In 2023, Jeff Brohm led the Cardinals to their first double-digit win season in a decade. More than that, his 10-4 record is the best by a first-year head coach in program history. At ACC Media Days, Brohm shared a significant reason for Louisville’s success thus far: the transfer portal.
Louisville Head Coach Jeff Brohm Reveals Transfer Portal Philosophy
“Our philosophy is we want to win now. We want to win this year,” Brohm said in Charlotte, North Carolina, when asked about his use of the transfer portal. “Yes, you can build for the future and get your young players ready to play, which is great. But you want to win now.
“We’re not scared to change the roster, improve our football team, whether they’re starters or they provide great competition, they play a role.
“To this point, we’ve liked what we’ve seen. All spring and all summer… I think all of our veterans on our team have liked what they’ve seen as well. They know if we continue to improve and work really hard and do the small things right, we’re going to have a chance to win.
“That’s what we believe in. Sure, we’re always going to take high school prospects and continue to do that. With this transfer portal, having two different portals, people can leave and go when they want. There’s nothing wrong with that. Some guys leave to get more playing time, other guys leave for other reasons. You have to be able to adapt and adjust. I think we’ve done a pretty good job of that.”
Just how much have the Cardinals dipped into what’s becoming college football’s equivalent of NFL free agency?
In Brohm’s final three years as Purdue’s head coach, he signed 31 transfers. In his first season with Louisville, he signed 25, the most in the ACC and a top-10 figure in the nation. Then, this offseason, he added another 28, second only to Colorado among Power Five schools.
Brohm enters the 2024 season with a projected 11 new starters from the portal, and after his squad reached the ACC Championship Game last year, it’s difficult to poke holes in his approach.
The offense received the largest facelift, with its QB1 (Jack Plummer), three of the top four receivers (Jamari Thrash, Kevin Coleman, and Ahmari Huggins-Bruce), and its two leading rushers (Jawhar Jordan and Isaac Guerendo) all gone.
Brohm filled those holes with several high-profile transfers:
- Texas Tech QB Tyler Shough
- South Alabama WR Caullin Lacy
- Alabama WR Ja’Corey Brooks
- Tuskegee WR Antonio Meeks
- Miami RB Donald Chaney
The offensive line was also bolstered by the additions of Northern Illinois center Pete Nygra, Texas Tech OT Monroe Mills, and Yale OT Jonathan Mendoza.
But wait, there’s more! Not only did Louisville avoid losing star pass rusher Ashton Gillotte to the NFL or the portal, but it acquired the services of six defensive linemen, including Harvard standout DT Thor Griffith.
Depth was also an issue in the secondary … until it wasn’t, with six DBs landing in Kentucky. Tennessee safety Tamarion McDonald was the biggest catch, but CBs Corey Thornton (UCF), Tahveon Nicholson (Illinois), and Tayon Holloway (North Carolina) helped form what defensive coordinator Ron English called “one of the best corner rooms I’ve been around in a long time.”
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While the Cardinals’ portal activity has attracted the most attention, they haven’t completely ignored the recruiting trail. Last year, Louisville had 17 recruits enroll, including seven four-star athletes.
That number fell to 14 (all three stars) in the 2024 class, but Brohm and Co. have been active this offseason, already earning 13 hard commits in the 2025 cycle.
Brohm’s approach to leveraging the transfer portal allows Louisville to win now while developing its recruits in the background, ensuring both immediate success and long-term growth in the ever-evolving landscape of college football.
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