Cardinals fans had many emotions and mixed feelings in an underwhelming yet satisfying performance from the Louisville Cardinals. In Louisville’s first big test, in the Friday night primetime slot, the Cardinals defeated the James Madison Dukes 28 - 14. The Dukes put up quite a fight and gave the Cardinals plenty of teachable moments to work on as the season progresses.
Louisville made the plays it needed to, especially on defense, to keep the Cards consistently in the game. Ultimately, a win is a win and that’s all that matters. However, as the opponents get increasingly more challenging, there are a few things the Cardinals will need to work on and improve upon with tonight’s performance.
5 big observations from the Louisville football win over James Madison
1. Isaac Brown continues to shine
For 3 quarters, Isaac Brown was stuffed, stopped, and a non-factor for the Louisville offense. However, that all changed late in the 4th quarter, when Brown finally realized who he was and what he could accomplish. His 78-yard touchdown run provided the nail in the coffin for the Cardinals' win and let all Cardinals fans breathe a sigh of relief.
Remarkably, Brown once again finished with over 100 yards rushing after a sluggish performance tonight. He continues to play up to the key moments and be the spark that the Cardinal offense needs at the correct times. His play through moments like these show that voters made the right call by naming him to all of the preseason award watchlists and All-American honors.
Related: It only took Isaac Brown 5 minutes to show Louisville something must change
2. The offensive line has obvious flaws
Look. I know that James Madison brought pressure most of the night. However, the Cardinals for most of the night were unsuccessful in stopping the barrage of players brought by the JMU defense. The running game struggled to get started and never fully established itself throughout the game. The lack of pass protection was also present as Miller Moss did not have much time to read the defense and hit his anticipated targets.
This has to be addressed by Brohm and staff if they want to compete for an ACC title at season’s end. The offensive line has to be the foundation, the cornerstone of the offense, for any of Brohm’s schemes to work. The run game is what sets up the pass opportunities, and without an offensive line providing the needed protection for that to happen, neither of those options will work effectively.
JMU has just given the other teams on Louisville’s schedule the defensive blueprint to stopping the Louisville offense. Now, Louisville has to adjust.
3. Untimely penalties continue to be killers
Multiple key spots for the Cardinals were overturned by absolute killer penalties. From a defensive holding on a key 4th down stop that extended a JMU drive in the first quarter, to a pass interference on a throw downfield that furthered another JMU drive to start the third quarter, the penalties were key momentum stoppers for the Cards.
It has been a recurring theme in the Brohm era that the Cards tend to be on the higher side in terms of the number of penalties assessed. It stops any potential momentum that the Cardinals build or swing in the said plays of the penalty time and time again. Some games will come down to not making mental mistakes and playing clean football. This issue needs to be addressed so that it does not resurface as the season progresses.
Related: Louisville fans say Jeff Brohm has one glaring problem to fix after Week 1 win
4. Miller Moss looked out of sync and uncomfortable in the offense
I know it's only the second game of the season, and I know the offensive line did him no favors, but Miller Moss had an off, unimpressive night. He seemed to be taking too long in going through his progressions, seeming unsure on where the ball should go, and did not have the awareness needed to feel the defensive pressure.
One particular instance was early in the first half, where Moss did not see a defensive edge rusher untouched heading his way. This, in turn, caused a fumble by Moss and led to a Louisville turnover. His awareness has to improve so that he can make better decisions or get rid of the football if he needs to.
Moss also seemed like his downfield throws were off for the receivers. There were some great opportunities, especially for Chris Bell, where if the ball were right on the money, it could have resulted in either a touchdown or a significant gain. Louisville needs to capitalize on those opportunities when they present themselves, especially as the quality of opponents increases.
Related: Miller Moss’s interceptions are nothing for Louisville football fans to worry about
5. The defensive line shines Week 2
Is it time for some positive notes? Louisville’s defense showed up and kept the Cards in the game the whole game. In particular, the defensive line looked incredibly impressive. Key plays and stops were consistent from the likes of Rene Konga, Wes Bailey, and Clev Lubin, who fueled the strong play on the line of scrimmage and made a significant impact on Louisville’s ability to win.
However, the stops were not the only reason to be joyous with the defensive line. The absolutely huge sack and fumble recovery by AJ Green proved to be the key score Louisville needed to pull away from JMU and give Louisville the confidence it needed to finish the game strong.
The defensive line’s performance should give Cardinals fans hope of an improved front this season under defensive coordinator Ron English. The Cards will need this play consistently as they continue their run at playing for an ACC title and potentially a spot in the College Football Playoff.