Two defensive pieces are headed back to Louisville’s football program after the NCAA’s expanded eligibility ruling opened the door for another season.
Cornerback Jabari Mack and linebacker Kalib Perry will reportedly return to the Cardinals after being granted a fifth year, according to on3. The move comes after the NCAA last month approved five years of eligibility for “student-athletes who meet all eligibility requirements and enter college no later than the academic year after their 19th birthday,” per the league’s website. That ruling was later expanded to the Class of 2022.
Jeff Brohm said on Aug. 7 that Louisville was willing to explore bringing back former players if they became eligible for an extra season, and he made it clear the staff already had specific names in mind.
“For us, we're making sure this ruling and the declaration of how this is going to work becomes fully clear,” he said. “We are in a position where we feel like we're able to do what we need to do as long as it's approved by our conference, our administration.
“We want to make sure we're on the up and up, doing things right, but there are a couple young men that are in that category for us that we've been in contact with. If we think this will be allowed in other places, if we don't think this will be overturned, we will proceed down that route, for sure.”
Mack arrived in Louisville after spending his first three college seasons at Jacksonville State, then carved out a starting job for the Cardinals in 2025 next to Tayon Holloway. He finished with two interceptions, two pass breakups and 34 total tackles. His return would keep him in that starting mix and give Louisville extra insurance at cornerback, where Kentucky transfer DJ Waller had previously been projected to start opposite Holloway.
Perry’s path has been different. The Georgetown native came to Louisville after three years at Tennessee and brought SEC experience with him.
He bounced in and out of the starting lineup, opening five of the 13 games he played. Still, he spent most of the season behind Stanquan Clark, who missed much of the year with an ankle injury, and T.J.
Capers, and ended with 55 tackles, including 1½ for loss, plus an interception.
Louisville opens the season Sept. 6 against Ole Miss at Nissan Stadium in Nashville.
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