Kelly Dickey: UofL’s Lamar Jackson setting football records at sizzling pace

Editor’s Note: We are pleased to welcome Kelly Dickey as a guest contributor. He’s the go-to source  on UofL records and statistics for many local fans. including numerous media sources. Kelly is also known as CardGame on Louisville.scout.com and @RealCardGame on Twitter. 

When the University of Louisville football team opened the 1998 season in a new stadium with a new coaching staff, Cards’ fans were hoping for a rejuvenated offense to bring excitement back to the program.  Offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino and quarterback Chris Redman were key in that season’s offensive explosion that left its marks on the UofL record book.

Many of those records remained unchallenged for 16 years.  Then Lamar Jackson came along.  Two of Redman’s single-game records have already fallen and some of his single-season and career records may be next.

Jackson ended an inconsistent freshman season in 2015 by leading the Cards to a 21-point comeback victory over Kentucky and a Music City Bowl win over Texas A&M in which he became the third player in bowl history to pass and run for 200 yards each.

Over the summer Jackson admitted to not knowing the Louisville playbook last season.  All indications are that he knows a lot more of the plays now.  Jackson has accounted for 13 touchdowns – 7 passing and 6 rushing – in six quarters of action this season.  Jackson has more total touchdowns than 115 FBS teams.  Only seven teams not named Louisville have more touchdowns than he does.

Jackson’s assault on the UofL record book is well under way:

·       Total TDs in a game (8) – Jackson passed for 6 TDs and rushed for 2 more against Charlotte to break Redman’s record of 6 total TDs at East Carolina in 1998.

·       Total yards in a game (610) – Jackson passed for 411 yards and rushed for 199 at Syracuse to break Redman’s record of 578 total yards in that same East Carolina game.

·       Rushing TDs in a game by a QB (4) – Jackson rushed for 4 TDs at Syracuse to break Benny Russell’s record of 3 rushing TDs vs. Dayton in 1965.

·       Rushing yards in a game by a QB (226) – Until last year Jim Wagoner held this record with 162 yards vs. Drake in 1974.  Jackson has broken this record three times with the current record coming vs. Texas A&M in last year’s Music City Bowl.  Jackson holds 7 of the top 9 spots on this list.

·       Total plays in a game by a true freshman (54) – Jackson attempted 35 passes and rushed 19 times at Florida State last year to break Teddy Bridgewater’s record of 52 plays vs. NC State in the 2011 Belk Bowl.

·       Total plays in a season by a freshman (410) – Jackson attempted 247 passes and rushed 163 times to break Bridgewater’s record of 385 plays in 2011.

·       Total yards in a game by a freshman (453) – Jackson broke this record twice with the current record coming with 227 yards passing and 226 yards rushing vs. Texas A&M.  Kyle Bolin was the previous record holder with 387 total yards vs. Kentucky in 2014.

·       Total yards in a season by a freshman (2,800) – Jackson passed for 1840 yards and rushed for 960 yards to break Bridgewater’s record of 2195 total yards in 2011.

·       Rushing attempts in a season by a true freshman (163) – Jackson broke John Brewer’s record of 121 which had stood since 1948.

·       Rushing yards in a game by a freshman (226) – Jackson’s performance vs. Texas A&M broke Greg Hickman’s record of 193 yards at Memphis in 1979.

·       Rushing yards in a season by a true freshman (960) – Jackson broke Brewer’s 1948 record of 573 yards.

·       Passing yards in a game by a true freshman (307) – Jackson’s performance at Florida State broke Bridgewater’s record of 274 yards vs. NC State in the 2011 Belk Bowl.

Jackson hasn’t limited his impact to the UofL record book.  His record for total yards in a game is also an ACC record and his record for total TDs in a game matches the ACC mark.

With his performance at Syracuse, Jackson became the only player in major college history to pass for 400 yards and rush for 175 yards in a game.

UofL fans are not the only ones impressed by Jackson’s incredible numbers.  He is now part of the national conversation for the Heisman Trophy and is undoubtedly the primary reason that ESPN’s College GameDay is coming to UofL for the first time in the show’s 24 seasons.

Perhaps the only person not impressed by Jackson’s accomplishments so far is Jackson himself.  Asked how he would grade his offense in the Syracuse game he said, “I’d give it a C.  I didn’t like it because we had too many mistakes.  We’re not supposed to have that — dropped passes, fumbles, the interception.  It was a C, average, average.”