Louisville, 2025 edition, won’t necessarily run you up and down the field – the Cardinals are averaging a just fine 409.3 yards per game on offense, but that’s just middle of the pack, 11th, in the 17-team ACC.
The defense, though, is good – second in the ACC, giving up 268.3 yards per.
Some of that is, weak schedule – Louisville has played just one Power 4 team to date, Pitt, which it beat 34-27 last week in its ACC opener.
Pitt put up 339 yards on the Louisville D, but committed five turnovers – the Cards have forced nine total through four games.
Gotta take care of the ball against this group.
UVA offense vs. the Louisville defense
I’m going to focus on the details of the Louisville-Pitt game, since that’s UL’s one Power 4 game to date.
The Cards D got pressure on Pitt QB Eli Holstein on 13 of his 30 dropbacks, blitzing on 17 of the 30, and blitzed backup Cole Gonzales on four of his seven dropbacks – and Gonzales was considered under pressure on all seven of his dropbacks.
Both of Holstein’s INTs came on blitzes; he was 6-of-14 for 111 yards against the blitz.
Gonzales was 2-of-3 for 17 yards against the blitz.
His INT came against standard pressure.
Each QB was sacked twice in the game.
The pressure largely came from a trio of edge rushers – Clev Lubin (seven pressures), TJ Quinn (five pressures) and AJ Green (four pressures).
Lubin leads Louisville on the season with 19 pressures and four sacks, and he has a 93.0 Pro Football Focus grade through four games.
With all the extra men attacking the passer, the secondary was left on islands a good bit, and Holstein took some advantage – he was 4-of-4 on balls that went 20-plus yards through the air, for 167 yards.
The safeties are good in pass coverage – Antonio Watts (two INTs, two PBUs) has an 89.9 coverage grade from PFF, and D’Angelo Hutchinson grades out at 83.4.
The corners can be a bit toasty – Jabari Mack has a respectable 70.5 PFF grade, but his NFL passer rating against is 107.2; Tayon Halloway gets a 63.5 grade, and has a 109.7 NFL passer rating against.
The Louisville D was stingy in the run game in the Pitt win – limiting the Panthers to 86 sack-adjusted rushing yards on 21 attempts.
Louisville offense vs. the UVA defense
Southern Cal transfer Miller Moss passed for 2,555 yards (283.9 yards/g) and 18 TDs for the Trojans in 2024.
Moss is averaging 257.3 yards per game through four games with Louisville in 2025, with a 139.6 passer rating.
Good numbers.
His primary targets are 6’2”, 220-pound senior Chris Bell (23 catches/36 targets, 332 yards, two TDs) and speedy 5’10” slot guy Caullin Lacy (22 catches/30 targets, 266 yards).
The featured back is 5’9”, 190-pound sophomore Isaac Brown (268 yards, 8.1 yards/attempt, three TDs).
Duke Watson, at 6’0”, 180, who had 602 yards and seven TDs on the ground as a freshman last season, only played a total of 11 snaps in Weeks 1 and 2, before getting 14 rushing attempts and gaining 47 yards in the Pitt win.
Special teams
Cooper Ranvier is a perfect 13-of-13 on extra points and 7-of-7 on field goals, with a long of 48.
Kickoff specialist Nick Keller has 19 touchbacks on 29 kicks, with opponents averaging 19.6 yards on returns.
Louisville uses two punters – Carter Schwartz (41.6 yards per attempt/41.1 yards net) and David Chapeau (35.9 yards per attempt/35.7 yards net).
Caullin Lacy is the primary guy in the return game – averaging 24.8 yards on six kickoff returns and 29.6 yards, with two TDs, on punt returns.
Keep it away from that guy.
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Chris Graham
