Boston College Eagles

Louisville Football: Who will be the difference maker against Boston College?

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

We take a look at which Louisville football player will be the difference maker against Boston College on Saturday.

Louisville has a great opportunity to get back on the right track against Boston College on Saturday. While they didn’t get beat by Virginia, the close win casted a dark cloud on everyone’s view of how great the Cards really are.

Even though they demolished Florida State, barely lost to #2 Clemson, and have Lamar Jackson, we have to understand that football is all about what you have done lately. As much as they want to say the committee takes the whole season into consideration, I honestly think that is garbage.

This is still one heck of a football team that Bobby Petrino has been coaching this season and they will get back on the “right” track against Boston College.

With that being said, who is the one player, other than Lamar Jackson, that will be the biggest different maker against the Eagles on Saturday?

That would be none other than Louisville linebacker James Hearns.

According to College Football Stats, Hearns hasn’t been as productive over the past four games as he was over the first four. He had 4.5 sacks against Charlotte, Syracuse, Marshall, and Florida State, but has only had 0.5 sacks since.

I think that is going to change in a big way against Patrick Towles on Saturday. The Eagles don’t have one receiver who has over 300 receiving yards this season. Therefore, they don’t have anyone that Louisville needs to worry about getting open downfield, but their focus will be on getting constant pressure on Towles.

He has a solid ability to run the football, but he also has a bad habit of making bad decision with the football under pressure. Towles has five interceptions on this season and only seven passing touchdowns-that isn’t a recipe for offensive success.

If James Hearns can come off the edge like he did over the first four games, then the Eagles will have a very, very hard time moving the football.