Louisville football game at Lucas Oil Stadium 'surreal moment' for Indiana native on team
Isaac Guerendo was only a redshirt freshman when he took the field at Lucas Oil Stadium for the first time.
Tenth-ranked Wisconsin had lost only two games in the regular season and was facing No. 2 Ohio State, led by Justin Fields and J.K. Dobbins, for the Big Ten Conference championship on Dec. 7, 2019. Though Guerendo didn’t log any statistics in the game, he played behind future NFL standout Jonathan Taylor, who produced 148 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries in the Badgers' 34-21 loss to the Buckeyes.
Guerendo is familiar with Lucas Oil Stadium, where the Indianapolis Colts play on Sundays. He graduated from Avon High School, less than 20 miles from the dome, and has been in the crowd for plenty of Colts game. That 2019 game was a dream experience, and he wasn't sure if he'd ever have that opportunity again.
Guerendo will be back in the Colts' home stadium this weekend, though, and you can expect the fifth-year senior running back to log plenty of touches as Louisville (2-0) takes on Indiana (1-1) at noon Saturday.
“It's another surreal moment being able to go home and play there,” he said. “(There are) just so many people around that support me that'll be able to go to that game, that'll be able to watch that game. Just being in the home state feels good, so I'm excited for it.”
As fate would also have it, Taylor was selected by the Colts with the 41st overall pick in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Guerendo said he’d have to get in touch with his old teammate about getting more tickets for his family members in Indiana.
Taylor was a leader for the Badgers while Guerendo was in Wisconsin, and Guerendo has worked to have a similar impact as a leader in Louisville — teammates felt his presence soon after he joined the Cardinals in the offseason, according to running backs coach Chris Barclay, who called him "probably one of the sharpest guys in the program."
“I was talking with my (graduate assistant), and he was telling me that Jaws (Jawhar Jordan) was telling him earlier this year that Isaac was actually the one who helped him learn the playbook," Barclay said. "They came in together as far as the offense is concerned. I think that just kind of speaks to his ability to retain information, process. There's a big trust factor there with him.”
With Jordan, Guerendo and sophomore Maurice Turner, Louisville has several running backs who frequently see the field. Guerendo has shown the most growth since joining the team, Barclay said, and takes new steps every week. He's a heavier back, at 225 pounds, but he picks up speed and is effective in pass protection as well.
Against Murray State, Guerendo had the fourth-best offensive grade and third-best among skill players (79.8) in 30 snaps, per Pro Football Focus. He scored his first touchdown as a Cardinal and ended the game with 63 yards on 11 carries along with 47 yards on four catches.
“He's doing a great job not just in pass protection and in the running game; he's got soft hands,” Barclay said. “He's really making himself available in the passing game and being a factor in that regard. We're just tickled to death where he is.”
Guerendo's life has changed since that first game at Lucas Oil Stadium in 2019. He's grown from a developing backup at Wisconsin to a go-to player for Louisville in a system allowing him to diversify his skillset. The goal is to someday play on NFL fields like the one in Indianapolis every weekend — in the meantime, games like Saturday's showdown with Indiana are a chance to continue expanding his role in the Cardinals' offense.
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Reach Louisville football, women's basketball and baseball beat writer Alexis Cubit at acubit@gannett.com and follow her on Twitter at @Alexis_Cubit.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville football: Isaac Guerendo makes return to Lucas Oil Stadium
