Jeff Brohm is determined to turn the Louisville Cardinals into perennial ACC contenders. To that end, the head coach is shaking things up, making strategic roster moves that could have a major impact on the NIL landscape and the Transfer Portal in the upcoming season.
However, these changes have presented challenges for the coaching staff as they work to strengthen the program. Despite the hurdles, Brohm remains confident in his approach and has even expressed a willingness to adjust the system if that is what it takes to elevate the team to new heights.
Jeff Brohm Talks About His Approach to Improve Cardinals
Brohm is overseeing a complete roster overhaul, with 21 players exiting the program and an equal number of newcomers arriving through the 2025 Transfer Portal. Louisville’s transfer class currently sits at No. 62 in On3’s College Football Transfer Portal Rankings, but the Cardinals’ head coach has a clear strategy.
Staying true to his approach, Brohm has once again ensured that a seasoned transfer quarterback will lead the team, a move that has become a trademark of his tenure at Louisville.
During a press conference, Brohm made it clear that he is fully committed to shaking things up. He emphasized his determination to refine the team’s approach to the transfer portal and NIL deals.
“I’m all for fixing the system as much as we can, and tweaking it and helping,” he said. “What the true answer is, I’m not 100 percent for sure on it. I have my ideas.
“But for us, you’re always going to have guys graduate. When we go sign veterans out of the portal, sometimes they just have one year left, so we’re anticipating change every year now. Once you kind of start that cycle, you can maybe bring the numbers down a little bit, but it’s probably gonna continue for a while.”
Brohm did not mince words when addressing the challenges of player retention. He stressed that holding on to players who do not align with the team’s vision is often a waste of time. Instead, he believes in cutting ties and finding athletes who seamlessly fit into Louisville’s system.
“Of course, with the amount of times these guys can transfer and all the factors that go into why off the field, it’s just going to happen. You’ve just got to pick and choose who are vital to your success who, you know what, it’s just not gonna fit, and maybe they need to try something else. You can’t let it bother you. You can’t let it affect your feelings,” he stated.
“We had a couple guys that we liked, sure, that we didn’t want to leave, but it just wasn’t going to work out. So, you go and get the next best compliment you can to bring in with your football team. You try to develop the young guys you’ve got, get those guys ready to go and you move forward. I think the more you think about it, the more time you’re just going to waste.”
KEEP READING: Top Returning Players to the ACC in 2025
Despite the ongoing transfer portal challenges, Brohm is wasting no time securing top talent for the future. He has already locked in an official visit with promising 2026 linebacker Karsten Busch.
Busch, who has visited Louisville multiple times on an unofficial basis, appears to be a top priority for Brohm’s 2026 class. While fine-tuning the roster for the 2025 season, Brohm is also laying the groundwork for a stronger foundation in the years to come. So, he is making sure the Cardinals remain a force in the ACC.
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