A year ago, Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson was something of an unknown with three career starts when he first faced Florida State. These days, he's a sophomore star whose Heisman Trophy hype is reaching a fever pitch.
Jackson is the first player college football experts mention when they discuss the No. 10 Cardinals (2-0, 1-0) and the national attention they've attracted early this season.
It's been argued that the talented quarterback's exploits have come against Charlotte and Syracuse, which aren't exactly contemporary college powers. FSU, however, is a colossus and will carry a No. 2 national ranking into the teams' noon showdown Saturday at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium in Louisville, Ky.
There is reason for optimism on both sides. Jackson did throw for what was then a career-high 307 yards and three touchdowns against the Seminoles last year. FSU did limit Jackson to 32 yards on 19 carries and one interception in a 41-21 victory.
"He's more comfortable. You can tell he worked on some mechanics this offseason," Seminoles senior defensive end DeMarcus Walker said. "He makes the throws he has to make. Not saying he didn't do that last year, but he's more comfortable."
The 6-foot-3 and 205-pound Jackson threw for 1,840 yards, 12 touchdowns and eight interceptions while rushing for 916 yards and 11 touchdowns as a first-year starter. Through two games, he's passed for 697 yards and seven touchdowns with one interception, and he has run for 318 yards and six scores.
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He'll be the third quarterback FSU (2-0) has seen this year with mobility, and the second who can win a game with his arms and legs.
But as junior defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi explained, Jackson and Ole Miss senior quarterback Chad Kelly aren't comparable in some areas.
"I mean first off -- Chad Kelly is a lot slower than Lamar," Nnadi said. "Lamar Jackson, he's incredibly fast. I'm not even going to lie about that."
Nnadi said he's seen improvement from Jackson and Louisville's offensive line. The Cardinals returned 10 offensive starters and four of their starting five linemen from 2015.
It's a unit that has cleared holes for Jackson while giving him time to pick apart secondaries.
"With Lamar Jackson, I feel like he's smart with the ball," Nnadi said. "When it's time, he has to make to play. He's going to use his feet to carry it on. I am expecting a lot coming into this game."
