We are just over a month away from kickoff at L&N Stadium, and the anticipation is growing among Louisville Cardinal fans for the upcoming season. Predictions for the Louisville football season are being discussed across the fan base and national media, with many holding high expectations for the team.
Jeff Brohm has his team poised to be among the leaders of the pack in the ACC this season as they push for a chance to win the coveted ACC Championship. It won’t be long until Brohm and company attempt to back up the preseason hype surrounding them.
2 Louisville Cardinals stocks rising, 2 that are falling entering 2025 season
The Cardinals have had multiple players and personnel is the spotlight of preseason stories and predictions. Some have had high praise for members of the team, while others have left little to be desired by Cards Nation.
Here are 2 individuals whose stock is rising and 2 individuals whose stock is falling as we enter the 2025 season.
4. Rising: RB, Isaac Brown
Brown has had a strong start to the preseason stage of the season, receiving high praise from many sources as the football preseason begins. Coming off an electric first year where he posted 1,173 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns, Brown was named the 5th best running back in all of college football by ESPN.
Along with his 93 rating on EA Sports’ College Football 26 (shoutout to the gamers), Brown is highly anticipated to replicate his efforts from last season. Alongside fellow star RB Duke Watson, who came on late last season, Brown should have the run game set the tone and be the focal point for the Louisville offense.
Related: Louisville football's superstar makes the Walter Camp pre-season All America team
3. Falling: QB, Miller Moss
Miller Moss enters the season with more questions than answers. Yes, he had a hot start to last season, posting high statistical showings, which included 378 passing yards against the No. 13 LSU Tigers. However, his season was derailed after a three-interception performance against the Washington Huskies last November, which led to Moss being benched by USC coach Lincoln Riley.
These question marks regarding decision-making and interception totals have led national media to lower expectations for Moss’s impact at Louisville. On3’s Andy Staples presented his take on the top 10 ACC quarterbacks entering the season, and shockingly, Moss was not included on that list.
Moss will have plenty of opportunity to prove Brohm chose the right guy to lead his offense, but it appears he will have a lot doubters to prove wrong in the first few weeks of the season. If the Cardinals want to return to the ACC Championship game, Moss will have to come up clutch a few times and lead Louisville to victory. As of right now, he has to prove he can do that.
Related: 3 crucial factors Miller Moss must master to lead Louisville to an ACC Title
2. Rising: WR, Chris Bell
Chris Bell returns to Louisville for his senior season after proving he was a formidable No. 2 option to Ja’Corey Brooks in last year's campaign. Bell posted 43 receptions for 737 yards and four touchdowns alongside Brooks in his junior season.
He will take on the role of the seasoned veteran this upcoming season alongside returning Cardinal Caullin Lacy, who looks to rebound from a season-ending injury last year. Bell is viewed by many as the leader of the wide receiver room. Bell, along with Lacy and others in the wide receiver room, will look to establish the passing game with Miller Moss as the perfect complement to the run game in Jeff Brohm's offense.
Bell enters the 2025 season with extremely high expectations, as many fans and experts think he is trending to have an All-ACC caliber season.
Related: Louisville football’s Spring Game raises 5 burning questions immediately
1. Falling: DC, Ron English
Many Louisville fans were calling for Ron English’s job after a rough end to the 2024 season, which included an immensely disappointing 38-35 loss to a lowly rated Stanford team. English lost many starters from the defense, including stars Ashton Gillotte and Quincy Riley, who were selected in this year’s NFL draft.
There are many question marks as to who will step up on the defensive side of the ball, especially along the defensive line and in the secondary. It will be up to English to help answer these questions and to provide a quality partner to the Louisville offense.
The offense will rely on the defense to make critical stops, especially in significant matchups against teams like Miami, SMU, and Clemson, however, the fans are unsure how reliable this defense can be.
Louisville’s season starts on August 30th against Eastern Kentucky at L&N Stadium. Louisville fans are eager to see their Cardinals kick off the season to see if this team can overcome adversity and return to the ACC Championship game once again.
For all the latest on Louisville football's offseason and recruiting, stay tuned.