Governor's Cup: Who has the edge?
We're three days away from the 2019 edition of the Governor's Cup with both Kentucky and Louisville having a lot to play for.
To help you get ready for the Commonwealth's biggest game, Mark Ennis of CardinalSports.com and Justin Rowland of CatsIllustrated.com present this collaboration, a position by position debate over which team has the advantage at every spot on the field.
Quarterback
Rowland: UK
I'll give the edge to Lynn Bowden, even though the very multidimensional player is one-dimensional as a quarterback. He is the leading contender for the Paul Hornung Award nationally and when one of the best athletes in college football is touching the ball on every play and leading a rushing game that opponents aren't slowing down, that's not a bad deal for UK.
Ennis: Louisville
I have come to respect what Kentucky is doing with Bowden at quarterback, but I can’t see how there’s any debate who has the advantage at quarterback. Micale Cunningham has 19 touchdownpasses. Bowden has 28 total completions. Bowden has 7 rushing touchdowns. Cunningham has six. If Cunningham had more pass attempts, he’d be one of the top five highest-rated passers in all of college football. If he had the required number of attempts, he would lead the nation in yards per attempt at 11.8. Additionally, if depth were to be an issue in this game, Evan Conley is decidedly better than whoever Stoops would turn to.
Running Back
Rowland: Louisville
Javian Hawkins is one of the best offensive skill players in the ACC. I like Kentucky's stable of backs better than Louisville's and UK's tend to be running through pretty large holes so that's worth noting. I will probably get some pushback from Kentucky diehards here but I will give UofL the nod because Hawkins has proven he can carry a load and run successfully against some good defenses (126 yards on average against Notre Dame and Clemson), and you can only play one back at a time.
Ennis: Louisville
The tandem of Javian Hawkins and Hassan Hall is as nice of a pair of running backs as Louisville has had since the pair of Senorise Perry and Dominique Brown anchored Charlie Strong’s offense. They’re both smaller, faster backs than offenses typically use these days, but they’ve proven to be durable, smart, instinctive runners in Louisville’s zone scheme. Most telling for me: against the four best defenses Louisville has faced this year (Clemson, UVA, Miami, Notre Dame) Javian Hawkins has averaged 119 yards per game. He ended Clemson’s streak of not allowing a 100-yard rusher with his 129-yard performance in October.
Wide Receiver
Rowland: Louisville
This isn't too difficult especially with Bowden at quarterback instead of receiver. Louisville has a significant edge over Kentucky at this position. This will be one of the biggest tests of the year for Kentucky's secondary, up there with what they saw from the receivers at Florida and Tennessee.
Ennis: Big edge, Louisville
I doubt there’s any debate over who has the advantage at this position. Lynn Bowden is still Kentucky’s leading receiver and he hasn’t caught a pass since 9/28 against South Carolina. Meanwhile, Tutu Atwell recorded a 1,000-yard season and is one of three consistently dangerous wide receivers. Atwell, Dez Fitzpatrick, and Seth Dawkins have each recorded 100-yard receiving games in 2019. The settling of the quarterback spot ignited the production from all three in the last two-thirds of the season.
Tight End
Rowland: Even
Marshon Ford has been a pleasant surprise for UofL this season and I like how he's involved in the offense but Justin Rigg is the better blocker and that's a big part of what UK asks of him. He's very experienced.
Ennis: Louisville
Considering Kentucky’s lack of passing offense, I give Louisville the edge here as well. All of Louisville’s tight ends have proven to be reliable blockers and the re-emergence of Marshon Ford and Jordan Davis as receivers late in the season gives Louisville the edge both in productivity and depth.
Offensive Line
Rowland: Kentucky
Kentucky has one of the best offensive lines in the SEC and in college football. There isn't a weakness across the front line and there is a nice rotation going. They're playing at a very high level and could be the best position unit for either team in the game.
Ennis: Slight edge, UK
I give Kentucky the edge here overall. Louisville’s Mekhi Becton is the single best offensive lineman on either team, but Kentucky has recruited the offensive line better over the past few years. That gives the Cats less of a drop off from best lineman to worst and definitely more depth.That’s not to take anything away from the dramatic improvement the offensive line has made in year one under Dwayne Ledford, but, it remains a razor-thin unit.
Defensive Line
Rowland: Kentucky
This is the most improved position unit for Kentucky in the 2019 season. Marquan McCall is taking his game to another level and he's Kentucky's backup nose tackle. That says something about the depth here. Calvin Taylor is tied for the SEC lead in sacks. This group is big, deep, and physical.
Ennis: Kentucky
Having reached year’s end, GG Robinson and Jared Goldwire have been nice for Louisville. But overall, the defensive line for Louisville has been the least productive unit on the field for the Cardinals in 2019. There’s nobody like Calvin Taylor for Kentucky that’ll be wearing red on Saturday. The best thing Louisville can do is possess the ball itself and keep its own defense off the field.
Linebacker
Rowland: Kentucky
Kentucky's edge defenders Boogie Watson, Jordan Wright and Josh Paschal have performed very well this year, one year removed from Josh Allen's senior season. On the inside there's depth, talent, and experience.
Ennis: UK
Kentucky has more depth and more upside from its linebackers. While there’s no denying that CJ Avery, Dorian Etheridge and others have played much better the second half of the season, the unit overall isn’t where Kentucky is right now. The good news for Louisville? Kentucky doesn’t do many of the things that have most trouble the Louisville linebackers. The bad news? Louisville hasn’t played anyone this committed to downhill, power running outside perhaps Boston College.
Defensive Back
Rowland: Kentucky
Kentucky's pass defense has benefited from facing backup quarterbacks and from poor weather conditions but they've allowed six touchdown passes in 11 games. There is no first team All-SEC caliber player here, but there's a lot of talent and it seems like everyone they call on for spot-duty holds their own. By almost every measure the UK secondary is one of the top 15-20 defensive backfield units in college football.
Ennis: Kentucky
I would have called this even if Russ Yeast were healthy. Neither secondary has blown anyone away, but Louisville’s has had the unfortunate task of facing many of the best, most dangerous passing offenses in college football. Kentucky’s…has not. Louisville is much better positioned to challenge Kentucky’s secondary with its offense than Kentucky is to challenge Louisville’s secondary with its offense.
Special Teams
Rowland: Even
Max Duffy is the best punter in college football and unfortunately for UK that is balanced out by a completely unsettled place kicking situation. UK has been solid in coverage. The one player who can tip the special teams game towards one team or the other more than any other is Duffy, but if the game comes down to a field goal, it's tough to feel good if you're a UK fan.
Ennis: Louisville
It was a very big blow to Louisville to lose Blanton Creque to a knee injury. However, Kentucky’s been equally poor at converting field goals with its usual kicker. Where Louisville does have an advantage is in the return game and at punter. In fact, the return game with Hassan Hall on kickoffs has played a large part in being able to overcome many of the defensive struggles Louisville has faced this year. As long as there aren’t any onside kick attempts, Louisville should be ok here.