Louisville football's spring practice started last week, as the Cardinal's annual Spring Game is one month away.
It has been reported that some players have been stepping up and outperforming their expectations while others have been falling behind. The Cardinals have some glaring questions to answer before their regular season kicks off in August against Eastern Kentucky.
So, with the Spring Game just one month away, finishing this spring practice strong and making a good impression by entering the first big test for the Cardinals is essential. April 11 will be the most crucial spring football date for Louisville players and is a vital step to see how the program will look this fall.
Each player playing in Louisville's Spring Game needs to perform up to Cardinals standards, but these three players will need to have the best performances leading up to that Spring Game.
3 Cardinals with the most to prove in spring for Louisville football
CB Corey Gordon
Louisville football's glaring weakness is the Cardinals' secondary. The Cardinals lost four of their top five cornerbacks to the NFL Draft or transfer portal.
The Cardinals secured Corey Gordon from the transfer portal, and he has the potential to be Jeff Brohm's new CB1. It is essential for Gordon to take that next step to help Louisville football in the fall. Gordon will be transferring from Baylor University. He was seen with 34 tackles, 25 solo, two for loss, two pass breakups, and three interceptions last season.
The Cardinals' secondary allowed 236.2 passing yards per game last season, which ranked No. 12 in the ACC and No. 100 in the nation. Louisville's secondary has struggled a lot recently, making the pickup of Gordon a potential step forward.
Louisville football was the only team to score 24 points or more in every game this past season, but still suffered four losses in the regular season. This just goes to prove that Louisville's defense has been a weakness for a long time and that the Cardinals don't struggle to score but struggle to get stops. So, hopefully, Gordon brings those turnovers to Losuiville and is able to take a glaring step in Spring, which proves he was the Cardinals' missing piece.
QB Miller Moss
Louisville Cardinals' newest quarterback, Miller Moss, will have a lot to prove this spring. The former USC quarterback will get all the attention and will be expected to lead the Cardinals to the promise land.
The 6-foot-1, 205-pound quarterback transfers from USC, where he had 2,555 passing yards, 18 touchdowns, a completion percentage of 64.4% last season.
Moss will join one of the best offenses in the nation, as he will have one of the most explosive running back duos in Isaac Brown and Duke Watson. He will have a dynamic duo of Caullin Lacy and Chris Bell on the outside. Moss will have some of the most elite weapons in the nation and will have one highly experienced offensive line returning.
There won't be many excuses for the new quarterback, making this spring vital for him to take that next step. A lot will ride on Miller Moss and how he performs, and the Cardinals nation is expecting him to lead Louisville to another nine-win season and maybe their first 10-win season since 2023.
WR Chris Bell
Louisville football lost its No. 1 wide receiver, Ja'Corey Brooks, to the NFL Draft. Brooks hauled in 1,000-plus yards last season from Tyler Shough and was one of the main reasons Louisville was able to be as successful as it was.
Chris Bell took a tremendous step forward, catching 43 catches for 737 yards and a touchdown. The junior out of Yazoo, Miss. is expected to take even a more significant step this season and potentially be Moss's WR1.
In his two years before 2025, Bell caught a combined 36 catches for 512 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Bell will be the Cardinal's X-factor entering the 2025 season, as the wide receiver has expectations to take the lead role but will have to show growth this spring.
Bell and Moss have to have a big spring together and begin growing their connection and chemistry. The quarterback and wide receiver must build a trustworthy relationship so Moss knows he can throw down the field to Bell late in the game. That all starts in spring practice.
The Cardinals first game of the regular season is August 30 at home against Eastern Kentucky.
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