CRAWFORD | 'Rent is due,' and so far this season, Louisville's defense is paying in full | U of L Sports

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Jeff Brohm has usually made his name with fireworks on offense. But early in his third season at Louisville, defense is lighting the fuse.

With a sample size of only two games and tougher tests on the way, Louisville nonetheless leads the nation in sacks per game, ranks eighth in total defense and seventh against the pass.

"We're going out there with the mindset that we're going to win the game on defense," co-defensive coordinator and line coach Mark Hagen said. "That’s our mentality. … We remind our guys every time they go out there the rent is due."

So far, the Cardinals have not come up short.

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With the speed and chaos in recruiting out of the transfer portal, coaches can never be sure what they’ve gotten. But Louisville coaches had an inkling early on that the defensive front they’ve assembled could be pretty good.

They had to replace some brand name edge rushers, particularly Ashton Gillotte, but they’ve restocked the line with talent – including team sacks leader Clev Lubin from Coastal Carolina and Wesley Bailey from Rutgers.

Lubin has set the tone for Louisville’s defense. Lubin and A.J. Green rotate on one edge, with Bailey, Justin Beadles and Micah Carter bringing heat from the other. Inside, Louisville can go six deep — with Rene Konga, Jerry Lawson, Jordan Guerad, and Denzel Lowry forming the core — which keeps legs fresh and the pressure constant.

"We got a lot of guys who've been through a lot of things, whether it's on the field or off the field," Lubin said. "And we all come in ready to dominate."

It has been a good mix of returnees and transfers, and it has allowed Louisville to get solid pressure from its front four – something it wasn’t always able to do last season. If it can do that against the better teams on its schedule, the Cardinals could surprise some people.

"It starts with us up front," Hagen said. "If we're not bringing it up front and setting the tone, then our defense is going to have a much longer day."

Louisville suffered a setback when starting linebacker Stanquan Clark was lost, potentially for the season, with a lower leg injury that will require surgery. But it is hopeful that its depth, including Kalib Perry and perhaps T.J. Capers, can fill that void.

The secondary was an issue last season. Big plays were killers. Offenses were able to take the top off of Louisville’s defense too quickly. Addressing that was one of the top priorities of the entire offseason for Louisville.

At least through two games, that has improved. Louisville has given up only three passes of more than 20 yards, and none of more than 30. But that will be tested as the opponents improve.

"That was the main emphasis in the off season," Brohm said. "We gave up too many big pass plays. It showed up. The statistics speak for themselves. So design and by structure, and by changing a few things, maybe alignment and what we're reading. But in general, we said, "Hey, we're not going to give up throws over our head.’ We're going to be conscious of that as we play top down. And yes, there will be situations where we're going to be aggressive and take a few chances. But at the end, in certain coverages, we were getting beat when we really weren't being aggressive last year. And I think we've improved a great deal at that point to this point. Obviously, as the season goes on, we'll be tested more and more each week, and we'll have to come through and be consistent with that."

Across the defensive board, performance so far has been met with optimism – but also caution.

"We understand that the toughest part of our schedule is in front of us," Hagen said.

But he said he’s enjoying coaching the mix of players the staff has assembled – particularly up front.

"This is the best D-line room I’ve ever been a part of," senior Justin Beadles said.

"They all like each other," Hagen said. "They're all willing to work hard, push each other, hold each other accountable. I think that's a big thing too. You know, not let anybody kind of drift off and do their own thing."

There’s always another rent payment due. So far, the Louisville defensive hasn’t come up short.