With all the hype surrounding Louisville’s new-look offense this season, it’s easy to forget just how good the Cardinals' defense was a year ago. Head coach Jeff Brohm made several changes on the defensive side of the ball, adding transfer talent that should only strengthen a unit that finished second in the ACC in 2025. Allowing just over 21 points per game, Louisville’s defense quietly ranked 38th nationally and was one of the biggest reasons the Cardinals remained competitive throughout the season.
If the 2026 defense can come anywhere close to matching last year's production, Louisville should be in the mix for an ACC Championship appearance. For that to happen, the returning players will need to build on last season’s success while the newcomers settle into their roles. The biggest returning name is edge rusher Clev Lubin, who led the Cardinals with 8.5 sacks in his first season and enters 2026 looking to build on that breakout campaign.
The edge room is one of Louisville’s deepest position groups, and five projected defensive starters are expected to come from the transfer portal. Those additions should solidify an already talented unit while giving Lubin plenty of help getting after opposing quarterbacks. This defense has the depth to become the identity of a team with legitimate College Football Playoff aspirations. To reach that level, though, several players will need to step into bigger roles.
Here are three under-the-radar players who must step up on defense if Louisville has any chance of making a playoff run this season.
1. A.J. Green, Defensive Lineman – JR
Green enters his third season in Louisville’s system after steadily improving each year. Over his first two seasons, he has totaled five sacks and one forced fumble. Four of those sacks came last year, including three over his final five games. While his 2025 season wasn't a breakout by any means, it showed signs that he could be ready for a much bigger role.
Playing opposite Lubin all season should create plenty of one-on-one opportunities, and at 6-foot-6, 250 pounds, Green has the size and athleticism to take advantage. If he can finally put everything together, this could be the season he reaches five or more sacks while emerging as one of the leaders of a talented and deep pass-rushing unit. Green has all the tools to put together the best season of his career and could be one of the biggest keys to Louisville’s defensive success.
2. Koen Entringer, Defensive Back – JR
The Iowa transfer arrives at Louisville with more than 25 games of experience in one of the nation's most physical defensive systems. At 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, Entringer gives the Cardinals a strong presence at safety and should make an immediate impact.
His experience in big games is another reason Louisville targeted him in the portal. Last season he played in ranked matchups against Iowa State, Indiana, Oregon, and USC, recording 29 total tackles, including 17 solo stops, across those contests.
Known primarily as a coverage safety, Entringer brings valuable experience to a secondary expected to feature three new transfer starters, with as many as five newcomers projected to see significant playing time. If that group can develop chemistry quickly under Entringer's leadership, Louisville's secondary should have a chance to pick up right where last year's unit left off.
3. Tyler Thompson, Defensive Line – JR
Tyler Thompson transfers in from North Carolina after spending three seasons with the Tar Heels. While he appeared in 10 games last season, his biggest impact came during a four-game stretch in the middle of the year when he recorded all seven of his sacks along with both of his forced fumbles.
Even more impressive, all of that production came in ACC play against Cal, Syracuse, Virginia, and Stanford. Thompson proved he can make game-changing plays when given the opportunity.
He is currently projected to serve as an edge rusher behind Green and Lubin, but that role could be extremely important over the course of the season. If Thompson can continue producing in limited snaps, Louisville won't lose much when rotating its starters. His ability to provide quality depth and keep fresh pass rushers on the field could be a major factor in helping the Cardinals maintain the consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks that Brohm's defenses depend on.
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