Louisville football: Three keys to beating Miami

2. Make D’Eriq King throw the ball

Miami quarterback D’Eriq King was a big-name transfer when he transferred in from Houston after sitting out last season, and that’s because of his pedigree as a big-play duel threat signal caller over the course of fours seasons with the Cougars.

King is prolific both with his arm and with his legs, but if I’m Louisville, I think the game plan is all about making King one dimensional during Saturday’s showdown.

The fith-year senior showed in the Hurricane’s opener that he is accurate both in the pocket and on the run. However, where he poses the most threat is with his legs.

Miami boasts the nation’s leading rusher after week one in running back in Cam’ron Harris, who averaged 7.9 yards per carry and accounted for 144 total yards from scrimmage last week.

Between Harris and King, the Cardinals should look to load the box and force King to make plays with his arm. Although he proved that he is a capable passer over the course of his career at Houston and in week one, King can do far more damage to Louisville’s defense with his legs. In his career, King has accounted for more than 1,500 yards on the ground and 29 touchdowns.

Last season, the Cardinals struggled against running quarterbacks, allowing opponents to make big plays with their feet and then subsequently open up the passing game.

If the Cardinals are able to stop the Miami run game early on, they can force King’s hand in the passing attack where he is far less likely to make an impact.