Louisville football: What Cardinal has best chance at winning individual award?
Louisville football has some freaks on offense.
It’s the quietest time of year sports-wise, especially during a worldwide pandemic. However, Louisville football is making some noise on preseason award watch lists.
Locally, it’s been well known that the Cardinals offense could be lethal in year two under head coach Scott Satterfield.
Now, Louisville is being recognized nationally for its individual talent on offense.
In the last week, quarterback Micale Cunningham was added to the Davey O’Brien Award watch list, running back Javian Hawkins was nominated for the Doak Walker Award, and receiver Tutu Atwell made the Biletnikoff Award watch list, the Phil Steele Preseason All-American team, and The Sporting News’ Preseason All-American team.
While these awards bear no weight in terms of what will actually play out on the field in 2020, it is certainly great to see Louisville players recognized for their potential going forward.
With that being said, do any of these Cardinals actually have a chance to win an award this season? Let’s break it down.
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Cunningham could statistically have the best shot at an individual award because of the number of power five quarterbacks out there. Given that 2020 could be his first full season as a starter, Cunningham could stand the most to gain of any Cardinal this season.
However, among the three Cards nominated for awards, Cunningham probably has the stiffest competition.
In the ACC alone, quarterbacks Trevor Lawrence, D’Eriq King, and Sam Howell are all probable future first rounders. Nationally, Ohio State’s Justin Fields, Georgia’s Jamie Newman, and Texas A&M’s Kellen Mond are big-time names to watch.
Cunningham could have a fantastic season and still not quite match the hype of some of the others on the list.
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What about Javian Hawkins? The massive surprise of 2019 for Louisville football fans, Hawkins ran for more yards than any running back in school history last season.
Hawkins should be a candidate to be an All-ACC and All-American type of player in 2020 as a redshirt sophomore, and a repeat season will probably leave him with a decision to make on whether to stay in Louisville or declare for the NFL draft.
The main problem for Hawkins is that the two best running backs in the country from last season return. Oklahoma State’s Chubba Hubbard will be in Heisman talks if the Cowboys are nationally relevant and Clemson’s Travis Etienne averaged a gaudy 7.8 yards per carry in 2019.
Hawkins has a shot at a postseason award, but he will have to take another step in 2020 and probably get up around the 2,000 yard mark. It’s possible, but it would take an absolutely historic season.
The player with probably the best chance to win an award this season is Atwell.
After a season where he had more yards receiving than any player in school history, Atwell returns as a dynamic play-making threat that opponents will be forced to game plan for.
The difference for Atwell, however, is the amount of talent that he has around him. The Cardinals, led by senior Dez Fitzpatrick, have a deep receivers room. Fitzpatrick and tight ends Marshon Ford, Ean Pfeifer, and Tobias Little, are athletic blocking specialists.
Atwell is versatile. He can get the ball in his hands on end-arounds, quick slants, and is a serious deep ball threat. He serves as a formidable option as passer on trick plays, and can line up pretty much anywhere on the field.
If there’s a Cardinal most likely to win a postseason award, it just feels like it’s Atwell. He has the tools to succeed, and should flourish during his junior year.