Do I think we can get revenge from last season’s matchup?
The Jackets did nothing but take care of business on Saturday against VMI, giving everyone on the roster a chance to make a statement and see the field. This game came at a great time, sandwiched between a road defeat against Syracuse and another road test against No. 19 Louisville. Playing against VMI allowed the team to regain confidence, have fun, and rest. This weekend will be much more of a challenge, as the Jackets travel to Louisville for yet another ranked matchup for Brent Key. Here is what I Think I Know heading into Week Five of Yellow Jacket Football.
The younger guys got a chance to shine and the team was able to bounce back from a road loss
Many of us were hopeful that the younger guys would be able to take over for the starters in the second half of this game, and our wish was granted. Some of the most notable names to see the field were Zach Pyron, Trelain Maddox, Tah’j Butler, and Aaron Philo. Maddox led the rushing efforts with 53 yards on nine carries, outrushing Jamal Haynes who had a rather concerning game with only 22 yards on seven carries. Pyron took over for King once we had a comfortable lead, and he had a stellar day with 58 passing yards, two rushing touchdowns, and one passing touchdown. Aaron Philo came in for one drive and had an impressive throw, almost copying Haynes King against Syracuse by falling to avoid the sack, yet making a savvy play afterward. Brody Rhodes also took over for a drive, but nothing came from it. Freshman linebacker Tah’j Butler had five tackles and one TFL, highlighting his skills. The defense also had a phenomenal day, only allowing 104 yards on 47 plays. The Keydets only reached Jacket territory twice during the entire game. After giving up 515 yards to the Orange the week before, this was an outstanding performance by the defense and was probably the best-case scenario to see this week.
This matchup doesn’t favor us on paper, but Louisville still has a lot of unknowns.
Not to be a Debby-downer, but when you look at these two teams on paper, the matchup isn’t favorable. Our rush defense faces a tough obstacle against a run-heavy Cardinals team, who sits at 9th in the country while averaging 263 yards per game supported by dynamic running back Isaac Brown. The Jackets finished last season 131st in the country in run defense, but are sitting in 33rd place so far this season allowing 98.5 yards per game. Brown will either get shut down by our defense or will expose us for still having issues to work through. Texas Tech transfer QB Tyler Shough is coming off of a season-ending injury last year and has had a solid start with 581 yards passing for six touchdowns, zero interceptions, and a 68.4% completion rate. Louisville has also added Alabama transfer Ja’Corey Brooks and Cincinnati transfer Jadon Thompson to their receiving core. This offense has the potential to put up a lot of points and attack from all areas, so we will see how our defense rises to the occasion. On the contrary, their defense is only allowing 198 total yards per game with an average of seven points. They have allowed zero points in both the first and third quarters of their two games this season. Our offense will be the best the Cardinals have seen yet, as we are ranked fourth in the FBS for most 1st downs at 89, and Haynes King is 8th out of all FBS quarterbacks in passing yards with 962. The Jackets lie at 37th in the country in total offense, and Louisville’s defense is at an impressive 7th. It will be compelling to watch these two sides clash on Saturday.
Seeing that their defense has been nothing short of a brick wall and the offense has been attacking in the air and on the ground, this will challenge Tech in all areas. Thankfully, while all of these statistics may seem daunting, Louisville’s two opponents have been Austin Peay and Jacksonville State, so we will be their biggest test yet. This will be the first time we get to see just how good the Cardinals are, and see if our pass defense has made any adjustments from the Syracuse game.
The matchup doesn’t favor us but the spread does
Sure, this matchup may not favor us, but it is yet another ACC-ranked road game. This is the exact position we want to be in, as Key sits at 5-0 in conference road games when our opponent is in the Top 25. Tech also sits at 8-3 against the spread in the last 11 games as a double-digit underdog, and 11-2 as the underdog period in the last 13 games. This team thrives on being doubted, and not many believe they have a chance this weekend. Can the Jackets pull it off again, and will Coach Key move to 6-0?
Go Jackets!