CRAWFORD | Real thing or sugar high? Louisville football now must back up impressive start

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – The problem with every column you start to write about the University of Louisville football team is that it crashes hard against this sturdy piece of writer’s block: The Cardinals have yet to face anything resembling a Power 4 opponent.

Every stat, every hunch, every impression, every early conclusion is tempered by the competition. Every eye-test Louisville has passed has come against 80-point print that your grandmother could read without her glasses.

In fact, of the 17 teams in the expanded Athletic Coast Conference, every one has played at least one Power 4 opponent by now except for one. Your Louisville Cardinals.

It's not their fault, mind you. Louisville was supposed to be playing Indiana this past weekend, but the Hoosiers pulled out their checkbook, checked their pride at the stadium gate and bought their way out, slipping instead into a comfortable 77 Long in a Friday night win over some high school team.

Louisville scrambled to fill the hole with a game against Jacksonville State, which at least is coached by a former Power 5 coach. Not that it made much difference in a 49-14 Cardinals' victory on Saturday.

Jacksonville State coach Rich Rodriguez was impressed. "They should win the league," he said, "and go to the playoff."

As you can see, general impressions have been formed, regardless of competition.

Before the season, Louisville coach Jeff Brohm was searching for offensive playmakers. The season has begun with Ja’Corey Brooks and Jadon Thompson making plays in the receiving corps, Mark Redman making them at tight end and Tyler Shough operating efficiently and confidently at quarterback.

Before the season there were questions at running back and boy, do the Cards have answers now. They have multiple choice answers. Maurice Turner, Donald Chaney, Keyjuan Brown and Isaac Brown had Brohm, on Saturday, harkening back to his days as a Louisville assistant in the early 2000s when the Cardinals carried Michael Bush, Eric Shelton, Kolby Smith and Lionel Gates on the same roster.

All four of those started in the NFL. I’m not sure this quartet should be elevated to that after two wins against non-FBS competition, but the comparison is interesting.

The point is this – there are some things you can never have too much of. Coffee. Charging cables. Vacation days. Running backs.

And frankly, the sweet spot for college running backs is a situation where you get enough reps to show what you can do but not quite enough to wear you down, use you up or get you hurt. If that’s the case, Louisville has some guys floating in maple syrup.

On Saturday, the Cardinals had five running backs average more than five yards per carry. Four different players ran for touchdowns. Louisville piled up 233 yards rushing and nobody carried for more than 60 yards.

“Well, we like our corps of running backs, and we have really from Day One, and they all have different elements that make them very useful and beneficial to the team,” Brohm said. “They're great teammates. They support each other. You never know who you're going to need. And you know, Don got a little bit injured today and came out with a high ankle (sprain). The others were able to step in. . . . I know when we had our best team here, when I was an assistant under Coach (Bobby) Petrino, we had five NFL running backs on the team at one time, and it can help you, and it can keep keep guys fresh, and when certain guys get injured and other guys have already played, you're going to be better.”

All of that adds up to a Louisville offense that has graded No. 8 in the nation, according to the stat guys at ProFootballFocus.com. Louisville’s running game grades at No. 1 in the nation. Georgia is No. 2. If you’re buying that right now, I’d hold off. Just a bit.

For perspective, Indiana grades at No. 5 in the nation offensively after wins over Florida International (31-7) and Western Illinois (77-3). Anyone down here taking Indiana seriously yet?

The good times are rolling. But to ratify them, Louisville will have to perform in two weeks against a conference opponent, Georgia Tech, that steamrolled Florida State in its opener, beat a weak opponent in Game 2, got ranked, and then got beat at Syracuse.

If there’s optimism in Louisville – and there is – part of it is based on watching future opponents. Georgia Tech lost on Saturday. Notre Dame, ranked No. 5 in the nation, lost at home to a MAC opponent (after winning impressively on the road at Texas A&M). Kentucky had its doors blown off by South Carolina, which seems to be to the Wildcats what they have been to Louisville in recent years.

In short – the road ahead looks a little less daunting on this Sunday morning than it did a week ago.

At the same time, this reminder is important – those teams have all faced conference or pretty legitimate competition in at least one game. Louisville has yet to face even that.

You have to be encouraged by Shough’s willingness and ability to throw deep, and his patience in the passing game. You have to be encouraged by the Louisville defense, which has graded No. 20 in the nation by PFF to this point.

But you also have to remember this. Boston College’s defense has graded at No. 2, Miami at No. 6, SMU at No. 13.

I’m not here to rain on anyone’s parade. As Louisville fans know, even when you’re told to expect rain, it may not come. A lot of good things have happened this season. But they have happened in the equivalent of preseason games. Glorified exhibitions. In these parts, we’re not used to that. By now, Louisville has generally played a conference game, or a non-conference opponent of interest.

What remains to be accomplished in a very promising start is a big-time performance against a Power 4 opponent. That chance comes in two weeks, which should be played in front of a packed house at home.

If Louisville can take that step, expect the optimism train to truly leave the station.

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