For the last three seasons, BC coach Jeff Hafley schemed up his defense against the Louisville Cardinals to contain one big threat.
Louisville’s Malik Cunningham was the ACC’s uber dual threat quarterback forged from the same mold as his predecessor, Lamar Jackson, the 2016 Heisman Trophy winner and first-round draft pick of the Baltimore Ravens.
Louisville first-year head coach Jeff Brohm will field a different kind of signal caller when the unbeaten Cardinals (3-0) host the BC Eagles (1-2) on Saturday (3:30 p.m.) at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium.
Louisville’s Jack Plummer is a 6-5, 215-pound, senior transfer who posted impressive passing numbers in his previous stops at Purdue and California. Plummer is more of a stay-at-home pocket passer and less of a threat to run like Cunningham and Jackson.
“He is an experienced guy and he’s had at least two years of throwing for 3,000 yards and he looks very comfortable and can manage the game,” said Hafley. “He’s throws a lot of explosive passes and he’s more athletic than you think.
“I am not comparing him by any means to Malik, there are few people who could do what he could do. But he (Plummer) is good athlete who can extend plays when he has to with his feet and gets rid of the ball pretty quick.”
In three starts against Georgia Tech, Murray State and Indiana, Plummer has completed 47-of-76 passes for 732 yards with five touchdowns and four interceptions. Plummer’s go to guy is redshirt junior wide receiver Jamari Thrash, who has 14 catches for 329 yards and four touchdowns.
In an ironic twist, what was once Hafley’s primary concern on defense is now Brohm’s. BC college sophomore quarterback Thomas Castellanos, a transfer from Central Florida, is an electrifying ACC prototype who put up Cunningham-type numbers in last Saturday’s 31-29 loss to No. 3 Florida State. Castellanos completed 20-of 33 passes for 305 yards and rushed for 95 in his second career start and first ACC game.
“This is the first time in quite awhile that we have had a quarterback that can make as many plays with his feet and keep things alive,” said Hafley. “He’s had a good week of practice and we’ve made it hard on him because this is our first away game and they are 3-0.”
