Points of Emphasis: Louisville vs. Miami

Here are the more significant storylines to follow ahead of Louisville football's matchup vs. the Hurricanes:

Nov 18, 2023; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Hurricanes wide receiver Xavier Restrepo (7) is tackled short of the end zone by Louisville Cardinals defensive back Quincy Riley (3) during the fourth quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Louisville football program has a massive showdown on tap this weekend, hosting undefeated and top-10 Miami at L&N Stadium this Saturday.

Here are some of the more notable storylines heading into Saturday's game:

Injury Report

Slowly but surely, Louisville is starting to get a little healthier.

After missing the previous game vs. SMU due to a lower body injury, defensive tackle Dezmond Tell made his return to action vs. Virginia. Star cornerback Quincy Riley, who had missed the last two games due to an ankle/foot injury, also returned.

Running back Isaac Brown was dinged up towards the end of the Virginia game, but it's expected that he will be good to go this weekend. Also of note, defensive linemen Rene Konga and Tramel Logan did not play vs. the Cavaliers due to undisclosed injuries, but no update was provided by Louisville.

Miami also has a fair amount of injury news, both good and bad.

Starting defensive end Rueben Bain and starting defensive tackle Simeon Barrow were able to return to action in the last game vs. Cal, while backup defensive lineman Elijah Alston had to miss the game against the Golden Bears.

There's also been a trio of starters that have been out since their opener against Florida: left tackle Jalen Rivers, cornerback Damari Brown and offensive lineman Ryan Rodriguez.

Louisville's Defensive Communication Takes Massive Step Forward

In Louisville's games against Georgia Tech, Notre Dame and SMU, a massive problem began to bubble up on their defense - specifically, with their communication. The Cardinals' coaching staff appeared to struggle with the new in-helmet comms, and as a result, calls were routinely not getting in time to the players.

With that in mind, Brohm made a slight adjustment to how the defensive staff communicates with the players. Instead of having defensive coordinator Ron English maintain his post up in the press box, Brohm had English come down to the sideline against Virginia to make his play calls.

Louisville's defense was certainly not perfect against UVA, but the streamlined communication did help the Cardinals be much more effective on that side of the ball. Of the Cavaliers' 11 drives, just two of them ended in touchdowns. Of the Cavaliers' three red zone trips, just one of them ended in a touchdown.

At the end of the day, this small change played a massive role behind Louisville snapping their two-game skid and pulling out a 24-20 win in Charlottesville.

"Being on the sideline and having a feel of if this team is huddling on the line of scrimmage, are they going to snap the ball, and trying to get things in as quick as we can," head coach Jeff Brohm said. "It’s also about your ability to adjust when you see those things and to feel those things on the field was better than being upstairs.

"I think having a general pulse of the defense on what they need to hear and what emotions need to be displayed is better by being on the field."

Miami's Top-Ranked Offense Powered by Heisman Trophy Candidate Cam Ward

Over the first half of the 2024 season, Miami is off to an undefeated 6-0 start, and ranks as the No. 6 team in the country per the AP Top 25. This is mainly thanks to their high-octane offense, as the Canes have the No. 1 total and scoring offense in the FBS, averaging 583.8 yards and 47.7 points per game.

While Miami has a plethora of of offensive skill position players, the straw that stirs the drink on that side of the ball is undoubtedly quarterback Cam Ward.

“They have got a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate and he is really good," Brohm said. "He can throw it, he can move, he can buy time, he has got a great feel for the position, he can get it to their playmakers and he makes that offense go."

Just how good has Cam Ward been? He's completed 69.2 percent of his throw, and has thrown for an unreal 2,219 yards and 20 touchdowns to just five interceptions. His yardage total is second in the nation only to Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart, while his passing touchdown total leads the FBS.

Ward has also excelled at making plays with his legs and outside the pocket. He's rushed for 148 yards and three touchdowns, and has a Pro Football Focus offensive grade of 84.1 when blitzed.

“If you watch him, he is very poised, he understands football and he has got a great feel," Brohm said. "I think he throws it best when he is on the move and when he can buy time and that is when the big plays are created because he is just so natural at doing it. So, we have to contain him in the pocket and make him throw from the pocket."

RB Isaac Brown Surging for Louisville

When it comes to Louisville's offensive weapons, the majority of them are involved in the passing game. QB Tyler Shough has done a fantastic job up to this point, wideout Ja'Corey Brooks is the unquestioned WR1, slot receiver Caullin Lacy has big play potential, and tight ends Mark Redman plus Jamari Johnson have stood out.

There were doubts about Louisville's ground game heading into the 2024 season, but over the first half of the season, one running back has clearly separated himself from the others: Isaac Brown.

“Issac has done a great job for us, Brohm said. "From day one. He has not missed a rep of practice, he goes hard, he competes, he does everything we ask, he is very unselfish. ... He needs to touch the ball a lot, we need to utilize his skills, and we need to make sure that that happens as much as we can get it to happen.” 

Even as just a true freshman, the 5-foot-9, 190-pound all-purpose back has been an integral part of Louisville's offense. He's rushed for 508 yards and three touchdowns, while also catching 14 passes for 92 yards and a score. His 8.61 yards per rush not only leads the ACC, but is seventh in the FBS.

On top of that, the Homestead, Fla product is only getting better as time goes on. In the previous game at Virginia, Brown had a career day, rushing for a career-best 146 yards and two touchdowns.

Canes Looking Vulnerable in ACC Play

Miami got off to an incredibly hot start to their 2024 campaign. While their non-conference slate wasn't exactly filled with world-beaters, the Canes still out-scored their non-con foes by an average of 42.0 points.

But since Miami kicked off ACC play, they have looked vulnerable. Despite being a three-score favorite against Virginia Tech, the Canes scraped out a 38-34 win thanks in part to a controversial ending. The very next week, Miami had to climb out of a 25-point hole to win 39-38 at Cal.

"You take a humble approach to the bye week and look in the mirror and say' Man that's not good enough.' If it's not good enough in a win or a loss then it should not be good enough regardless of that," Miami head coach Mario Cristobal said earlier this week.

In fact, during the Canes' bye week last week, wide receiver Xavier Restrepo told ESPN that Miami held a players-only meeting during the bye.

"We just went over what's important for this team," he said. "Set boundaries and let people know that we haven't played our best ball yet. We haven't put our best team on film yet. Emphasizing internally on getting better. I think that was the biggest thing for the meeting."

(Photo of Quincy Riley, Xavier Restrepo: Sam Navarro - Imagn Images)

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