Louisville football is back, and Isaac Brown is already showing he is poised for another massive season with the Louisville Cardinals. The Cardinals start the 2025 season off red-hot, and the preseason All-American is here to show the nation he deserves way more carries than last season.
The Cardinals' star running back earned just 165 carries in 2024, which is an average of 12.7 carries per game. That is way too low for a player with Brown's skills and explosiveness. The Cardinals' 2025 season kicked off against Eastern Kentucky, and in just the first five minutes of Louisville's 2025 season, Brown proved that he needs to receive more touches for the Cardinals to reach their full potential.
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Isaac Brown must get more carries for Louisville in 2025
Brown returns to college football as a unanimous top-five running back in the nation and a consensus Preseason All-American. Last year, the star tailback ran for 1,173 yards on 7.1 yards per carry.
While Louisville has a lethal one-two punch in Brown and Duke Watson, Jeff Brohm must give Brown more carries. In Louisville's first possession of the 2025 season, Miller Moss showed he can get the ball out fast and spin the ball, but Brown stole the show with his four carries for 51 yards, including a 31-yard touchdown run.
The Cards are flying early!
— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) August 30, 2025
Isaac Brown takes it 31 yards to the end zone 🔥@LouisvilleFB | @GoCards | #GoCardspic.twitter.com/u4ZaUTbQ6o
Last season, Brown only earned 10 carries or more in eight games and 15 carries or more in five games. With the Cardinals eyeing the ACC Title, Brown is clearly their best player, and they must feed him the ball as much as possible without burning him out. It is also essential to utilize Watson, but Brown must earn more carries in 2025, and that first drive proved it.
When the Cardinals gave Brown the ball 15 times or more last season, they went 5-0, and he averaged 132 rushing yards and 1.4 touchdowns per game. In Louisville's four losses, he earned just 8.5 carries per game, with the most being 13 against Notre Dame. Brown was dominant against SMU, where he logged 10 carries for 117 yards, and against Miami and Notre Dame, he averaged around six yards per carry.
Louisville must give him the ball more this year if they want to dominate, and they must stick to their strengths. Moss and the passing attack have a high ceiling, but Brown's stats from last year prove he should log at least 15 carries a game, especially against ranked opponents.
Last season, Ashton Jeanty and Cam Skattebo were the two most dominant backs in college football. While Louisville doesn't want to give Brown 300 carries, it does prove that they can be a run-dominant team and make it to the College Football Playoffs.
The Louisville Cardinals' rushing attack should be one of the best in the nation, and while Brohm likes to use his quarterbacks and throw the ball downfield, this 2025 Louisville Cardinals squad needs to feed Brown the ball at least 15 times a game if they want a shot at ACC glory. Louisville will go as far as Brown will take them, and in just his first four carries, he is telling the nation he is ready for another dominant season.
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