As always, we close out our preview of the 2026 Louisville football roster with a look at the quarterback spot. If you have not had a chance to read our previous breakdowns, below are links for the other position groups:
- Special Teams
- Secondary (cornerback & safety)
- Linebackers
- Defensive Line
- Offensive Line
- Receivers (wide receiver & tight end)
- Running Backs
2025 Rewind
It was an inconsistent year for Louisville at the quarterback position in 2025. While Louisville had two outstanding wide receivers in Chris Bell and Caullin Lacy, untimely sacks and turnovers from starter Miller Moss led to Louisville having stagnant stretches where they could not sustain drives offensively.
Nevertheless, Moss started 12 games and finished with a 64% completion rate, throwing for 2,679 yards and 16 touchdowns with seven interceptions. Moss also led the team in rushing touchdowns (nine), in large part due to Louisville’s success with the quarterback sneak last year.
Moss missed one game last season due to a foot injury, which allowed backups Deuce Adams and Brady Allen to see action against SMU in late November. Adams completed 12-of-17 passes for just 94 yards and saw action in six games, at times coming in as a runner on designed plays. Brady Allen played in five games and completed 8-of-12 passes for 75 yards, with just one touchdown versus two interceptions.
As a team, Louisville finished just 14th in the ACC in passing yards per game (220.6), and their 6.9 yards per attempt was 12th in the conference. This was significantly down from 2024, where the Cardinals ranked fifth and third in those respective categories.
Read more: 2026 Louisville Football Guide: QuarterbacksNotable Departures
- Miller Moss (graduated; signed an UDFA deal with the Chicago Bears)
- Deuce Adams (transferred to Wisconsin)
- Brady Allen (transferred to Indiana State)
2026 Preview
In year four of the Jeff Brohm era at Louisville, it will be another transfer quarterback as the starter heading into the 2026 season. This time, however, it will not be a senior entering their final year of eligibility.
Instead, Lincoln Kienholz arrives with two years of eligibility. He spent the previous three seasons at Ohio State, and was locked in a battle for the starting job with Julian Sayin last year before Sayin ultimately won. Kienholz is a former four-star prospect from South Dakota, and right away, the athleticism jumps out on tape. He’s more of a runner than guys like Miller Moss or Jack Plummer were (maybe even Tyler Shough), and he has a quick first step when he decides to run. Louisville should be able to utilize Kienholz in read options / RPO-style plays, which is a dimension that Jeff Brohm hasn’t been able to exercise much in his tenure at Louisville.
As a passer, Kienholz does have exciting traits. His throws have good zip (especially in the short and intermediate range), and he can hit throws to the opposite hash with good velocity. Combined with his mobility, Brohm has a plethora of options for his quarterback to succeed, both in terms of surrounding personnel, and in talent level.
However, it is important to note that this quarterback room has very little experience at the FBS level, let alone Power Four level. Kienholz has just 36 career pass attempts, and the backups enter 2026 with no stats. Davin Wydner likely fills in as the backup quarterback, having spent his previous two seasons at West Georgia. He completed 56% of his passes last year and had 15 touchdowns.
Briggs Cherry arrives as a true freshman, and will be one of the most important recruits in Louisville’s 2026 recruiting class. Cherry is a four-star prospect from Tennessee and looks exactly like a starting quarterback in terms of size (6’4″, 215 lbs.), arm strength, and command in the pocket. Cherry has shown an ability to put great touch on his deep throws, and while he’s not as mobile as guys like Kienholz are, he’s able to maneuver around in the pocket and buy time to complete passes. Cherry has the potential to be the prototypical starting quarterback that Jeff Brohm ideally wants in his offense, and if it can come to fruition, Louisville may be able to secure a multi-year starter at the position.
Projected Starter: Lincoln Kienholz
Key Reserves: Davin Wydner and Briggs Cherry
