Big Red Louie
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Louisville football: Awarding game balls to the Cards biggest performers

By Jacob Lane

LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY - OCTOBER 05: Head coach Scott Satterfield of the Louisville football program on the sidelines in the game against the Boston College Eagles during the fourth quarter at Cardinal Stadium on October 05, 2019 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY - OCTOBER 05: Head coach Scott Satterfield of the Louisville football program on the sidelines in the game against the Boston College Eagles during the fourth quarter at Cardinal Stadium on October 05, 2019 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Justin Casterline/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

Stats: 16 tackles (10 solo), 2 tackles for loss, 1 forced fumble 

The play of Rodjay Burns this season at the outside linebacker position is something I don’t think enough people have been talking about.

I get it. The defense has struggled the last few weeks, making pretty good offenses look great, and great offenses look other-worldly (at times). So when players like Burns have played at an extremely high level, it can fly under the radar of the constant frustrations.

On Saturday night the Louisville coaching staff proved that they knew what they were doing when they moved Burns from the secondary to play at the CARD spot in the defense in a not so traditional move.

Burns was electric. Whether it was coming up with a disruptive blitz, forcing turnovers at inopportune times for the offense, making a play in the backfield on a running back, or providing coverage – he literally did it all and it showed for the defense.

While giving up over 600 total yards is never something to hold your head up high for, when you consider the circumstances surrounding the game, including the total number of plays, you start to see that Louisville performed well enough to win.

In just his sixth game playing at linebacker, a position that was a 180 turn from his previous spot at corner, Burns finished with a career-high 16 tackles, 10 of which were solo tackles (we know this has been a HUGE issue for defenses of years past at Louisville), as well as two tackles for loss, a forced fumble, and numerous other plays where he got to the ball carrier but didn’t get credited for a tackle.

Louisville has a very unique player at outside linebacker when you consider Burns is still the Cards’ primary punt returner, and it’s beginning to show just how dominant he can be at a position that utilizes his speed, athleticism, and versatility.

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