UofL Football ends season with disappointment but far from a failure

By: Raashaan Myers

     The University of Louisville Football season has had the ups and downs, twist and turns, of an award winning John Gresham novel. We have laughed, we have cried, we have gotten our hopes up, and we have had our dreams crushed. When I think about the late great Jim Valvano and he says you should laugh, cry, and think I'd believe he would approve of this Cardinal team's ability to make folks do all three. So much so that even yours truly got caught in the crossfire after an uneasy stare down with UofL Coach Bobby Petrino. But for all the drama and now as our hero seems to be down and out take heart that this is simply the growing pains of an emerging football powerhouse.

     There have been few examples of teams busting through the door and taking permanent residence at the big boy table of college football. That is the rare feat that UofL is very close to obtaining but like all great endeavors it is never easy. That being said this 2016 football has pushed the Cardinal program well ahead of schedule in making Tom Jurich's dream a reality. But as it is with most things the last few steps are always the hardest and those will be the most critical that we should all watch closely from here on out.

     First and foremost will be the continued growth of UofL Football's most prized possession and explosive weapon Heisman favorite Lamar Jackson.  Jackson's ascent from part time gimmick starter to now big Heisman favorite over a year's time has been none short of amazing. He has grown and matured as a quarterback and to me even more impressively as a vocal leader for the program. The next step is squarely on Coach Petrino to figure out how he wants to build this offense around Jackson. As amazing as it sounds Lamar had one of the greatest offensive seasons in the history of college football as the first player to ever throw for 3300 yards and rush for 1500 yards while Coach Petrino struggled to find a happy medium between teaching Lamar the position, finding an offensive identity, and letting Lamar be his improvisational self as a player. When you consider that Jackson is still only about 60% of what he could become as a passer the possibilities are truly frightening.

     Second step is about the harmony with the defensive side of the ball. Too often and again after the game Saturday the pot shots were lobbed at Todd Grantham and the UofL defenders. And while I agree that the defense was the key culprit in the startling loss to UK I have also seen this defense countless times this year keep UofL in games and fight off opposing offenses from getting into the endzone after several of UofL's nation leading number of fumbles to keep the Cards from getting buried. The UofL defense has lead this team to far more victories than it has losses so cheap shots to me don't do anything for harmony inside the program. But on Coach Grantham's end he needs to find some way to do a better job of getting his guys off the field on 3rd down and keeping his best players healthy and engaged. Also UofL has struggled mightily in games where they faced mobile QBs and coincidentally those where the games when the Cardinal defense has been torched the most. A lot like the offense the UofL defense with all its issues still ended up 11th in total defense so with some tweaks one wonders just how good they can be with added talent waiting in the wings and on the recruiting trail.

     Lastly this team may need an injection of heart and fire. I have spoken with several Petrino players and one thing those guys have lamented about this current regime is the void left by Paul Petrino. I have heard from several players that the combination of Bobby's skill and Paul's fire and heart made them the dynamic duo. Many wonder if this team has that same fire and guy who can really hold the current Cardinal's accountable and get them fired up and focused. I thought that was an interesting commentary but there have been times this year when the team's focus and heart have been questioned. An interesting observation and one that I'm not sure how or even if this issue will be addressed but that is something to keep an eye on was well.

     All in all the UofL season started with a lot of unknown commodities, slowed turned to dreams of the College Football playoff, and ended with disheartening losses to Houston and archrival Kentucky. That is a lot to deal with but considering the amount of young talent leading this team starting with Lamar Jackson, a huge profile boost thanks to UofL's amazing run at the playoff which has led to a boon in recruiting, and a coaching staff and AD that is second to none the best is surely yet to come. But it is a work in progress and the lessons learned this year are the building blocks for big things to come.

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Reflections On The Skins Loss To The Cowboys

By Mark Bacon

The Cowboys owned the Redskins’ once again in their 31-26 Thanksgiving Day victory in Dallas. Washington had their chances. That’s something true in every one of their losses (aside from the Pittsburgh defeat) and the tie. But they came up short in key areas.

Slow start – One can’t help but wonder how this game would have turned out had the Redskins gotten off to a better start. The Cowboys moved the ball at a 10-years-per-play clip en route to their first touchdown. Washington needed to hit back, but instead got nothing. They got the ball inside the 20, then a penalty backed them up five yards, then Chris Thompson lost three more yards, then a holding penalty moved the ball back another 10 yards. Instead of having a shot at a manageable touchdown or field goal, the Redskins faced fourth-and-16 and had to settle for the 43-yard Hopkins field goal. But the late arrival of Morgan Moses on the kickoff protection unit (replacing an injured Brandon Scherff) forced the burning of a timeout and iced Hopkins. Not the way you want to open any game, let alone a divisional matchup with a red hot foe.

Abandoned the run – In their past three games, the Redskins offense has thrived because of balance. An ability to run the ball – and get chunks of yards on first downs – has opened up the playbook. But because of a slow start and a 17-6 halftime hole, coaches scrapped the run for a pass-heavy attack. Kirk Cousins certainly lit it up, throwing for 449 yards and three touchdowns, and he did a great job of getting rid of the ball to avoid taking sacks. Still, offense operates at its best when Washington remains committed to the run, but give the Cowboys credit for making it hard for the Redskins to get much of anything going on the ground. Rob Kelley was held to no gain once, and stopped for a loss three times. His carries: 3 yards, 0, 8, -1, 4, 4, 4, 8, 1, 2, -2, -2, 7, 1. Kelley didn’t run poorly or appear to miss on his keys. Dallas simply succeeded in making Washington’s offense one-dimensional.

Red zone problems – Yes, they returned. Washington was 2-for-5 in scoring opportunities inside the 20-yard line and paid for it. In their two games against Dallas, Washington is 5-for-11. Thursday night’s misses could have been avoided. On the first trip inside the 20, two Cowboys came unblocked and dropped Chris Thompson for a three-yard loss. On the second, Jordan Reed didn’t block cornerback Byron Jones, who wasn’t where Reed expected him. Dallas defensive backs did a good job of jamming the Redskins receivers the next play, and Kirk Cousins came under pressure and couldn’t make a good enough throw. More protection issues led to the missed opportunity on the next failed red zone trip. Gruden said there were things that he and his assistants and his players could have done better. He has said this for much of the year when Washington comes up short in the red zone. It’s perplexing because they have no trouble moving the ball and picking up key third downs. But they can’t consistently convert at the goal line.

Speed needs on defense – Thursday’s loss served as another reminder of Washington’s speed deficiency. Far too often, linebackers got to areas of the field a step — or two or three — too late. This offseason, Washington must go after at least one inside linebacker with better range and closing speed, an outside linebacker who plays better in space, an aggressive thumper of a strong safety, and a rangy free safety to clean up messes on the back end. But for now, coaches must find a solution at nickelback as well. Often, we appeared to be standing still in the defensive backfield against the Cowboy’s speed.

Hope remains – At 6-4-1, the Skins remain in position for the second of the two NFC wild-card spots. The rest of the schedule features three road games (at Arizona, Philadelphia and Chicago), and home games versus Carolina and the Giants. Thanks to a potent offense, the Redskins have been in every game since Week 2, so they should remain competitive down the stretch. The Cardinals, Eagles and Panthers all are struggling. The Redskins can pick up several more key victories before hosting the Giants in what looks like a very key game in Week 17.

Postscript - Skins tight end Jordan Reed, the team’s leading receiver, suffered a Grade 3 AC joint separation in his left shoulder, Coach Jay Gruden said on ESPN980 radio on Friday after the tight end underwent an MRI to determine the severity of his injury.

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College Football Playoff Committee your bias is showing

By: Raashaan Myers

     This not a scathing article about the injustice of the University of Louisville's standing in the initial College Football Rankings which the College Football Playoff Committee dropped yesterday on my birthday. (Thanks for the gift! LOL) It is not an article about giving scenarios about the best path for the Cardinals to make the playoff. I completely submit that you can make a very strong case for Ohio State and Texas A&M being ranked ahead of UofL. What I am here to do is talk about the fact that for some reason the New Founding Fathers of College Football has on their own decided that the SEC and Big Ten conferences are God's gift to football regardless of what we have seen on the field of play.

     My bone to pick is the blatant and ridiculous amount of favoritism being given to the SEC and the Big Ten. The CFPC has placed 10 of the top 13 teams from those two conferences. By doing this you can pretty much excuse away any loss or close game that is played in either conference and use that to basically make sure that if there is a 2nd team from a conference it will come from those two leagues. I mean I am okay if you truly believe that Auburn, Penn State, or LSU are on the come up but ranking them #9, #12, and #13 in the rankings is asinine and really just makes the whole thing lose all credibility. It stinks of good ole boy network and pretty much makes college football look bad. They have to have more diversity in there.

     This ranking gives me serious pause in trusting the whole system because literally by the current rankings these guys and gals have just said we are pretty much going to do what they want to in these rankings. The SEC coming out of the non-conference portion of the schedule was deemed to be as down this year as it has been in 15 years with Bama picking up on the only resounding non-con win vs USC. Yet somehow on the strength of all the "other guys" in the SEC beating each other they have somehow gained perception power for this season. By doing this the committee can excuse away any loss or close win by citing conference strength that the committee themselves has installed.

     The Big Ten is bias is not as bad based on the nonconference victories of Ohio St over Oklahoma and Wisconsin's win vs LSU at Lambeau Field. But still the fact that you take and place a Penn State team that gets some luck and pulls out a win at home vs the Buckeyes is now #12 is a bit much as well. And now you have a situation and a narrative that basically says we think only 2 conferences are worth anything and everyone else can kick rocks. I don't think that is very balanced or fair.

     All in all this is just another example of the screwed up nature of the popularity based system of college football that has existed for a long long time. And while there is still a ton of football to play this first set of rankings does not give me much confidence in this committee moving forward. I also have heard some give the theory that maybe the CFPC just simply wanted to screw with the rankings to give some made for TV drama and talking points for the nation. If that is true then college football is in deeper trouble than I currently imagine.

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Redskins Blow Chance To Beat Bengals In OT

By Mark Bacon

"That's a long way to go to kiss your sister" - Bengals radio broadcaster Dave Lapham

While many of the NFL’s previous 17 regular season games in London have been damp squibs, Sunday’s contest was a bloody thrill, warts (22 combined penalties, dreadful kicking, turnovers), tie and all. One minute you’re about to give the Redskins credit for a terrific rally; the next minute you’re looking at all the wasted chances because there were many. What the Redskins don’t want is to look back on the season and feel the same way, but that’s where they’re headed.

The Skins traded blows with the Bengals but neither team could deliver the final blow in a 27-27 tie on Sunday. Washington had three of the five total possessions in the 15-minute overtime, but neither team could score, and the game became the NFL’s second tie this week.

Place kicker Dustin Hopkins missed a 34-yard field goal with 2 minutes 9 seconds left in overtime that would’ve given the Redskins the victory. Bengals Coach Marvin Lewis successfully iced the kicker, as Hopkins drilled his first attempt after the timeout was called, but hooked his second attempt wide left. The Bengals never came close to attempting a field goal in overtime, as their three possessions ended with a punt and a turnover when defensive end Anthony Lanier recovered quarterback Andy Dalton’s fumble with 1:02 left.

The Redskins overcame a 10-point deficit in the second half to grab the lead on two drives longer than 80 yards. Cousins connected with tight end Jordan Reed, who reversed field after the play to dive into the end zone on a 23-yard touchdown. Then he found wide receiver Jamison Crowder, who was wide open for a 33-yard score, to give Washington a 24-20 lead with nine and a half minutes left in regulation. The Redskins gained a combined 173 yards on those drives as Cousins was effective on intermediate throws against the Bengals.

Jeremy Hill helped Cincinnati retake the lead, 27-24, with 6:54 left, and Hopkins made a 40-yard field goal with 2:08 left to tie the game at 27.

The Redskins led 10-7 at halftime, but they had opportunities to head into the locker room with a larger advantage. The offense was able to move the ball, outgaining Cincinnati 226-82, but Washington scored just one touchdown on three trips to the red zone. After an impressive 15-play drive to start the game that ended on a four-yard touchdown run from Rob Kelley, the Redskins offense on the ensuing two possessions failed to convert on fourth and one at the 18 and settled for a field goal two yards away from the end zone.

While Cincinnati finished with 415 total yards, it had just 82 in the first half. The Bengals scored their only first-half touchdown on their first possession following a 65-yard kick return from Alex Erickson. Bengals running back Giovani Bernard scored on an eight-yard touchdown seven plays later. Cincinnati finished with 152 rushing yards.

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NBA Opening Night

The Warriors will not go 82-0; The King Is In No Mood To Cede The Throne

By Mark Bacon

New York Knicks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers

LeBron James picked up right where he left off, posting a triple-double in his Cavaliers’ season-opening win Tuesday over the Knicks, just as he had during June’s NBA title-clinching win over the Warriors. James also used the return of NBA action to dunk all over New York.

James threw down six jams in all, just one off his career high.

The aerial assault was part of a 19-point outing, on 9-of-14 shooting (lots of high-percentage looks Tuesday). James added 14 assists and 11 rebounds — for the 43rd triple-double of his career and the first on the NBA’s opening night since Jason Kidd in 2006 — and he notched a game-high plus/minus of +24 in just over 32 minutes of play, as his Cavs throttled the Knicks, 117-88.

Cleveland’s night began with the hoisting of its championship banner and the handing out of the championship hardware. Having gotten his hard-earned ring, James then proceeded to assault the rims, serving notice to the rest of the league that the King was in no mood to cede his throne.

San Antonio Spurs vs. Golden State Warriors

So much for the Golden State Warriors going 82-0.

Tuesday night’s season opener for the Warriors against the San Antonio Spurs here at Oracle Arena was supposed to be a festive occasion and a chance to see Kevin Durant play with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green for the first time in a game that counted. Instead, it turned into a bloodbath, with the Spurs leading wire-to-wire and obliterating the Warriors to the tune of a 129-100 victory in front of a shell-shocked sellout crowd.

There was no reason for them to stick around. The Warriors struggled in all phases of the game: going 7 for 33 from three-point range, giving up 21 offensive rebounds — they were outscored 24-4 in second chance points — and being outrebounded 55-35 overall. The result, combined with Kawhi Leonard looking like MVP candidate with a career-high 35 points and LaMarcus Aldridge adding 26 points and 14 rebounds, was Golden State spent the vast majority of the game trailing by double-digits and looking to be far from the super team they have been billed as — and almost certainly will become — since signing Durant back in July.

San Antonio relentlessly attacked the offensive glass throughout the game, and the Warriors didn’t show nearly enough energy and effort in trying to combat them. The result was the Spurs creating one extra possession after another, and in turn, getting plenty of easy baskets at the rim. Meanwhile, the Warriors consistently struggled to stop the Spurs in transition, to the point where San Antonio actually outscored Golden State 24-20 in fast break points — a stat no one would have guessed before the game.

(As a quick aside: Just how amazing are the Spurs? No Tim Duncan, no Danny Green, and the Spurs come into Oracle Arena and absolutely throttle the Warriors anyway. Leonard was spectacular, going 15 for 15 from the foul line and getting five steals with his Velcro-covered hands, while Aldridge had eight offensive rebounds and gave Golden State’s front line all kinds of trouble. The Spurs might still be all right this season, even as they adjust to playing without Duncan for the first time in two decades).

No, this game didn’t end Golden State’s season, or diminish this team’s status as the obvious title favorites. What it did show, however, is there is still plenty of work to be done.

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How I Spent My Weekend: Three Football Games in 27.5 Hours

By Mark Bacon

Three football games in 27.5 hours, spanning Kentucky’s two largest cities, and covering over 225 miles, was not a long-planned odyssey. I had no clue it was about to unfold until the third quarter of Game One. But when the final whistle blew at Game Three yesterday afternoon, I was able to look back at one of the most satisfying journeys I have been part of. The joy of spontaneity and improvisation joined the spirit and community, or fellowship, of athletes and their fans was manifest by 4 p.m. on a glorious Autumn afternoon.

As a matter of fact, the 27+ hours showcased picture perfect Autumn weather. Perfect football weather. The journey found me in the company of four of my closest friends and many thousands of others, clad predominantly in red, black, blue, green and white. But loyalties, not color, heart and soul, not appearance, were the highest emotions displayed. Good sportsmanship, hard work, commitment to excellence, and happiness ruled the long gridiron day-plus. An American Microcosm of our country at its best. Allowing an escape from the turmoil we as a people are embroiled in.

GAME ONE: NC STATE AT LOUISVILLE
The first leg of the gridiron odyssey was the only planned portion of the weekend. It became more than that; it became the jump off point for the two games that followed. Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium (PJCS) was filled with the Louisville faithful clad in red and black. Mother Nature provided a postcard perfect Autumn day under clear blue skies and colorful trees clad in reds, yellows, and browns.

My impressions are the obvious and not-so-obvious. It was obvious within 90+ seconds that the Louisville Cardinals were the better, yea dominant, team. My hometown’s Heisman hopeful displayed the dazzling talent that has catapulted him into the national discussion. Lamar Jackson, the Cards’ quarterback, blew past Wolfpack defenders with ease 1:33 into the contest, giving Louisville its first score. More, many more, would follow, and by halftime, the score was 44-0. Game over. It was actually over when Jackson and Co. took the field against their overmatched opponents.

Jackson’s passing, not running, was the overall impression of the sophomore QB’s afternoon. The Cards’ Cause was bolstered by a suffocating Louisville defense. The mood in PJCS was ebullient. Joyous. Relief, too, that the Cards had re-energized their brand of football into the “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee” style fans have come to expect early on in the season. The Ali video before the game was apt. Energizing. Emotional. And said it all. What I didn’t get was the music pumped into the stadium. So much heavy metal, a White musical genre for a predominantly Black athletes’ game. I wanted Dilla. Madlib. Kanye… something that I felt the players, many fans and I were wanting to aurally depict the game. Not to be, really, other than a few sanitized “Rap” artists.

Can’t have it all my way; I was content with the domination Louisville displayed against their overmatched opponents from North Carolina. In the third quarter, so complete was the dismantling of NC State, that a text to three other very dear friends began to move the wheels to the next game. In Lexington, KY.

GAME TWO: MISSISSIPPI STATE AT KENTUCKY
I have never seen the University of Kentucky (UK) play a single football game in Lexington’s Commonwealth Stadium. Never expected to, until my Game One friend’s girlfriend called an audible on weekend plans. Causing me to text message another friend to see what his Saturday night plans were. (Mine didn’t include the 2.5 hour drive back to Wolf Creek.) He had two free tickets to UK’s game that evening; did I want to go? Yes!

Game One was over by halftime, so leaving PJCS, climbing into my car and driving 35 miles or so to my UK alumni pal, was the plan for the rest of the day. Before leaving for Lexington, the chance to see a third game in a little over 24 hours was hatched. But first? We scored a free parking pass from a nice cat on a Lexington sidewalk when we him asked for directions… to, uh, parking. Commonwealth Stadium: the facelift on the facility looked great. It was an expected sea of blue and white (very) fans. Very different in many ways from Louisville’s fans. But all united by love for their respective teams.

Entering the stadium, I was immediately blown away. Kanye West’s “Power” was blaring over the loudspeakers and delighted my ears. Other than the volume, which makes ears bleed. But hey, the mood was set. All night, I was shocked at tasteful musical selections, read: Hip Hop. It seemed at odds with what the Wildcat faithful were listening to before to after the game. My thought was “the players gotta dig this!!” I did. Other impressions are the lack of any food worth putting in one’s mouth, let alone stomach, sold there. It was dismal. The worst. As were the cold aluminum bleachers on a cold Autumn night. Note to self: bring a cushion, dress much warmer. Did I mention it was cold?

UK doesn’t share the national respect Louisville has garnered on a football field in the last decade or so. But the team is a collective of athletes united to rep the university and raise the bar for the program. It was a game where few would have predicted the outcome correctly. UK has a losing football culture—and mentality for fans. The paradigm shifted as time expired.

In a seesaw contest, UK had the chance to go up by almost 3 touchdowns, but a Mississippi State strip of Cats’ QB Stevie Johnson doused that dream, and it was deja vu all over again, as they say. Or not?

Not.

Kentucky kicker Austin MacGinnis won the game with a 51-yard field goal at the buzzer. “I knew it was going,” MacGinnis said before pausing. “Unless it was going to hit the crossbar, it was going.” Doubt is part of the culture. It may be changing.

A long drive back to Louisville in the inky darkness of I-64, and a warm house at the destination, were our reward.

GAME THREE: ST. MARTHA'S AT CENTRAL CATHOLIC, LOUISVILLE, KY
My hosts, and great friends in Louisville got us started on another postcard perfect day with a training table breakfast NFL teams would envy. And the star of the afternoon, their sixth grader son, was playing for St. Martha’s Shamrock squad. The son, JK, is a sixth grader, and plays at the JV level in the Catholic Youth Football League. But he suits up for games against the older eighth graders at middle linebacker, QB or other positions he’s needed at. JK is a hard worker who pays attention.

That attention was rewarded with his insertion into a game that soon presented a positive outcome for the ‘Rocks faithful, myself included. To hear “tackle by JK” over the loudspeakers made my day, his parents’ day and I’m sure JK’s. That was cool. I also may have glimpsed the future of Louisville Prep football. His name is KG. His stature is larger than his classmates and teammates, as is his skill sets at running and defensive back. His focus and determination can easily be seen. On the field and on the scoreboard. He shed tacklers like one brushes away gnats. He touched the ball 5 times on offense; that generated 3 touchdowns. KG is what they call a “stud.” He is.

Also on display were a shining sense of community within these school’s fan base. Add good sportsmanship, hard work, never say quit attitude and a lot of heart and soul. I was blessed to see the contest (which St. Martha won) causing me to think it was the best of the three contests on the gridiron.

And all three games demonstrated the best in character, determination and cooperation the United States has to offer. THAT was a welcome oasis in today’s national climate.

I can’t wait until next Sunday… Go KG, JK and the Rocks!!!

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Louisville Sleepwalks To Victory Over Duke

By Mark Bacon

Friday night many people tuned in to see one of the Nation’s hottest college football teams; The Louisville Cardinals hosted the Duke Blue Devils. What we saw, however? To paraphrase Haven Harrington, Louisville looked like the Clemson loss nearly sucked the life out of them. They were sloppy and sleepwalking. The stadium sounded quiet on TV. If the Dookies beat them? The life WOULD be sucked out of the team’s Playoff hopes.

Instead, behind who else? Lamar Jackson, the Cards survived Duke, 24-14. The same Blue Devil team who lost to Northwestern. No one loses to Northwestern.

The rain played a role, but everything seemed off. There were many miscues and errors caused by Duke’s defense, who deserve credit. Their blitz packages and heavy jumbo sets threw off the rhythm of LJax most of the evening.

Then fate intervened. Louisville benefited from Duke’s late roughing-the-kicker penalty and got a big rushing night from Lamar Jackson to escape Duke. After the Blue Devils’ personal foul on a missed field-goal try kept U of L’s drive alive, Jackson ran for a 2-yard touchdown with 1:32 left to give U of L (5-1, 3-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) enough cushion to win in a game in which the Cardinals were 34.5-point favorites.

Jackson had 144 of Louisville’s 288 rushing yards and completed 13 of 26 passes for 181 yards and a touchdown, and Jeremy Smith ran for an 80-yard touchdown to help the Cards survive the Dookies (3-4, 0-3.

Duke’s offense was never too explosive, averaging just four yards per play, but it succeeded in converting enough third downs to eat up the clock and keep Jackson sidelined. The Blue Devils led U of L in time of possession 37:12 to 22:48. Duke’s slow-down game sped up the process, as the game finished in 2 hours, 52 minutes. It was a masterful game plan by Duke coach David Cutcliffe.

The strategy put a scare into the Cards. Daniel Jones’ 20-yard touchdown pass to Johnathan Lloyd with 6:34 left capped a 15-play, 75-yard drive of 8 minutes, 54 seconds and cut U of L’s lead to 17-14.

Looking for a touchdown to put the game away, Louisville drove back down the field and reached Duke’s 17, but Traveon Samuel and Jackson were tackled for losses on back-to-back plays, and U of L, eventually facing fourth-and-22, brought out Evan O’Hara for a 46-yard field-goal attempt with 2:05 left. O’Hara’s kick missed wide left, but Duke’s Breon Borders dived and rolled into O’Hara, who fell forward onto him. The 15-yard penalty gave U of L an automatic first down.

U of L was given new life at the Duke 14-yard line, Jackson ran for 12 yards, then 2 yards for the TD.

Now… Final Four? Heisman? It’s not going to happen. Last night was a reality check and a step into a world of increased expectations that, for one evening, seemed out of reach.

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