Jeff Brohm Announces Availability Update for Trio of Louisville Players for JMU Matchup

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The only certainly in football is that, whether large or small, injuries are bound to happen. While we might be just one week into the season, the Louisville football program already has a handful of banged up players.

This past weekend, tight end Nate Kurisky (hand) and offensive tackle Trevonte Sylvester (undisclosed) were deemed out for the Cardinals' season-opener against EKU due to injury. During the matchup against the Colonels, cornerback Rodney Johnson Jr. also suffered an ankle injury.

On Monday as part of his normal weekly press conference, head coach Jeff Brohm provided an update for all three players. While two of them will not be able to suit up for Louisville's next matchup against James Madison, one of them should be go to go.

"I think Rodney will be back, for sure. Nate had an injury in fall camp. I'm not for sure if he'll be ready to go, which we would like to get him back. Then Trevonte probably will not be back for this game as well," Brohm said.

Offensive lineman Victor Cutler and defensive end C.J. May also did not play this past weekend against EKU, but Brohm did not provide an update on either player.

Kurisky was projected to be Louisville's starting tight end entering the 2025 season. Entering his fourth season with the Cardinals, the 6-foot-3, 240-pound tight end has combined for 30 receptions for 253 yards and five touchdowns over the last two years. In 2024, he caught 12 passes for 112 yards and a career-high three scores.

A former Houston transfer, Sylvester is now in his third season with the Cardinals. Last season, he played in 11 games while making eight starts at left tackle, allowing just one sack and 14 pressures overall in 244 pass block snaps.

Johnson's ankle injury came midway through the third quarter against Eastern Kentucky, nearly making a one-handed interception in the process, and the resulting pass breakup was his only stat logged for the matchup. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound corner logged 43 tackles (23 solo), 6.0 for loss, five pass breakups, an interception and a forced fumble last season at Southern.

Louisville will face James Madison at L&N Stadium on Friday, Sept. 5, with kickoff coming at 7:00 p.m. EST.

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