Louisville Football Redshirt Tracker: 2024 Week 10

Tracking the games played among Cardinals who have yet to take their redshirt season.

Louisville Cardinals running back Duke Watson (26) celebrates his play during their game against the Austin Peay Governors on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024 at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium in Louisville, Ky. / Clare Grant/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - As quickly as it began, we're already heading into the final month of the 2024 regular season. While the Louisville football program already has an inclination as to who will be taking a redshirt this season, there are a few players to monitor.

As a reminder, a player can play up to four games in a season while still maintaining their redshirt - which allows them an additional year of eligibility beyond the normal allotment of four. Play more than that, and you've burned your opportunity to take a redshirt that season.

There are some complicating factors, such as injury waivers or older players who were granted an additional year thanks to the COVID pandemic in 2020. But outside of that, D1 players - according to the NCAA's official page - have five-calendar years to play four non-redshirt seasons of competition.

So who can still take a redshirt, and who has burned their opportunity? Below is our full tracker, separated by distinct categories:

True Freshman:

*games played in parenthesis. Bold w/no parenthesis indicates redshirt opportunity burned.

• QB Deuce Adams (1)
• RB Isaac Brown
• RB Duke Watson
• WR Shaun Boykins (1)
• WR JoJo Stone (1)
• TE Dylan Mesman (1)
• OL Fred Johnson (1)
• OL Ransom McDermott (1)
• OL Jimmy Williams (1)
• DL Maurice Davis
• DL Xavier Porter (1)
• LB Trent Carter (1)
• CB Jathan Hatch (2)
• CB Rae'mon Mosby (1)

Isaac Brown, Maurice Davis and Duke Watson had already burned their opportunity to take a redshirt prior to the Boston College game.

The only other true freshman to see any sort of playing time outside of the Austin Peay game was Jathan Hatch, who got involved on special teams vs. Virginia. Although he has not played since.

Post-HS Class of 2020 players with no redshirt taken yet:

*games played in parenthesis. Bold w/no parenthesis indicates redshirt opportunity burned.

• RB Maurice Turner (2)
• WR Chris Bell
• WR Antonio Meeks (4)
• TE Jaleel Skinner
• OL Michael Gonzalez
• DL Selah Brown (0)
• DL Ashton Gillotte
• LB Stanquan Clark
• S D'Angelo Hutchinson

Most of the players in this category are heavy contributors to the team, and had long burned their opportunity to take a redshirt prior to the Boston College game.

Something to note is that, for the third straight game, Antonio Meeks did not play while sitting at the redshirt threshold. He has seen minimal run this season (just 38 total snaps over four games played), so unless more injuries at wide receiver or on special teams pop up, we have to consider the possibility of a redshirt.

With Maurice Turner, he has not played since the Jacksonville State game, but Louisville has made efforts to try and get him back on the practice field recently. No exact return date has been nailed down yet, but with just four games left in the regular season, a redshirt year isn't out of the question.

As with Selah Brown, he has yet to make an appearance due to an undisclosed injury, so it seems like he is a redshirt candidate.

Class of 2020 players entering final year with either COVID year or normal redshirt remaining:

*games played in parenthesis. Bold w/no parenthesis indicates redshirt opportunity burned.

• WR Caullin Lacy (4)
• WR Jadon Thompson (3)
• OL Lance Robinson (0)
• DL Dezmond Tell
• DL Mason Reiger (0)
• CB Corey Thornton
• S Tamarion McDonald

Tamarion McDonald, Dezmond Tell and Corey Thornton have played four full prior seasons, are on their COVID year, and had already crossed the redshirt threshold before the Boston College game.

With Caullin Lacy, he has decided that he will opt out of the rest of the 2024 season and utilize his redshirt season to get one more year of collegiate eligibility.

With Jadon Thompson, he is out for the remainder of the season after suffering a knee injury against Georgia Tech. However, he still has his normal redshirt left as he played three full seasons at Cincinnati and one full season at Louisville last year. He can use that this season for a potential return in 2025.

Lance Robinson used his extra COVID year in 2020 when he played just three games at MTSU as a true freshman. he then had a full 2021 season at MTSU followed by a full 2022 season at Houston. While he only played one game last season in his first year with Louisville, it counts as a full season due to then-NCAA eligibility rules, which were amended during bowl season to allow him to play the Holiday Bowl. With Robinson out for the season due to an injury suffered in fall camp, his normal redshirt will be used this season so he can return in 2025.

Mason Reiger didn't play a game in 2020, but used his COVID year for that season, and has played three "full" seasons since. He was in line to play his final year this season, but with him still being sidelined after complications from offseason knee surgery, he will likely use his normal redshirt this year and return for 2025 - as long as he doesn't play more than four games.

(Photo of Duke Watson: Clare Grant - Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK)

You can follow Louisville Cardinals On SI for future coverage by liking us on Facebook, Twitter/X and Instagram:

Facebook - @LouisvilleOnSI
Twitter/X - @LouisvilleOnSI
Instagram - @louisvilleonsi

You can also follow Deputy Editor Matthew McGavic at @Matt_McGavic on Twitter/X