Offseason position preview: Running back
Editor’s note: Our off-season position preview series will highlight each position room and provide an early look into Louisville football in 2026.
Another year means another loaded Louisville backfield. The Cardinals retain top production and bring in elite talent next season.
Louisville was riddled with injuries in the running back room last season, causing the Cards to average their lowest amount of rushing yards per game in a season since 2018. With injuries behind them, head coach Jeff Brohm bolstered the depth to ensure the ground game wouldn’t suffer a drop-off going down the depth chart in 2026.
The biggest win of the offseason was the announced return of star running back Isaac Brown. Offers from powerhouse programs like Georgia and Texas weren’t enough to sway the All-American away. Keyjuan Brown will also be back after a breakout season, along with former walk-on Braxton Jennings.
Missouri transfer Marquise Davis and true freshman Lekhy Thompkins round out this impressive group as two newcomers.
2025 recap
A down year statistically, Louisville still averaged 163.9 rushing yards per game, ranking 59th in the country. Coach Brohm and running back coach Chris Barclay have done a tremendous job producing high school and transfer players during their tenure in Louisville.
I. Brown was the premier back in Louisville’s rotation, but he only saw consistent snaps in eight games this season. He finished the year with 101 carries for 884 yards and seven touchdowns, all significantly lower than his freshman 2024 campaign. Plagued by injuries, Brown was playing the best football of his career when healthy. His 8.8 yards per carry led the nation and was 1.7 yards higher than his previous season. Duke Watson, Louisville’s presumed star backup, only played in a handful of games due to injury, finishing 5th on the team in rushing yards.
A breakout campaign from K. Brown helped balance the running back room carousel. The powerful back added a new dynamic to his speedy counterpart. K. Brown finished with 96 carries for 704 yards and 6 touchdowns. His 7.3 yards per attempt proved that Louisville has a system built for success.
Braxton Jennings provided a surprising spark when called upon. The walk-on and Ashland, Kentucky native only appeared in four games but totaled 200 rushing yards on 37 carries.
Louisville finished the season 9-4, but would assume a better outcome if it weren’t for the injury bug.
New faces
Louisville features household names and a couple of new faces in the room. Terrorized by injuries in 2025, the Cardinals made sure depth would be a strong suit in 2026.
Davis is a true freshman and the lone transfer to join the position group. Davis put up impressive numbers in only three games played at Missouri last season. He finished the year with 34 carries for 200 yards and 2 touchdowns, good for 5.9 yards per carry. Davis was ranked top 5 at his position in high school and is currently 249th in the transfer portal. With a similar skillset to K. Brown, there is great potential in his play style.
This running back room features no seniors and will welcome another talented youngster. Thompkins is an incoming freshman who put up big numbers at national powerhouse IMG Academy. Ranked as a top 50 player at his position in the 2026 recruiting class, Thompkins will gain great experience watching multiple superstars perform in front of him next season.
With a team featuring so many new faces on both sides of the ball, the running back room is one place where they will showcase homegrown experience.
Projections
Louisville ranked 21st in the nation last season for yards per carry. This level of production will only strengthen with gained health and added depth.
Both Browns will see a bulk of the workload and immediately create one of the best running back duos in the country. Louisville also reloaded on the offensive line, bringing in Boston College transfer Eryx Daugherty, South Carolina transfer Cason Henry, Georgia Southern transfer Johnnie Brown, and Delaware transfer Anwar O’Neal. The Cardinals also bring in Ohio State quarterback Lincoln Kienholz, who adds a specific dual-threat dynamic to this loaded offense. This redefined offense will benefit the running back room, opening up holes in the line and having fresh legs at all times. Louisville will have a ground-and-pound mentality next season, leading to great production.
With the departures of Watson, Shaun Boykins, and Jamarice Wilder, there will be more opportunities for Davis, Jennings, and Thompkins to hold the backup duties. Depth is one of the biggest strengths of this squad, and there is little drop-off in talent from starters to the 5th man.
Depth chart projection
1st — Isaac Brown
2nd — Keyjuan Brown
3rd — Marquise Davis
4th — Braxton Jennings
5th — Lehky Thompkins
Don’t miss out on Cardinal Sports +
- Our premium community forums
- A full year of access to The Athletic
- Get a fast start on finding out breaking news and behind-the-scenes details
- In-depth Louisville basketball and football analysis
- On3 and Rivals national membership
Join the discussion at Cardinal Sports.
