FSU football: 3 things to know about the Louisville Cardinals

Dual-Threat QB

FSU football had the luxury of playing against statues in the pocket in the first three games of the season. However, things will change when they face Malik Cunningham Saturday afternoon.

He will be the first legitimate dual-threat quarterback they’ll face, and I can only imagine the issues he’ll pose for a defense that struggles to get off the field on third downs.

Cunningham is the team’s second-leading rusher, averaging 14 carries per game and 4.93 yards with six rushing touchdowns.

He only ran seven times for 40 yards against FSU last year but torched the Noles through the air with a QB rating of 191.47. The Noles will have to pick their poison, but the key to winning is keeping him in the pocket and forcing him to beat you with his arm.

He has completed 61 percent of his passes with three touchdowns and two interceptions. It goes back to stopping the run since he’s a large part of their running game.

I’m not suggesting they literally try to injure him, but they need to hit him early and often to limit his effectiveness as the game progresses.

Parting Thoughts

These are a few things to keep in mind when the Noles take the field against Louisville Saturday. If the Noles can avoid the self-inflicted wounds, they can at least have a decent shot at keeping the game competitive.