Louisville may already have one of the nation’s best transfer portal hauls in the books, but Pat Kelsey isn’t treating the roster like it’s finished.
With college sports still dealing with uncertainty around eligibility rulings, Kelsey said the Cardinals are keeping tabs on possible late additions while still feeling strong about what they’ve built. The latest wrinkle came when Colorado Judge Charlotte Sweeney granted a class-wide preliminary injunction last week requiring the NCAA to declare eligible all high school class of 2022 athletes who exhausted four seasons of eligibility this spring. On Sunday, though, Sweeney clarified that the ruling does not block transfer rules, roster caps or rev share caps.
That kind of shifting ground is exactly why Kelsey says Louisville is paying attention.
“The thing I'd say is, I love my team. I love my team, and I think my staff, our administration, [I'm] really proud of how we attacked and how we handled the roster-building process back in the spring when that set of rules were in place,” Kelsey said.
“Our guys did an unbelievable job of putting an elite team together, one that has been a joy to coach over the last two months. We grew in a lot of areas on and off the floor, had a great trip down to The Bahamas, and feel really, really good about going into the fall and all of our preseason stuff.
Getting ready for the six weeks of preseason, then before our game, and getting ready to attack.”
Still, he made it clear Louisville isn’t shutting the door on possible help if the landscape changes again.
“In this new age, in this new landscape, you know you never sit still. There is no off button.
We're always keeping our finger on the pulse of what's going on out there - the lawsuits, the Senate and the House with the Save College Sports Act,” Kelsey said. “There are all types of uncertainty going on, and you always want to stay vigilant and stay ahead of it, and make sure you're doing everything you can to put your program in the best position possible to have the best team you can possibly have.
I love our team, and I'm really, really proud of how they've come together on and off the floor over the last several months.”
Kelsey even tossed in a little humor while making the point that teams are always looking for a way to get better.
“Lisa wants me to be more handsome. It's just not happening,” Kelsey said.
“I love our team, love what we built, but this craziness that's going on- you have to stay vigilant. I would be not doing my job, and I would be asleep at the wheel, if you're not staying attentive to what's going on out there.”
Asked what his roster could use more of, Kelsey kept the answer light while underscoring how much he likes the group he has.
“42 more seven-footers, six or seven more 43 percent three-point shooters,” Kelsey said. “Look, everybody wants something else, but I love our guys.
I love the makeup of our team. I'm really proud of how they've come together and how they've bought into what we're trying to do.
I can't tell you how excited I am about coaching them and the type of season we're going to have.”
In Other News...
Pat Kelsey Responds To Peyton Siva Exit Louisville Fans Felt
Louisvilles offseason staff turnover has kept the program in a state of adjustment, with Executive Director Brian Kloman heading to Auburn and assistant coach Thomas Carr moving on to Indiana. Now Peyton Siva, one of the most recognizable former Cardinals to return as both a player and assistant coach, has also left, adding another notable change to a bench that has already looked different from the one Louisville ended last season with.
Pat Kelsey addressed the move publicly and made it clear he held no ill will toward Siva, saying he understood the decision and respected it. For a program trying to keep momentum while piecing together a new-look staff, the tone matters as much as the personnel, and Kelseys response suggested the relationship remains intact even as Louisville keeps navigating a busy offseason. [Read more 🡒]
Louisville Defense Is Getting Hype Now Brohm Has To Deliver
Louisvilles defense is starting to draw some early national attention, with Koen Entringer and Clev Lubin landing on the preseason watch list for the Nagurski Award. It is the kind of recognition that usually shows up before a team has even taken a meaningful snap in August, but it does reflect the expectation surrounding a unit that should be central to the Cardinals hopes this fall.
Brohms team will get its first six fall camp practices in front of the public on specified dates in August, giving fans an early look at how that defensive buzz translates on the field. There is plenty else happening around Louisville sports too, from the basketball programs No. 12 spot in Jeff Borzells early rankings to Amelia Swinarskis preseason All-ACC Team nod and Lou Citys upcoming "Fill the Fam" game, but for football the bigger question remains whether the hype can turn into something more concrete once the real work begins. [Read more 🡒]