Louisville, without many mainstays, meets Washington in Sun Bowl

The Louisville Cardinals will feature a new look as they head to El Paso, Texas, to face the Washington Huskies in the Sun Bowl on Tuesday.Coach Jeff Brohm’s team will be without starting quarterback Tyler Shough, who threw for 3,195 yards; Ja’Corey Brooks, a 1,000-yard receiver; standout defensive lineman Ashton Gillotte; and Quincy Riley, who led the secondary with nine passes defended and had two interceptions.Those players are all now preparing for the upcoming NFL draft, and several other players, such as backup quarterback Pierce Clarkson and defensive back Benjamin Perry, entered into the transfer portal.That said, it is not as if the cupboard is bare for the Cardinals (8-4), who have won four of their past five games and are averaging 36.6 points per game on the season. Freshmen running backs Isaac Brown, who ran for 1,074 yards and an Atlantic Coast Conference-best 7.3 yards a carry, and Duke Watson, who averaged 9.0 yards a carry en route to 514 yards, will still be the centerpieces in the backfield.In addition, wide receiver Caullin Lacy, one of Louisville’s top transfer portal acquisitions last season, is expected to replace Brooks in the lineup. Injuries sidelined Lacy for most of the season, and he chose midway through to take a redshirt year after playing in just four games. His appearance in the Sun Bowl will not affect his ability to return for a sixth season in 2025.Another senior, Harrison Bailey, is expected to get the start at quarterback against the Huskies (6-6). Bailey, who previously played at Tennessee and UNLV, has thrown just eight passes this season, completing them all for 63 yards.While some positions likely have been claimed for next season — Louisville landed former Southern California quarterback Miller Moss in the portal earlier this month — Brohm told reporters during a Sun Bowl press conference that some younger players will be vying for spots for next year’s team.”It’s important that they do play well if they want to get a position for next year,” he said. “They need to prove themselves in this football game, and we have to make decisions after that, according to how the game goes.”Meanwhile, the Huskies, after losing in the national championship game last season, stumbled a bit in their Big Ten debut under first-year coach Jedd Fisch. Washington never won or lost more than two in a row this season, falling at top-ranked Oregon 49-21 to end the regular season.

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