Brohm, Louisville Continuing to Adapt to Ever-Changing Recruiting Landscape
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Over the last half-decade, and even just in the last calendar year alone, college football has seen a number of changes.
From the one-time transfer rule and recent developments on the multi-time transfer front, to the effects of Name, Image and Likeness, conference realignment and an expanded College Football Playoff, the sport looks almost unrecognizable than it did just a few years ago.
College football continues to change at a breakneck pace like it never has before, and more changes are potentially on the horizon. Those who don't adapt to the times run the risk of falling behind their competitors.
Louisville head coach Jeff Brohm and his staff are working to make sure that the Cardinals are staying ahead of the curve, especially on the recruiting and roster construction front.
"I just think the college landscape has changed quite a bit," Brohm said. "Yes, it will continue to probably adapt moving forward even more. We just try to figure it out, and make the most of it. From our end, I think you always have to be ready for roster change, and that is always going to be guys that graduate. Guys that enter the NFL Draft, guys that are maybe unhappy with their playing time. Then you factor in that these guys can transfer freely basically whenever they want, so you have got to be prepared to add to your roster.
"I think we understood that from the beginning. So throughout the entire season, until the very end, we were working hard to prepare ourselves to adapt and to change our roster to improve our football team. I think we were in a good position, we were on it early. Our coaches and our recruiting staff identified what we thought could help us, and we were active in going to try and get that. In the end, we feel good about what we have brought to the table."
Many coaches across college football have been slow to adapt to utilizing the transfer portal, or have completely refused to go that avenue altogether. Brohm has certainly proved that he does not fall into that category.
Not long after taking over his alma mater in December of 2022, Brohm got to work combing the transfer portal to build for his first season at the helm. Between his willingness to jump in the portal, and his open-mindedness when it comes to utilizing N.I.L. via the 502 Circle, Louisville was able to secure the No. 2 transfer portal class in the 2023 cycle, per On3.
That cycle, headlined by players like Jamari Thrash, Isaac Guerendo, Cam'Ron Kelly and Devin Neal, helping the Cardinals have their best season in a decade. Louisville went 10-4 for their first 10-win season since 2013, which included their first ever trip to the ACC Championship Game.
The portal is also helping Louisville gear up for what should be a highly successful 2024 campaign. As of this writing, the Cardinals sport the No. 1 transfer portal class in the 2024 cycle according to On3, with eight four-star transfers - the most of any team in the nation. Efforts on the N.I.L. front have helped them not only load up again in the portal, but also keep two of their best players from the 2023 squad in defensive end Ashton Gillotte and cornerback Quincy Riley.
While Brohm also recognizes the benefits that come with developing high school players, he also is fully aware of the "win now" advantage that comes with filling open roster spots via the portal. He knows that in this day and age, portal recruiting has surpassed high school recruiting in terms of importance.
"When you're able to attract someone with experience, who's played a lot of football, that is probably coming here with a purpose, sometimes you feel comfortable with that and say, 'let's go this route, and let's get somebody that can help us win right now that has already played competitive football.'," Brohm said. "That's kind of what I think you're seeing, is you're just seeing teams that understand the importance of winning right now this year.
"Yes, you want to build for the future and all that, but the important thing is always: how can we win this next game? How can we win this next year? I think that's what you got to factor into it."
With that being said, Brohm isn't completely throwing high school recruiting by the wayside. During the Early Signing Period, Louisville was able to sign all 14 of their scholarship commitments for a class that currently ranks as 247Sports' No. 31 class in the 2024 cycle. This includes composite four-stars in running back Duke Watson and tight end Dylan Mesman, as well as in-state prospect wide receiver Shaun Boykins Jr.
While Brohm recognizes the risks in the current climate when it comes to recruiting high school players, he still wants to be "very active" on that front.
"I do think that we still want to be very active in recruiting high school prospects, and doing right by that, and doing right by our state and the surrounding area," he said. "The best case is bring guys in, develop them and they become great players for you. That's unfortunately not how it always works now.
"There's a lot of factors that go into it. How long is it going to take to develop players? Okay, when they get developed, is someone going to try to poach them from you in a way that you don't like, but it happens. There's a lot of risks that go with that."
(Photo of Jeff Brohm: Scott Utterback - Courier Journal/USA TODAY NETWORK)
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