Jeff Brohm isn’t afraid to have a new team every year at Louisville, and heading into Year 3 since taking the job at his alma mater, he’s still leaning just as heavily on the transfer portal. He’s handing the keys to his offense to his third transfer QB in as many years, Miller Moss, and surrounded him with plenty of weapons among his 31-player incoming portal class this offseason.
Louisville’s top two receivers heading into the season, Caullin Lacy and Chris Bell, are returners from last year’s roster, but coming out of the team’s second scrimmage of fall camp, Moss highlighted a newcomer who has been impressing during his short time with the Cardinals.
“I really think TJ McWilliams has come a long way,” Moss said when asked about the receiver who has grown the most during his time on campus. “He’s a guy who came in from Minnesota and didn’t necessarily know the playbook at first, but he’s really come a long way, he’s really invested. It’s been really cool to see how that investment has paid off for him.”
TJ McWilliams could carve out a role in Louisville’s passing game after impressing Miller Moss
A 2023 three-star recruit, McWilliams is a redshirt sophomore with three years of eligibility remaining after his two-year stint at Minnesota. He’s essentially looking for a fresh start after redshirting in 2023, then appearing in only three games last season.
The 6-foot, 190-pound pass-catcher from Indianapolis, has played only nine career offensive snaps and has yet to catch a pass at the college level, but he seems to have earned his new quarterback’s trust in short order.
“He’s a really reliable receiver. He can play inside and outside, and it’s been cool to see how his game has evolved in my time here,” Moss told reporters.
McWilliams isn’t projected to be a huge part of the passing game, but if he emerged, it wouldn’t be the first time that a transfer receiver has blossomed under Brohm. In 2023, Jamari Thrash thrived at Louisville after four seasons at Georgia State, and last season, Ja’Corey Brooks improved from three catches in his final year at Alabama to 61 grabs for 1,013 yards and nine touchdowns.
6-foot-2, 220-pound senior Chris Bell will likely begin the year as WR1 for the Cardinals. The homegrown talent caught 43 passes from Shough for 737 yards last season, while Lacy, a South Alabama transfer, struggled with injuries and had an underwhelming campaign. Beyond that well-established duo, North Carolina State transfer Dacori Collins is the most likely WR3, but there is an opportunity for McWilliams to cut into his playing time and have a breakout year.