3 biggest questions Louisville football must answer during their bye week

2. Who will be the most reliable third-down option?

One of the biggest questions entering the season was who would replace star wideout Ja’Corey Brooks. Through two games, the receivers have held their own as a group, with Chris Bell leading in yards, but a new issue has emerged: who can become Louisville’s go-to target on third down?

So far, the Cardinals have converted 12 of 25 third- and fourth-down attempts — a 48 percent rate. On paper, that’s solid, but context matters. Against an FCS opponent and James Madison, it’s underwhelming. Last season, Louisville converted 58 percent of its third- and fourth-down tries through the first two weeks against similar competition. The decline stems from an offense still searching for rhythm — and a quarterback still figuring out who he can trust when the play breaks down.

Miller Moss needs a security blanket, the way every great quarterback has had one. Tom Brady had Welker, Edelman, and Gronk. Peyton Manning had Clark, Harrison, and Wayne. Every QB needs that one receiver who runs the right route on third-and-7 and makes the catch without hesitation. Moss hasn’t found his guy yet, and until he does, Louisville’s third-down efficiency may continue to stall.

Two candidates stand out. Chris Bell has shown he can win on the outside and already looks like the most reliable downfield option. On the other hand, Isaac Brown could emerge as the safety valve. His speed and versatility make him dangerous out of the backfield, and quick checkdowns to him could keep chains moving when Moss doesn’t have time for a deep progression. Coming out of the bye week, look for Bell on the perimeter or Brown underneath, one of them needs to emerge as Moss’s “security blanket” to raise Louisville’s third-down success rate once ACC play begins.