Louisville Football: 3 Takeaways from loss to North Carolina State

1. The one man band needs to stop

The junior quarterback reportedly made the passing part of his game a focal point of this offseason because he wanted to prove to NFL scouts and evaluators he was ready for the next level. Jackson’s rushing totals from a year ago are down, but he still averaged 19 carries per game entering Thursday night. That’s a far cry from becoming a pocket passer.

The lightning fast quickness and escapability of Lamar Jackson is a ton of fun to watch. We’ve all had the pleasure of watching him make SportsCenter Top 10 plays enough times that we’ve come to expect it every time we see him play. But as many times as fans have seen him take over games, so have defensive coordinators.

Here’s an interesting number for you. 11. That’s the total number of offensive plays that did not end in a sack or a Lamar Jackson pass or rush. The Cardinals ran the ball 29 times against NC State and attempted 48 passes. That’s 77 action plays, and Jackson was the focal point on 66 of them. That’s 86 percent.

Opposing defenses know what’s coming. They know Jackson is going to keep the ball, and they’re getting pressure on him when he stays in the pocket. If nobody else steps up to help him the Cardinals are going to be in trouble. He’s an incredible talent, but he’s not going to beat 11 men by himself, not consistently enough to win football game against elite competition.