Louisville Gets First W, Dismantles Villanova

Louisville football got into the win column Friday night after handling Villanova 59-13.

After falling to Ole Miss Sunday, the five day turnaround did not seem to play an issue in the Cards’ 46-point victory.

It was another slow start for Louisville, but over the course of the game, they found their footing and cruised to the win.

Notable Cards:

Lincoln Kienholz had another stellar performance. He finished going 16/21 for 332 yards and 2 touchdown passes, while scoring twice with his legs. Last week, Kienholz made history by becoming the first Cardinal to throw for 300 yards in his debut. This week, he became the first Louisville QB with 275 passing yards, 2+ pass TD and 2+ rush TD in a half since Lamar Jackson against Charlotte in 2016. On his first drive of the game, Kienholz had a pair of bad misses, but recovered for another great outing.

If you somehow guessed that Marquise Davis would be the leading-rusher against Villanova, then you’d be correct. The sophomore transfer from Missouri picked up 86 yards and 2 touchdowns on 7 carries. He does not lack physicality and has established himself as another solid option in a stacked running back room.

Tre Richardson and Lawayne McCoy both had a great night. Richardson caught seven passes for 98 yards, and McCoy racked up 102 yards on only three receptions. Through two games, it’s evident that McCoy is a dangerous deep threat; both of his touchdown receptions come from passes 50+ yards out. Both Richardson and McCoy are just starting to get going, and they seem to be elite weapons.

Takeaways:

Not a Clean Operation: Issues that plagued Louisville against Ole Miss were still apparent on Friday. They committed seven total penalties, five of which were on defense. Noteworthy ones include: another running into the kicker and a hands-to-the-face penalty on third-and-long which extended a Villanova drive.

More Clock Management Issues: With around one minute left in the first half, Louisville forced Villanova to punt. Instead of calling a timeout immediately, they waited until the 32 second mark. Clock management has been an issue over the years, and it’s still evident now.

Lincoln Kienholz Could Be Really Special: It’s hard to understate how well Kienholz has played in his first two games. While he started both games cold, he quickly turned things around. Through two games played, he is already breaking records.

Where is Isaac Brown?: Louisville still is struggling to get the running game going. Against Villanova, Isaac Brown rushed for 61 yards on 13 carries. Through two games, he has 97 yards. “If he pushes through, it will come together for him,” head coach Jeff Brohm said. “He has to stay with it. He will continue to get better, and we’ll need him.”

Slow Start for Defense: After a shaky first half, the defense held Villanova to three points the rest of the way. Pass defense has been subpar so far, and they will have a challenge next week against SMU’s Kevin Jennings.

Final Thoughts:

The 59-13 win shows dominance, but doesn’t tell the full story. There are still plenty of things that need to be fixed in order to contend for a conference championship. The Cardinals are far from their highest potential, and a big test is coming Saturday.

Up next: Louisville hosts SMU on Saturday at 3:30 for a pivotal ACC opener.

Thank you again to the Louisville Athletics staff for having us out Friday night. It’s a privilege we don’t take lightly.