Louisville’s secondary was one of the biggest reasons the Cardinals flipped the script in 2025, and the challenge now is keeping that standard in place after a heavy offseason turnover at cornerback and safety.
A year after finishing 12th in the ACC in pass defense, Louisville climbed all the way to the top of the league. The Cardinals gave up just 188.8 passing yards per game, held opponents to six yards per attempt, and picked off 14 passes.
That coverage showed up in the wins that defined the season, none bigger than the 24-21 upset of No. 2 Miami, when Louisville intercepted Carson Beck four times.
The Cardinals also snagged three picks in a 34-27 comeback win at Pittsburgh and added two second-half interceptions in a 41-0 Senior Day shutout of Kentucky.
The pass defense wasn’t perfect, though. Cal and SMU both threw for more than 300 yards against Louisville, and SMU was the only team to post a passer rating above 140 against the Cardinals last season.
Antonio Watts led Louisville with three interceptions, while Tayon Holloway and Jabari Mack had two apiece. Holloway was the team’s top corner, finishing with 42 tackles, five PBUs, and those two interceptions.
Now the Cardinals have to replace a lot of pieces. Cornerbacks Justin Agu, Rodney Johnson, Jabari Mack, and Rae’mon Mosby are all gone, along with safeties JoJo Evans Jr., Corey Gordon, and D’Angelo Hutchinson.
There’s also a change on the sideline: co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach Ron English is taking the 2026 season off to watch his son play his senior season at Navy. Cornerbacks coach Steve Ellis is back and will move into a co-defensive coordinator role for 2026 alongside defensive line coach Mark Ivey.
At cornerback, the biggest returnee is Holloway. The senior started all 13 games last season, earned Honorable Mention All-ACC honors, and gives Louisville a proven man-coverage option with good size at 6’1″.
The Cardinals also added Kentucky transfer DJ Waller, Jr., who brings more length at 6’3″ and 210 pounds. Waller has Power Four experience at both Kentucky and Michigan, including four starts for the Wildcats in 2024, and if he’s healthy after injuries limited him last season, he looks like the favorite to start on the outside.
Beyond those two, Louisville will mix in a new group of options. Antonio Harris could work his way into the rotation after drawing praise dating back to last year’s position breakdown. He’s a 6-foot corner and a second-generation Louisville player, following in the footsteps of his father, Nate Harris, who played for the Cardinals in 2005 and 2006.
The transfer additions include Santana Wilson from Texas and Brycen Scott from Elon. Wilson was a former three-star prospect and appeared in one game for the Longhorns last season.
Scott worked as a reserve at Elon and should factor into special teams competition. South Carolina transfer Myles Norwood adds depth after posting 19 tackles in 10 games last season.
Freshman Jaydin Broadnax is another name to watch in August. He arrives as Louisville’s highest-rated recruit in the 2026 class, according to 247Sports, and at 6’3″ and 190 pounds, he already has the frame Louisville wants at the position.
Broadnax plays with a physical edge, has strong instincts in man coverage, and could become a tough bump-and-run corner for opposing receivers. He also shows the kind of recovery ability that lets him close fast and make plays with his body and hands.
The projected starters at cornerback are Holloway and Waller, with Harris, Wilson, Norwood, Broadnax, and Scott forming the key reserve group.
Safety is where Louisville went portal-heavy to restock the room. With Evans, Hutchinson, and Gordon all gone, the Cardinals landed Iowa transfer Koen Entringer as a likely starter.
He was an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention selection last season after putting up 73 tackles, four PBUs, and 3.5 TFLs, and he also served as a team captain for the Hawkeyes. Louisville views him as both a physical presence and a leadership piece for the defense.
The Cardinals also brought in Kaleb Beasley from Tennessee and TJ Banks from Mississippi to keep the three-man safety rotation intact. Beasley, a former four-star recruit, recorded 24 tackles and a PBU last season for the Volunteers. Banks had 20 tackles and a PBU in 14 games for the Rebels.
Blake Ruffin is back as well and could see a bigger role after playing in all 13 games last season. He previously earned FCS All-American honors at Eastern Illinois and gives Louisville another option to round out a full two-deep at both safety spots.
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It is the kind of small but noticeable detail that tends to get attention well before kickoff, especially with the 2026 schedule already taking shape. Louisville opens the season Sunday, Sept. 6, at the Music City Kickoff against Ole Miss, then comes home a few days later for its first game at Cardinal Stadium against Villanova on Sept. 11. [Read more 🡒]
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One name to watch is Michigan State transfer Jaxon Kohler, whose rebounding and shooting profile would fit the kind of depth Louisville could still use. There has been no official report of the Cardinals reaching out, so this is still more possibility than movement, but it is the sort of frontcourt addition that would make sense if Louisville decides it is not done building in the paint. [Read more 🡒]
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Foleys value goes beyond depth, too. After earning First-Team All-AAC honors last season, he brings production and credibility to a Louisville attack that wants to do more than stay competitive in the ACC. If the Cardinals are going to push toward the kind of season that keeps them in the College Football Playoff conversation, a player like Foley figures to be part of the conversation early and often. [Read more 🡒]