With the 2025 season just days away and Louisville football fans anxiously waiting for the first kickoff, what do the Cardinals have to do to return to the ACC Championship game and have another successful season? Louisville doesn't just want to secure another nine-win season, but they want to take that next step and punch their ticket to their first-ever College Football Playoffs.
So with their eyes set on history, head coach Jeff Brohm talked to the media today, and throughout his press conference, he made it clear that there are three crucial keys to the Cardinals' 2025 season. So, here are the three most important keys for the Louisville Cardinals heading into the 2025 season.
3. Get playmakers involved
The Cardinals have many playmakers on offense, and it is crucial to get them all involved. Entering the 2025 season, Louisville has two Preseason All-ACC nominees in Isaac Brown and Chris Bell, but the list doesn't stop there. Duke Watson and Caullin Lacy are also incredibly explosive and talented, and will be crucial playmakers on this offense.
Last season, Louisville was the only team to score 24 points or more, and this season, they should be able to dominate even more. Brown and Watson emerge as one of the best running back rooms in the nation as they combined for 1,770 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns. The two tailbacks led the nation in yards per carry as Watson averaged 8.9 yards per carry and Brown averaged 7.1 yards per carry.
On the outside, the wide receiver room is talented, but Lacy and Brown stand out the most. Bell is emerging as a potential first-round draft pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and Lacy has high expectations after his 2023 season with South Alabama, where he was a top-seven receiver in the league.
The tools are there for Louisville to dominate offensively, so it’s just a matter of staying healthy and utilizing all the Cardinals' weapons.
Related: Floor, ceiling, and prediction for Louisville in 2025: Can the Cardinals win the ACC?