Louisville football 2021 spring preview: Quarterbacks

As part of a celebration to the upcoming start of spring football, we will be kicking off our positional preview for the 2021 Cardinals. We will go through every position group and highlight potential starters and what they may bring to the table in 2021. There are a ton of new and old faces to pay attention to across the entire roster.

The first preview up is the most important position on the field… the quarterback.

Previewing the quarterbacks for spring ball

It’s a room with mixtures of upside and players with high floors. With a couple of transfers departing in the offseason (Jawon Pass and Tee Webb), this position group looks quite a bit different from a year ago with the starter likely not switching.

The Likely Starter

Malik Cunningham – 5th year RS JR

2020 stats: 11 GP: 64% completion 2,617 yards passing, 20 touchdowns, 12 interceptions; 609 rushing yards, 7 touchdowns

Measurables: 6’1″ 200-pounds

Cunningham is a player that most of the fan base has very split opinions over. While many believe him to be a proper cemented starter, others feel that he underwhelmed too much in 2020 to feel safe with him as QB1

Whatever the feelings, Cunningham is a talented and dynamic quarterback that, despite being in the program for five years, still has a ton of potential to unlock for himself.

Cunningham is an elite athlete for the position and has shown he has an above average arm for the college level. His highlight plays are as good as anyone in the country. He just needs to find the consistency to read defenses and operate with consistent mechanics.

After his 2019 campaign, Cunningham started to pop up as a possible NFL Draft selection for the 2021 draft. Unfortunately for him, a turnover-riddled season bogged down that buzz and he took a notable step backwards as a quarterback.

Could the veteran quarterback earn his way back to “draftable” status in 2021?

The Reserves

Evan Conley – 3rd year So.

2020 stats: 2 GP: 80% completion, 48 yards passing; -10 yards rushing

Measurables: 6’2″ 215-pounds

While he may not be the same kind of athlete Cunningham is, Conley still has more juice than people give him credit for. He played sparingly in 2020, but a 2019 freshman season showed some promise. His most notable performance came against Wake Forest as a true freshman when he threw 12-of-18  for 196 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for 79 yards and added a score on the ground.

He doesn’t have the same kind of upside that Cunningham does from an arm talent standpoint, but he should be a solid backup option as he enters year three in the program.

Shai Werts – 6th year RS Sr.

2020 stats (Georgia Southern): 11GP: 60% completion, 1,062 yards, 8 touchdowns, 6 interceptions; 720 rushing yards, 11 touchdowns

Measurables: 5’11” 205-pounds

This is likely Louisville’s emergency option at the position this season. He played quarterback at Georgia Southern in a very run-heavy offense. But, now, he will have the opportunity to primarily play receiver with the Cardinals. Werts is more of an athlete than a true quarterback at the power five level.

But it’s certainly encouraging to bring someone in who can play the position if the team is in a bind. He certainly has the experience to do so. Werts is not a guy you necessarily want starting games. But if he needed to play for some reason, you’d think the staff can at least put something together.

Unavailable for spring

TJ Lewis – True freshman

This is another player with a ton of upside for the Cardinals. Likely a redshirt in 2021, Lewis will have the opportunity to learn under quarterbacks coach Pete Thomas and veterans in Cunningham, Conley, and Werts.

Lewis possesses a big arm with a lot of positive athletic traits to work with. If he can learn to hone his crafts and get better as a pure passer, the sky is the limit for him. That’s still a big “if” as he is still much more athlete than quarterback to this point. What Louisville has is a 6’4″ athlete with a nice looking arm that is a ball of clay. If he fails to work at quarterback, he is athletic enough to make a switch elsewhere.

Unfortunately. Lewis is still in high school at Glynn Academy and will not be available to practice for the team until fall.

Overall

This position has some reason for concern. Evan Conley has a very small amount of experience and Werts isn’t a player you want to start unless you’re in a pinch. Cunningham took a step back in 2020 and he needs to prove that his regression was a product of an odd, shortened season. If he doesn’t, the Cardinals could have a very similar record to the 4-7 one they posted in 2020.