Three days out from kickoff, the spotlight lands on two transfers who could shape what Louisville looks like in Jeff Brohm’s system: quarterback Lincoln Kienholz and defensive lineman Tyler Thompson.
Kienholz arrives as the new QB1 after coming over from Ohio State, where he fought Julian Sayin for the starting job last year and appeared in seven games, mostly in cleanup duty. At 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, the junior from Pierre, SD brings a different kind of profile than the transfer passers Brohm has used before.
He has not been a starter, and he has only about 130 total college snaps, which makes him a far less proven option than quarterbacks like Plummer, Shough, or Moss. At the same time, that lack of volume leaves room for a bigger ceiling.
The evaluation here is simple: don’t rush to judge him after one game. If Brohm’s offense is sharp and Louisville shocks Ole Miss, that does not mean the Heisman chatter should start immediately.
If the opener goes the other way and the defense has the upper hand, that also shouldn’t trigger a total write-off. Kienholz has been described as one of the best athletes on the team, and he gives Brohm a true dual-threat option when needed.
The hope is that he grows into a role where he can let others make plays, settle in, and eventually lead the Cardinals as they move toward an ACC title and a playoff birth.
There is also real belief behind the uncertainty. After watching the film, spring tape, and practice, the sense is that Kienholz has the tools to be a really good quarterback.
The concern is the pressure that could hit early, especially if Louisville were to start 1-2 and suddenly ask him to carry more than he has before. Even so, the “Iron Buckeye” award winner has the off-field intangibles to handle that kind of moment.
On the other side of the ball, Thompson gives Louisville another major piece up front. The 6-foot-5, 245-pound senior from Cary, NC joined the Cardinals from North Carolina after a season in which he posted seven sacks, seven and a half tackles for loss, a QB hurry, and a team-leading two forced fumbles in 12 games. That production puts him among the ACC’s top returning sack threats, alongside Lubin, while Green sits just outside the top 15 because Wes Bailey shared snaps with him last year.
The surprise here is not Thompson’s talent, but Louisville’s decision to add yet another edge after bringing back Lubin and Green. Still, the fit is obvious enough: the Cardinals can already create pressure and hold the edge, and Thompson adds another disruptive body to the mix.
What he still needs is more growth as a run stopper on the outside, though there is confidence he can develop in that area. The film shows him being used situationally to create havoc in the backfield, and that kind of impact is exactly what Louisville is banking on.
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Isaac Ellis Could Give Louisville A Freshman Spark Sooner Than Expected
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For a roster looking for fresh energy, Ellis could be one of the more intriguing names to watch before long. His path to campus came earlier than originally expected, and that only adds to the sense that Louisville may not have to wait very long to see what he can do. If his Overtime Elite production is any indication, the freshman spark might be there sooner than many around the program first assumed. [Read more 🡒]