Close Games & Louisville's Potential Kicking Game Problem in 2026

Louisville placekicker Nick Keller | University of Louisville Athletics

Louisville Head Coach Jeff Brohm recently expressed displeasure with the Cardinals' kicking game after an early Fall Camp practice:

"I'm not confident right now. It was not great today. We made strides in the Spring and we've added a few pieces. We have great competition.... so we just have to work our way through it. The consistency in kicking the ball both in extra points, field goals, kickoffs and punting the ball has to get better. We've talked about that a lot, talked about that a lot today. I didn't think it was a great 1st day, so we gotta work through it, we have 4 weeks to get it right. "

The Cards lost both its starting punter & kicker from 2025. PK Cooper Ranvier (21 of 25 FGs/39 of 41 XPs) transferred to Tennessee. David Chapeau graduated & heir apparent and Louisville Trinity product Carter Schwartz now kicks for the Arizona Wildcats.

Fans have little patience for a lackluster kicking game. Last year the Cards were solid while placekicking, but did lose a game to Clemson at home after Ranvier missed a 50-yard attempt with 4:05 to go in the 4th quarter. Moments later, they got a miracle chance at a 46-yarder with 1:30 to go in the game. Nick Keller stepped in and missed that one too. UofL lost to Clemson 20-19. A bad loss to a bad Clemson team, and a missed opportunity to win over Clemson in back-to-back seasons.

Field Goals during Jeff Brohm 3-year tenure have been SOLID. Fans may recall a big time kick from Brock Travelstead to win at NC State. You might have forgotten that Brohm switched Field Goal kickers in 2023 from Travelstead to Nick Lopez after a shaky start in a November game at Miami.

It's easier to live with the successes than it is to live with the horrors of a missed field goal. And that's the point. In 2023 Louisville had SIX one score games (4-2). In 2024 the Cards played SEVEN one score games (3-4). In 2025 SIX one score games again (3-3). Louisville is 10-9 in one score games under Jeff Brohm WITH SOLID KICKING. What happens to those games if field goals are missed more often? If punts are shanked? That's the worry heading into 2026.

As Jeff Brohm stated, the Cards do have 4 weeks to figure it out. It stands to reason that Louisville might combat its problems in the kicking game by just 'going for it' more often. But make no mistake, Louisville is going to have to make kicks and be successful punting the football if they hope to achieve their goals. In Jeff Brohm's 40 games as Louisville's Head Coach 19 (NINETEEN) have been decided by one score. The kicking game is going to matter and it needs to get fixed.

26 days until the Cards kickoff in Nashville versus No. 10 Ole Miss.