#ReportCards: Cards Set to Face Undefeated NC State on Saturday
September 28, 2015 | Football
Cards prepare for first ACC road game versus NC State at Carter-Finley Stadium.
The University of Louisville football team, playing its first true road game of the season, will travel to NC State on Saturday, Oct. 3, for a crucual ACC game for both schools. The game will be televised on the ACC Network and will be shown live on WAVE3 TV.
Head coach Bobby Petrino met with the media on Monday afternoon during his weekly press conference. He reviewed the Cardinals' win over Samford and previewed Saturday's crucial ACC game versus the Wolfpack.
Cards, Pack Set to Face Off Again; UofL Defeated Pack 30-18 Last Season
The Cardinals and Wolfpack wil meet for the second time as ACC foes when the two meet Satrurday at Carter-Finley Stadium. The Cards are making their first trip to Raleigh since 2007 when Louisville came home with a 29-10 win under Steve Kragthorpe. Louisvill, winners of the four of five meetings, defeated NC State 30-18 last season at home. Michael Dyer rushed for 173 yards and a touchdown, while Will Gardner tossed a pair of scores. NC State quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who will start this weekend versus the Cardinals, threw for 223 yards and two touchdowns last season. In leading the Wolfpack to a 4-0 start, Brissett leads the nation by completing 77.9 percent of his throws.
"Yeah, I mean their quarterback is making good decisions, he hasn't thrown an interception, might be I don't know if it was since our game but I know he has 170-something passes without an interception," Petrino said. "So they have been taking care of the football, they have been running it physically and playing good defense. I think it is going to be one of those games that comes down to being able to execute and make plays in the fourth quarter."
The Wolfpack has two running backs averaging over 100 yards per game in Matt Dayes and Shadrach Thornton, and are averaging 259.0 yards on the ground in four games. Petrino knows the Cardinals must prepare for a physical, downhill running attack and not let the Pack control the line of scrimmage and the clock.
"First down, we have to stop the run on first down," Petrino said. "Defensively we have t do a really good job of stopping the run on first down, we have to get them into third and long. Offensively we have to move the ball, convert third downs and get the lead. Again, we are going to be a much better defense, we are going to get more sacks and more turnovers when we are playing with the lead. Something we have to do a great job of is be better offensively in the first quarter and the first half."
Jackson, Bonnafon Combination Scary for Opponents
Quarterbacks Lamar Jackson and Reggie Bonnafon appeared on the field together in Saturday's 45-3 win over Samford. Jackson earned the start, but Bonnafon saw time at running back and under center. While Jackson accounted for 396 yards of total offense, Bonnafon totaled 26 yards on the ground nd threw for 62 yards and a touchdown.
"I like the speed that is out there and the ability of two good playmakers," Petrino said. "It is something that I think can help us as we go on, that is why you saw Corvin Lamb get some carries the other night. The ability to get more speed on the field, make bigger plays and one of the things that is one of our goals as we go forward in this conference is to be the fastest team in the conference. We are going to recruit to speed and we are going to try to get the guys on the field that will make plays because they are faster than the other guys."
Lamb Returns to the Backfield
After tearing his ACL a couple times, senior running back Corvin Lamb finally looks to be healthy in his final season. Lamb made a return to the backfield on Saturday in Louisville's 45-3 win. The Miami, Fla., carried six times for 19 yards in his first action since hurting his knee mid-way through the 2014 season.
"I cheer for him all the time because to come off the knee injury and last year he was out there and giving us everything he had on special teams, making all kinds of plays," Petrino said. "Then he was just covering a punt, non-contact injury, and then he had to go right back into all the rehab. He did it with a smile and a positive attitude and then as the practices were going on in the fall he would come out real good but then the next day it wasn't his knee, it was the reaction to favoring the knee. It was a hamstring here or tendinitis on the other leg so he never could get into two days in a row of full-speed practice or showing his speed but here the last couple of week he has started to get faster, show his speed, cut with more confidence and I feel like he is a guy that can really go the distance if we get him out in the open."
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Head coach Bobby Petrino met with the media on Monday afternoon during his weekly press conference. He reviewed the Cardinals' win over Samford and previewed Saturday's crucial ACC game versus the Wolfpack.
Cards, Pack Set to Face Off Again; UofL Defeated Pack 30-18 Last Season
The Cardinals and Wolfpack wil meet for the second time as ACC foes when the two meet Satrurday at Carter-Finley Stadium. The Cards are making their first trip to Raleigh since 2007 when Louisville came home with a 29-10 win under Steve Kragthorpe. Louisvill, winners of the four of five meetings, defeated NC State 30-18 last season at home. Michael Dyer rushed for 173 yards and a touchdown, while Will Gardner tossed a pair of scores. NC State quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who will start this weekend versus the Cardinals, threw for 223 yards and two touchdowns last season. In leading the Wolfpack to a 4-0 start, Brissett leads the nation by completing 77.9 percent of his throws.
"Yeah, I mean their quarterback is making good decisions, he hasn't thrown an interception, might be I don't know if it was since our game but I know he has 170-something passes without an interception," Petrino said. "So they have been taking care of the football, they have been running it physically and playing good defense. I think it is going to be one of those games that comes down to being able to execute and make plays in the fourth quarter."
The Wolfpack has two running backs averaging over 100 yards per game in Matt Dayes and Shadrach Thornton, and are averaging 259.0 yards on the ground in four games. Petrino knows the Cardinals must prepare for a physical, downhill running attack and not let the Pack control the line of scrimmage and the clock.
"First down, we have to stop the run on first down," Petrino said. "Defensively we have t do a really good job of stopping the run on first down, we have to get them into third and long. Offensively we have to move the ball, convert third downs and get the lead. Again, we are going to be a much better defense, we are going to get more sacks and more turnovers when we are playing with the lead. Something we have to do a great job of is be better offensively in the first quarter and the first half."
Jackson, Bonnafon Combination Scary for Opponents
Quarterbacks Lamar Jackson and Reggie Bonnafon appeared on the field together in Saturday's 45-3 win over Samford. Jackson earned the start, but Bonnafon saw time at running back and under center. While Jackson accounted for 396 yards of total offense, Bonnafon totaled 26 yards on the ground nd threw for 62 yards and a touchdown.
"I like the speed that is out there and the ability of two good playmakers," Petrino said. "It is something that I think can help us as we go on, that is why you saw Corvin Lamb get some carries the other night. The ability to get more speed on the field, make bigger plays and one of the things that is one of our goals as we go forward in this conference is to be the fastest team in the conference. We are going to recruit to speed and we are going to try to get the guys on the field that will make plays because they are faster than the other guys."
Lamb Returns to the Backfield
After tearing his ACL a couple times, senior running back Corvin Lamb finally looks to be healthy in his final season. Lamb made a return to the backfield on Saturday in Louisville's 45-3 win. The Miami, Fla., carried six times for 19 yards in his first action since hurting his knee mid-way through the 2014 season.
"I cheer for him all the time because to come off the knee injury and last year he was out there and giving us everything he had on special teams, making all kinds of plays," Petrino said. "Then he was just covering a punt, non-contact injury, and then he had to go right back into all the rehab. He did it with a smile and a positive attitude and then as the practices were going on in the fall he would come out real good but then the next day it wasn't his knee, it was the reaction to favoring the knee. It was a hamstring here or tendinitis on the other leg so he never could get into two days in a row of full-speed practice or showing his speed but here the last couple of week he has started to get faster, show his speed, cut with more confidence and I feel like he is a guy that can really go the distance if we get him out in the open."
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