Louisville’s Monday fall camp workout had a little more bite to it.
The Cardinals were in shoulder pads and helmets for the first time, and that change brought a sharper edge to practice. It also came with one familiar concern: running back Isaac Brown was still not taking part in team work.
Brown sat out the first open practice, was very limited in the second, and on Monday he was again working off to the side with a trainer while the rest of the team went through a more physical session. Another open practice on Tuesday should provide more clarity on his status.
The added intensity showed up where it usually does first - in the trenches. Louisville’s offensive and defensive lines spent plenty of time battling, and both units flashed.
The offensive line had some strong moments early, but the defensive front looked especially disruptive. That group’s size and aggression made life difficult up front, and it fits the way co-defensive coordinator and play caller Mark Ivey wants to operate.
“We've got some guys, not just with the D-line, but we do have some good D-line men that are very aggressive," Ivey said. "We've got some secondary guys that want to get in the mix.
They want to be in the backfield and make some things happen, no doubt. But you got to be smart about it.
I mean, you can't just be a lunatic and unload the gun all day long because basically somebody's going to scheme you on that. So picking and choosing when to do it, how to do it, and then how you have your counter calls to go with that- we'll make it work very well."
That defensive depth is shaping up to be one of the bigger storylines around this team. Louisville has bodies at nearly every spot, and the way Ivey wants his defense to attack could create plenty of plays in the backfield while also opening the door for splash plays on the back end. The Cardinals may still be known first for offense under Jeff Brohm, but this defense has the look of a group that wants its own spotlight in 2026.
One of the more interesting wrinkles from camp involves freshman tight end Julius Miles. Brohm already mentioned the possibility of using him as a wide receiver in red-zone situations, and that idea is starting to feel more real by the day. At 6-foot-6 and 220 pounds, Miles has the kind of frame that can create problems near the goal line, and Deion Branch sounded eager to see what comes next.
"I think we'll have a lot of fun with Julius," WR coach Deion Branch said. "I think he's very eager to learn and he wants to do it, so that's always a plus. It's one thing if a guy is just kind of going through the motions, but he's one of those guys that wants to spend time on the field… you'll all see some things here pretty soon with Julius out at receiver."
Louisville also had a notable visitor on the sideline in Ja'Hyde Brown, one of the top names in the Cardinals’ 2027 class. The four-star receiver was back watching practice for the second time this fall, and his continued presence says plenty about how tight the connection remains between Brown, his family, and the staff. He’s the second-highest-rated commit in Louisville’s 2027 class and remains a major piece for the future.
Special teams work also carried its own small storyline. The Cardinals are still sorting out field goal duties, and that battle is expected to run through the rest of preseason camp.
For now, redshirt senior Nick Keller has started to separate himself a bit. Keller has won a couple of straight field goal competitions, including Monday’s session, when his 51-yard make beat out Rhode Island transfer Garth White.
The competition format has one kicker representing the offense and the other the defense, with both attempts starting at the same time and the distance growing after each successful kick.
For Louisville, Monday was about more than just another camp practice. The pads were on, the hitting picked up, and a few of the key position battles started to sharpen.
In Other News...
Pat Kelseys Next Recruiting Push Could Put Louisville In The Mix
Pat Kelsey has wasted little time trying to widen Louisvilles recruiting footprint, and the early push has stretched well beyond the class of 2027. The Cardinals have been in on a group of high-end targets that includes five-star prospects Reese Alston, Demarcus Henry and Darius Wabbington, a sign that Kelsey and his staff are aiming high as they build for the next wave of roster talent.
One of the more intriguing names on the board is Benjamin Berrouet, a nationally ranked five-star power forward in the class of 2028 who has already drawn attention from several major programs. Louisville assistant Ronnie Hamilton recently got a closer look at Berrouet during a FIBA U16 event, another indication that the Cardinals are trying to stay ahead of the curve with younger elite prospects before the race for his commitment really heats up. [Read more 🡒]
Louisville Just Made A Move For An Elite Young Big Man
Benji Berrouets stock keeps rising, and Louisville has made sure it is firmly in the mix. The 2028 composite five-star big man put together a dominant showing for Latvia in a FIBA U16 competition in Romania, piling up 33 points and 22 rebounds, while Cardinals assistant Ronnie Hamilton was on hand to watch. Berrouet has been on Louisvilles radar since the NBPA Top 100 camp, and the programs interest has now moved beyond observation.
The next part figures to get crowded in a hurry. Berrouet is weighing a national list of heavy hitters that also includes Baylor, Texas, UCLA, Miami, Kentucky, Arkansas, Houston and USC, and he plans to line up visits soon. For Louisville, landing in that conversation at this stage is the kind of early step that matters, especially with an elite young frontcourt talent whose recruitment is only beginning to take shape. [Read more 🡒]
Pat Kelsey Is Chasing A Shooting Fix Louisville Still Needs
Pat Kelsey is still working through the kind of roster-building puzzle every college coach now lives with, and Louisvilles latest need is obvious enough. A recent eligibility ruling giving seniors a fifth year has only added another layer of uncertainty, so Kelsey said the staff has to stay vigilant while looking for pieces that fit what the Cardinals still need on the floor.
One of those pieces appears to be shooting, and Louisville has been linked to a player who could help right away. Cade Tyson, a Minnesota transfer known for his 3-point touch, took a big step forward offensively last season and would give the Cardinals a different look on the perimeter. The interest makes sense, even if the final answer on where he lands is still very much up in the air. [Read more 🡒]