JEFF BROHM NEEDS TO STICK WITH DEUCE ADAMS
Louisville is going to go to a bowl game, but there is not much else left for this season outside of some statistical milestones and bragging rights. The issue for Brohm, at least in my humble opinion, is that next year’s roster has major gaps. Quarterback is the most glaring gap for next year, but it is also the position with a player with real promise.
Adams wasn’t outstanding against SMU, but I don’t think anyone watched that game and came away thinking he was much worse than Miller Moss. Adams showed that he can make throws down the field with his two throws of 25+ yards. Moss has 15 completions at that depth this season in 10 games. Adams also brought a different dimension with his ability to run the ball. Brohm was able to mix in option runs and designed quarterback runs on short-yardage plays.
The other factor is obvious here, as Brohm has to have a plan at quarterback for next season. The best way to make that plan is to know if Adams is a guy who can be his starter. Brohm will undoubtedly bring in a transfer for the fourth straight year, but with so many gaps on his roster, he will have a hard time being able to dedicate the type of funds needed to get a high-level starter. Going into the spring in the same position he was in this time last year would be a mistake.
RON ENGLISH WOULD DO WELL TO HAVE A STRONG FINISH
Louisville has a top-25 defense right now, but that defense was top-15 a few weeks ago. English has drawn the ire of the fanbase over the last two years, but he hasn’t received much blame for the way the 2025 season has gone. In fact, English has been noticed as the reason why they have gotten to seven wins on the season by a lot of fans. I think that all changes if the defense plays poorly against UK. The rivalry is always a big deal, but it takes on more significance when things are not going well.
The Cards had an awful loss to Cal due, in part, to English’s defense allowing one wide receiver to take over the game by himself. They then got dominated by SMU in a game where they couldn’t stop anything, and the defense looked uninterested, at best. I don’t think English will escape blame if things look the same this weekend.
I have my thoughts on English’s future at Louisville, but I do wonder if Brohm will look to make changes if this season ends with seven wins. He didn’t waste a second to lay the Cal loss at the feet of the defense. He’s been noticeably upset with English on the sideline this year as well. I’m not so sure English isn’t coaching for his job this weekend.
KENTUCKY WILL LOOK TO CREATE DEEP SHOTS
The Cats like to run the football. That’s not a secret, and they won’t look to keep it a secret on Saturday. Louisville has a good run defense, but it has slipped as of late. The Cards have struggled with their run fits, but more than that, they have fallen off with their tackling. Bigger backs have had success getting to the second level of the defense and getting extra yards against the smaller defenders. UK will test that aspect of UofL’s defense early and often.
The running game for the Cats will open up opportunities for Bush Hamden to call some deep throws down the field. The Cats have plenty of options when it comes to speed at wide receiver. Kendrick Law is a known speedster, but Ja’Mori Maclin and DJ Miller are options with better size on the outside. UK will certainly utilize their speed on the outside in this game, and they will do so after forcing the Cards to focus on the run.
LOUISVILLE HAS TO MAKE CUTTER BOLEY FEEL LIKE IT’S 2024
Cutter Boley has been on fire as of late, with four games in the back half of the season with a completion percentage of 74% or better since week 8. Boley has shown that he can extend plays with his legs, scramble for yardage, and push the ball down the field. He is also getting much more comfortable in the offense, leading him to use the short passing game as an asset. Boley has been everything that he wasn’t in last year’s Governor’s Cup.
The Cards have to turn Boley into the 2024 version of himself because if they don’t, he can do some of the same things we’ve seen in the two games where the Cards struggled to stop the pass. Boley can make the throws outside the hashes that we saw Cal complete over and over again. He also has the arm strength to hit the big post route that SMU attempted on their first drive.
Boley also has a solid ability to escape pressure, and when he does so, he can run for a first down or look for open receivers. The Cards don’t handle mobile quarterbacks very well, and while Boley isn’t “mobile” like Kyron Drones or Kevin Jennings, he can make them pay if given the space to make plays with his legs.
