Louisville football is set to kick off its 2025 season in just about 24 hours, and the city is buzzing with excitement. The Cardinals enter 2025 with considerable potential, as they have the third-best odds to win the ACC Title. Louisville had its share of highs and lows last season, but by the end of the year, it gained momentum and finished with a 9-4 record.
Jeff Brohm has raised expectations for this fan base after leading Louisville to 19 wins in his first two seasons. The last time the Cardinals won that many games in two consecutive seasons was back in 2014. Louisville is back and better than ever under Brohm, and this 2025 roster has the highest expectations in Brohm's era.
The Louisville fans believe this team has one of the best offenses in the nation, and the coaching staff is raising the bar for the defense ahead of the 2025 season. So, with the season right around the corner, here are our projected MVP, Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Comeback Player of the Year, and Rookie of the Year winners for the Louisville Cardinals' 2025 season.
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Most Valuable Player: RB Isaac Brown
Isaac Brown enters the 2025 season with the most hype around him, and it just makes the most sense to believe he is the Cardinals' Most Valuable Player when the 2025 season concludes. Brown is up for just about every award possible after his historic true freshman season, and Louisville is expecting him to take a big leap this season.
Brown is a confident running back who can explode for massive game-changing runs. The quarterback usually is the player who wins this type of award or the Heisman award, but with the Browns' capability to take over and dominate, he has the best chance to be the Cards' MVP for the 2025 season.
The preseason All-American running back was named to three preseason award watch lists, which include the Walter Camp Award (best offensive player), the Paul Hornung Award (most versatile player), and the Doak Walker Award (best running back). Louisville will be a run-dominant team in 2025, and after shattering multiple records in his freshman season, Brown emerges as the Cardinals' dominant star.
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Offensive Player of the Year: RB Isaac Brown
We want to shine a light on someone else, like Miller Moss or Chris Bell, but Isaac Brown is that special and is the face of this program in 2025. After dominating in 2024 and breaking Louisville's freshman rushing record with his 1,173 rushing yards, the true sophomore is poised for an even bigger 2025 season.
The Cardinals will go as far as Brown can take them. Last season, Brown earned All-ACC Second Team, ACC Rookie of the Year, and ACC Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. He returns to college football as a consensus preseason All-American and one of the most explosive running backs in the nation.
Brown was unstoppable last season, averaging 7.1 yards per carry, and now with a year under his belt, he has made it clear he is even more comfortable and thinks a bigger season is on the horizon. The 5-foot-9, 190-pound running back must be just as explosive this season if Louisville wants to run the table. Last year, his rushing yards finished No. 24 in the nation, and his yards per carry finished No. 16. He found the endzone 11 times, which ranked towards the top of the ACC, and now that he has made a name for himself, expect more carries, more yards, and more dominance in 2025 for the All-American.
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Defensive Player of the Year: TJ Quinn
The defensive side is where things get tricky to predict, but a few names stand out from the rest. The Louisville Cardinals brought in edge rusher Clev Lubin from Coastal Carolina and returned Stanquan Clark to the linebacker position, but at the end of the day, T.J. Quinn is our pick for the Defensive Player of the Year award.
Quinn has led the Cardinals in total tackles for two straight seasons, and he will look to make it three in 2025. Last year, he was a dominant force for Louisville's defense, logging 82 tackles and 1.5 sacks. The 6-foot-1, 235-pound linebacker was one of Jeff Brohm's fall standout stars and enters 2025 as a team leader.
His best year came in 2023 after he logged a team high 92 tackles, 2.5 tackles for a loss, two pass deflections, an interception, and a sack. He earned All-ACC honorable mention and now looks to dominate in 2025, just as he did that season as a fifth-year senior.
The Cardinals' linebacker unit is the strongest group on this defense, and Quinn is in the middle of it all. Clark and Lubin are expected to take massive leaps this season as well, but with Quinn's experience, leadership, and stat history, we expect him to be Brohm's Defensive Player of the Year when the season ends.
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Comeback Player of the Year: WR Caullin Lacy
This one goes without any hesitation, as Caullin Lacy has the chance to really spark this Cardinals offense in 2025. Lacy enters the 2025 season not just as the favorite to win this award on the Cardinals team, but he is one of 75 players on the Comeback Player of the Year Watch List.
He missed the first three games with a broken collarbone last year and then opted to sit out the remainder of the season after playing just four games. He returned for the Sun Bowl game against Washington and expects to carry that momentum from that performance into 2025.
Lacy was one of the most dominant receivers in the nation back in 2023. He logged 91 receptions for 1,316 yards and seven touchdowns, all of which finished towards the top of college football. His 91 receptions finished No. 8 in the nation, while his 1,316 receiving yards finished No. 7. He then transferred to Louisville with a ton of expectations, but after a year of injuries and being limited, the Cardinals never got to see his full potential.
Now, in 2025, Louisville has all those hopes and dreams with Lacy again, and with his speed and ability to take over games, Lacy emerges as a dominant weapon for the Cardinals.
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Rookie of the Year: K Cooper Ranvier
Louisville's 2025 recruiting class may not stand out to many, but the Cardinals do have a couple of freshmen who are expected to see some playing time on the field in their first season. Cooper Ranvier is a redshirt freshman who is currently projected to be Jeff Brohm's starting placekicker for the 2025 season.
Ranvier emerges as the freshman who can impact the most this season, as the Cardinals are trying to replace Brock Travelstead. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound kicker has been consistent throughout fall camp and has showcased his ability to be accurate while kicking with pure power.
If Louisville wants to make a run for the ACC Title, special teams is going to be crucial. Ranvier will play a significant role in the 2025 season, serving as the starting kicker, and will be expected to be reliable for Brohm and his Cardinals.
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