Louisville’s quarterback picture is coming into focus, and Lincoln Kienholz keeps pushing the right way as the Cardinals edge toward their 2026 opener.
That opener comes September 6 in Tennessee, where Louisville will face Ole Miss in the Liberty Mutual Music City Kickoff. It’s the only rank-vs-rank game in Week 1, and the Cardinals enter as 6.5-point underdogs. Plenty of the buzz around Louisville centers on preseason All-Americans Isaac Brown and Clev Lubin, but if the Cardinals are going to threaten the Rebels, Kienholz has to be part of the answer as the new QB1.
After Louisville’s second fall camp scrimmage, Brohm offered a fresh look at the Ohio State transfer, and the update matched the growing optimism around Kienholz.
“I think he’s done a really good job,” stated Brohm on Kienholz. “He understands what we are doing.
He is into it. He’s made some plays on his feet today; that was good, that was a positive.
He is being a little more decisive and maybe finding some underneath throws, and not relying on his feet all the time will be important as we go forward, but I like that he is taking care of the ball and it is important to him that every possession matters, and he has been a good leader.”
Kienholz arrives with very little passing volume on his college résumé - just 36 throws in three years at Ohio State - but Louisville is betting on the full package. He was a former 4-star recruit out of high school and a 4-star transfer from a program that won the National Championship two seasons ago.
The appeal is obvious: he can beat defenses with his arm, but he can also turn a broken play into something bigger with his legs. In his senior year, Kienholz completed 66 percent of his passes for 3,422 yards and 46 touchdowns, while adding 1,435 rushing yards and 24 touchdowns.
That kind of dual-threat ability is something Louisville fans haven’t really seen under Brohm, and it’s one more reason Kienholz is drawing attention as the Cardinals prepare for a major early test. His transfer ranking reflected that upside too, as he was rated as high as No. 136 overall and No. 18 among quarterbacks.
In Other News...
Louisville Defense Is Starting To Change The Mood Around This Team
Louisvilles second fall camp scrimmage offered a much cleaner look on defense, and that matters for a team trying to reset the tone heading into the season. After a shakier first scrimmage, the Cardinals defense came back with a far more controlled performance, and Jeff Brohm made it clear he liked what he saw. The group was better at taking away big plays and turning mistakes into takeaways, two signs that usually travel well once the games count.
There is still plenty to sort out in camp, but this side of the ball already looks like it could become a strength for Louisville. The mix of returning players and transfers gives the Cardinals some real options, and the early signs suggest the defense may be the unit setting the standard rather than chasing it. If that continues, it could go a long way toward changing the mood around the team before the opener arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Louisville Added A Proven ACC Guard With One Big Catch
Louisville has added a seasoned ACC backcourt piece for the 2026-27 roster, with Pat Kelsey announcing the commitment of fifth-year guard Seth Trimble. Trimble arrives after four years at North Carolina and gives the Cardinals a proven perimeter option who already has a rsum built on production, leadership and conference-level experience.
His senior season at North Carolina showed why he is such an attractive addition, with averages of 14.0 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists while earning Honorable Mention All-ACC recognition and becoming a finalist for the Nolan Richardson Award. For Louisville, the appeal is obvious, but the timing also means the program will have to wait a bit longer to see exactly how Trimble fits into Kelseys plans. [Read more 🡒]
Louisvilles Preseason Outlook Just Took A Serious Hit
Louisvilles preseason picture got a lot more complicated this week, with the Cardinals losing guard London Johnson after he was dismissed for a violation of team rules. It is the kind of late-summer setback that can force a coaching staff to revisit depth, rotation plans and overall expectations before the first meaningful practice battles even begin.
The bigger hit may be the uncertainty around North Carolina transfer Seth Trimble, who was ruled ineligible for the upcoming season after a new interpretation of the five-for-five rule altered the landscape for players who used all four years of eligibility. His status could still wind up in court, but for now the loss has already dragged Louisville down in power rankings and left the Cardinals waiting on an answer that could shape the seasons ceiling. [Read more 🡒]