Here’s what to watch for when Lamar Jackson and the Louisville Cardinals take the field in the annual Red-White Spring Game on Saturday.
Fresh off a thrilling season, the Louisville Cardinals enter 2017 with sky-high expectations once again.
Louisville went 9-4 a year ago with a blowout victory over Florida State early in the season and was in playoff position for much of the early going prior to a late-season fade. The Cardinals were able to match their highest win total under Bobby Petrino thanks to quarterback Lamar Jackson, who won the first Heisman Trophy in school history with over 5,000 total yards and 51 touchdowns.
With Jackson back under center, the Cardinals should again begin the season ranked in the top 25. There are a few key losses on both sides of the ball from the 2016 squad, but Louisville should be right in the mix with Florida State and Clemson in the ACC Atlantic.
Petrino has decided to shake things up for Louisville’s annual Red-White Spring game by balancing the rosters out rather than have first stringers take on a full team of backups. For that reason, Saturday’s contest at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium will be worth keeping an eye on, with a number of key storylines emerging in the early going.
5. Can some depth at running back emerge?
The Cardinals have suffered a rash of injuries at running back in the spring, meaning some unproven players will get a handful of snaps on Saturday.
Louisville was set to debut a new starter at running back anyway, as Brandon Radcliff graduated following a strong senior season. Jeremy Smith looked capable enough as a backup and provides an excellent receiving threat out of the backfield, but has been out recently with an undisclosed injury.
Bruising redshirt freshman Dae Williams was earning first-team reps in Smith’s absence and scored four touchdowns in a scrimmage earlier this spring. Unfortunately for Louisville, Williams reportedly suffered a torn ACL a week ago to put his 2017 campaign in doubt, although that has yet to be confirmed by Petrino.
That means wide receiver Reggie Bonnafon is now at the top of the depth chart for Saturday’s Spring Game. While the Cardinals will need Bonnafon to line up primarily at receiver during the regular season, he could provide some versatility by moving to the backfield occasionally.
Sophomore Trey Smith, who had 11 carries for 28 yards a year ago, has been splitting reps with Bonnafon, while four-star recruit Colin Wilson could join the mix later this summer. With Williams potentially out for the season and the unknown nature of Smith’s injury, the Cardinals will welcome any emerging depth.