Behind Enemy Lines: Five Questions For Louisville On SI's Matt McGavic

Matt McGavic joins us to talk more in-depth about Louisville and their matchup with Georgia Tech this weekend

Louisville Cardinals quarterback Tyler Shough (9) looks for an open pass during their game against the Jacksonville State Gamecocks on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024 at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium in Louisville, Ky. / Clare Grant/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

One of the biggest matchups of week four is going to be between No. 19 Louisville and Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets are hoping to defeat another ranked opponent under head coach Brent Key and this is going to be the first real test for Louisville after games against Austin Peay and Jacksonville State. This is going to be a huge game in the conference and both teams could use a win.

To get to know a little bit about Louisville ahead of Saturday's matchup, I caught up with Louisville On SI Reporter Matt McGavic to ask him five questions about the Cardinals and the matchup against the Yellow Jackets on Saturday.

1. What have you learned about this Louisville team so far this season? They have played two overmatched opponents and had a bye week so it is tough to get a true read on them so far. What appear to be the biggest strengths and weaknesses?

"Honestly, the biggest takeaway I’ve had is that this team is not one to take lesser opponents lightly like we have seen out of so many other power conference teams so far early in the season. Outside of that, another takeaway I’ve had is that the run game seems like it is going to be a much more viable option than we expected heading into the season. If there’s any weakness I can pick up on up to this point, it might be the offensive line’s consistency. This is still a very good unit, don’t get me wrong, but their execution in pass protection and in run blocking is pretty wide."

2. Isaac Brown, Duke Watson, and Keyjuan Brown have all looked good to start the year, is it going to be a backfield by committee this year for Louisville or do you expect someone to emerge as the lead back?

"Believe it or not, those three are actually the bottom three on the depth chart. Maurice Turner is the starter and is the most well-rounded back on the roster, but he hasn’t been needed much for obvious reasons. Donald Chaney Jr. is probably going to be 1B or the outright backup, or at least the third down/short yardage back because he’s the most physical one at the position. Though back to the original question, I can see this being a running back by committee approach. That being said, I wouldn’t be shocked if Isaac Brown winds up as RB1 at some point this season. He has been hyped up all offseason, and it’s very clear that he’s the fastest player on the roster right now."

3. How has Tyler Shough looked through two games? The stats look good and Jeff Brohm usually does a fantastic job with quarterbacks.

"He’s been very good, but it’s also been a bit of a different Shough than we have seen in the past. He’s very much a dual-threat guy who can make plays with his legs and has been used as such at both Texas Tech and Oregon. But because of his injury history, Brohm is not going to use him as a runner hardly at all. Additionally, while he still very much is unafraid to take some risks with downfield shots (and certainly has the arm strength to do it), he looks like he is being a little more patient on some of his reads and making more sound decisions. Again, it’s against bad opponents, but he’s been straddling the line between taking calculated downfield risks and taking what the defense gives you."

4. The defense has proven playmakers in Ashton Gillotte and Quincy Riley, but who are some other names to know who might make an impact on Saturday?

"I’m going to go with Tamarion McDonald. He’s a transfer who has multiple years of SEC starting experience at Tennessee, and it shows. First and foremost, he’s incredibly versatile in the fact that he can play safety, nickel, or corner. On top of that, he has made his presence felt early considering this is a guy who - as a safety - already has two sacks on the year. Also, Stanquan Clark was my preseason pick for a breakout candidate, and that hasn’t changed. It speaks volumes when you’re the only defensive underclassman to start on this team. He’s super athletic, has a high football IQ, and plays very well against the run - which is what you want out of a middle linebacker."

5. Is this Louisville team better than last year's and can they get back to the ACC Championship Game?

"If you ask me, on paper, this team is absolutely better than last year’s team was. Will it be reflected in the win/loss column? That’s to be determined. We haven’t seen what this team looks like against power conference competition, not to mention that the schedule is harder than last season’s was. But can they make it back to Charlotte? I think they can - it’s just a matter of if this team comes together as well as we think it can."