who coached under with Jeff Brohm, we can plan to see trick plays.

Whether it’s a throw by a running back or receiver, an end-around handoff, or any other opportunities that allow big plays, we’re likely going to see it in an effort to throw Louisville off their game.

That’s where Burns comes in.

The shifty, and athletic outside linebacker gives Louisville a nice tackler and speedy athlete to help seal the edges as well as get into the backfield to blow things up before they can become dangerous.

He’s scored a defensive touchdown at Ohio State and at Louisville in his career, a big play like that absolutely wouldn’t hurt Louisville’s chances in what is undoubtedly a must-win game. But he really just has to be himself and continue to be solid.

He has two more solo tackles than Khane Pass and Russ Yeast, who are both tied for second on the team. He looked healthy as can be on Saturday night in Cardinal Stadium, they’re going to need that same energy in week three and every week after that

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