Three big questions for Louisville football heading into the spring game

Louisville football is staging its annual spring game on Friday, April 11. Here are three question marks to look out for.

Louisville football welcomes fans back to L&N Stadium on Friday for their annual spring game. To improve the fan experience, the start time has been shifted back one hour to 6 p.m. This game will start off Jeff Brohm’s third year as the head coach at his alma institution. Louisville football is heading into this season with great hopes. The Cardinals have won a total of 19 games in the previous two seasons, and coach Brohm is not aiming to slow down any time soon. Louisville football is coming in with the third-best odds to win the ACC at +475 according to ESPN.

There has been some roster alteration at the skill positions for the Cardinals this off-season. They lost leading receiver Ja’Corey Brooks, standout quarterback Tyler Shough, and almost the whole cornerback group. Louisville went at the transfer portal like any college team would do nowadays and filled those openings. The concern that emerges is whether those vacancies will be filled by players who can contribute to winning games. This is why those important skill positions will be the major emphasis in the forthcoming spring game.

3 Biggest Question Marks for Louisville Football Heading into the Spring Game

Miller Moss – Quarterback

Tyler Shough, the Cardinals’ starting quarterback for the 2024 season, won over the fans with his outstanding performance. He transferred to Louisville for his last year of collegiate football. Shough is one of the fastest-rising talents in the 2019 NFL Draft, anticipated to go in the second or third round. Shough clearly have skill, but he was often wounded or in an awful circumstance. Louisville football saw that skill and took a chance on him, and he returned them by guiding the Cardinals to a nine-win season.

Louisville football is hopeful senior transfer quarterback Miller Moss can have a Tyler Shough-like comeback. Moss led USC to a bowl victory over Louisville in 2023 and a 2-0 start last season, and draft mocks projected him to go third overall. Moss was ultimately benched late last season after USC went 1-4 in his last five games. Despite those losses, Moss produced good stats, with the exception of one game in which he threw three interceptions. As a result, Moss’ draft status plummeted to the third-fourth round.

Miller Moss have the talent to be an NFL quarterback and has demonstrated it in the past. Louisville football hopes to bring out the most in Moss and put him on a similar road to Shough. Moss is recognised for his arm power and skill. He will need to reduce his turnovers and recognise coverages after the snap. Moss’s experience also raises questions. He’s never started a full season. His only season with more than four games played was last year, and even then, he was benched and did not finish the season as a starter. Moss’ senior season will begin this Friday at L&N Stadium.

Caullin Lacy – WR

Some Cardinals fans may be unfamiliar with wide receiver Caullin Lacy. Lacy moved to Louisville from South Alabama following the 2023 season. Lacy injured his clavicle on the final day of fall camp last season. He missed the season’s first three games. Lacy did return and participated in five games before stating that he will keep his redshirt and sit out the remainder of the season. This will be a receiver who has spent the entire year in the program and has had time to acclimatise.

Lacy, the likely No. 1 target for Miller Moss, will be looking for a breakout year. In his 2023 season at South Alabama, he was top ten in catches with 91 receptions and had 1,316 receiving yards, ranking seventh in the country. This exceptional wide receiver has the potential for a breakout season, but the Spring Game will provide a good first look at how Lacy has healed from his injury and who will be Moss’ primary target as of April 11.

After losing top receiver Ja’Corey Brooks to the NFL Draft, Lacy is expected to step up and have a great season. He has played wide receiver in the past, but he prefers slot receiver. His talents are short-yardage receptions and yards after catch, as well as the ability to do the jet sweep. His stature, at 5-foot-8, will always be a topic of discussion, as will his release off the line. Keep an eye out for Lacy’s specific role and how he has adjusted in the offence. Last season, he was anticipated to be a day-three pick.

The whole secondary

The secondary has been Louisville football’s most visible weakness in recent seasons. It hasn’t become any clearer this offseason. The Cardinals lost five corners and three safeties from last season’s team. The secondary’s newcomers must step up and impress the fans on Friday.

There are five secondary transfers to watch out for. The corners are Justin Agu, Jabari Mack, and Rodney Johnson Jr. The two safeties are Jojo Evans and Corey Gordon Jr. For years, Louisville football has relied heavily on their offence to win games. It’s time for the defence, particularly the secondary, to step up. If the Cardinals want to make the next step towards a conference championship and the College Football Playoffs, the back end of the defence must take pride and show up.

The spring game will start at 6 p.m. local time from L&N Stadium. Keep these three question marks in your mind for after the game.