Jamie Rhodes-US PRESSWIRE
As a freshman for the Louisville Cardinals, quarterback Teddy Bridgewater finished his debut season with numerous honors and awards. Bridgewater was named the BIG EAST Rookie of the Year after throwing for 2,129 yards and 14 touchdowns. After stepping in for injured starting quarterback Will Stein, Bridgewater managed to complete 64.5 percent of his passes. Bridgewater, who became the first true freshman to see action at quarterback for the Cardinals since Brian Brohm in 2004 and the first to start since Stu Stram in 1976, earned multiple Freshman All-American nods. Now, through three games in his sophomore season, Bridgewater is putting up Heisman Trophy Award-worthy numbers.
A dual-threat quarterback at Miami’s Northwestern High School, Bridgewater has settled in to become an efficient and productive passer for the Cardinals. In three games, Bridgewater has completed 72 of 88 passes for 855 yards and five touchdowns. Bridgewater, who has yet to throw an interception, passed for a career-high 344 yards and two touchdowns in Louisville’s win over Missouri State. It was the first time Bridgewater had thrown for over 300 yards in his college career. Bridgewater completed 30 of 39 passes en route to the career-high.
Bridgewater opened the season with a solid performance that had him going 12 for 19 for 232 yards against the in-state rival Kentucky Wildcats. The Louisville sophomore passed for over 200 yards despite seeing only limited action in the second half versus Kentucky. Following the career-high effort versus Missouri State, one game later, Bridgewater completed 23 of 28 passes for 279 yards and three touchdowns against the North Carolina Tar Heels.
Bridgewater will have have a few cracks at winning the coveted Heisman Trophy Award. No University of Louisville player has ever won a Heisman.
