Sullivan | Bolin shows poise under pressure

Kyle Bolin should think bigger. He should see the glass as four-fifths full and himself as the central figure in a best-case scenario. He should allow his ego a little more latitude and give his imagination room to run.

Because the University of Louisville's backup quarterback can flat-out play. Because he is accurate and adaptable. Because he was the critical difference in the Cardinals' 44-40 Governor's Cup victory Saturday afternoon. Because, without Bolin, Kentucky might be bowlin'.

"I kind of pictured myself as out there playing," Bolin said after throwing for 381 yards and three touchdowns. "And it wasn't this good.

It's just all surreal, it's like ridiculous."

Seriously. This was one of those performances that conjures the scene in "Broadcast News" where William Hurt asks, "What do you do when your real life exceeds your dreams?" And Albert Brooks answers, "Keep it to yourself."

For 18 minutes and 38 seconds — nearly a third of Saturday's game — Bolin was a sideline spectator with so little expectation of playing that he chose not to carry his helmet as he watched Kentucky seize a 13-0 lead.

But then freshman starter Reggie Bonnafon went down clutching his left knee, and Kyle Bolin was obliged to stop dreaming and start doing.

GAME REWIND: Look back at the Cards' 44-40 win

INJURY: Reggie Bonnafon leaves game with injured knee

Inheriting a third-and-7 predicament at his own 45-yard line, he promptly hit Eli Rogers for a first down and then, on his second play, tossed the first of his three touchdown passes to DeVante Parker.

If this was a baptism of fire, Bolin was asbestos. Though he would contribute to two Kentucky scores with an interception and a fumble that were both returned for touchdowns, the redshirt freshman from Lexington Catholic erased the Wildcats' 13-0 lead in his first eight scrimmage plays and conducted four separate go-ahead touchdown drives.

He played with the calm and the confidence of a more accomplished player accustomed to performing under pressure.

"One of the things we tried to show Kyle was that we had a lot of confidence in him," Louisville coach Bobby Petrino said. "I didn't want to just throw him out there and run the ball twice and punt it. There are certain things that he get more reps at in practice. There are certain things that as you're sitting there with Reggie laying on the ground you think, 'OK, how do we get him started? What is he most comfortable with?' "

Petrino might tailor his play-calling to the specific talents of the quarterback on the field, but he does not dumb things down for a backup who understands the playbook. Neither did he bother Bolin with a pep talk. Both parties remembered Petrino's instructions as, "Let's go."

"Petrino coaches all his quarterbacks the same, to make them read the same reads," running back Brandon Radcliff said. "When Kyle got out there and threw those passes, I was not surprised. Petrino every day coaches everyone the same. . .If you listen to Coach Petrino, you're going to have some success."

It helps having a target as large and athletic as DeVante Parker. It helps that Kentucky's defense falls somewhere between dismal and dreadful. Yet Kyle Bolin helped himself, too, completing 21 of his 31 pass attempts while suffering only one sack.

Only five Louisville quarterbacks have thrown for more than 381 yards in a single game — Chris Redman did it 10 times; Johnny Unitas none — and Bolin's output nearly doubled Bonnafon's best passing day (206 yards).

"Putting myself in this position without being in this position, I felt it would be a lot different," Bolin said. "(But) Stepping in there, everything was kind of slow, calmed down. I felt like I had a lot of poise."

Bolin maintained his poise afterward, side-stepping a question about whether he and Bonnafon can coexist long-term, maintaining his perspective under circumstances that might easily go to a young man's head.

"Probably a lot of you didn't know my name or forgot my name a few hours ago," he told reporters. "So it's nice just seeing the difference."