Local '26 LB Karsten Busch Decommits from Louisville

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Yet another Class of 2026 prospect is opting to renege on their commitment to the Louisville football program, and this time it's the top prospect in the city.

Linebacker Karsten Busch, who plays roughly two miles away from UofL's campus at St. Xavier, announced Monday that he has back off of his verbal pledge to the Cardinals.

"I’m extremely proud to be born and raised from Louisville, Kentucky," Busch wrote on Twitter/X. "I want to thank the University of Louisville for recruiting me especially Coach Brohm, Coach Ivey and Coach Marrow. After further conversation with my family I am decommiting from the University of Louisville."

Busch was one of Louisville's longest-tenured commitments in the 2026 cycle, originally committing back on Mar. 7. He had even announced late last month, in a since-deleted tweet, that he would be shutting down his recruitment and signing with the Cardinals during the upcoming early signing period.

He is the third 2026 prospect in the last eight days to decommit from Louisville. Lebanon (Oh.) HS tight end Nick Lautar flipped to Ohio State on Nov. 16, while Des Moines (Iowa) Valley safety Jayden McGregory flipped to Missouri this past Wednesday. Busch is also the ninth Class of 2026 prospect to decommit from the Cardinals.

Losing a commitment from Busch is a massive deal for the Cardinals, and not just from a local perspective. The linebacker ranks as the No. 1 prospect in the state of Kentucky, according to 247Sports' in-house rankings. He's regarded as the No. 438 recruit in the nation, per the 247Sports Composite, and is a four-star prospect.

Despite the trio of recent decommitments, Louisville still holds 20 commitments in their Class of 2026. It's a class that ranks No. 31 in the nation, according to 247Sports. The three-day early signing period for football is two weeks away, starting on Monday, Dec. 3.

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