Louisville Football 2026 Position Preview: Running Backs

Louisville native and fourth year running backs coach Chris Barclay has a “stable” of elite athletes in the backfield. A familiar presence of Isaac Brown’s versatility & Keyjuan Brown’s strength will lead the rushing attack for the Cards.

Add in Missouri transfer Marquise Davis & a 6-2, 235 pound freshman in Lekhy Thompkins and you have depth that sets this room apart from most of the country. To round out the room, the hero of the 41-0 Governor’s Cup win against Kentucky in 2025, Braxton Jennings earned a scholarship following his freshman campaign.

Isaac Brown is the household name on the Louisville roster. The junior from Miami has amassed 2,057 yards on the ground and 18 touchdowns through two seasons. In 2024, Brown became the only back in school history to rush for 1,000 yards as a true freshman.

Brown is one of the most electrifying players in the country with the ball in his hands. His breakaway speed keeps defenses on their heels and allowed him to lead the nation in yards per carry last season (8.8).

Brown has been limited thus far in fall camp. He continues to work towards being a full participant from a lingering injury he suffered @ Virginia Tech last season. He has put on 12 pounds since last season, emphasized getting better sleep & is ready to take on a role as a team leader.

In a pre-practice media session 8/19, he proclaimed, “My individual goal is to play the whole season & as a team it is to win championships!”

Keyjuan Brown is the other dynamic running back returning from last season. The 5-10 redshirt junior who is from Anniston, Alabama is referred to as “Bama” by his teammates. Last season he compiled 704 rushing yards & six touchdowns in 10 games. Keyjuan was third in the country last season in yards per carry (7.3).

With the ability to lower his shoulder and take on a defender on top of his breakaway speed, he is seen as a bit of an “under the radar” back behind Isaac.

He found the end zone twice in games against Bowling Green and at Virginia Tech last season. In his last two appearances in November of last season, he racked up 136 yards on 14 carries vs Cal & 135 yards on 15 carries vs Clemson.

Next up is 6-0, 205-pound Marquise Davis, a transfer from Missouri. He appeared in three games last season for the Tigers, carrying the ball 34 times for 200 yards and two scores. He only saw action in three games during the 2025 season to preserve his redshirt.

Davis was the 2023 Gatorade Player of the Year for Ohio and a state champion track athlete. He was a consensus top 15 running back in the 2026 portal class.

Braxton Jennings will be entering his sophomore season. Like Isaac Brown, he has put on a bit over 10 pounds in the offseason and feels stronger. Jennings got his opportunity last season while Louisville was dealing with a plethora of injuries to end the regular season.

He had 87 yards and a score in the first eleven games, before being elevated to RB1 vs Kentucky and compiling 113 yards on 20 carries. He was named the Howard Schnellenberger MVP of the Governors Cup.

The newest face to the room is true freshman, Lekhy Thompkins. Thompkins has a standout frame for a true freshman in the backfield at 6-2, 235-pounds. He finished his high school career at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida last fall. He averaged 8.1 yards per carry & racked up 1,108 yards and nine scores. He had six 100-yard games last season.

Even though none of the backs were nominated as preseason candidates for the Doak Walker Award, the overall room is seen as the strongest unit on the 2026 Louisville football roster.Stay tuned tomorrow as we release our next installment of position previews, featuring the tight ends.

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