3 Things to watch vs. Indiana State
Louisville looks to get in the win column vs. Indiana State Saturday night. The Alabama game left several unanswered questions and come Saturday we may start to find the answers to some of those questions.
1. Who takes over as “the guy” at the running back position?
Louisville struggled mightily to have any success in the run game against a tough Alabama defense. Four Louisville backs received carries, and none of them made an impact on Bobby Petrino moving forward.
“We have to find out who are running back really is”, Petrino said in the Monday presser.
With Trey Smith, Dae Williams, Colin Wilson, and Hassan Hall all getting touches in the first game, it is anybody’s guess who will be the long-term solution at the position. Will Jeremy Smith or Javian Hawkins factor in to the mix? All of the guys fighting for the spot will get a chance to showcase their ability against a far lesser opponent in Indiana State.
2. Who fills the void left behind by Jonathan Greenard injury?
For the second year in a row, the Louisville defense lost its best player to injury in the season opener. Last season, the Cardinals lost Jaire Alexander for several games when he injured himself while returning a blocked kick.
Defensive end Jonathan Greenard suffered a ligament injury in his wrist and is said to be sidelined for quite a while. This leaves a big hole in the defensive line and will test the depth early on. Who are the most likely candidates to see increased time? I will go with Derek Dorsey, Jarrett Jackson, and Amonte Caban. Look for these three to help out in replacement of Greenard. Defensive line coach LD Scott will need to find a rotation or combination of guys who can play in that spot.
3. Will coaching and mental errors be fixed?
The Louisville fan base was frustrated on many levels Saturday night against Alabama. Some of the frustration was because Alabama was just simply a better team. However, there were some correctable errors that need to be addressed going into the Indiana State game. Having 12 men on the field or in the huddle is on the coaches and needs to be a point of emphasis in practice this week. A kickoff going out of bounds and low snaps from the center were other areas that can simply be improved. Bobby Petrino is catching a lot of heat and fixing those type of mental errors can go a long way in reducing some of that.