Andrea Adelson, ESPN Senior Writer 8y

Louisville offense poised to hit higher marks in 2016

Bobby Petrino arrived for his second stint at Louisville with an established background as an offensive guru. But his first two years back have not quite hit the mark when it comes to yards and points.

At times, it has been a slog to string together touchdowns and consistent drives, and that has been somewhat uncharacteristic of Petrino’s teams. For the first time in his career, Petrino's team lost more games and scored fewer points in Year 2 compared to Year 1.

In the nine previous years he spent as a college head coach, his teams averaged 36.4 points and 462.7 yards. Only twice did those teams fall outside the top 15 in scoring – his first year at Arkansas in 2008, and Western Kentucky in 2013.

Only twice have his teams averaged fewer than 30 points per game – Arkansas in 2008 and last season, when the Cards averaged 28.7 points to rank No. 65 in the nation. Between 2014 and 2015, Louisville averaged 29.95 points and 405.4 yards – both below Petrino’s offensive averages.

Petrino readily admits, “It hasn’t gone as well as we are used to.”

And yet, that is another reason why excitement has grown around Louisville. Those who watched Petrino in his first head coaching stint with the Cards saw a fast-paced offense that often could score at will. It has not been as simple this time around. Granted, the competition is much better in the ACC than Conference USA/Big East – but Petrino did find success with his offense in the SEC at Arkansas, too.

Inconsistency at quarterback has been a big factor. Already in two seasons, four quarterbacks have started for Petrino as a result of injury or inconsistency. The first time around at Louisville, he had two starters in four years.

Injuries at receiver have been a problem. So has the offensive line, which muddled through last season with several freshmen playing significant roles. Running backs have struggled to gain traction. The frustrations became evident, but so did the glimmers of potential.

Enter Lamar Jackson at quarterback. Enter a deep and talented group of receivers that finally looks the part. Enter a more grown-up offensive line. Seeing Jackson under center and all the pieces around him have harkened back to an earlier time. To an earlier Petrino time.

When Jackson provided the spark off the bench to lead a comeback victory over Kentucky, then topped himself against Texas A&M in the Music City Bowl, Petrino sat back and realized he could finally have his type of offense once 2016 rolls around.

“I’m hoping we can get it back on track, and that’s what we saw happen in the Kentucky game and in the bowl game,” Petrino said. “Our guys believed when they took the field, they were going to go down and score. That’s the first step; you believe it and everybody gets on the same page because that’s where you start in: ‘Hey, every time we take the field, we’re going to score points.’”

While it is true offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Garrick McGee is gone, Petrino still calls the plays for the Cards. And Petrino's son, Nick, will be working with the quarterbacks. McGee played a big role in Jackson’s development, but Bobby Petrino clearly will have his eyes on everything related to Jackson.

It showed as much in the spring game, when Jackson looked in command and showed off a much better grasp of the offense. Plus, Petrino said Jackson is doing a much better job with his footwork, lead shoulder, drops and sets.

These are all things learned with time. Jackson arrived last August and was thrown into the mix right away. In those final two games that truly showcased his ability, Louisville averaged 511.5 yards of offense and 32.5 points. By the time September rolls around, he will have a full year of experience.

That’s why Louisville fans have already imagined all the possibilities this season. Here’s betting Petrino has, too.

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