Louisville’s momentum with the 2027 class hit a snag Monday, when five-star center Darius Wabbington took the Cardinals out of the picture.
The news landed after Louisville had already positioned itself as a serious player with several elite recruits in the class. Pat Kelsey and his staff have been showing up on a lot of high-level lists, and the Cardinals are still in the hunt for major names such as No. 2 overall DeMarcus Henry, No. 3 overall Cayden Daughtry, No. 5 overall King Gibson, No. 7 overall Reese Alston, and they remain one of the top teams chasing No. 1 overall CJ Rosser.
But Wabbington’s update changes the board. 247Sports’ Jacob Polacheck reported on Monday, September 7, that the 5-star center is no longer planning to visit Louisville and is officially off the Cardinals’ list.
“I’m no longer considering Louisville,” stated Wabbington, according to Polacheck.
That’s a sharp turn from where things stood earlier this summer. Wabbington had narrowed his recruitment to six schools, with Louisville included alongside Kentucky, North Carolina, Indiana, Texas, and Arizona.
He had also lined up official visits, including a trip to Louisville on September 11, Arizona on September 25, and Texas on October 9. That Louisville visit is now canceled, and the race is down to five schools.
Wabbington remains one of the most coveted big men in the class. The 6-foot-10 center at Sunnyslope High is ranked as high as No. 9 overall nationally, No. 2 among centers, and No. 2 in Arizona.
Last season, he put up 17.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game. He also played for Team USA’s U18 squad, where he averaged 9.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists during a silver-medal run.
Even with Wabbington out of the mix, Louisville may not be done making noise at center. The Cardinals are also making a late push for Lewis Uvwo, the No. 1-ranked center in the class. On3 Sports’ Jamie Shaw recently reported that Louisville had joined the race for the 6-foot-11, 225-pound big man.
Duke is currently the leader for Uvwo, but Louisville is still trying to get involved. Uvwo is ranked as high as No. 7 overall in the 2027 class and just turned in a strong Peach Jam showing, averaging 6.0 blocks per game.
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Louisville Saw Enough From Lincoln Keinholz To Fuel A Bigger Question
Lincoln Keinholzs first start for Louisville gave the Cardinals a real opening to assess where they stand at quarterback, and there was plenty to like in the way he settled in against Mississippi. The debut came in a high-scoring opener that asked a lot of him early, and he responded better as the game went on, showing clear progress in the second half as Louisville hung around in a back-and-forth matchup.
Jeff Brohm left the night with a familiar mix of encouragement and concern, praising the way his team competed while also pointing to the need for more plays against quality opponents. For Louisville, the bigger question now is not just what Keinholz showed in the opener, but how much of that performance can carry over when the schedule tightens and the margin for error shrinks. [Read more 🡒]
Louisville Just Found A Quarterback Fans Can Dream On
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The debut mattered because it showed Louisville more than survived a tough opening test against a ranked opponent, it found a passer who can tilt a game with both his arm and legs. Kienholzs production also put him in a rare category for the program, with the kind of early return that can change the feel around an offense even in a loss, and now the bigger question is how far that carryover can go once the schedule keeps moving. [Read more 🡒]
Lincoln Kienholz Gave Louisville One Huge Reason For Hope
Louisville did not leave with the result it wanted after a 41-38 loss to Ole Miss, but the debut of Lincoln Kienholz offered a real jolt of optimism. The Ohio State transfer settled in after a slow first half and gave the Cardinals a much-needed spark, working the offense with enough poise and movement to keep Louisville within striking distance as the game wore on.
Kienholz showed why the staff had reason to believe in him, throwing for 307 yards and adding 69 more on the ground while accounting for three total touchdowns in his first game. He also helped Louisville dig out of a 14-point hole in the fourth quarter and pull the game even before Ole Miss answered with a last-second 48-yard field goal, leaving the Cardinals with plenty to lament and one big reason to keep believing. [Read more 🡒]