The Louisville Cardinals, sitting at No. 24 in the preseason rankings, are gearing up for a pivotal year after securing a contract extension for head coach Jeff Brohm that runs through 2033. The extension rewards Brohm for guiding the team to three consecutive winning seasons, including a 7-1 start that featured an upset over the eventual College Football Playoff champion.
A Season of Transition
Their recent history features three straight seasons with nine victories, a 4-4 mark inside the Atlantic Coast Conference, and a three-game skid that saw them drop by a total of seven points. The schedule opens on September 6 against Ole Miss, a team that reached the College Football Playoff semifinals a year ago, setting an immediate test for the Cardinals.
Returning talent anchors the backfield: running back Isaac Brown, who amassed 884 yards and seven touchdowns last year despite injuries, and Keyjuan Brown, who leads the conference’s fifth-ranked rushing attack with an average of 7.3 yards per carry. Defensive lineman Clev Lubin, who finished second in the ACC with sacks last season, will again anchor the front line after opting to remain in college rather than enter the NFL draft.
The roster also welcomes new transfers, including wide receiver Tre Richardson, kicker Garth White, and tight end Brady Foley, while saying goodbye to key contributors such as tight end Nate Kurisky, quarterback Miller Moss, wide receiver Chris Bell, and return specialist Caullin Lacy.
Coach Paul Petrino, now in his third stint with the program, will focus on tightening the tight end position, drawing on his experience as both coordinator and wide receivers coach. The preseason poll placed Louisville third in the ACC behind Miami and SMU, a projection that fuels the team’s desire to prove the poll wrong from the outset.