At the halfway point of the Louisville football season, there are some mixed feelings surrounding the program. Many Louisville fans expected big things this season considering the hype surrounding the roster, the schedule, and the one-possession loss to open the season against Ole Miss. However, after two disappointing upset losses and a 3-3 record through six games, the Cardinals' postseason hopes have taken a major hit.
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Looking ahead, Louisville has six games remaining in the regular season, and finishing with a respectable record will require the Cards to win at least five of them. Louisville has won at least nine games in every season under head coach Jeff Brohm since 2023. If he wants to keep that streak alive, the Cardinals will need to win out. Unfortunately, their final three games (at UNC, Pitt, and at Kentucky) will present some difficult challenges.
As bad as things may feel for Louisville fans, last Friday night's comeback victory against Florida State may have been exactly what this team needed to get back on track. The offense had a historic night, rushing for more than 400 yards, including 235 from Isaac Brown. Meanwhile, the defense may have turned its season around after falling behind 14-0 before holding FSU to just six points the rest of the way, capped by a crucial goal-line stand.
With a mixed bag of results for the 2026 Cardinals, there has been some good mixed in with the bad. The same can be said about the roster through the first half of the season. Here are two players who have exceeded expectations and two who will need to step up in the second half.
1. Lincoln Kienholz
Louisville's QB1 entered the season with about as much hype as a player with so little experience could generate. After the first half against Ole Miss, many fans were probably wondering if any of that hype was justified. However, since halftime of the season opener, Kienholz has held his own. He has gone toe-to-toe with, and in some cases even outplayed, a couple of the best quarterbacks in the country in Trinidad Chambliss and Kevin Jennings.
Through six games this season, Kienholz has posted a QBR of 78.5, putting him in the top 25 among qualified starters. He ranks ahead of projected first-round NFL draft picks Dante Moore, Kevin Jennings, and Arch Manning. He has completed 69.5% of his passes while averaging 10 yards per completion, with nine passing touchdowns compared to just one interception. He has also been effective on the ground, accounting for eight rushing touchdowns while averaging 3.2 yards per carry.
The biggest thing for Kienholz this season has been his growth and increasing comfort in Brohm's offense. He has shown steady progress with each passing week, and Louisville fans may not have seen his full ceiling yet. If this is his floor, his performance in the second half of the season could be fun to watch.
2. Lawayne McCoy
Coming into the season, many expected Tre Richardson to be the top receiver in Louisville's offense. He was supposed to fill the WR1 role in a Brohm offense that has consistently produced top receivers since 2023, including Jamari Thrash, Jacorey Brooks, and Chris Bell. While Richardson has done a great job this season with 29 receptions for 445 yards and two touchdowns, Lawayne McCoy has been right there with him. McCoy's 20 receptions for 420 yards and four touchdowns have made this much more of a partnership than a Batman-and-Robin situation.
It's not just the production that has made McCoy stand out, but also his big-play ability. His average of 21 yards per catch ranks seventh in the country, and he has recorded a reception of at least 33 yards in five of Louisville's six games this season. He has also become one of Kienholz's go-to targets when the offense needs a big play or a clutch third-down conversion. For a receiver many viewed as an afterthought entering the season, McCoy has played like a legitimate No. 1 option.
Two players who need to step up in the second half of the season
1. Secondary
Although this isn't a single player like the other names on this list, Louisville's secondary is arguably the biggest issue on the team right now. Kaleb Beasley has been outstanding, standing out with four interceptions this season, but the secondary as a whole has struggled. Louisville ranks 122nd among 138 FBS programs in pass defense, allowing 257 passing yards per game. The Cardinals have also surrendered chunk plays week after week, ranking near the bottom of the country in several categories involving the longest passing plays from scrimmage. They have allowed 13 plays of at least 30 yards, six of 40-plus yards, and four of 60-plus yards.
These struggles have been especially costly in close games. When the defense cannot get off the field and gives up big plays that shift momentum, the offense is forced to play nearly flawlessly to keep Louisville in contention. Of the Cardinals' last 11 losses, 10 have been by one possession. When the secondary cannot prevent explosive passing plays, those mistakes can be the difference between winning and losing. If Louisville wants to turn things around in the second half of the season, addressing its secondary issues will be critical.
2. Tyler Thompson
This spot could have gone to several players along the defensive line. AJ Green, Jerod Smith, and Tyler Thompson have all struggled to live up to expectations so far this season. The three pass rushers have combined for just 4.5 sacks. Thompson arrived from UNC, where he recorded seven sacks in 2025, with the hope that he could line up opposite Clev Lubin and form a dynamic duo capable of consistently pressuring opposing quarterbacks.
Through the first six games, Thompson has recorded just 13 total tackles and 2.5 sacks, along with a forced fumble. Those numbers aren't necessarily bad for a pass rusher, but expectations were much higher for him entering the 2026 season. If he can get his sack total closer to the seven he recorded last year, it would provide a significant boost to Louisville's defense down the stretch. For a unit that has struggled so much in pass coverage, generating more pressure and getting consistent hits on opposing quarterbacks could be one of the best ways to turn things around in the second half.
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