Louisville’s secondary just got a little more familiar - and a lot more stable.
On Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2025 starting safety D’Angelo Hutchinson announced on social media that he will return to the Cardinals under the new 5-for-5 rule, giving Louisville another key piece back after cornerback Jabari Mack reportedly did the same three days earlier. The move means Louisville has gone from one returning starting defensive back to three.
Hutchinson is a rare one in today’s game: he has spent his entire career at Louisville. For most of that stretch, he was a role player, but last season he finally grabbed a starting job and made the most of it. He finished as the Cardinals’ second-leading tackler with 84 and tied defensive lineman Clev Lubin and Tayon Holloway, who had been the lone returning starting cornerback, for the team’s second-most pass breakups with five.
His return gives Louisville more continuity at safety after the Cardinals also lost starting safety Jojo Evans to graduation. The transfer additions at the position have had eight months to get comfortable, but Hutchinson’s long familiarity with the defense brings something different: another proven voice in the room.
Before Hutchinson decided to come back, Louisville was counting on Iowa transfer Koen Entringer and Tennessee transfer Kaleb Beasley to supply veteran leadership and win the starting safety jobs.
Now, with Hutchinson back in the mix, the competition gets real. And with the season opener against Ole Miss a little less than three weeks away, the Cardinals have one more experienced defender pushing for a starting spot.
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Tayon Holloway Is Becoming The Voice Of Louisvilles Playoff Push
Tayon Holloway has gone from steady starter to one of the more important voices in Louisvilles secondary, and it comes at a time when the Cardinals are trying to build a defense that can stay sharp deep into the season. As the top cornerback in a deeper group, Holloway is helping set the tone for a unit designed to keep fresh bodies on the field while still playing at a high level, and coach Steve Ellis has taken notice of the way he carries himself.
Holloways approach fits the moment for Louisville, which has bigger goals than just surviving the schedule. After starting all 13 games last season and earning All-ACC honorable mention, he is focused on team success first, with the ACC Championship and a playoff run in mind. For the Cardinals, having a veteran cornerback willing to lead without making it about himself matters just as much as any coverage assignment. [Read more 🡒]
Louisville Just Entered A Different Tier With This New Roster
Louisvilles roster overhaul has changed the conversation around the program in a hurry. The latest boost came with former UNC guard Seth Trimble joining through the transfer portal after the NCAA granted seniors from the class of 2022 an extra year of eligibility, adding another experienced piece to a group that has quickly gained national respect.
The bigger picture is even more striking for the Cardinals. After Trimbles commitment and other key additions, Louisville climbed six spots to No. 8 in CBS Sports preseason rankings, a sign that this isnt just a deeper team but one viewed as a legitimate Final Four threat. The Cardinals also sit with the seventh-best odds to win the national championship, which puts plenty of pressure on a roster that now has very little margin for being merely good. [Read more 🡒]
Isaac Brown Just Got Extra Motivation Before Louisville Faces Ole Miss
Louisville heads into Week 1 ranked No. 24 in the AP Poll, and the opener could hardly offer a stiffer test than a trip to face No. 9 Ole Miss. For the Cardinals, though, the attention around the matchup has been joined by a more personal storyline for Isaac Brown, whose strong play has already made him one of the more important pieces of the offense as the season begins.
Brown said the preseason snub has given him extra motivation entering the fall, even after he put together a productive year when healthy. Injuries cost him six games last season, but the Cardinals still saw enough to know what he can do when he is on the field, and the timing of this weekends showdown only adds another layer to a player who has plenty to prove early. [Read more 🡒]