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Leading 30-13 early in the fourth quarter, Scott Satterfield and his coaching staff once again put too much pressure on the brakes. This time around, the overly conservative approach from both sides of the ball resulted in a heartbreaking 34-33 loss to Virginia.
Cavalier quarterback Brennan Armstong torched the Cardinals with 40 completed passes, 488 passing yards and three touchdowns. Armstrong’s final blow came in the form of a one-yard touchdown pass to Grant Misch with 22 seconds remaining that established the game’s final score.
This loss is the sole responsibility of the coaches. It’s an old trope, but I can’t really think of a better example of ‘play not to lose’ than this game. With a few exceptions, the defense rushed three players for most of the fourth quarter, allowing Virginia Armstrong to pick Louisville’s high school game after game. This soft, cushioned approach allowed UVA to finish Game 7 of 12 in the third and fourth down attempts in the second half. Louisville’s equally gentle attacking approach allowed them to finish 0 for 5.
This game should never have been close, especially after the Cards took the lead and stretched it in the 3rd quarter. But we saw the Cardinals lose their fourth game since last season when they had a lead in the 4th quarter. The loss pushes Louisville to 2-6 in play in possession since last season.
Simply put, this coaching staff doesn’t know how to end games.
We saw Louisville try to give Florida State a win two weeks ago and then we saw the defense allow Wake Forest to roam the field with ease to set up their winning basket. This week was no different. With the game in play and Virginia needing a touchdown, not a field goal, the defense allowed Virginia to play big chunk after big play on the field (no downtime, mind you) and ultimately score. the starting touchdown they needed to win.
I got on and off the Satterfield train. Three weeks ago, when the Cards beat a tough UCF team in dramatic fashion, there was good energy around this schedule for the first time in a long time. FSU’s victory didn’t generate much confidence, but it left fans dreaming of greater opportunities if they beat Wake Forest. We all know how frustrating the Wake game has been, especially with the wrong referees, but this loss to an embarrassingly historically bad football schedule is enough for fans to turn the pressure under the Satterfield siege.
It’s also time we gave this defense and Bryan Brown the criticism they deserve. It was supposed to be an upgraded unit and I have long believed in what Brown is trying to build. But it’s Year 3 and we still see a defense hanging on to life for the fifth season in a row. What we saw in the fourth quarter was unacceptable and it is time for Brown to explain why this defense is not where it needs to be.
The worst part about this loss is that Louisville is now heading for a week off, knowing full well that they are just a few games and calls away from being 5-1. Instead, the team and their fans must now shy away from this loss for the next two weeks.
Louisville had the victory. Louisville needed this victory. And they suffocated him.
I believe this team is better than their record, but until they find a way to end the games, I have little reason to believe that this coaching staff is moving forward. Hopefully the heat and noise they get over the next few weeks lead to better results.
We’ll see, I guess.
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