SMU’s defense may not be the first thing people associate with the Mustangs, but this group has opened the season with plenty to like. Rhett Lashlee’s team has been tough against the pass, active against the run, and quick to make life uncomfortable for opposing offenses. Even with a lot of production gone from last year’s unit, the Mustangs have held their ground and now bring a few clear problems for Jeff Brohm’s offense to sort through.
Up front, Aakil Washington has been one of the names showing up over and over. The defensive end has been around the ball frequently and has posted 4 pressures through two games. He and Ira Singleton work the edges in SMU’s 4-2-5 look, while Malcolm Alcorn-Warner is the main force inside with 10 pressures this season.
That front is solid, but it is also a matchup Louisville can attack if the Cardinals handle their business. SMU does have two 300-pound tackles, yet the group is not as athletic as the Ole Miss front Louisville saw earlier. If the Cardinals can hold up there, the run game could start to open up in a meaningful way.
The linebacker group is another strength. Alexander Kilgore returns as an important piece, and he pairs with Brandon Booker as the experienced voices steering a defense that lost a lot from last year.
Their value goes beyond tackles; they know the system, handle the calls, and help keep everything organized. This isn’t a defense built for those two to pile up huge tackle numbers, but it will be worth watching whether SMU keeps them playing downhill the way it has early on in an effort to slow down Isaac Brown.
Behind them, the secondary is the real engine of the scheme. SMU’s safeties led the team in tackles last season, and this year’s group is doing the same. The Mustangs lean on an aggressive approach, with safeties coming downhill to help stop the run and the passing game being funneled toward the middle of the field, where the defense expects to rally and tackle on quick throws.
For Louisville, the priority is simple: stay out of negative plays and make the rebuilt secondary prove it can hold up. There is some inexperience back there, along with a few transfers from G6 schools, and that could be where the Cardinals find an edge.
In Other News...
Louisvilles Second Quarter Exposed One Concern And One Encouraging Sign
Louisvilles second quarter against Villanova offered a little of everything, from broken coverages to signs of the physical edge the Cardinals want to carry early in the season. The defense had to sort through a coverage bust on a route concept that left a slot receiver open down the sideline, while quarterback Lincoln Kienholz kept a drive alive with improvisation and DJ Waller stood out for the kind of aggressive tackling that can change the tone of a series.
On offense, the film showed a unit still working through the details that separate a decent snap from a clean one. Louisville used motion to create answers and found some effective plays early, but there were also blocking moments that needed to be sharper, including a pair of assignments on the same run play that came up short. For a team trying to build consistency, that mix of promise and cleanup work is exactly what makes the second quarter worth circling. [Read more 🡒]
Louisville Faces An ACC Test That Could Shape Jeff Brohms Season
Louisvilles second straight home game arrives with a little more weight than a typical September ACC opener. The Cardinals host SMU in the first of their three consecutive games at home, and it is the league debut that will help define where Jeff Brohms team stands as conference play settles in. The matchup has drawn plenty of attention from reporters and columnists, with predictions and betting angles already circulating around a game that should tell plenty about Louisvilles direction.
SMU comes in with some early ACC credibility after winning a conference game against Florida State, which only adds to the urgency for Louisville to protect its home field. For Brohm, this is the kind of test that can quickly sharpen the conversation around a season, especially with more league games waiting right around the corner. The stage is set for a matchup that feels bigger than the calendar might suggest, and the result could say a lot about how the Cardinals are positioned in the ACC race. [Read more 🡒]
Louisville Faces An Early ACC Test That Could Change Everything
Louisville gets an immediate chance to measure itself in the ACC when it opens league play at home against SMU, a matchup that already carries more weight than most September conference games. The Mustangs arrive unbeaten and have looked dangerous behind quarterback Kevin Jennings, while Louisville has found a lift on offense with Lincoln Kienholz settling in at quarterback. For a team trying to position itself early in the conference race, this is the kind of game that can shape the conversation for weeks.
There is also a familiar edge to it, because these programs have already played tight, competitive football in recent seasons and the coaching matchup adds another layer of intrigue. SMU comes in with a system that has traveled well and an offense that can make you defend the whole field, which puts plenty of pressure on Louisville's defense to answer right away. In a league where one conference loss can linger, the Cardinals are staring at an opener that could tell a lot about where they stand. [Read more 🡒]