Louisville football fans are expecting the Cardinals to make a run towards the ACC Championship this season, but with a challenging schedule, the Cardinals will have an uphill battle. The Cardinals have the skills and players to shock the nation and not just return to Charlotte but crash the College Football Playoffs.
The Cardinals have the third-best odds to win the ACC Title, and with Jeff Brohm leading the group, there is no reason the Cardinals can't make history this season. For that to happen, multiple players must step up and lead Louisville to ACC glory. So, here are five Louisville football players who will make or break the Cardinals' 2025 season.
5 Louisville football players that will make or break the Cardinals 2025 season
5. Chris Bell - WR
Entering the 2025 season, a few players in the league have the hype Chris Bell is getting. The star wide receiver is trending as one of the nation's top choices to explode in his senior season, as he is expected to become WR1 for Jeff Brohm's offense.
The Cardinals hired Super Bowl MVP Deion Branch as their new wide receiver coach, and many fans believe this unit is one of the key positions that have to step up if Louisville wants to make a run towards the 2025 College Football Playoffs. Last season, Bell took a big step in his career and was Tyler Shough's WR2 as he caught 43 catches for 737 receiving yards and four touchdowns.
Entering the 2025 season as a Preseason All-ACC receiver, Bell has a lot of pressure on his shoulders. It is crucial for him not to fold under pressure and to live up to those expectations and be Miller Moss's best friend this season. The 6-foot-2 220-pound receiver is earning AJ Brown comparisons and is seeing his NFL Draft stock reach an all-time high.
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4. Clev Lubin- DE
Clev Lubin enters his junior season with expectations that he will be the dominant edge rusher he was last season. The Cardinals' defense has a few areas of concern, and while many will point to the secondary, Louisville must get pressure on the opposing team's quarterback to help out their secondary, and Lubin is expected to step up.
The transfer from Coastal Carolina was one of the top players to enter the Transfer Portal in this position after he earned 43 total tackles, 9.5 sacks, three pass deflections, and three forced fumbles. The biggest question this offseason might have been how to replace Asthon Gillotte, and while that might be impossible, Lubin appears to be the guy who has to try to fill those shoes.
The 6-foot-3, 250-pound defensive end must lead this unit and get pressure on the opposing team's quarterback to help the secondary out, but also force ill-advised throws or punt situations. Lubin is a player who is expected to make an immediate impact for the Cardinals and be that x-factor on this defensive line.
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3. Rodney Johnson Jr. - CB
The glaring area of concern from Louisville fans is their secondary. While it is hard to say one player's name who will make or break the season, if someone had to be picked, it would be Rodney Johnson Jr. The Southern University transfer is expected to take that big step and be the Cardinals' star cornerback this season after having a massive spring and fall camp.
Johnson is coming off his best season after earning 31 total tackles, one forced fumble, and one interception. He had a solid three-year run with Southern University after logging a total of 89 tackles, 11 pass deflections, one forced fumble, and one interception. But now he is making that transition from the Southwestern Athletic Conference to the ACC, and Louisville has a lot on the line that he can play at a high level.
The Cardinals lost four of their top five defensive backs last season, making Johnson have even more pressure. Brohm has made it clear he wants to limit the deep pass and avoid the ball being thrown over his head, and Johnson is a player who must lead this inexperienced group and play up to Brohm's standards.
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2. Isaac Brown- RB
Isaac Brown has voiced that it is important for him not to listen to the hype he is getting and to focus on playing football. The star running back is up for every award possible and is becoming a consensus Preseason All-American.
The Cardinals' offense is expected to carry the large load of this 2025 season and be just as dominant as they were last year. Louisville was the only team in the nation to score 24 points or more in every game, and if Louisville wants a chance at ACC glory, then Brown must be just as dominant this year.
Brown's 1,173 rushing yards are the most rushing yards by any running back returning to college football. At the end of the day, this Louisville squad is going to go however far Brown takes them. He is the star of the team, and after a freshman season like his, the fans and nation are going to expect similar results.
Now, he has to do it again. The league knows who he is and has a lot of tape on him, and while it will be hard to put up 1,000 rushing yards on 7.1 yards per carry again, Brohm and this Cardinals offense need a powerful season from the 5-foot-9, 190-pound running back.
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1. Miller Moss- QB
Louisville's secondary could step up and play like it did in 2023, and the Cardinals' rushing attack could play like it did in 2024, but if Miller Moss doesn't take a massive leap from last season, then the Cardinals' 2025 season won't be a successful one. The Cardinals can't have Moss play like he did in 2024.
After being benched and throwing nine interceptions in just eight games, Moss hit the Transfer Portal and is now playing under the quarterback whisperer himself. Moss has had a solid fall camp, and Brohm has made it clear he is taking strides in the right direction, but it is key for the offensive line to give him protection and for Moss to make the right reads.
Moss has shown flashes of brilliance in his career. The two games that stand out are his performance against the Cardinals, where he threw six touchdowns, and against LSU to open the season last year. The Cardinals need to get that version of Moss in 2025 and avoid ill-advised throws that lead to turnovers or long third-down situations.
If anyone can get that elite version of Moss, it is Brohm. They have done this before and are expected to do it again. Moss has the most potential out of the three transfers they brought in, and with an ACC Title on their minds, the USC transfer must have a revenge season and prove he can be an elite quarterback in this league.