Louisville basketball found out last week that they made 5-star Deron Ripley Jr.'s final 12. The Cardinals have already earned an official visit from Rippey and have attended many of his practices and games, making it clear that he is one of Pat Kelsey's top targets in the 2026 class.
Louisville is now in a recruiting battle against powerhouse programs as Duke, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Miami, Syracuse, Kentucky, Alabama, Texas, Tennessee, Kansas, and Indiana round out Rippey's final 12 list.
Full story: Louisville fans holding breath after 5-star PG and top target names final 12
Louisville football loses top recruit to Vanderbilt
Louisville football learned crushing news last week that 4-star running back and Kentucky native Evan Hampton decommitted from Louisville and flipped to Vanderbilt. Hampton was ranked as the Cardinals' highest-rated commitment per Rivals, as he is ranked as high as No. 171 in the 2026 cycle and the top in-state recruit by the majority of recruiting sites.
The 6-foot-0, 208-pound running back committed to Jeff Brohm back in March, but after this devastating news, Louisville now must try to find another big-time running back in the 2026 cycle.
Full story: Louisville’s hearts shattered after top recruit delivers gut-wrenching SEC flip
Louisville looking to rip 4-star RB from Pitt
It didn't take long for Brohm and Vince Marrow to make an offer to Hampton's replacement as they try to steal 4-star Damon Ferguson from the Pittsburgh Panthers. Brohm and his staff made an offer to the speedy running back on July 18, and Ferguson has been committed to the Panthers since June 6.
The 5-foot-11, 190-pound running back has received over 42 offers after being a highly rated running back out of Maryland. Ferguson is ranked No. 238 recruit in the nation, and the 19th-best running back in the 2026 class.
Full story: Louisville trending to flip explosive 4-star RB from Pitt to replace Evan Hampton
Pat Kelsey's fiery message
Kelsey was available to the media last week, and one of the biggest things he revealed was his message to the selection committee and the rest of the league. The Cardinals' head coach was asked about Louisville basketball's grueling out-of-conference schedule, and his fiery message made it clear to let the rest of the league know that the Cardinals are not afraid of anyone and they "did not duck the smoke,".
The Cardinals got disrespected with an 8-seed last March, and Kelsey made sure that did not happen again. His 2025-26 message to the league is that they will play the best teams in college basketball, and the selection committee will have no choice but to give them the respect that they deserve.
Full story: Pat Kelsey's fiery message just set the tone for Louisville's championship push