Louisville Cardinals Football

Lamar Jackson must have another Heisman Trophy on his mind.     

For the second straight week, the 2016 Heisman winner exceeded 400 yards from scrimmage, torching North Carolina for 525 total yards and six touchdowns in the No. 17 Louisville Cardinals' 47-35 Week 2 win over the Tar Heels on Saturday at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

525 yards, 6 TDs and counting for Lamar Jackson. pic.twitter.com/pbEpSN972G

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 9, 2017

In total, he finished 25-of-39 through the air for 393 yards and three touchdowns while rushing 19 times for 132 yards and three scores as well.

That included the longest play of his career, per ESPN:

Lamar Jackson has had a lot of long plays in his career.

None longer than this 75-yard TD pass in the @CocaCola Instant Replay. pic.twitter.com/EvE43p5cwc

— ESPN (@espn) September 9, 2017

ESPN Stats & Information put his gaudy numbers in context:

Lamar Jackson: 3rd career game with a 40-yd pass TD and 40-rush TD.

Since 2015, all other ACC players have 3 such games combined.

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) September 9, 2017

Jackson is 2nd player in FBS history to have back-to-back games with 300 Pass yds and 100 Rush yds.

Watch him here: https://t.co/qaJQxVbPiG

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) September 9, 2017

Jackson is making a habit of this. He opened the season by overwhelming the Purdue Boilermakers, accumulating 485 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns. He was even better this week, leaving him arguably atop the favorites for the 2017 Heisman. 

Not surprisingly, his praises were once again sung across social media, and the comparisons were prevalent as well. Bleacher Report's Matt Miller and Ian Kenyon and SI.com's Jonathan Jones all referenced various NFL quarterbacks when analyzing his game:

Lamar Jackson is something special. Haven't seen a playmaker like this in college since Vince Young.

— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) September 9, 2017

https://twitter.com/IanKenyonNFL/status/906579791159144449

Lamar Jackson has some Jameis in him

— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) September 9, 2017

Still, Jackson has plenty to prove this season as Louisville seeks to be in the playoff picture again this year after its disappointing finish in 2016. The Cardinals will face a huge test next Saturday as they host the defending national champion Clemson Tigers at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium.

The Tigers have a far better defense than either Purdue or North Carolina, of course, and arguably the best defensive line in college football. 

There's little question Jackson is one of the most explosive and entertaining players in the nation, and he should continue to put up gaudy numbers. But beating an elite team like Clemson and putting the Cardinals firmly in the College Football Playoff hunt is the next test for Jackson as he continues his ascent.

WDRB's Eric Crawford reported Friday the University of Louisville agreed to a 10-year, $160 million apparel deal with Adidas.

According to Crawford, only UCLA, Ohio State and Texas have more lucrative apparel contracts in college sports.

Sources indicated to Crawford that athletic director Tom Jurich made mention of the agreement at a booster function Thursday night.

Per Scout.com's Jody Demling, the deal is groundbreaking for the ACC:

Louisville's deal with adidas at $16 million a year is $7 million more than any other apparel deal for an ACC school.

— Jody Demling (@jdemling) August 25, 2017

It also speaks to how far Louisville has come since it joined the ACC in 2014.

According to Tim Sullivan of the Courier-Journal, a "high-ranking college sports executive" said at that time that Louisville had "no brand."

Crawford pointed out that Adidas lost Michigan, Notre Dame, UCLA and Tennessee in recent years. That may have contributed to this reported agreement.

Louisville is coming off successful seasons in its two top sports, as the men's basketball team went 25-9 and reached the Round of 32 of the NCAA tournament, while the football team went 9-4 and featured Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Lamar Jackson.

Jurich is expected to make an official announcement Friday.

Manuel Allen's long recruitment journey finally came to a close Thursday when he committed to the Louisville Cardinals. 

The class of 2018 wide receiver made things official with a message on Twitter: 

Its be a long journey ! Respect my decision! No turning back! #Birdgang18💯 pic.twitter.com/agm396jCA1

— MannyP Sucka👿 (@mannyP____) August 17, 2017

A 4-star prospect, Allen initially committed to the USC Trojans before decommitting in February. He then flipped to the Nebraska Cornhuskers in April before changing gears Thursday and settling on the Cardinals. 

According to Scout.com, Allen is the 377th-ranked player overall and 63rd-ranked receiver among 2018 recruits. The Corona, California, native is also the 13th-ranked receiver in the state and No. 16 wideout in the West Region. 

Allen is a big get for head coach Bobby Petrino and the Cardinals. 

At 6'2'' and 175 pounds, Allen already possesses the frame necessary to operate as a primary boundary option at the next level. Combine that size with stellar straight-line speed and polished route-running capabilities, and Allen looks like the real deal. 

Thursday's commitment is also big for the Cardinals because it gives them a potential offensive cornerstone in their 2018 class. Prior to Allen's announcement, the program didn't boast one 4-star recruit among its 2018 recruiting ranks. 

Recruit information courtesy of Scout.com. 

Lamar Jackson is struggling. With what? Oh, just with "everything." He says it grinning.

For the greatest individual show in college football, like it or not, this is a time of change. The 2017 season isn't just going to be about running it back. It's about taking "the next step."

There's a time to win championships and a time to prepare for the NFL. The greedy think they can do both. The insatiable know they can.

"I promise you, winning a national championship is still the No.1 goal." Jackson says. "There will be no down year for me. I love this game, this team, too much for that."

But here he is, the reigning Heisman winner, preparing for a season in a way that completely changes what made him and his team the most dangerous offensive combination in the game last season—in a way that we've seen damage potential contenders in the past.

The suped-up, 21st-century version of Michael Vick you saw running the Louisville offense from the shotgun last year will take snaps under center this season. A lot of them. Maybe even more than 50 percent.

This, of course, begs the question: Why?

Why take the very thing that makes Jackson unique—his dynamic running and scrambling out of the shotgun, and ability to make something out of nothing when a play breaks down—and muck it up? Why worry about a reality Jackson doesn't have to live until one of those 32 NFL franchises spends a first-round pick and throws millions at him?

"Because it will make him better," Louisville coach Bobby Petrino says without a hint of hesitation.

And it will get him ready for the NFL.

"[Petrino] wants to make me NFL ready, a better player," Jackson says. "I want to make our team better. We're on the same page."

Of course, it's not that simple. There is a clear potential sacrifice of wins by scaling back on Jackson's flash and dash to prepare him for the NFL's style and substance.

Cases in point: Johnny Manziel and Dak Prescott.

After Manziel won the Heisman as a freshman in 2012, the Texas A&M staff zeroed in on showing "he was more than the fastest guy on the field," says Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin. They cut his carries by 57. His passing numbers increased across the board, and he was selected in the first round (22nd overall by the Browns), but his rushing yards were nearly halved (1,401 to 759) and the Aggies went from 11-2 in 2012 to 9-4 in 2013—including 0-4 in the regular season against ranked teams.

Mississippi State tried the same thing, cutting Prescott's rush numbers by 50 carries and his yards by more than 400, while his pass numbers, like Manziel, were up across the board. At one point in 2014, the Bulldogs were ranked No. 1 in the nation. By the end of 2015, they were closing out a meaningless bowl win over N.C. State after going 0-4 vs. ranked teams in the regular season.

But..."You have a guy (Prescott) who went from probably not getting drafted, to the Cowboys taking a chance on him in the fourth round because there was tape of him playing the position how it's played here," an NFL scout says. "At the end of the day, your tape is your resume."

Jackson's game tape through two seasons is a boatload of highlights, from the unthinkable to the improbable. But all from the shotgun, until now.

For the quarterback, going under center is so much more than simply receiving the snap and executing the play: You have to learn to call the play in the huddle, send motion, read fronts and coverages and, yes, take the snap. Cleanly.

It's only then that the process of being under center truly begins. It's three-, five- and seven-step drops; it's footwork and shoulder framing and going through progressions and convincing yourself—and trusting your offensive line—that holding the ball one more second will allow a receiver to gain separation and increase the completion window and catch a throw.

All of that after a play-action fake where your back will be turned to the defense for as many as three seconds—and everything could change in coverage from a pre-snap read when you turn and see the field again.

Welcome to playing the position as the NFL does, Lamar.

Says Petrino: "The best part about Lamar is his eagerness to learn. He wants to know everything about the position, about the game. This will be successful because he will put in the time and effort to make it successful."  

"I'm far from a finished product," Jackson says.

As wildly successful as last year was for Jackson, teams began to figure out what Louisville was doing. Because of that, the Cardinals' biggest coaching advantage—Petrino's ability to out-scheme opponents—wasn't fully executed. Louisville lost its final three games because the Cardinals were exposed as predictable with Jackson in the shotgun, and were a fatigued team that didn't have its typical electric legs on offense.

Jackson had three passing touchdowns and three interceptions in the last three games, and failed to score in the Citrus Bowl against LSU. His final line in that game was an indicator of where things were headed for 2017: 10-for-27 for 153 yards passing with 33 rushing yards on 26 carries.

When you're standing in the shotgun play after play, you're making decisions play after play—and there's no physical or mental break. The Louisville run game was essentially Jackson giving or keeping on the zone read after reading the defensive end.

The stress of the passing game, meanwhile, was compounded by Jackson breaking containment and running too quickly—and getting sacked or eliminating the chance for a big play. By the end of the season, he was mentally wiped out. "A long year," Jackson says. "We were definitely not the same team late in the year."

Before spring practice began, Petrino heard legendary quarterback Peyton Manning talk about how calling plays wore on him over his NFL career. The mental stress of making the right call at the right time, and then having to pull it off physically, was overwhelming late in his career.

That last month of the season, when Louisville scored 10 points against Houston, nine against LSU and lost to an inferior Kentucky team, it began to sink in. Petrino had to alleviate the load on Jackson—not just to get him ready for the NFL, but also to find another offensive option that would make the Cardinals a better team.

"It's going to be a balancing act of not making him make a decision every single play," Petrino says. "We need to find time where he can relax and hand the ball off and let the offensive line and running backs work. But we can't take away what he does best."

One factor that might help make Jackson—and Louisville—more successful in this transition is Petrino. If Jackson is going to redefine who he is in a mere handful of months, Petrino's maybe the perfect guy to guide him. Super Bowl-winning coach Tom Coughlin once told me Petrino is the most audacious quarterbacks coach and play-caller he'd ever been around. He is, by many accounts, the most demanding and dynamic at any level of football.

"[Jackson] has to get ready to play at the next level, and not many guys will make that happen better than [Petrino]," another NFL scout says. "He's this great unknown right now. He's full of potential but extremely raw in the nuances of playing the position in our league. Those little things make a difference between playing 10 years and crapping out after four.

"If he shows he can play the position under center, and continue to play at a high level, that's going to alleviate a lot of anxiety with a lot of teams."

For Petrino, this transition isn't unconventional. What was unconventional was two years ago when he signed an unthinkably gifted athlete who also played quarterback (and hell, if it didn't work out at quarterback, Jackson could be an All-American at some other position).

Two years later, Jackson has accounted for 74 total touchdowns (32 rushing) and a Heisman Trophy in 2016—all because Petrino shelved his NFL-style attack for the more user-friendly shotgun-and-zone-read system preferred by most in college football.

That all changed this spring, when Petrino began the annual 15 practices by going an entire week with Jackson under center. No shotgun, no zone-read run game. No quick-game catch and throw after the snap.

Jackson was 13 the last time he played quarterback under center, a tall (6-feet), lanky kid who was more athletic and faster than everyone on the field. A player, on pure talent alone, who led his team to an unbeaten season and a youth league championship.

We've already seen what pure talent has done for Jackson at the college level. Now it's time to find out what playing the position in its truest sense can bring.

Play-action passes. Throwing on time. Going through progressions. Trusting your protection. Playing the position like an NFL quarterback.

That also means taking the one thing that makes Jackson so uniquely special—his ability to create chaos for defenses in the run game and scrambling—and making it a second option.

The sound of that, Jackson is told, is precarious at best. He smiles and nods, almost like he agrees. He knows it's a struggle.

Then the greedy, I-want-it-all grin is back on his face.

"Everyone thinks I'm a guy who just runs around and makes plays," he says. "I can't wait to get out there and prove everyone wrong. Anyone who thinks we can't do it, just watch. Watch us win a championship."

The insatiable know they can.

Former Louisville cornerback Shaq Wiggins is a graduate transfer looking for somewhere to play next season, but Cardinals coach Bobby Petrino apparently restricted him from five potential destinations.

On Friday, Edward Aschoff of ESPN.com reported Wiggins said Petrino restricted him from transferring to Kentucky, Mississippi State, Purdue, Notre Dame and Western Kentucky. 

Transfer restrictions happen in college football, and Kentucky makes sense considering it is Louisville's rival and the two teams play on an annual basis. What's more, Purdue is on the 2017 schedule for the Cardinals, so it follows Petrino wouldn't want Wiggins on the other sideline.

Notre Dame and Western Kentucky aren't on the slate but are in the Midwest area. One could speculate they target similar players to Louisville, so Petrino may not want them to succeed and look more attractive to said prospects.

The SEC's Mississippi State is the one that stands out, and Wiggins said it would be on his short list were it not for the restrictions.

Bulldogs defensive coordinator Todd Grantham used to work for the Cardinals, and the cornerback wondered if that had something to do with it, per Aschoff:

When [Petrino] said Mississippi State, I was like, it had to be deeper than what it seems to be because Louisville doesn't play Mississippi State. It just so happened to be Mississippi State on there, once Coach Grantham left.

I really don't know what's his state of thinking or why he chose to put Mississippi State on there. It's something personal, but I have no idea why. It's really not fair.

Wiggins played for Grantham at Georgia in 2013 and followed him to Louisville in 2014. Former Louisville cornerbacks coach Terrell Buckley is also on the current Bulldogs' staff.

Wiggins appeared in just six games for the Cardinals in 2016 and did not tally an interception. However, he notched a combined four picks in 2013 for Georgia and 2015 for Louisville and is a talented playmaker who was a 4-star prospect in the class of 2013, per Scout.

Aschoff noted the defensive back plans on appealing the restrictions and is looking to enroll somewhere by June or July.

Louisville quarterback Jawon Pass and wide receiver Traveon Samuel were cited in separate traffic incidents in January, it was reported Thursday.

According to Steve Jones and Justin Sayers of the Courier-Journal, Pass was charged with marijuana possession on the morning of Jan. 22 while blocking a traffic lane with his car. He was also charged with failing to possess a license, having an expired plate and blocking a lane. 

Per Jones, Samuel is facing charges of racing a motor vehicle on a public highway, speeding in excess of 25 mph and reckless driving after he was pulled over while going 115 mph in a 70 mph zone on Jan. 6.

Louisville head coach Bobby Petrino is aware of both incidents and is handling them internally, according to a team spokesman.

Pass is scheduled to be in court on March 9, per Jones and Sayers, while Samuel will have his court date on Feb. 20.

Neither Pass nor Samuel was arrested for the alleged infractions.

Pass redshirted as a freshman in 2016 while Lamar Jackson won the Heisman Trophy as Louisville's starting signal-caller.

Samuel saw regular playing time last season as a sophomore, registering 18 receptions for 230 yards and one touchdowns, along with another touchdown on 54 rushing yards.

While Pass figures to serve as a backup in 2017, Samuel is in line for an increased role, as the Cardinals' top three receivers in terms of yardage were lost to graduation.

Caleb Chandler solidified his place as one of the nation's top offensive linemen during his time at Jefferson High School, and the 6'5", 302-pound 4-star force parlayed that status into a commitment to Louisville on Sunday.  

https://twitter.com/Calebchandler55/status/820678064887726080

Chandler's decision came after he had narrowed down his choices to Louisville, Florida and Oklahoma State on Jan. 6. 

Back in April 2016, Chandler initially whittled down his list of prospective schools to 10: Louisville, Mississippi State, Colorado State, Missouri, Memphis, Iowa State, Maryland, Southern Mississippi, East Carolina and the University of Texas at San Antonio. 

And while he committed to Iowa State in July, Chandler reversed his decision a couple of weeks later and decided to explore his options once again. 

"I would like to thank Coach [Matt] Campbell and Coach [Tom] Manning in believing in me from the start, and I have nothing but love for Iowa State University," Chandler wrote on Twitter at the time. "But after ALOT of thought and talking with my parents and family, I feel like I may have rushed my commitment."

Chandler emerged as the 22nd-ranked offensive guard among all 2017 prospects and the third-ranked guard in the state of Georgia, according to Scout. 

Scout's official evaluation asserted that "Chandler is an offensive tackle in high school, but his highest ceiling may be at guard on the next level. He is a finisher. Chandler loves to finish his blocks and to put his opponent in the dirt. He has very good quickness off the ball, and he really can fire off the ball low with good pad level."

Chandler will be a welcome addition to the Cardinals.

Even though it's unclear where he'll slot in along Louisville's offensive line, Chandler's ability to play as a tackle or guard might make him an instant-impact contributor once he adjusts to life in a new scheme. 

Learning new concepts and tactical verbiage will take a bit of time, but Chandler will give the Cardinals some peace of mind should they suffer any injuries along the offensive line during his first year with the program. 

Given his versatility to hold down the fort at multiple spots on the offensive line, it shouldn't take long for Chandler to emerge as a dependable mauler who can thrive as a staple in pass protection or as a run-blocker for years to come. 

   

All recruit information courtesy of Scout. 

Mike Summers, who served as the Louisville Cardinals' offensive line coach from 2003 to 2006, is returning to the school to take on a dual role as the team's co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach. 

"I'm excited to welcome back Mike Summers to our staff as our new co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach," head coach Bobby Petrino said in a press release on Louisville's official website Saturday. "Coach Summers brings 37 years of coaching experience to the table, and he fits the philosophy and direction of where this offense is headed."

In a corresponding move, Petrino announced former offensive line coach Chris Klenakis will transition to a new role as the team's tight ends coach. Additionally, Petrino announced Tony Grantham, who previously coached inside linebackers and special teams, is no longer with the program.

"I'm so excited to be back in the state of Kentucky and be reunited with Coach Petrino," Summers said in the press release. "I think he is the best football coach in the country, and I'm excited to be part of something special at Louisville."

Now that he's back with the Cardinals, Summers will be tasked with keeping their rushing attack humming.

Last season, Louisville rushed for a 13th-ranked 242.2 yards per game en route to finishing the year sixth among all FBS teams in average scoring with 42.5 points per contest.

But perhaps more important for Summers will be keeping quarterback Lamar Jackson out of harm's way.

Louisville allowed 47 sacks last season—which was the third-worst mark in the nation behind San Jose State and Maryland—and the Cardinals will need to keep the reigning Heisman Trophy winner upright at all costs if they want to make good on their tremendous potential.

Louisville Cardinals quarterback Lamar Jackson cemented himself as the nation's most dynamic quarterback during a 2016 season in which he tallied 51 total touchdowns en route to capturing the Heisman Trophy, but one ACC coach isn't convinced his electric dual-threat stylings will translate to the NFL. 

In a piece penned by Sports Illustrated's Pete Thamel, the anonymous ACC coach declared that Clemson Tigers signal-caller Deshaun Watson is a superior prospect to Jackson—whom he believes does not have a future playing on Sundays.  

"Watson has a chance to be at least as good as [Jameis] Winston," he said. "We played he and Lamar Jackson, and Jackson has no shot at playing quarterback in the NFL. None. He can’t make the throws and can’t read coverages. He’s not going to have a chance. Watson stands tall in the pocket and whips the ball around like Ben Roethlisberger."

On Wednesday, Jackson seemingly responded to the coach's comments with a short and simple post on Twitter: 

If they hating, You must be doing something right🤷🏾‍♂️

— Lamar Jackson (@Lj_era8) January 11, 2017

Jackson may not be a prototypical pocket passer built in the mold of successful NFL gunslingers, but he made encouraging strides with his arm after he relied heavily on his legs during a shaky freshman season. 

"As a passer, Jackson has improved his overall approach from the pocket, which has helped improve his accuracy with intermediate and deep throws," NFL.com's Lance Zierlein wrote in September. "Because of that, he's hitting a much higher percentage of big plays with his arm."

To that point, Jackson improved upon his freshman numbers and completed 56.2 percent of his passes at a more robust 8.7 yards per attempt while topping 3,500 yards through the air. 

Season	Comp. %	Pass Yds	YPA	Pass TD	Rush Yds	Rush TD
2015	54.7	1,840	7.4	12	960	11
2016	56.2	3,543	8.7	30	1,571	21

The good news for Jackson—who's far from a finished product—is that he'll have the 2017 season to hone his tantalizing skill set even more before he becomes draft-eligible in 2018. 

And if 2016 were any indication, Jackson's game should continue to evolve as he seeks to develop into a quarterback whose pro credentials can't be questioned. 

Most #2016 thing ever #CitrusBowl pic.twitter.com/CJbmgC65WP

— Andrew Woolley (@AWoolley42) December 31, 2016

Louisville Cardinals linebackers James Hearns and Henry Famurewa were both shot near the school's campus Dec. 11.

Neither student-athlete suffered any life-threatening injuries, but according to a graphic by ABC, it caused them to miss Saturday's Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl against the LSU Tigers in Orlando, Florida.

According to WHAS11 News' Tabnie L. Dozier, the shooting occurred at a party celebrating quarterback Lamar Jackson's 2016 Heisman Trophy victory. Famurewa, a redshirt sophomore, reportedly tried to break up an altercation: 

Students tell me they were celebrating @Lj_era8 's #Heisman victory at the apartments & Famurewa was trying to break up a fight. @WHAS11

— Tabnie L. Dozier (@TVTabnie) December 11, 2016

According to Gun Violence Archive, there have been 57,581 reported gun-related incidents in 2016.        

[h/t Andrew Woolley]