Louisville Cardinals Football

Louisville Cardinals quarterback Lamar Jackson announced Friday he will forgo his senior season and enter the 2018 NFL draft.

He made it official with the following tweet in which he thanked the University of Louisville along with his teammates and coaches:

pic.twitter.com/XzMxh6LoOD

— Lamar Jackson (@Lj_era8) January 5, 2018

Jackson enjoyed another strong season in 2017 with 3,660 passing yards, 27 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He added 1,601 rushing yards and 18 rushing scores en route to a third-place finish in the Heisman Trophy voting.

That came on the heels of a Heisman Trophy-winning campaign in 2016 when he threw for 3,543 yards, 30 touchdowns and nine interceptions to go along with 1,571 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns on the ground.

The argument can be made that Jackson was just as good in 2017 as he was in 2016 statistically, but he wasn't given legitimate Heisman consideration due to Louisville's 8-5 record.

Even so, Jackson made history by becoming the first quarterback in NCAA history to pass for 3,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons. He also joined an exclusive club as one of only three players in FBS history with 50 career passing touchdowns and 50 career rushing touchdowns along with Tim Tebow and Colin Kaepernick.

Louisville head coach Bobby Petrino tweeted the following highlight video featuring some of Jackson's most spectacular plays from the 2017 season:

https://twitter.com/CoachPetrinoUL/status/931256423757041666

While Jackson is among the most productive quarterbacks in NCAA history, there has been no shortage of questions regarding how he will translate to the NFL.

Barrett Sallee of CBS Sports is among those with a high opinion of Jackson and his ability to play quarterback in the NFL:

NFL scouts will tell you for the next six months that Josh Rosen and Sam Darnold are better than Lamar Jackson.

They'll be wrong.

— Barrett Sallee 🇺🇸 (@BarrettSallee) November 19, 2017

ESPN analyst and former NFL general manager Bill Polian isn't so sure, though.

Appearing on ESPN LA (h/t Jason Lisk of The Big Lead) in September, Polian expressed his belief that Jackson isn't on the same level as Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen and Josh Allen. He added that Jackson may have to change positions in the NFL.

"I don't think that Lamar the Louisville kid's in that discussion; in fact there's a question that he may be, he might be a receiver," Polian said. "No, I'm not kidding you. And that has to do with girth and skill set as well."

Nick Coffey of 790 KRD vehemently disagreed with that assessment:

No clue what the future holds for Lamar Jackson at the next level, but anyone saying he needs to play a different position in the NFL hasn't watched him play.

— Nick Coffey (@TheCardConnect) November 18, 2017

For as eye-popping as Jackson's numbers have been, he has some deficiencies that could limit him in the NFL.

Chief among them is his low completion percentage; he completed just 59.1 percent of his passes in 2017 and 57.0 percent during his collegiate career.

Jackson is also susceptible to injury due to his penchant for running, which would make investing a high pick in him risky. Due to the injury risks involved with playing another year for free, though, it is difficult to argue with Jackson's decision.

As of Nov. 20, Bleacher Report's Matt Miller had Jackson ranked as the No. 5 quarterback in the 2018 draft class behind Darnold, Rosen, Allen and Baker Mayfield.

Keytaon Thompson scored three rushing touchdowns Saturday to help Mississippi State overcome the Lamar Jackson-led Louisville Cardinals for a 31-27 victory in the 2017 TaxSlayer Bowl at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida.

Jackson finished the game, and perhaps his college career, with 329 yards of offense (171 passing and 158 rushing), three total touchdowns and four interceptions. The quarterback must now decide whether to enter the 2018 NFL draft or return for his senior season.

Meanwhile, the Bulldogs were forced to play without starting QB Nick Fitzgerald, who's recovering from an ankle injury. The program received a glimpse of the future courtesy of a strong outing from Thompson. The true freshman backup tallied 274 total yards in his first career start.

Mississippi State played under the guidance of interim head coach Greg Knox following Dan Mullen's departure for Florida. Former Penn State offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead will take over the program for the 2018 campaign.

Despite the changes, the Bulldogs came out firing on all cylinders, taking their first drive 56 yards in six plays to grab the lead inside the opening five minutes. Aeris Williams scampered in from five yards for the score.

It was a seesaw battle throughout the first half as the sides traded six scores (three touchdowns for Louisville; two touchdowns and a field goal for Mississippi State).

ESPN Stats & Info noted Jackson's 13-yard TD run early in the second quarter moved him into exclusive company:

Three players in FBS history have 50 passing touchdowns and 50 rushing touchdowns in their career:

Lamar Jackson
Colin Kaepernick
Tim Tebow pic.twitter.com/BQSUnAvZQb

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) December 30, 2017

Sporting News‏ spotlighted the juke-filled scoring play:

Lamar Jackson making defenders look silly on this touchdown run. #TaxSlayerBowl pic.twitter.com/OVONK4i6bp

— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) December 30, 2017

The 2016 Heisman Trophy winner played a key role in helping the Cardinals grab a 21-17 lead right before halftime. After a Bulldogs turnover deep in Louisville territory, Jackson had a 75-yard run to get the offense in scoring position and then threw a touchdown pass to Jaylen Smith with 19 seconds left.

Deion Sanders, who's in both the Pro and College Football Hall of Fame, provided high praise for what he's seen from Jackson compared to the other potential 2018 draft prospects:

Lamar Jackson is the best college QB. His upside is tremendous. These other guys they're ranking can't compare 2 this kid. @Lj_era8

— COACH PRIME (@DeionSanders) December 30, 2017

Louisville kicker Blanton Creque provided the only points of the third quarter with a 23-yard field goal to stretch the lead to seven.

Mississippi State got level early in the fourth, though. It took advantage of terrific field position after a Jackson interception, covering 22 yards in four plays with Thompson powering in from the 2-yard line to help make it 24-24.

Thompson added his second rushing score of the fourth quarter with less than four minutes left to help put the Bulldogs up 31-27, their first advantage since midway through the second period.

The Clarion-Ledger's Will Sammon discussed the QB's impressive drive:

Keytaon Thompson's 1 yard TD run gives MSU a 31-27 lead with 3:39 left.
his run to get to the 1 was impressive: broke a tackle near line of scrimmage, shed another and then needed three guys to take him down.

— Will Sammon (@WillSammon) December 30, 2017

This time they didn't let it slip away.

Safety Mark McLaurin intercepted his third pass of the day to thwart Louisville's first bid to retake the lead. After the Mississippi State offense burned most of the remaining clock, the Bulldogs defense came up with two key sacks on the final drive to complete the upset.

The team noted McLaurin earned the game's MVP honors:

YOUR @taxslayerbowl MVP, @_young_star11!!#HailState🐶 #BowlDawgs pic.twitter.com/DKug1PFtkX

— Mississippi State Football (@HailStateFB) December 30, 2017

FanSided's Patrick Schmidt provided a note about the triumph:

Mississippi State is the first SEC team to win a bowl game this year. #HailState

— Patrick Schmidt (@PatrickASchmidt) December 30, 2017

Looking ahead, the focus shifts to Jackson's NFL decision. Saturday's performance was a microcosm of his junior campaign. The explosive plays and off-the-chart tools are there, but the question is whether he's consistent enough as a passer to become a franchise quarterback in the NFL next year.

Although he doesn't have a lot left to prove in college, the expected depth of the 2018 QB class is also a consideration. He'd likely be up against the likes of Josh Rosen (UCLA), Sam Darnold (USC), Baker Mayfield (Oklahoma) and Josh Allen (Wyoming) during the draft process.

So, while it wouldn't come as a surprise to see him declare for the draft, there are reasons for him to consider sticking with the Cardinals with the hope of emerging as the clear No. 1 in 2019.

On Saturday Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson became the third player in FBS history to throw for 50 touchdowns and rush for 50 touchdowns in their career.

According to ESPN Stats & Info, Jackson joined an exclusive group that also includes former Florida quarterback Tim Tebow and former Nevada signal-caller Colin Kaepernick.

Jackson entered Saturday's TaxSlayer Bowl against Mississippi State with 49 career rushing scores, but he hit the 50 mark with a 13-yard scamper in the second quarter.

The junior from Pompano Beach, Florida, won the Heisman Trophy last season by virtue of throwing for 3,543 yards, 30 touchdowns and nine interceptions to go along with 1,571 rushing yards and 21 rushing scores.

While Jackson finished third in the Heisman voting this season, he enjoyed another huge statistical year with 3,489 passing yards, 25 touchdowns and six picks, as well as 1,443 rushing yards and 17 rushing scores entering the TaxSlayer Bowl.

Jackson could potentially come back for his senior season in 2018 to entrench himself even further into the record books, but his stellar play has made him a possible early-round target in the 2018 NFL draft should he declare.

Bleacher Report's Matt Miller said in his most recent NFL draft big board that he believes Jackson will be taken in the second round of the draft if he leaves one year early.

Lamar Jackson has an idea for a new Heisman trophy 😂 https://t.co/MWW5DZfWmo

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 8, 2017

Louisville Cardinals quarterback and 2016 Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson was asked about a new model for the most prestigious college football hardware.        

Jackson jokingly suggested the Heisman pose should be that of his Instagram photo in which he stood on a toilet: 

Toilets don't exactly equate to greatness, but kudos to Jackson for thinking outside the box.

The Heisman Trophy presentation will air on ESPN at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday from New York. Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield, Stanford Cardinal running back Bryce Love and Jackson are the finalists.

Louisville and Kentucky players engaged in an extracurricular fight during Week 13's rivalry meeting at Kroger Field.

During the first quarter, the Wildcats stopped quarterback Lamar Jackson just short of the end zone. When bumped by Jordan Jones, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner shoved the linebacker.

Jones pushed back, and a melee ensued. After getting knocked down by another Cardinals player, Jones tackled Jackson to the ground.

At that point, other players looked more interested in separating them then exacerbating the situation.

Following offsetting unsportsmanlike conduct penalties and then a false start, Louisville finished the drive with its second rushing touchdown of the opening quarter.

Louisville Cardinals quarterback Lamar Jackson became the first player in college football history to total at least 3,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards in consecutive seasons during Saturday's game against the Virginia Cavaliers, according to Louisville's official Twitter account.

The reigning Heisman Trophy winner entered the ACC tilt 192 passing yards shy of the historic achievement after he piled up 1,029 rushing yards through the Cardinals' first nine games.

That kind of output would tend to have any player at the forefront of the Heisman conversation, but that hasn't been the case for Jackson so far this season.

Although the junior has been a statistical marvel with 21 passing touchdowns and 15 rushing scores following Saturday's win, the Cardinals' four losses—including defeats at the hands of Boston College and Wake Forest—have left him chasing the pack.

According to OddsShark, Jackson entered Saturday's action with +4000 (40-1) odds of taking home the hardware for the second straight season. By comparison, Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield leads the way with -175 (4-7) odds, while Penn State running back Saquon Barkley is a narrow second choice at +150 (3-2).

And unfortunately for Jackson, there isn't much time left to make up ground with just two games against Syracuse (Nov. 18) and Kentucky (Nov. 25) left on the Cardinals' schedule.

Also consider neither of those opponents offers the chance for Jackson to help Louisville capture a statement win, and he may wind up on the outside looking in when Heisman finalists make their annual trip to New York City in December.

Lamar Jackson totaled 427 yards and three touchdowns, but it wasn't enough to avoid Louisville's second ACC loss of the season.

No. 24 North Carolina State used 520 offensive yards to pull off a 39-25 upset over the No. 17 Cardinals Thursday night at Carter-Finley Stadium.

Ryan Finley was the hero for the hometown fans, throwing for 367 yards to lead the Wolfpack to its fifth win in a row, moving them to 5-1.

There was a lot of talent on display, and NFL organizations were there to take notice, per Eric Galko of Optimum Scouting:

NFL Teams at #NCState/#Louisville:
ARI, ATL, BAL, BUF, CAR, CLE, DEN, DET, GB, JAC, LAC, LAR, MIA, MIN, NO, NYG, NYJ, Oak, PIT, SF, SEA, TEN

— Eric Galko (@EricGalko) October 5, 2017

Jackson was the big name, although NC State showcased plenty of talent on both sides of the ball. The defensive front seven kept pressure on the quarterback all night, while the passing attack was impressive from start to finish.

Finley had a lot of trust in his top targets, with Kelvin Harmon, Jaylen Samuels and Stephen Louis all reaching at least 99 receiving yards in the win.

Jackson tried to match this unit with 354 passing yards, including 134 to Dez Fitzpatrick and 133 to Seth Dawkins, but he couldn't do enough to keep up on the scoreboard. This late interception seemed to seal his team's fate as the Cardinals fell to 4-2:

A pick-6 of the Heisman winner?

What a way for No. 24 NC State to seal a victory over Lamar Jackson and No. 17 Louisville. pic.twitter.com/1svOlzzGZm

— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) October 6, 2017

Dan Wolken of USA Today summed up his thoughts on the eventual winners:

NC State is an impressive team. The loss to South Carolina was an outlier much like UNC's loss to South Carolina in 2015.

— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) October 6, 2017

Although the defense allowed 470 yards from scrimmage, North Carolina State did a good job of holding down one of the top players in college football. After Jackson accounted for four touchdowns and over 300 yards in the first half against Murray State last week, he was kept in the pocket and only managed 17 rushing yards on 10 carries by halftime as his squad fell behind 17-10.

The Wolfpack's seven-point lead could have been even bigger based on the way they played:

Louisville lucky to be down only 7 at half. NC State outplayed them

— Shawn Krest (@ShawnKrest) October 6, 2017

#NCState taking a 17-10 lead on #Louisville into halftime. Not a bad half for the Wolfpack at home.

— Kevin McGuire (@KevinOnCFB) October 6, 2017

North Carolina State also had the biggest play in the first half, opening up the scoring on a 48-yard touchdown pass from Finley to Harmon. Luke DeCock of the News and Observer described the play:

https://twitter.com/LukeDeCock/status/916104676826931201

Louisville's one first-half score came on a bobbled touchdown reception by Dawkins.

How did Louisville hold on to this? And will NCSU hold on to the lead?

Watch the @CocaCola Instant Replay and catch the 2nd half on ESPN. pic.twitter.com/2waVOpRVxo

— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) October 6, 2017

North Carolina State built its lead to 24-13 in the third quarter behind the play of Nyheim Hines. The running back accounted for 63 yards on a 78-yard scoring drive, finishing it off with a seven-yard touchdown.

Hines finished with 102 rushing yards on 18 carries with two touchdowns. Adam Gold of 99.9 The Fan gave high praise to the junior:

The scouts came here to watch Lamar Jackson, but I promise you they really noticed Hines. Best player on the field.

— Adam Gold (@AGoldFan) October 6, 2017

Jackson came alive in the fourth quarter, though, using a four-yard scramble into the end zone to cut the lead to one score.

Will Brinson of CBS Sports summed up the quarterback's big-play ability on that drive:

You think Lamar Jackson is fast and then you watch him run in person and you realize fast is an insult.

— Will Brinson (@WillBrinson) October 6, 2017

While North Carolina State answered quickly, Jackson came through with his second rushing touchdown with just over four minutes remaining.

The reigning Heisman Trophy winner had a chance to tie the game with possession down seven in the final minutes. However, he threw an interception that Germaine Pratt ran back 25 yards for a touchdown to effectively seal the win for the Wolfpack.

Both teams will get a mini-break with nine days until the next game.

Louisville returns home to take on Boston College, while North Carolina State will go on the road to face a Pittsburgh team that is better than its 2-3 record indicates.

Lamar Jackson bounced back from a couple of quiet outings with a four-touchdown day in a dominant showing against Murray State.

The Louisville quarterback only played the first half but finished with 249 passing yards and 100 rushing while leading his team to a 35-3 early lead. Jawon Pass took over for the second half to help the Cardinals win 55-10.

After the loss to Clemson and the two-interception game against Kent State, Jackson once again looked like one of the best players in college football with his all-around performance Saturday.

The quarterback barely seemed to break a sweat while moving the football in the first half.

He reached the century mark on the ground, but his one rushing touchdown was from just two yards out:

The reigning Heisman Trophy winner says hello.

5th rushing TD of the year for @UofLFootball's star QB. #ACC pic.twitter.com/ZbsfH57QaY

— FanDuel Sports Network South (@FanDuelSN_SO) September 30, 2017

The three passing touchdowns were all under 10 yards each:

Lamar Jackson's second touchdown of the day puts @UofLFootball on top 14-3 in the 1st quarter. #ACC pic.twitter.com/Bg7utvKxiM

— FanDuel Sports Network South (@FanDuelSN_SO) September 30, 2017

Lamar Jackson Touchdown Counter: 🏈🏈🏈#ACC | #GoCards pic.twitter.com/OmQTESh3wX

— FanDuel Sports Network South (@FanDuelSN_SO) September 30, 2017

.@UofLFootball is rolling. Lamar Jackson is scoring. 4 TDs today & counting. #ACC pic.twitter.com/DqqpE9neON

— FanDuel Sports Network South (@FanDuelSN_SO) September 30, 2017

He went into halftime with 349 total yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns while leading his team to a 35-3 lead, although there were only a few highlight-reel plays in the rout.

Many of his rushing yards came on open scrambles rather than designed runs. His receivers were often open down the field. This doesn't take away from Jackson's success, but it shows how easily he can handle an inferior opponent.

What he did do was continue to etch his name in more places in the Louisville record books:

📈Lamar Jackson climbs to another school record! pic.twitter.com/okYMIHMbRZ

— Louisville Football (@LouisvilleFB) September 30, 2017

Keep those wheels spinning, Lamar! 🏎️ pic.twitter.com/5SOQsspbw0

— Louisville Football (@LouisvilleFB) September 30, 2017

Jawon Pass took over in the second half, and despite fumbling, he helped lead a few more scoring drives to close out the 45-point blowout win.

Although it wasn't a great showing from Murray State, which fell to 1-4 on the season, it was at least a significant payday. Per Myron Medcalf of ESPN, the Racers made $500,000 to play this game and help pad Jackson's stats.

Even without factoring in the opponent, there was still plenty to appreciate in the performance from the Cardinals.

Nick Coffey of The Cardinal Connect broke down the offensive effort:

Murray State isn't good, but I've been very impressed with Louisville's offense so far. Lamar is spreading it around.

— Nick Coffey (@TheCardConnect) September 30, 2017

Jackson found eight different receivers on the day, and 14 players caught a pass before the game was over.

With tougher games on the schedule going forward, this type of complete team showing is important.

Louisville will be tested Thursday on the road against North Carolina State, which moved to 4-1 with its win over Syracuse Saturday. Although the Cardinals should be favored, a night game on the road on national television is always dramatic.

If Jackson and the rest of the roster play as they did against Murray State, however, Louisville should remain on the right track.

Louisville didn't need much from star quarterback Lamar Jackson as the 19th-ranked Cardinals cruised to a 42-3 blowout victory over Kent State on Saturday at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky.

The reigning Heisman Trophy winner exited the blowout after three quarters with 333 total yards (299 passing, 34 rushing) and three touchdowns accounted for against two interceptions. He was efficient through the air, completing 18 of 22 attempts to help Louisville pull away.

His third TD of the afternoon, a 15-yard hookup with Javonte Bagley in the third quarter, broke a Cardinals record.

Louisville Football‏ relayed word of the accomplishment:

Touchdown No. 3️⃣ for Lamar Jackson = ☝️for the record books. pic.twitter.com/uFbfxCtHir

— Louisville Football (@LouisvilleFB) September 23, 2017

Bleacher Report's Ian Wharton provided his assessment of the aerial attack:

It’s only against Kent State, but Lamar Jackson’s hitting slants and posts with rhythm and timing in structure with good accuracy.

— Ian Valentino (@NFLDraftStudy) September 23, 2017

Jackson tossed a pick and lost a fumble before accounting for his first touchdown of the day, though.

Kent State cornerback Demetrius Monday intercepted Jackson midway through the second quarter. Then, on the Cardinals' next drive, the quarterback fumbled on a first-down run, and it was recovered by the Golden Flashes' Elvis Hines.

Louisville built a 21-0 lead before the mistakes, which only cost the Cardinals three points. Malik Williams scored a pair of rushing touchdowns in the first quarter, and Trumaine Washington returned an interception for a touchdown late in the period.

ESPN Stats & Info noted Louisville's rare production without Jackson's involvement:

Louisville has 3 TD today and Lamar Jackson hasn't been involved in any of them; he was responsible for 11 of their 13 TD entering the day. pic.twitter.com/v0eZ2PFLyc

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) September 23, 2017

The 20-year-old Florida native ended the minor scoring drought with a 13-yard scoring run with just over two minutes remaining in the first half.

Fox Sports South highlighted the QB draw for six:

Lamar Jackson doing Lamar Jackson things.#Cards pic.twitter.com/NpmblYlsFk

— FanDuel Sports Network South (@FanDuelSN_SO) September 23, 2017

Jackson picked up his first passing touchdown midway through the third quarter, capping a seven-play, 77-yard drive. He found Seth Dawkins open over the middle, and the sophomore wide receiver took care of the rest on a 32-yard catch-and-run, as Fox Sports South showcased:

Check out the MOVES 👀👀 pic.twitter.com/AVj2XH24Dc

— FanDuel Sports Network South (@FanDuelSN_SO) September 23, 2017

It wasn't the cleanest performance by Jackson. Three turnovers against a MAC opponent surely didn't help his case for a second straight Heisman. But he still mixed in a couple of brilliant moments.

Louisville didn't need him to play like Superman either. The Cardinals wouldn't mind if he saves his best outings for tougher games on the horizon, like at the North Carolina State Wolfpack on Oct. 5 and at the No. 12 Florida State Seminoles on Oct. 21.

Next up is what should be another lopsided contest at home against the Murray State Racers next Saturday.

Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson ran away with the Heisman Trophy in 2016, but does he need to change positions to succeed in the NFL? Of course not, says Bleacher Report video analyst Michael Felder.

Watch above.

       

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