UofL showing maturity all around in year 3

By: Raashaan Myers

     As the final train horn sounded last week at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium and the scoreboard reflected the dominance everyone witnessed all afternoon UofL 63 FSU 20. As expected and deservedly so there was a ton of praise to go around in all phases of the game. Heisman favorite Lamar Jackson displayed the dynamic ability to beat the Florida State defense with both his arm and his legs accounting for 5 TDs gobbling up yards like Pacman. Running back Brandon Radcliff held up his end of the bargain as the perfect complement to Jackson gaining over 100 yards on the ground and a TD as well as standout performances by all the Cardinal WRs. The UofL defense harassed the Noles QB Deondre Francois all afternoon as well as All American running back Dalvin Cook.  All those things were easy to see, but what impressed me was much more understated yet still just as important.

     The advantage of having seen UofL head coach Bobby Petrino build an empire once before is that you know what it looks like. Even before having a roster full of NFL talent the first time around the Cards carried themselves with a swagger of a powerhouse. It was always great to see a team that so believed in themselves and their coaching staff that failure was not an option. That quality had been missing the first two years at UofL as the Cards had so much turnover on the offensive side of the ball that very little traction could be gained early on. But finally starting this season UofL came into the year with an unquestioned starter at QB and an offense that had some experience. Immediately UofL began to have the offensive success on the field that had eluded them the first two seasons. You could really see the confidence and maturity shine through versus an over-matched Charlotte team week one as well as on the road vs. conference foe Syracuse.  

     But the true test would come last week vs. FSU which would truly display just how far this UofL program had come in the 2^nd Petrino regime. Well as everyone from here to China knows by now is that UofL is REALLY back. The experience and confidence displayed by the Cards last Saturday afternoon looked awfully familiar to the Red and Black faithful. The mentality and attitude of “We are going to score” and “You can’t stop us” type attitude permeated throughout the team on both sides of the ball. That confidence comes from success and as we have seen before it only strengthens as the weeks go by. The mental side of the game is huge in football because maturity, experience, and confidence leads a team to play faster and boldly. That attacking and aggressive mentality gives UofL that edge that was a hallmark of the first Bobby P tenure.

     What is even more exciting that what’s new the second time around Coach Petrino. Many fail to consider that UofL was Bobby’s first head coaching job and while he was plenty talented he himself was young and prone to mistakes and missteps. Too often would I see the Cards come out like a house on fire scoring with ease in big games taking commanding leads only to see Coach P get conservative and sit on the lead only to see teams like Miami, WVU, and Rutgers comeback to beat UofL. Of all the great things Coach Petrino did well the propensity to get too conservative too early plagued him early in his career.  Well in his first chance to show what he learned the second time around Bobby passed the test with flying colors as UofL continued to stay aggressive and just pulverize FSU in front of a national television audience clearly establishing who the best team on the field was that afternoon. That type of mentality is something that this team will carry with them the rest of the year.

     Lastly the maturity I saw after the game as well was both noticeable and displayed just how far UofL has come in year 3. Right after dispatching the Noles in impressive fashion team leaders Josh Harvey-Clemons and James Quick came into the post-game press conference as calm and composed as could be for college kids that just made a huge national statement. They didn’t act surprised or overwhelmed by the performance, but like they had been there before though they hadn’t. And not only that they wanted to only talk about the fact that Marshall was coming up and that they needed to lock in for that game as this journey is only just beginning. That level of maturity to me speaks volumes of where this team and program as a whole is headed. I can’t wait to see what happens from here and I have a feeling that I’m not the only one.

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Ex–‘Skin Alfred Morris Scores Go-Ahead TD, Dallas Wins 27-23; Washington drops to 0-2

By Mark Bacon

What was expected to be a promising year for the Washington Redskins has been anything but in their first two games. They lost to the Cowboys, 27-23, in their first division game of the season.

This afternoon's loss has Washington sinking to 0-2 for the first time in Jay Gruden’s tenure as the team’s coach. Winless teams after Week 2 have historically struggled to make the playoffs, an expectation that the Redskins had following an NFC East title last year. (Since 2006, just nine of the 86 teams to start 0-2 have made the playoffs; that's 10.5 percent).

There have been issues on both sides of the ball, led by Kirk Cousins. He hasn’t looked like the quarterback who led Washington to clinch the division and a winning record in 2015. Instead, he looks like a quarterback who is uncertain in the pocket. And unable to successfully complete a pass in clutch situations.

The Redskins started consecutive possessions in Cowboys territory, but settled for field goals both times, first to tie, then take a 23-20 lead with four seconds left in the third quarter.

With an opportunity to take a commanding 10-point lead with almost 10 minutes left in the game, Cousins was picked off by safety Barry Church in the end zone on a third and goal situation at the 6 to stall a 73-yard drive. Cousins finished the day 28 of 46 for 364 yards with a touchdown and an interception, but threw the ball with four defenders surrounding wide receiver Pierre Garçon, who demonstratively expressed his frustration to Cousins after the play.

The concerns continued on defense, where the Redskins couldn’t get off the field on third downs. The Cowboys retaliated following the interception with an 11-play, 80-yard drive to take the lead. Rookie quarterback Dak Prescott connected with wide receiver Cole Beasley for 12 yards on a crucial third and 11 at the Redskins’ 24 to move the sticks. Dallas was 6 of 12 on third downs, marking the second straight game the Redskins have allowed opponents to convert half of their third downs.

Two plays later, former Redskins running back Alfred Morris powered his way into the end zone for the game-winning touchdown run. Morris had five carries for seven yards, none more important than that four-yard run with 4 minutes 49 seconds left against the team he spent his first four seasons with. In his second career start, Prescott outplayed Cousins, completing 22 of his 30 passes for 292 yards. He also scored on a six-yard run in the third quarter.

The cherry on top? Both defeats occurred at home to match Washington’s loss total at FedEx Field from last season. Washington can only hope to match its 6-2 record from 2015, despite home games against three NFC teams that also made the playoffs – the Minnesota Vikings, the Green Bay Packers and the Carolina Panthers.

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Louisville Flattens Florida State, 63-20

By Mark Bacon

The Cardinals opponent at Papa John’s Stadium was not the lowly garden variety, like bottom-feeder Charlotte or Syracuse. It was Florida State University, as dominant a team as college football has had in the last decade. Or more. Louisville annihilated them, 63-20.

J-Hazz, producer of the Main Event Sports Radio Show on WLOU said it best on the program last night: “Unbelievable.” I, too, was left speechless. But have a few thoughts I’d like to share with readers.

LAMAR JACKSON—Through three games, the Louisville quarterback has as strong of a case as anyone for the Heisman. He’s responsible for 18 touchdowns—eight passing and 10 rushing—and on Saturday, he looked nearly as good against the country’s No. 2 team as he did running all over Conference USA doormat UNC-Charlotte two weeks ago.

Jackson finished the day with 216 passing yards and 146 yards on the ground. At the end of Louisville’s win, only one other team had scored as many touchdowns as Jackson has singlehandedly this season. He was a YouTube star at Boynton Beach High in Florida, and he looked the part again Saturday, cutting and spinning his way into the end zone and baffling Florida State's defense.

2. Let’s not ignore Louisville’s defense, either

LOUISVILLE'S DEFENSE—Todd Grantham’s unit was just as dominant as Jackson on Saturday—which might be the most impressive thing we learned about the Cardinals. Grantham runs the closest thing to an NFL defense there is in college, driving home to his players that they must master multiple positions. His biggest knock as a coordinator at Louisville had been his unit’s propensity to give up big plays, but that didn’t happen Saturday; the unit allowed just 284 total yards and held Florida State’s star running back Dalvin Cook to just 54, his fewest this season and his fewest in a regular-season game since Week 3 of 2015.

Devonte Fields and Josh Harvey-Clemons, two of Louisville's most dynamic pass-rushers who could have left for the NFL last spring, looked like some of the top defenders in the games—and like their bet to stay in school another year to up their draft status might be paying off. The level of elite talent on Grantham's speedy unit is indisputable, and Louisville is milking it for all its potential.

THE HEISMAN RACE—(1) Lamar Jackson (2) Who Cares?

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Mike Lonergan Fired As George Washington University's Men's Basketball Coach; Louisville Alum Hajj Turner Favorite As New Head Coach

From espn.com:

George Washington University Men's Basketball Coach Mike Lonergan has been fired. In a report by The Washington Post in July, multiple former players and staff members said Lonergan, 50, routinely abused his players verbally and emotionally in his assessments and critiques of them, creating an offensive environment and causing many of them to leave the program as a result.

According to The Post, Lonergan told one athlete he belonged in a "transgender league" and suggested that another's son would forever rely on public assistance.

One former player, according to The Post, said he needed therapy to cope after his time playing for Lonergan.

Lonergan's attorney, Scott Tompsett, denied the allegations, telling ESPN in July that the Post article was "full of lies and half-truths." USA Today was first to report news of Lonergan's firing on Friday. The move left members of the George Washington staff in shock, sources told ESPN's Katz.

According to the sources, the team -- which has eight new players, including seven freshmen -- and staff had developed great chemistry during a summer trip to Japan and were excited about the upperclassmen leadership for the season.

A source told ESPN that Lonergan left campus at midday Friday and didn't tell anyone why. George Washington also had a recruit on campus for an official visit Friday and Lonergan unexpectedly didn't show up for dinner with him, a source said.

If the Colonials keep the job in house on an interim basis the favorite would be associate head coach and University of Louisville Alum Hajj Turner (pictured above with Reese Gaines and Coach Rick Pitino), according to a source.

All about the D for Cards vs FSU

By: Raashaan Myers

     Since last Friday's game ended all we have heard about is the ascension of UofL QB Lamar Jackson and the return of the high scoring Bobby Petrino offense. And that is for good reason as the numbers put in the first two games of the 2016 campaign have been stunning. So much so Lamar is only the 2nd player ever to win back to back Walter Camp Player of the Week awards. As well FSU freshman stud QB Deandre Francois his been lauded for his play the first two weeks as well. All that being said come Saturday at noon the defense will be by far the most important key to victory for both sides.

     In my estimation while the UofL offense has made huge strides this year I have been equally impressed by the play of the defense. Completely shutting down Charlotte in game 1, then coming back having to play over 80 snaps of offense vs Syracuse in the 2nd game they held us and shut down the Syracuse advances early in the 2nd half of the road ACC opener. While giving up 28 points isn't sexy when you consider the amount of snaps and tempo that the Cuse play with it is pretty impressive especially considering the Orange looked to be much improved skill wise on offense Friday night. The most impressive stat so far for UofL and also the most important heading into Saturday's Top 10 showdown is the Cardinal rush defense which currently ranks 23rd in the nation (84.5 ypg).

     For UofL to have the best chance for victory the defense must be locked in for a full 4 quarters. While they have played very well defensively the first half vs FSU the last 2 years missed tackles and blown assignments have foiled the opportunity for the big upset. With a team laden with veterans who have been a part of both defensive debacles I expect to see off the charts effort all day on Saturday. Stopping the run as well as getting off the field on 3rd down has been a bug-a-boo for UofL vs FSU so those will be key stats to watch. Also an aggressive and attacking defense designed to put pressure on Francois should come early and often.

     Stopping All-American running back Dalvin Cooks will be job one, two, and three for the Cardinal D and individually the players IMO that will be most responsible for this will be safety Josh Harvey-Clemons as well as linebacker Stacey Thomas. From a versatility standpoint I expect that Harvey-Clemons will be Cook's personal escort around Papa John's Cardinal Stadium all afternoon. His ability to come down and make tackles and plays in the box as well as cover Cook out of the backfield on passing plays makes him a perfect spy. As for Thomas his high energy motor and all-out effort will also be needed to dog Cook and make his miserable all afternoon. I expect to see one or the other and many times both guys in Mr. Dalvin's face.

     Doubly important will be the job of the UofL pass rushers getting constant pressure into the face of Francois while also maintaining containment to limit his opportunity to hurt the Cards with his legs. If UofL is able to get a constant pass rush with only sending 4 to 5 defenders this will maximize their ability to be effective spying on Cook out of the backfield. Considering this will be the first true road environment the young freshman will face you would think the opportunity to force a turnover or make something happen should be there for the taking.

     I'm not sure if this is the biggest game in UofL football history or not, but I do know that if they want to win the biggest game so far of the 2016 it will start on the defensive side of the ball. UofL has been carried by its defense the last 2 seasons and while the offense looks to be finally carrying its own weight the D will need to pull the Cards through one last time it they really wants to really show that UofL is ready to take that next step as a program. Are they? Only time will tell.

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Steelers Whip Redskins, 38-16

By Mark Bacon

The Washington Redskin’s goal was to show that last season’s success was no fluke — that the Redskins hadn’t lucked their way to the top of a division that imploded around them. Their mission against the favored Pittsburgh Steelers was to prove they were a team to be feared, led by franchise-tagged quarterback Kirk Cousins and a defense that included newly signed Josh Norman.

They fell short of their goal. And they fell hard, trounced, 38-16, before 79,124 fans of both teams.

The Redskins couldn’t run the ball. They couldn’t stop the run. While the pass-heavy offense managed drives, it sputtered when it mattered, settling for field goals on their first three scoring drives. And the highly touted defensive backfield was simply no match for Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and his favorite receiver, Antonio Brown, who combined for two touchdowns.

Cousins completed 30 of 43 throws for 329 yards but was held without a touchdown pass and threw two interceptions, the second coming with 18 seconds left in a hopeless cause.

Roethlisberger was 27 of 37 for 300 yards, with three touchdowns and one interception. He led a relentless Steelers offense that converted 64 percent of its third downs (9 of 14), while the Redskins converted just 3 of 10.

“The money downs is a big difference in the game,” Redskins Coach Jay Grudensaid, “but overall they just outcoached us and outplayed us.”

The Redskins rushed for just 55 yards to Pittsburgh’s 147.

In the bleak aftermath, it was clear that the Redskins’ journey for league-wide respect will be a season-long affair. It certainly wasn’t achieved on a night in which the offense was painfully one-dimensional, the defense was overwhelmed (weary, no doubt, from being on the field nearly seven minutes longer than the Steelers’ defense) and the gulf between the Redskins’ aspirations and present-day reality was glaring.

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Cards inspire hope and apprehension after dominant performance

By: Raashaan Myers

     The University of Louisville opened their much anticipated 2016 football campaign with a less than stellar opponent in the Charlotte 49ers. Yet with the understanding that they were facing the doormat of doormats Lamar Jackson and company still found a way to turn the excitement for this season to another level both locally and nationally. The aftermath of the 70-14 victory last Thursday night resulted in Jackson being named the Walter Camp National player of the week for his 286 yard passing 119 yard rushing 8 touchdown in one half performance and the Cards made big jumps in the national polls as well (#13 AP/#15 Coaches). That is an unbelievable amount attention and credibility gained considering the opponent but truly speaks to the new stage and standing Bobby Petrino's UofL program has attained in the national consciousness.

     So where do we go from here? Well the Cards have another opportunity to own a lot of the stage once again this Friday night as they travel to Syracuse to take on the Orange. This will again afford UofL an exclusive stage in front of a national audience on ESPN 2 with opportunity to once again wow the pundits and pollsters. And after such a lofty jump last week vs the lowly 49ers what would a similar performance on the road in a conference game do for Jackson and the Cardinals? While there is great opportunity there is also risk of exposing yet unseen weaknesses or issues that Charlotte could not. So what did we learn week one?

     As for positives of course there are plenty to go around and always start with Lamar Jackson the new face of Cardinal Football. After a shaky start passing the ball Jackson found a rhythm and a much better understanding and diversity to his passing game. Where last year he zeroed in on just a couple of target Jackson spread the ball to his receivers buffet style resulting in touchdown passes to 6 different receivers. Finishing a strong 17 of 23 completions Lamar made good use of his legs to not just run but to set up passes both inside and outside the pocket. As for the rest of the offense we knew the weapons in the passing game would be abundant and they all showed up week 1 but the revelation of Seth Dawkins was eye opening. He could be a huge factor as the year goes along as well as the fact UofL missing Jaquay Savage really just highlights how many toys Jackson has at his disposal this year.

     On the defensive side of the ball I was extremely impressed. The Four Horsemen all showed up big as DeAngelo Brown, Devante Fields, Keith Kelsey, and Josh Harvey-Clemons all dominated at their positions. That being said arguably the best player on defense was linebacker Stacey Thomas who played like a man possessed and was all over the field making plays. The Cardinal defense really showed up and orchestrated the Todd Grantham defensive scheme to a tee and never allowed the 49ers any opportunity to do much of anything. Also was very encouraged by the plays made on the back in by young guys and new guys in the secondary including Dee Smith and Ronald Walker as well as the improvement of Jaire Alexander.

     While there were an abundance of positives to take out of week one there were some issues to keep an eye on. My primary concern heading into the season was the improvement of the offensive line and early on UofL had some definite trouble protecting Jackson from the rush. Now some attribute that to the kamikaze blitzing style that the 49ers employed but there were also some straight line rushers that were able to beat their man and force Jackson out of the pocket. This is something to definitely keep an eye on as the Cards head to New York. Also along the line the traditional run game also had issues getting on track early in terms of being able to line up and run the ball which will also be essential as the schedule continues to get tougher. Defensively I did have complaints about anything I saw week one. The only other minor issue was the kickoffs but there are plenty of young talented legs that will get a crack at it and the coverage was excellent even on the short kicks.

    

     All in all week 1 was a resounding success and much more than even I could have imagined and that has set UofL up for a chance to really ride that momentum into an even bigger week 2 if they take care of business. And with that hope and anticipation also comes the apprehension and fear of letdown. While that is also a possibility this UofL team seems to have a type of swagger and confidence that reminds me of the first Petrino tenure. Will that continue vs Syracuse? We will find out soon enough and I can't wait for the second act to begin! 

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Colin Kaepernick's National Anthem Protest

By Mark Bacon

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick has chosen not to stand with his teammates during the national anthem. To some, Kaepernick represents the entitled brattish behavior of a wealthy athlete ungrateful to a country that has given him so much.

In truth, he has chosen to behave in a highly patriotic manner that should make all Americans proud.

The discussion of the nuances of patriotism is especially important right now, with Trump and Clinton supporters each righteously claiming ownership of the “most patriotic” label. Patriotism isn’t just getting teary-eyed on the Fourth of July or choked up at war memorials. It’s supporting what the Fourth of July celebrates and what those war memorials commemorate: the U.S. Constitution’s insistence that all people should have the same rights and opportunities and that it is the obligation of the government to make that happen. When the government fails in those obligations, it is the responsibility of patriots to speak up and remind them of their duty.

What makes an act truly patriotic and not just lip-service is when it involves personal risk or sacrifice. Kaepernick chose to express his patriotism publicly because he obviously feels that inspiring others is more important than the personal cost. Kaepernick’s choice not to stand during the national anthem could create a public backlash that might cost him millions in future endorsements and affect his value as a player on his team, reducing salary earnings or even jeopardizing his job. If team ticket sales seriously dipped as a result, he will pay for his stance.

One indication of the maturation of American society is the willingness of those in the public eye, especially athletes, to openly take a political stand, even if it could harm their careers. The modern era of athletes speaking out began in 1967 with Muhammad Ali refusing to be drafted to fight other people of color. That year, Kareem Abdul Jabbar joined with football great Jim Brown, basketball legend Bill Russell, Muhammad Ali and other prominent athletes for what was dubbed “The Cleveland Summit.” Together they sought to find ways to help Ali fight for his right of political expression. I don’t know how much they accomplished on a practical level, but seeing black athletes in support of Ali inspired others to speak out. The following year at the 1968 Olympics, Black Americans Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their fists during the medal ceremony as a protest to the treatment of people of color in the United States. In 2014, NBA players LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, Jarrett Jack, Alan Anderson, Deron Williams and Kevin Garnett and NFL players from the Rams and Browns wore “I Can’t Breathe” shirts during warm-ups for a game to protest police killings of unarmed blacks. Carmelo Anthony in a post-game interview following Team USA’s Gold Medal winning victory over Serbia spoke out for National Racial Unity. This is a trend I personally hope increases as football and basketball season begin.

What should horrify Americans is not Kaepernick’s choice to remain seated during the national anthem, but that nearly 50 years after Ali was banned from boxing for his stance and Tommie Smith and John Carlos’s raised fists caused public ostracization and numerous death threats, we still need to call attention to the same racial inequities. Failure to fix this problem is what’s really un-American.

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