Louisville Football Redshirt Tracker: 2024 Week Eight

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

Sep 7, 2024; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Louisville Cardinals running back Duke Watson (26) runs the ball against Jacksonville State Gamecocks safety Austin Ambush (21) during the second half at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium. / Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - We're now officially at the halfway point of the Louisville football program's 2024 season. While we already have 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)

Running back Isaac Brown and defensive end Maurice Davis had already burned their opportunity to take a redshirt prior to the Virginia game. After not playing last week vs. SMU, running back Duke Watson got some run late vs. Virginia, thus putting him past the threshold as well.

Something to watch out for is that, for the first time since the Austin Peay game, a true freshman not named Brown, Davis or Watson saw playing time. Cornerback Jathan Hatch played some on special teams against the Cavaliers this past weekend.

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 already burned their opportunity to take a redshirt prior to the Virginia game.

One thing to note is that Antonio Meeks did not play on offense or special teams against Virginia. He has seen minimal run this season (just 38 total snaps over four games played), so unless injuries at wide receiver or on special teams pop up, we have to consider the posibility of a redshirt.

With there still no clear timeline on the return of Maurice Turner, him potentially taking a redshirt is still very much on the table. It's just dependent on how many games he will miss.

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

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

Dezmond Tell is also on his COVID year, and was able to return to action after missing the SMU game due to injury, so he officially burned his final opportunity to take a redshirt.

With Lacy, he ha played that last two games after missing their first three games with a broken collarbone. Unless the injury is re-aggravated or another injury comes up, he will likely burn in his last opportunity for a redshirt in the game at Boston College.

With Jadon Thompson, he is out for the remainder of the season after suffered 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: Jamie Rhodes - Imagn Images)

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