Behind Enemy Lines: Five Questions for AL.com's Thomas Ashworth

Ahead of Louisville's matchup with Jax State, Louisville Cardinals On SI sat down with Thomas Ashworth of AL.com to find out more about the Gamecocks.

Jacksonville State's celebrates after scoring during college football action at Burgess-Snow Field AmFirst Stadium in Jacksonville, Alabama August 29, 2024. (Dave Hyatt / Special to the Gadsden Times) / Dave Hyatt / Special to the Gadsden Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - With the Louisville football program kicking off their season on a high note thanks to a demolition of Austin Peay, the Cardinals now set their sights on an opponent from the FBS ranks, welcoming Jacksonville State to L&N Stadium.

Ahead of the matchup, Louisville Cardinals On SI sat down with Thomas Ashworth of AL.com to find out more about the Gamecocks.

1. Rich Rodriguez is entering his third season at Jax State. How has his trademark no huddle spread offense carried over to the Gamecocks?

Last season, Jacksonville State averaged 20.3 seconds per play overall and under 20 seconds per play on the road, making Jacksonville State’s offense the fastest in the country; the end of the Sam Houston State game last season is a great example of the high-tempo offense making or breaking games. The Gamecocks also finished with the second-ranked rushing attack in Conference USA last season behind Liberty, averaging 236.6 rushing yards a game and even breaking the conference record for most rushing yards in a game, racking up 522 yards on 60 carries against Louisiana Tech. Especially with a quarterback room that has always been filled with dual-threat playmakers, the tempo and spread offense has made a huge impact.

2. What happened in Jacksonville State’s home opener? Is it as simple as committing too many early turnovers?

One thing Rich Rodriguez mentioned is that while his team played hard, there were a ton of mistakes that seemed to pile up; he hinted at simplifying things moving forward. The Gamecocks allowed the most rushing yards and points in a Rodriguez-coached game, but it comes under a new defensive coordinator and a defense that has plenty of new faces. As for the offense, it just seemed impossible to find a rhythm and turnovers killed drives. The team’s first touchdown came with just 19 seconds left in the first half, which is incredibly uncharacteristic for a fast-striking offense. With the first game out of the way, Rodriguez expects both sides to perform better this week.

3. With JSU going with a two-QB system, what are the pros and cons that come with both Tyler Huff and Logan Smothers?

Rich Rodriguez has made it clear that two quarterbacks should play against Louisville. What both players have is plenty of experience in starting situations, with Huff having an incredibly strong year at FCS Furman. Both quarterbacks fit the classic Rich Rod “dual threat” profile, with Smothers leading the Gamecocks in rushing touchdowns last season and Huff totaling 591 yards and six touchdowns on the ground last season at Furman. Rodriguez has said that while both players throw the ball differently and can be used in different situations, each quarterback has prepared for every situation possible as opposed to focusing intensely on their strengths.

4. Outside of the quarterbacks, who are the top players on both sides of the ball that fans should watch out for?

Michael Pettway, P.J. Wells and Sean Brown are guys that have been a part of this offense for a long time and will aid in the passing attack. While Brown will tell you that he considers himself a sixth offensive lineman, the tight end is huge in the blocking and passing game for the Gamecocks; Pettway and Wells have both been with the Gamecocks since the Ohio Valley Conference days. Offensive linemen Clay Webb, Brock Robey and Will O’Steen are all strong returning guys, too.

The leaders of the defense will be the returning veterans, including defensive lineman J-Rock Swain, cornerback Derek Carter and linebacker Laletia Hale; Swain and Carter were named to the all-CUSA team last season. Redshirt freshman Zechariah Poyser, who started last week, had arguably the best performance on the team’s defense, too.

5. What is the one thing that Jacksonville State must do if they are to potentially pull off the upset?

It's still early in the season, but one thing Jacksonville State can do is use its up-tempo offense to create mismatches and find pre-snap mistakes that may be fixable if the game was taken at a normal pace. There were a few times in the New Orleans Bowl that this really stuck out, but Rich Rodriguez has obviously had time with his staff to master this. As far as statlines, first downs and third down conversions will be key in this game especially, but that’s a thing that Rodriguez really uses to measure success in some form or another. The offensive line is better than what it showed against Coastal Carolina and should aid more in the running attack this time around, but will have a challenge against a solid Louisville defensive line.

(Photo via Dave Hyatt / Special to the Gadsden Times / USA TODAY NETWORK)

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