RB Isaac Brown Explodes in Louisville's Season Opener

The true freshman running back unleashed his raw speed against Austin Peay.

Aug 31, 2024; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Louisville Cardinals running back Isaac Brown (25) runs the ball against the Austin Peay Governors during the second half at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium. Louisville defeated Austin Peay 62-0. / Jamie Rhodes-USA TODAY Sports

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - There was very little that the Louisville football program wasn't able to do in their season opener against Austin Peay. The Cardinals set the tone right out of the gates on both sides of the ball, resulting in a 62-0 beatdown over the Governors.

As you can imagine with a game this lopsided, there were quite a bit of standout performances from players on the Louisville sideline. But one of the top performances on the day came from true freshman running back Isaac Brown.

“It is great to see him to do well," head coach Jeff Brohm said. "This is a true freshman who has worked really hard. He hasn’t missed a rep of practice, he never complains and puts in the work. We have thrown a lot at him and moved him around. We had some special practice with him, and Caullin Lacy and they were hitting it. He can do a lot of things. He just has a work ethic and his mental makeup, and his natural ability is something we can’t teach. He is just quick, fast and elusive."

The 5-foot-9, 190-pound running back only got five carries against Austin Peay, but he certainly made the most of them, finishing the day with a team-best 123 rushing yards. It was the eighth-highest rushing total in any game by a Louisville true freshman, the third-highest total for a running back debut in program history, and the highest by a freshman making his debut.

113 of Brown's yards came on just two rushing attempts, and on both reps, his elite natural speed was on full display. He fired off a 36-yard run early in the second quarter, then took another carry 77 yards up the right sideline for a touchdown midway through the third quarter.

Of course, Brown and Louisville was going up against an overmatched opponent. That being said, Brohm believes the sky is the limit for the speed back.

"I think as he continues to progress in the weight room and gets stronger, he'll get even better," Brohm said. "As he continues to understand the offense and nuances of college football, he'll get even better. But he needs to touch the ball. We need to make sure he touches it so many times a game, and allow him to do what he does best."

It's not the first time that Brohm has sung Brown's praises. After Louisville's first scrimmage of fall camp, he noted that the back has "some Jawhar Jordan in him," and that it would be tough to keep him off of the field because of the speed he possesses.

The preseason true freshman All-American is coming off of a a prolific senior season for Homestead (Fla.) HS. In just eight games tracked by MaxPreps, he ran for 1,084 yards with a 10.4 yards per carry average, while also catching 16 passes for 260 yards.

As a junior in 2023, he rushed 650 yards and 10 touchdowns while logging 450 yards and six touchdowns through the air. He also ran track and field during his time at Homestead, posting a personal-best 10.89 in the 100-meter dash.

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