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Offense Continues to Search for Consistency Before Southern Miss Contest
Sept. 25, 2012
Shawn Watson | Teddy Bridgewater | Senorise Perry LOUISVILLE, Ky. - After four games, the University of Louisville football team's offense has yet to put a full game together. In the 32-14 win over Kentucky in the season opener, the Cardinals jumped out to a 22-7 lead, but the offense seemed to stall at times in the second half. The Cardinals put together one of the best offensive halves of football in recent memory in the 39-34 victory over North Carolina. Louisville totaled 360 yards of total offense in the first half en route to a 36-7 halftime lead. The Cardinals scored on their first six possessions in that first half, but only managed a second-half field goal. Last week in the 28-21 win over FIU, Louisville could only muster 326 yards of offense, but never seemed to get on track. "We are just focused on a lot of different ways to execute," said junior running back Senorise Perry. "We just need to learn how to execute, and be more precise." The Cardinals have put together great offensive numbers through four games, but are continuing to try to find some consistency. "We just have to get better," said offensive coordinator Shawn Watson. "We are chasing perfection so we have a lot of improvement to do. It would be that way if we played that way the first three games. We have to learn to be a team that strains and finishes." Sophomore quarterback Teddy Bridgewater didn't have his best numbers game, but still did a lot of positive things in the win. He was 19-of-36 for 198 yards and two touchdowns, but did throw a pair of interceptions. However, Bridgewater knows he can play better. "I played a pretty good game, but still did some things wrong that I have to learn from," said Bridgewater. "I had two interceptions and a couple of incompletions - looking back at the tape, you ask yourself, 'Why did I do this and that?' You just learn from it and move on." The Cardinals haven't played good football since the second half of the UNC game. The Cardinals have totaled 428 yards of total offense over the last six quarters. "We just need to lock in," added Bridgewater. "We have to realize what we have our eyes on. We're our worst critics and our worst opponents. Right now, coach has said we haven't played good football for the past six quarters, so that's something we want to improve on." The Cardinals will have another stern road test when they face Southern Miss in Hattiesburg, where Louisville is just 3-11 all-time against their former Conference USA partners. The Cardinals and Golden Eagles combined to win seven league titles before Louisville bolted to the BIG EAST in 2005. "Southern Mississippi is very athletic," said Watson. "They are learning a new style of defense, but every week you see improvement. In the game of football, you always respect that they are being coached. They have a very good staff. They are all veterans and been around the ball for a long while. They will have them up to speed and they will give us all we want."
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