Powell Leads the Cardinal Offense
October 20, 2010 | Football
Oct. 20, 2010
Louisville, Ky.- - Heading into Saturday's crucial BIG EAST game against Connecticut, the University of Louisville has put together a terrific start offensively through the first six games.
After a slow start in the first two games, the Cardinals are starting to click on all cylinders, ranking 19th in the country with 456.67 yards per game. After recording less than 400 yards of total offense in the first two games of the season, the Cardinals offense is really playing well.
In the last four games, Louisville has averaged 509.0 yards per game, including 575 versus Arkansas State and 574 versus Memphis. The Cardinals put together back-to-back 500+ yards of total offense since 2007 when Louisville recorded 655 yards against Murray State and 729 versus Middle Tennessee.
On the ground, Louisville is ranked 18th in the nation at 219.50 yards per game and ranks sixth in the nation with a 5.96 per carry average. The Cardinals rank 47th in the country in passing offense at 237.17 yards per game and 47th in scoring offense at 30.67 points per contest.
One reason for the spark on offense has been the play of senior running back Bilal Powell, who is on pace to having a special season for the Cardinals.
After just six games, Powell becomes only the second player since 1980 to reach the 800-yard rushing so quickly. The only player to reach the mark previous to Powell since that time was Frank Moreau, who recorded 884 yards through six contests in 1999.
Powell, a native of Lakeland, Fla., has 898 rushing yards this season, just 102 yards of becoming just the 13th player in school history to rush for 1,000 yards in a season. It would be only the 17th time in school history that a player ran for 1,000 yards in a season. Powell is on pace to rush for what-would-be a school record 1,796 yards and 18 touchdowns. Howard Stevens owns the school record for rushing yards in a season with 1,429 yards in 1971.
In the loss to Cincinnati, Powell recorded his third-straight, fifth-career 100-yard rushing game, finishing the contest with 209 yards on 24 carries. He added an 85 yard-run, which is tied for the seventh-longest rush from the line of scrimmage in school history. It was his third touchdown of 70 or more yards this season. The run also is the longest touchdown rush of his career, with his previous best was 80 yards. It. It's the first time since 1977 that a U of L running back has had two rushing touchdowns of 80 yards or more. Powell is just the third player in the NCAA to record two touchdowns runs of 80 or more yards.
With his 209-yard effort, Powell becomes the only player in school history to to record back-to-back 200-yard games and became just the second player in school history to rush for 150 yards or more in three-consecutive games. The other was Howard Stevens (Nov. 10-Nov. 24, 1973), who in 1971 ran for 183 yards against Tampa and followed that up with 158- and 260-yard games against Tulsa and Southern Illinois, respectively. Powell also tied the school record by recording his fourth 150-yard rushing game of the year. Stevens had four such games in 1971. The last player with back-to-back 175-yard rushing performances was Frank Moreau, who tallied 181 against Kentucky and 188 versus Chattanooga in 1999.
The Cardinals will look to continue their fast offensive pace on Saturday when the Huskies of Connecticut visit Papa John's Cardinal Stadium at 3:30 p.m. The game can be seen live on ESPNU with Pam Ward and Danny Kannell.
