By Sam Draut–
Louisville and Texas A&M face off in the Music City Bowl and kickoff at 7 p.m. in Nashville, Tennessee. The game is televised nationally on ESPN and is also available streaming on ESPN3.com
Freshman progress: Lamar Jackson will be the starting quarterback against Texas A&M (8-4) on Wednesday night. The freshman started six games in the regular season and appeared in 11 games. Jackson’s ability to run the football from the quarterback position was rarely doubted, he gashed Kentucky for 186 rushing yards in the season finale and accumulated 734 rushing yards and nine touchdowns during the year.
But, his passing ability remains a work in progress. He completed 123 of 221 passes for 1613 yards and ten touchdowns, but also threw eight interceptions.
Offensive coordinator Garrick McGee said Jackson used the additional 13 practices leading up to the bowl game to refine his skills as a pocket passer. He worked on fundamentals, footwork and running the offense under center.
“He has a much better grasp right now than he did after the Kentucky game about the way our concepts and our protections and things really work,” McGee said. “I think you’ll see some development from him in the game.”
While coach Bobby Petrino and McGee want to be able to pickup yardage through the air, they also understand Jackson’s potent ability to run the football.
“We are going to let Lamar carry it if he needs to carry it,” McGee said.
A good balance between a strong rushing attack and effective passing game will be critical for Louisville’s drive-by-drive consistency.
Front seven: Consistency, or lack there of, has defined the 2015 season for Louisville. At times, the talented front seven of Louisville has been dominant, but other times, defensive coordinator Todd Grantham’s 3-4 scheme has struggled to stop the run.
Led by seniors James Burgess, Sheldon Rankins and juniors Keith Kelsey and DeAngelo Brown, the defense held off the run during the year while Trevon Young and DeVonte Fields rushed the passer off the edge.
Louisville’s defense put together suffocating performances against Samford, NC State, Boston College and strong second halves against Wake Forest and Kentucky.
With Texas A&M’s two top quarterbacks from the regular season transferring, Louisville has schemed more on the concepts of Aggie coach Kevin Sumlin’s offense instead of third-string turned starting quarterback Jake Hubenak.
Limiting senior running back Tra Carson will be another critical responsibility for the Cardinal front seven. Carson rushed for 1,047 yards and six touchdowns.
“They have got talent and they have gotten better throughout the year,” Grantham said of Texas A&M’s offense.
Reliable target: Sixteen different Cardinals had receptions this season, but Jackson finding a go-to target tonight will be important as he settles into the game.
UAB-transfer Jamari Staples was a down-field threat when healthy, playing in nine games, hauling in 36 receptions for 610 yards and three touchdowns. The junior has the ability to go get the ball at its high point, and at 6-foot-4, he can be difficult to bring down in the open field.
James Quick is another popular target for Jackson. The local product from Trinity High School was second on the team with 35 receptions for 551 yards.
