Jeff Brohm enters his fourth year as the Louisville head coach with his fourth new quarterback to lead his offense. Brohm has batted above .500 so far with his additions at quarterback, but he will be going out on more of a limb this season by bringing in Lincoln Kienholz from Ohio State. Kienholz is unproven, as he has not been a starter and has had very limited time on the field compared to the other players Brohm has brought in. But the talent is undeniable, and Brohm has had plenty of success developing players in the past.
Kienholz was a highly-rated quarterback coming out of high school, though he was known more for his athleticism than for his ability as a thrower. He is essentially one of the best athletes to ever come out of the state of South Dakota, and he could probably suit up for Pat Kelsey in a pinch. His running ability is the factor in his game that will really test Brohm’s abilities as an offensive mastermind.
During the spring, Linc (I’m really going to make this happen) looked the part throwing the ball to all areas of the field while also being decisive when he needed to run. It was immediately obvious that he is a high-level athlete with great burst on his first step. He has also made it clear during interviews that he likes to be a tough runner who likes to take hits. I think Brohm will lean into that, which is the opposite of what we saw with Tyler Shough, who was an above-average runner.
Depth at quarterback is a clear concern with no option who has taken a snap at this level. Davin Wydner looked outstanding in the spring game after holding his own throughout spring practice. But he was very average at West Georgia last season after not seeing the field as a walk-on at Ole Miss. Wydner does have great size and should be an option as a short-yardage quarterback. I don’t know that he’s shown enough to be a real option to lead the team if Kienholz is out for an extended period of time.
Briggs Cherry will hopefully see the field in mop-up duty at times this year. He rocketed up the recruiting rankings once he pledged to the Cards, and he looked very good for a true freshman in the spring. Cherry isn’t a runner, but he moves well in the pocket and can get down the field to pick up a first down in a pinch. Where Cherry has looked his best is throwing the ball down the seams and other deeper intermediate throws. He also utilized the flats and tight ends very well in spring practice. It has been a long time since Brohm developed a freshman quarterback, but I think Cherry has the tools to be a good one for him.
Overall, this is the least experienced group of quarterbacks Brohm has had, and Kienholz will carry an overwhelming importance in his role. This season won’t likely go well if he plays poorly, and no one truly knows what to expect from him. The guys around him will be much more important than anything, and we all know that he has some talented backs and receivers to siphon off some of the pressure.
BREAKOUT CANDIDATE
Linc is the key to this offense, and I expect him to have a big season with the talent around him making his job much easier. I also think that his running ability will be a big factor in the offense this year. He can scramble, but Brohm should have a sizable run package for him ready to go from the first drive of the season.