Junior defensive end Marcus Thompson isn’t hiding the fact that he’s going after Louisville’s injured quarterback, Teddy Bridgewater, with bad intentions when the two teams face off Thursday night.

Bridgewater, the frontrunner for the Big East Offensive Player of the Year award, suffered a fractured (non-throwing) left wrist and a sprained right ankle in last week’s triple-overtime loss to Connecticut.

“We definitely have to take advantage of that,” Thompson said. “Attack him. Be more aggressive. Basically, we have to take our shot at him wherever we get a chance. You have to hit him.”

Louisville coach Charlie Strong said Monday that Bridgewater will play against Rutgers. He was forced from the Connecticut game twice with injuries but returned to rally the Cardinals and force overtime.

“We have to do a better job of protecting him,” Strong said on the weekly Big East conference call.

Bridgewater was sacked four times by the Huskies, who held the Cardinals to just 27 yards rushing and 20 points, both season-lows.

How effective Bridgewater will be is the question. He emerged from the Connecticut game with a cast protecting his left wrist. Senior Will Stein is the backup.

“Oh, I don’t know how close he is to 100 percent,” Strong said of Bridgewater. “We’re just going to monitor him this week and he’ll play. He played the second half against Connecticut so nothing should change.”

The Scarlet Knights says they’re gearing up for the best of Bridgewater.

“We’re preparing like he’s 100 percent,” linebacker Kevin Snyder said. “That’s the only way you can prepare.”

Although Bridgewater, a 6-3, 220-pound sophomore, is known for his mobility, he’s a pinpoint passer. He has thrown for 3,189 yards with 23 touchdowns and only six interceptions and is completing 68.8 percent of his passes.

“He’s so precise,” Snyder said. “He’s such a great passer in the pocket and he has the threat of the run if he needs to. Plus, he knows that system so well.”

Rutgers hopes to pressure Bridgewater and get him out of the pocket because “if you give him a window, he’s going to make the throw. We have to make him scramble,” safety Wayne Warren said.

Five Cardinal players have at least 27 receptions this season. Game-breaking wide receiver DeVante Parker leads the receivers with eight touchdowns.

Starting running back Senorise Perry (knee) is out for the season, but backup Jeremy Wright (723 yards, nine touchdowns) is capable, although the Cardinals have rushed for a combined 75 yards in the two games Perry has missed.

“It’s not just Bridgewater,” Warren said. “They have good skill players. If you just focus on him, the other guys will hurt you.”

Thus, middle linebacker Steve Beauharnais cautions that the Knights must temper their desire to hit Bridgewater and see just how healthy he is.

“We’re an aggressive defense. We’re going after anybody,” Beauharnais said. “But we have to stick to our game plan. If we go outside our game plan, he will exploit us.”

• Running back Jawan Jamison, who tweaked his injured right ankle against Pitt, could be in store for a heavy workload vs. Louisville.

“I think Jawan is going to be ready to go on Thursday night,” coach Kyle Flood said.

Jamison, who has rushed for 1,004 yards, has had just 13 carries in the past two games.

• Right guard Taj Alexander, who left Saturday’s game against Pittsburgh with an undisclosed injury, will start on Thursday night.

• Flood said he has spoken with former coach Greg Schiano throughout the season, the last time about 10 days ago, and has relied on him for advice.

• Thursday night will be Senior Night at High Point Solutions Stadium.

Dave Hutchinson: dhutchinson@starledger.com