⚡ CFB Dashboard

Generating explosive plays has rapidly emerged as the defining engine of Louisville's offense under Jeff Brohm through the opening two weeks of the season. Rather than grinding through tedious, double-digit play drives, the Cardinals have leaned heavily on perimeter speed, vertical shots, and dynamic ball-carriers to break open games. Statistically, big plays are defined as pass plays of 15 yards or more and rushing attempts of 10 or more yards. Through two contests, Ole Miss and Villanova, Louisville has totaled 27 big plays, with a nearly even split between the pass and rush. To date, there have been 14 passes of 15-plus yards and 13 rushes of 10-plus yards accounting for 768 yards of offense in quick-strike fashion. Against Ole Miss, the Cardinals posted 12 chunk plays, highlighted by Lincoln Kienholz finding Tre Richardson for a 62-yard touchdown and Lawayne McCoy for a 54-yard score, alongside a 41-yard scramble by Kienholz and a 30-yard touchdown run from Richardson. The explosive output surged again in week two against Villanova, with Louisville generating 15 chunk plays. That barrage included a 69-yard catch-and-run score by tight end Jaleel Skinner, a 61-yard strike to McCoy, and a 39-yard burst up the middle from running back Marquise Davis. For Brohm, the ability to strike quickly is not just an added bonus, it is a must. The need for consistent big plays is a reality as ACC competition begins. "Creating the big plays on offense has been good through two games and we're going to have to have that to win against really good opponents, so we got to keep pushing the envelope there," Brohm said. "It's really got us some easy touchdowns instead of driving all the way down the field." National statistics display just how consistent that downfield ability has been. Louisville checks in at No. 2 nationally in plays from scrimmage of 20-plus yards, is tied for sixth for plays spanning 30-plus yards, and tied for seventh for plays reaching 40-plus yards. The Cardinals also rank tied for third in the country in both 50-plus and 60-plus yard explosive gains. Overall, Louisville ranks No. 10 in total offense with an average of 552 yards per game. At the controls, Kienholz has settled in after early opening jitters to distribute the ball efficiently to an array of athletes in space. For the quarterback, the philosophy behind chunk yardage is straightforward math. "I think chunk plays are a big part of each game," Kienholz said. "If you beat the other team and you have more chunk plays than they do, your chances of winning go up. We have a bunch of guys that can make plays, are super shifty, fast. I feel like we have the guys around to have more chunk plays." That big-play mentality requires readiness from every target on the field. Skinner, who redeemed an early dropped pass against Villanova with his 69-yard score, emphasized the urgency players feel to deliver whenever their number is called. "Stuff like that means the world, especially to a guy like me as a tight end, to seeing other guys' success and even other tight end success," Skinner said. "We work hard for this. It's an eight-month grind for 12 guaranteed games. So, it's like you got to go out every opportunity the ball comes to you, whenever you get it, just make the best of it." With conference play arriving, Louisville's capacity to push the envelope downfield and turn routine touches into breakaway scores remains the clearest blueprint for the Cardinals to sustain their offensive momentum. Louisville and SMU will kickoff at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday at L&N Stadium. (Continue to scroll for more on Louisville's Big Plays of 2026)