By Russ Brown
Special to NKyTribune
LOUISVILLE – Traditionally, the Louisville-Kentucky football games have been won by the team that runs the ball best.
But last year’s 44-40 come-from-behind win by UofL was a notable departure from that scenario. UK nearly doubled the Cardinals on the ground, outrushing them 151-83, but still lost to its arch-rival for the fourth time in a row.
And based on UofL’s problems with its rushing attack this season, the Cards had better hope that the running backs again play a lesser role than usual in the outcome of the Governor’s Cup at noon Saturday in Commonwealth Stadium.
With a young, mistake-prone offensive line and a revolving door at quarterback, Louisville (6-5) has struggled to maintain a consistent ground attack — or a consistent offense overall, for that matter.
And the Cards are coming off their worst performance of the season in that regard, in a 45-34 loss to Pittsburgh that snapped their four-game winning streak and brought their late-season momentum to a screeching halt.
UofL allowed an incredible seven sacks, leading to 65 total yards of losses, and finished with minus one net rushing yard, its first negative rushing total since a minus-47 in a 37-22 loss to TCU in 2001.
It was a huge step backwards for an offensive line that appeared to be making progress, helping produce 217 rushing yards against Syracuse and 266 against Virginia in the previous two games.
“Yeah, it was a step back for the entire offense as far as executing and getting parts of the running game going,” UofL coach Bobby Petrino said. “There were some things we did really well. We threw the ball for 300 yards and scored 34 points. There are some positive things to take into the Kentucky game.
“But I talk about sacks. Sacks are about 11 guys. All 11 guys contribute to sacks, whether it’s the quarterback throwing the ball, not knowing the pressure’s coming, or our linemen not picking up the blitz. It’s the entire group and we’re not as consistent as we need to be.”
However, Kentucky is no Pittsburgh, which ranks 25th nationally in rushing defense, allowing 127 yards per game. Working in UofL’s favor in Saturday’s battle, the Wildcats, who surrender 185.4 ypg (No. 89) are more in line with Syracuse and Virginia.
Furthermore, it’s debatable whether or not the Wildcats can take advantage of Louisville’s frequent breakdowns on the offensive line and put pressure on the quarterback — whoever that might be, Lamar Jackson or Kyle Bolin.
While the Cards are dead last in the FBS in sacks allowed with 43, or nearly four per game, UK has generated just 17 sacks, or 1 1/2 per game, which is No. 101 nationally.
Petrino says he strives for offensive balance between running plays and passes, but the running backs got only seven carries against Pitt. And on the season, the Cards are averaging 253.1 ypg through the air and only 145.6 on the ground, 95th in the FBS.
“That’s what you strive for,” Petrino says, referring to balance. “Really, what I try to do is be 50 percent run/pass on first-and-10. And then I just let the situations play out a little bit. Sometimes it gets off because of two-minute drives; obviously, you’re going to probably throw the ball.”
Tobijah Hughley, a Lexington Lafayette High School product and a former walk-on whose 21 starts the past two years is the most on the offensive line, knows he and his fellow linemen will have to perform much better if UofL is to win its fifth in a row in the series and knock the Cats out of bowl eligibility for the second straight season.
“Of course there’s some plays you wish we could have back, especially as an offensive line unit,” said Hughley, who starts at center. “But you win as a team and lose as a team. We know that we collectively as an offense have to do stuff better in order to win. We need to protect our quarterback and give our running backs some room.”
Petrino hasn’t named a starting quarterback, but he wasn’t pleased with some aspects of either Jackson or Bolin against Pitt. Jackson, though, gives an added dimension to UofL’s offense with his escapability, and the Cats have had trouble containing quarterbacks who can run.
“Hopefully, (Jackson) will be able to run the ball,” Petrino says. “That’s one of his strengths. He does a good job of running the football, whether it’s a called play or improvising off dropback passes.”