Offense Ready to Build Upon Game-Winning Drive
November 01, 2016 | Football
Cards face a tough Boston College team at home.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Despite not playing up to expectations last weekend at Virginia, the University of Louisville offense did what it had to do when the game mattered – score a touchdown on its final drive.
Stopped by penalties and a tough UVA defense all afternoon, the Cards moved the football, but seemed to get bogged down at times – being held to their second-lowest point total this season. Facing a one-point deficit in the final two minutes, the Cards drove 75 yards in 1:47 to save their season – 32-25 over Virginia in Charlottesville, Va.
""I think the competitive spirit and the ability to fight to the end and find a way to win is something we will build on," head coach Bobby Petrino said. "You know, you find a way to win the game and when you are not at your best, it's hard to be at your best every single week. Sometimes on the road you have to find a way to win and I thought they showed great character and great spirit by our team."
That's exactly what the Cards did. For the seventh time in eight games, the Cards recorded over 500 yards of total offense, and remain atop the NCAA in total offense and scoring offense heading into Saturday's game at Boston College.
Looking for its fourth-straight win and second-consecutive on the road, the Cardinals will face another stern test from one of the nation's top defensive teams. The Eagles boast the fourth-best rushing defense and seventh overall defense, which will certainly present a major challenge for the nation's top-rated offense.
"They always play great defense," Petrino said of the BC defense. "They're very physical. They run full speed to the ball and they hit and tackle."
The Eagles have held five of their eight opponents to less than 100 yards rushing – limiting NC State last week to 31 yards on 25 carries and holding a run-oriented Georgia Tech offense to just 119 yards.
While there haven't been many concerns with the offense this season, one area was the five sacks allowed, which caused poor field position and long-yardage situations. At times, the offense wasn't in sync, which caused some penalties on the offensive line, which must be cleaned up this weekend if the Cards hope to continue their winning ways.
"They weren't as sharp as they needed to be," Petrino said. "There were a couple times that we had guys accountable for and picked up, but we had a few break downs in our technique. So it is focus, concentration and focus. That's on us. As coaches we got to get that done."
One player who has been sharp has been senior tight Cole Hikutini. The product of Sacramento, Calif., has caught 12 passes for 207 yards and one touchdown – producing six receptions for 89 yards last week. He now leads the team with 33 receptions.
"Cole is a great player," Petrino said. "He creates so many problems for opposing defenses because of his size and speed. He has been a big target for us."
The Cards will face a big challenge against a tough BC defense, but if the final drive against Virginia is any indication – the Cards will be up for the test.
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