Who's In, Who's Out and Who's Back for Louisville Football in 2023
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Ever since the 2022 season ended for the Louisville football program, it has been a whirlwind of roster upheaval. Between players declaring for the 2023 NFL Draft, transfers coming in and out, as well as new recruits joining the fold, at times it has been hard to track which scholarship players are joining, leaving and staying for another year.
Now that the dust has settled a bit, we are starting to have some idea as to what Louisville's roster will look like for the 2023 season. The Cardinals are currently at 83 scholarship players - 2 below the NCAA allotted maximum of 85.
As we progress through another long college football offseason, take a look below on who's in, who's out, and who's back for the Cardinals for the 2023 season:
*Each player's class is noted by their 2023 class.*
*This list will be updated if/when additional roster moves are made. Last updated: July 11, 2023*
Quarterbacks
Who's In (3): Jack Plummer (Gr. - Cal Transfer), Brady Allen (R-Fr. - Purdue Transfer), Pierce Clarkson (Fr.)
Who's Out (2): Malik Cunningham (Graduation), Khalib Johnson (Transfer - JUCO)
Who's Back (2): Evan Conley (Sr.), Brock Domann (Sr.)
On Roster: 5
Summary: Quarterback is in a much, much better spot than it was at the start of the offseason. Not only did Louisville land two candidates for signal caller of the future in Clarkson and Allen, they were able to get an above average Power Five starter in Plummer to not only give them time to develop, but still make the Cardinals competitive in year one of the Brohm era. Retaining Domann and Conley also helps in terms of making sure Louisville has good depth should something go terribly awry with the players in front of them, and bringing in Harrison Bailey as a PWO certainly doesn't hurt either.
Running Backs
Who's In (2): Isaac Guerendo (Gr. - Wisconsin Transfer), Keyjuan Brown (Fr.)
Who's Out (3): Trevion Cooley (Transfer - Georgia Tech), Tiyon Evans (NFL Draft), Jalen Mitchell (Transfer - UConn)
Who's Back (2): Jawhar Jordan (R-Jr.), Maurice Turner (So.)
On Roster: 4
Summary: This past season, we saw before out very eyes the importance of a deep running back room. Jordan and Guerendo will be a great one-two punch at the position next season, especially given how the former down the stretch of 2022, while Turner and Brown give the Cardinals quality depth.
Wide Receivers
Who's In (7): Jamari Thrash (R-Jr. - Georgia State Transfer), Jadon Thompson (Jr. - Cincinnati Transfer), Jimmy Calloway (R-So. - Tennessee Transfer) Kevin Coleman Jr. (So. - Jackson State Transfer), William Fowles (Fr.), Cataurus Hicks (Fr.), Jahlil McClain (Fr.)
Who's Out (6): Jaelin Carter (Graduation), Tyler Hudson (NFL Draft), Josh Johnson (Graduation), Chance Morrow (Transfer - Buffalo) Braden Smith (Transfer - Cincinnati), Dee Wiggins (Transfer - Cincinnati)
Who's Back (2): Ahmari Huggins-Bruce (Jr.), Chris Bell (So.)
On Roster: 9
Summary: Once again, we have a lot of new faces in the wide receiver room. We still a lot of questions that need to be answered, but there is a lot of potential here in year one. Thrash is a proven commodity and Huggins-Bruce has had flashes and could break out in 2023. Thompson, Coleman and Calloway will likely round out the main crop of receivers. Given how below average the passing game was in 2022, the wide receiver room as a whole will have to take a step forward, but it seems like Louisville has the horses to be able to do so.
Tight Ends
Who's In (2): Joey Gatewood (6th - UCF Transfer), Jamari Johnson (Fr.)
Who's Out (5): Marshon Ford (NFL Draft), Isaac Martin (Graduation), Dez Melton (Transfer - San Diego State), Victor Mullen (Medically Retired), Frances Sherman (Transfer - Arkansas)
Who's Back (2): Duane Martin (Jr.), Nate Kurisky (So.)
On Roster: 4
Summary: Alas, Ford's lengthy career has come to a close, and he is finally moving on the NFL. The tight end position will look wholly different under Jeff Brohm than it did under Scott Satterfield, with an emphasis on receiving rather than blocking. It's hard to have a good feel as to how the two returners will perform in 2023 considering neither were utilized a lot in the passing game, but they seemed to have a solid showing in the spring. While Johnson is more tailor-made for this offense, he is still a freshman. Not to mention that Gatewood will be taking his first in-game pass catcher snaps in 2023.
Offensive Line
Who's In (9): Eric Miller (6th - Purdue Transfer), John Paul Flores (R-Sr. - Virginia Transfer), Willie Tyler (R-Sr. - Rutgers Transfer), Lance Robinson (R-Sr. - Houston Transfer), Vincent Lumia (Sr. - Duquesne Transfer), Trevonte Sylvester (R-So. - Houston Transfer), Luke Burgess (Fr.), Joe Crocker (Fr.), Madden Sanker (Fr.)
Who's Out (6): Adonis Boone (Graduation), Max Cabana (Transfer - Universite Laval), Caleb Chandler (Graduation), Aaron Gunn (Transfer - James Madison), Luke Kandra (Transfer- Cincinnati), Trevor Reid (Graduation)
Who's Back (8): Bryan Hudson (R-Sr.), Joshua Black (R-Jr.), Renato Brown (R-Jr.), Michael Gonzalez (Jr.), Austin Collins (R-So.), Makhete Gueye (R-Fr.), Izaiah Reed (R-Fr.), Sam Secrest (R-Fr.)
On Roster: 17
Summary: The offensive line will look a little different in 2023. Three starters in Chandler, Boone and Reid are moving on, and a projected starter in Kandra entered the portal. Louisville does retain a pair of starters in Hudson and Brown at center and right tackle, and Gonzalez should take over at right guard. Louisville has also added quality starter and depth pieces with their six transfers.
Defensive Tackle
Who's In (4): Jeffery Clark (R-Sr. - Georgia State Transfer), Rodney McGraw (R-So. - Penn State Transfer), Saadiq Clements (Fr.), William "Woo" Spencer (Fr.)
Who's Out (2): Caleb Banks (Transfer - Florida), Henry Bryant (Transfer - Georgia State)
Who's Back (6): Jermayne Lole (R-Sr.), Ramon Puryear (R-Jr.), Dezmond Tell (Jr.), Jared Dawson (R-So.), Tawfiq Thomas (So.), Selah Brown (R-Fr.)
On Roster: 10
Summary: There is potential here, but also some questions as well regarding depth. Tell performed well at nose last season, but he'll need help as Louisville transitions to a four-man front, which should help with Clark coming in. Lole has NFL talent, but has suffered season-ending injuries in two straight years. McGraw saw limited action at Penn State. Dawson, Thomas and Brown will have to take some steps forward, but have shown flashes in the spring that indicate they are capable of doing it.
Defensive End
Who's In (3): Stephen Herron (Gr. - Stanford Transfer), Micah Carter (Fr.), Adonijah Green (Fr.)
Who's Out (2): YaYa Diaby (Graduation), Zach Edwards (Transfer - Troy)
Who's Back (7): Ashton Gillotte (Jr.), Mason Reiger (Jr.), Victoine Brown (R-So.), Ryheem Craig (R-So.), R.J. Sorenson (R-So.), Kameron Wilson (R-So.), Popeye Williams (So.)
On Roster: 10
Summary: Louisville might be losing Diaby, but there is still two-deep talent on the edges. Gillotte is only getting better and had a monster spring, Herron was a standout at Stanford, Williams has a plethora of upside, plus Reiger was a key reserve. Now it's time to see if guys like Craig and V. Brown can take a step forward and build more depth at the position.
Linebackers
Who's In (4): Keith Brown (Jr. - Oregon Transfer), Gilbert Frierson (R-Sr. - Miami Transfer), T.J. Capers (Fr.), Stanquan Clark (Fr.)
Who's Out (7): Yasir Abdullah (Graduation), K.J. Cloyd (Transfer - TBD), Marvin Dallas (Graduation), Dorian Jones (Transfer - Cincinnati), Monty Montgomery (Transfer - Ole Miss), MoMo Sanogo (Graduation), Allen Smith (Transfer - TBD)
Who's Back (5): Jaylin Alderman (R-So.), Benjamin Perry (R-So.), Jackson Hamilton (R-So.), T.J. Quinn (R-So.), Antonio Watts (R-Fr.)
On Roster: 9
Summary: The linebacker corps will operate a little differently next season. The Cardinals going from a 3-4, a system where the base formation calls for four linebackers, to a 4-2-5 where there's two and a linebacker/safety hybrid. Keeping Perry and adding Frierson is a big boost for the new STAR position, but losing both Montgomery and Jones is a massive blow considering both were in line to be starters in the middle. Quinn has taken steps forward in the spring, and adding Brown and Clark to the mix bodes well for the two inside linebacker spots. Getting Capers to reclassify and enroll for 2023 is also a huge boost.
Cornerbacks
Who's In (4): Storm Duck (R-Sr. - North Carolina/Penn State Transfer), Marquis Groves-Killebrew (R-Fr. - Texas A&M Transfer), Marcus Washington Jr. (R-Fr. - Georgia Transfer), Aaron Williams (Fr.)
Who's Out (3): Kei'Trel Clark (NFL Draft), Rance Conner (Transfer - Georgia State) Chandler Jones (Graduation)
Who's Back (4): Quincy Riley (Sr.), Trey Frankin (R-Jr.), Jarvis Brownlee, Jr. (Jr.), Derrick Edwards III (R-So.)
On Roster: 8
Summary: Louisville might be losing an All-ACC corner in Clark, but there is both talent and potential here. It will allow Riley to get more snaps, Brownlee has taken massive strides in spring ball, plus Duck, Groves-Killebrew, Washington and Williams all have the talent and upside to be able to contribute immediately. Not to mention that the switch to a scheme that switches between the STAR and a fifth defensive back will allow for guys like Franklin and Edwards to see the field more.
Safeties
Who's In (2): Cam'Ron Kelly (Gr. - North Carolina/Virginia Transfer), Devin Neal (R-Jr. - Baylor Transfer)
Who's Out (3): , Jeremiah Caldwell (Transfer - Miami of Ohio), Kenderick Duncan (Graduation), Nicario Harper (Transfer - Illinois), Shavarick Williams (Transfer - TBD)
Who's Back (3): M.J. Griffin (Jr.), Josh Minkins (Jr.), D'Angelo Hutchinson (So.)
On Roster: 5
Summary: Safety for Louisville has a very impressive two-deep on the roster. Not only are they bringing back their starters in Griffin and Minkins, but Kelly and Neal both have the experience and reps that will allow the Cardinals to continuously rotate on the back end and keep bodies fresh. Plus Frierson and Perry give the position some extra versatility.
Special Teams
Who's In (0): N/A
Who's Out (2): PK James Turner (Transfer - Michigan), P Mark Vassett (Transfer - Colorado)
Who's Back (2): PK Brock Travelstead (Jr.), LS, Shai Kochav (R-So.)
On Roster: 2
Summary: Travelstead will also need to take a step forward after Turner's surprise portal entry, but adding Nick Lopez as a walk-on helps from a competition standpoint. Louisville will also likely rely on a walk-on to punt as well. Kicking will be very different for the Cardinals in 2023.
(Photo of Helmet via University of Louisville Athletics)
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