Louisville’s Isaac Brown is adding another major preseason honor to a resume that already has plenty of buzz around it.
On3 Sports included the Cardinals running back on its Preseason 2026 All-America team, placing him on the Second-Team. The All-America selections list two running backs on each team, with Ole Miss’ Kewan Lacy and Missouri’s Ahmad Hardy making the First-Team and BYU’s LJ Martin joining Brown on the Second-Team.
Brown’s recognition comes as Louisville enters the season with real optimism on offense. Jeff Brohm has won at least nine games in each of his three seasons since taking over the program, and the Cardinals are hoping to make a run at Brohm’s first College Football Playoff berth. Louisville’s offense is set to feature new quarterback Lincoln Kienholz, a rebuilt offensive line, two 4-star wide receiver transfers, a 4-star tight end, and a backfield headlined by Brown.
Brown is back for his third season after Louisville kept him from leaving for the Transfer Portal last December. What looked like a potential loss for the Cardinals instead turned into a major win, with Brown choosing to stay in Louisville.
The preseason hype isn’t coming out of nowhere. Brown was also named to The Sporting News First-Team All-America Team and was one of 30 running backs on the Maxwell Award Watch List.
Even with injuries limiting him to eight games last season, he was electric whenever he took the field. Brown averaged 8.8 yards per carry, finished with 101 carries for 884 yards and seven rushing touchdowns, and topped 100 rushing yards in six of those eight games.
Two of his biggest performances came in Louisville’s upset of Miami, when he ran 15 times for 113 yards, and against Boston College, where he piled up 205 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries.
That followed a freshman season that already looked historic. Brown set Louisville’s true-freshman rushing yard record with 1,173 yards and a 7.1-yard average, went over 100 rushing yards in five games, and earned ACC Rookie of the Year and ACC Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.
Now the expectations are bigger. Louisville fans are hoping Brown can stay healthy, deliver an All-American season, and help push the Cardinals toward the ACC Championship Game and, maybe, their first College Football Playoff appearance.
In Other News...
Brian Brohms Camp Praise Came With One Louisville Concern
Louisvilles fourth day of fall camp leaned toward the encouraging side, especially for the quarterbacks, as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Brian Brohm said the room has shown both depth and steady improvement. Under hot conditions, the Cardinals kept working through positional growth, with Brohm pointing to starter Lincoln Kienholz, transfer Davin Wydner and freshman Briggs Cherry as part of a group that has handled the early test of camp in a way that should help the offense settle in.
The one concern hanging over the practice field was Isaac Brown, who took part in some early reps before moving to work with a trainer. Brown remains a central piece of Louisvilles offensive picture, so any interruption to his camp rhythm matters, especially with the quarterback group still building timing and comfort across the offense. Brohms optimism about Browns progress offered some reassurance, but the Cardinals will be watching closely to see how quickly he gets back into the full flow of team work. [Read more 🡒]
Louisville Could Still Add The Piece That Changes Everything
Louisville has already leaned heavily on the transfer portal this offseason, building what looks like a deeper and more competitive roster for the next few seasons. Even with that work largely done, the Cardinals now have a new wrinkle to consider after the NCAA granted an extra year of eligibility to the class of 2022, opening the door for more experienced talent to come back to college and reshuffle the market.
Among the names drawing attention is Seth Trimble, with Louisville reported to be one of the programs showing interest. Trimble spent time in the NBA Summer League and is still sorting out whether his next step will be professional basketball or a return to the college game, leaving the Cardinals in a familiar spot for this time of year: positioned near the front of the conversation while the rest of the decision remains unsettled. [Read more 🡒]
Louisville Is Getting The Kind Of Preseason Buzz Fans Craved
Preseason lists do not decide anything, but they do say plenty about how a program is being viewed heading into August, and Louisville is finally getting the kind of attention its fans have been waiting for. Joel Klatt put the Cardinals at No. 19 in his 2026 preseason top 25, a nod to Jeff Brohms work and the steadiness Louisville has shown under him, with nine-win seasons becoming the baseline rather than the exception.
The buzz is not just about what Brohm has already built, either. Louisville backed it up with one of the nations best Transfer Portal hauls, adding quarterback Lincoln Kienholz and running back Isaac Brown to a roster that now has real ACC contender language attached to it. The early test will come quickly, with Ole Miss waiting on opening weekend, and that kind of spotlight will tell a lot about whether the Cardinals are ready to turn preseason optimism into something bigger. [Read more 🡒]