Louisville football: Breaking down the 2023 transfer portal defensive players

Gilbert Frierson – Linebacker / Safety – University of Miami – 3-Star Transfer

The former Hurricane starter fell out of favor with Miami’s new defensive coordinator last season, so he turns to the Cardinals to get back onto the field and possibly get some revenge on Nov. 18.

Gilbert Frierson came to the U back in 2018, as a top-200 ranked defensive back. His first couple of seasons saw him mainly on the bench, getting acclimated to the speed and strength of ACC football, but in 2020 Frierson was switched to the ‘striker’ position. That’s a role that’s very similar to Louisville’s star position.

After moving from DB to striker in 2020, Frierson had his strongest season for the Hurricanes with 53 tackles, 9.0 TFLs, 2.0 sacks, four pass breakups, and a fumble recovery. That’s exactly the kind of versatility Brohm will be looking for in the starring role.

2021 saw Frierson’s stats drop a bit finishing with  41 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and one sack, but 2022 is when Frierson really started to see his role almost completely evaporate, making just 3 tackles in his final season with the Hurricanes.

Frierson was one of the first to hit the transfer portal for Miami, and by January he chose to spend his final season with the Cardinals. I’d imagine a big reason for choosing the Cardinals was for the opportunity to get back on the field in a position he has thrived in.

Expect Frierson, Devin Neal, and, rising sophomore Benjamin Perry to compete for the starting star spot. Regardless of the starter, I expect to see all three on the field a decent amount this year playing linebacker, safety, or star.