Identifying Potential Breakout Candidates for Louisville in 2023

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Heading into the 2023 season, the Louisville football program has some moderately high expectations. With head coach Jeff Brohm taking over and infusing an already talented roster with an influx of playmakers via the transfer portal and high school, there is a belief amongst the program and fanbase that Louisville can accomplish big things in year one of the Brohm era.

But if the Cardinals are to make some noise in the ACC this season and potentially contend for a conference championship, they're going to need a team-wide effort to get there. The proven veterans will have to keep playing at a high level, and the younger or relatively inexperiences players will have to take meaningful strides forward in their respective games.

That being said, who are some players for Louisville that fall into that latter category? Louisville Report has identified six players, three on each side of the ball, that could have breakout seasons in 2023:

WR Kevin Coleman Jr.

Between his true freshman season at Jackson State and spring ball at Louisville, we've seen flashes of what Coleman can do with the ball in his hands. Last year, he caught 32 passes for 475 yards and three receiving touchdowns, earning SWAC Freshman of the Year honors as a result. During the spring as a member of the Cardinals, whether he was lined up as a slot receiver or taking reps as a punt returner, Coleman regularly put on display his run-after-catch agility and open field speed. Jamari Thrash will unquestionably be WR1 after what he accomplished at Georgia State, and Ahmari Huggins-Bruce also has a chance to thrive in this new offensive scheme, but Coleman could be just as important for the passing game. Brohm even said in the spring that he thinks Coleman is "going to be a big part of the offense."

RB Maurice Turner

Louisville isn't as deep at running back as they were last season, but the position is still full of talent. Jawhar Jordan exploded in the second half of 2022 to rush for 815 yards and four touchdowns, and Wisconsin transfer Isaac Guerendo ran for 385 yards and five touchdowns despite being third on the Badgers' depth chart. Even though Louisville will run the ball less often in this scheme and Jordan will command a lot of RB1 reps, keep an eye out for Turner. Not only did he have the most rushing yards in a single game by a Cardinal last season with 160 against Cincinnati (finishing with 314 on the season), he arguably looked the best out of all the running backs in spring ball. Plus, anytime you have a player whose speed rivals that of NFL superstar Tyreek Hill, you find a way to incorporate him into your game plan.

TE Jamari Johnson

It would not be surprising to see Jamari Johnson, a true freshman, be the starting tight end for Louisville by the end of the 2023 season. While this is partially indicative of the current state of tight end room, with the day one starter likely going to be walk-on Josh Lifson, Johnson is tailor-made for an offense like Brohm's. He possesses the overall size and pure athleticism that you would want out of a receiving tight end, and his high school film showed that he has a good catch radius and does a fantastic job when it comes to generating separation. While he did have his fair share of "freshman moments" in the spring, there were also a handful of times in the open practices where he looked almost unguardable. Tight ends coach Ryan Wallace said in the spring that Johnson was "getting better" and had done a good job at progressing.

DE/LB Popeye Williams

The new 4-2-5 defensive scheme features a brand new position called the "Leo," which is essentially a defensive end/linebacker hybrid that exclusively has a stand-up pass rushing assignment. Stanford transfer Stephen Herron will be the likely starter here, but barring him playing at an All-American level, expect Williams to rotate regularly with Herron at this position. He might be coming off of a season where he only logged three tackles, but is now he is playing at a position that better suits his skill set, and has always possessed an incredible amount of raw talent. He performed exceptionally well in the spring, and also logged two tackles for loss in the spring game.

NT Jared Dawson

On a 2022 Louisville defense where guys like Yasir Abdullah and YaYa Diaby got most of the recognition, Dawson was just as crucial for their success. His 16 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks might not jump out to people, but he was an unsung hero on that side of the ball. According to Pro Football Focus, with a grade of 77.3, he was the second-highest-rated Louisville defender with triple digit snaps (behind only Abdullah), and the fourth-highest-rated player on the entire team (Abdullah, Tyler Hudson, Jawhar Jordan). These efforts seem to have carried over to the spring as well, as collapsing the pocket seemed to be second nature during the open practices. Now that he is in a system where the defensive lineman are the ones who go for the havoc plays instead of the linebackers, and will likely be a starter at nose tackle, he has a chance to explode in 2023.

LB/S Antonio Watts

Another new position in the 4-2-5 system is the "STAR," which is a linebacker/safety hybrid that aligns almost anywhere on the field. Benjamin Perry will be the starter here after having his breakout season last year, and Miami transfer Gilbert Frierson looked good in the spring as the backup here. That being said, it would not be surprising to see Watts get involved in the rotation at STAR or at either ILB spots, as he was one of the brightest defensive standouts in spring ball. Whether it was in pass coverage or in the box against the run, Watts made play after play in the open practices. He capped off his incredible spring with 1.5 tackles for loss in the spring game as well. While it could be tough for him to see the field consistently due to players in front of him, if he is granted an opportunity, watch out.

(Photo of Jared Dawson via Twitter)

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