LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Given Jeff Brohm's acumen as an offensive play-caller, it came as a surprise to some that his first year as head coach of the Louisville football team was characterized by a strong defense, as the Cardinals finished the 2023 season allowing just 317.1 yards and 21.3 points per game, ranking 21st and 35th, respectively, in the FBS.
Louisville had a strong defense last season and as you would expect, they had some spectacular defensive performances last season. Here are the top five individual defensive performances for the Cardinals in the 2023 season:
Girotte only had three tackles against Boston College, but he certainly got what he deserved for his efforts in the process. All three of the All-American edge rusher's tackles were sacks, making Girotte the first Cardinals player with three sacks since James Hurns did it against Virginia in 2016.
Kelly was all over the field against Indiana, both in run and pass coverage. He tied a season high with 12 tackles, including two for loss, and also had an interception in the first half to help Louisville ultimately win 21-14 at Lucas Oil Stadium.
With Notre Dame's offensive line giving Girotte plenty of attention, Reagor made the most of it. The defender had two tackles for loss, including a sack on All-American offensive tackle Joe Alt, and also forced a fumble in the fourth quarter. He also finished with four tackles on the night.
In a hard-fought defensive game between Louisville and NC State, Kelly had his best performance of the night for the Cardinals. With Louisville leading 10-0 at halftime, he committed two turnovers in the second half, an interception and a fumble, the latter of which led to a tying goal. He also recorded six tackles on the night, one solo, and the Cardinals ultimately won 13-10 in Raleigh.
Louisville had many standout performances in its upset win over No. 10 Notre Dame, but Neal played a big role in securing the 33-20 victory. The safety had two interceptions against the Fighting Irish and also had a pass breakup that forced a turnover on downs — all in the fourth quarter of a closely fought game — and also recorded eight tackles on the night, two of which were solo.
(Photo by Ashton Gillott: Scott Utterback – The Courier Journal/USA)
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