The Transfer Portal is officially open, and the Louisville football fans are glued to their phones trying to see who is leaving and who is staying. There were a few players Louisville fans thought they couldn’t lose to the Transfer Portal this offseason, as on the offensive side, it was Isaac Brown or Keyjuan Brown, and on the defensive side, it was AJ Green and Clev Lubin. And now that the portal is officially open, Louisville fans have seen Green and Isaac enter it, underscoring the importance of keeping Lubin at all costs.
Well, as the clock struck midnight, Louisville fans have been anxious about their defensive star and what decision he would make, and finally, they got their answer. The star edge rusher just announced on his social media that that he will return to Louisville.
“L1C4...run it back,” Lubin posted on his social media account Friday morning.
#L1C4...run it back❤️ pic.twitter.com/EKrmLLS7Gb
— Clev Lubin (@ClevLubin) January 2, 2026
Related: 5 Louisville Cardinals on Transfer Watch after Issac Brown enters the Transfer Portal
Louisville football gets their dominant edge rusher back
Louisville fans breathed a collective sigh of relief after Lubin’s social media post on Friday morning. Lubin was one of the Cardinals' best defenders last year, and a key reason this defensive line was so dominant. With Louisville losing Green to the portal, Brohm needed to find a way to keep Lubin.
The Coastal Carolina transfer went on to have another dominant season, logging a team-high 8.5 sacks, along with 61 total tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, five pass deflections, and three forced fumbles.
Lubin's dominant season earned Third-Team All-ACC honors, and is immediately one of the best edge rushers in the ACC entering the 2026 season. In 2024, he was with Coastal Carolina and earned 12.0 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks, along with three pass deflections, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery for a touchdown.
The Cardinals have been gutted early by losing Isaac Brown and AJ Green, but hearing Lubin is returning for his final year with the Cardinals is hopefully the tide turning. The Transfer Portal opened up Jan. 2 at midnight and will remain open for 14 days. This is the only window for the portal, as there is no longer a spring portal.
For all the latest recruiting news and updates for Louisville football, stay tuned.