PLAYERS TO WATCH
–QB Jawon Pass has returned as Louisville’s full-time starter after sharing time with freshman Malik Cunningham earlier this season. Coach Petrino said Puma (his lifelong nickname) is improving and had one of his best performances against Georgia Tech. Pass completed 23 of 35 passes for 299 yards and a pair of touchdowns against the Yellow Jackets, but he took a step back against Boston College and was benched for the final seven minutes of the game for freshman Jordan Travis. “Puma is our starting quarterback, and certainly he has shown improvement in two of the last three games.”
–S Dee Smith currently leads Louisville in tackles with 46 after the first seven games. The senior from Florence, Ala., had seven tackles against Florida State, and he has 1.5 tackles for a loss and 0.5 sacks. He has 11 more total tackles than anyone else on the team.
–DE Tabarius Peterson has been filling in admirably for injured starter Jonathan Greenard. Peterson had eight total tackles including a tackle for a loss against Indiana State and has been productive ever since. Peterson leads the team with 4.0 tackles for a loss and a half-sack.
–DB Rodjay Burns is a starting corner, but he is most effective as Louisville’s punt returner. So far this season, the Ohio State transfer has returned 11 punts for an average of 13.8 yards per return including a touchdown on a return against Indiana State. Burns also has 28 tackles and 1.5 TFL on defense.
SERIES HISTORY: Louisville leads the overall series 4-1 including 2-0 vs. the Deacons in Louisville. Wake Forest beat Louisville last season 42-32 last October in Winston-Salem.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished here as a coaching staff and the success that we’ve had here, the things that we’ve been able to build in my time here,” Petrino said. “We’re standing in one of them, the Trager Center, and the two expansions. I know we’ve had that success. I’m not proud of the season. I felt we would be better than this. I thought we would play better than this. But we’re going to keep working and continue to get better.” — Louisville coach Bobby Petrino.
