Louisville LB Benjamin Perry to Play vs. Stanford, RB Maurice Turner 'Hopeful' to Return

Perry suffered a scary injury in the previous game at Clemson, while Turner has been sidelined for the last two months.

Louisville defensive back Benjamin Perry (10) celebrates a turnover during a NCAA college football game between Notre Dame and Louisville at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in South Bend. / MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Louisville football program got a double dose of good news on the injury front ahead of their upcoming matchup against Stanford.

Head coach Jeff Brohm announced Monday that linebacker/safety Benjamin Perry will be able to play vs. the Cardinal this weekend after suffering a scary injury in the previous game against Clemson.

Brohm also announced that he is "hopeful" that running back Maurice Turner will be able to finally make his return to action against Stanford this weekend after missing the last two months.

"Fortunately, Ben Perry has made great strides, and I believe he'll be able to play this week," Brohm said. "It's good to see him respond back. So we're excited about that, because he's been playing good football for us, and we continue to utilize him.

"I'm hopeful Maurice (Turner) can play this week and come back from his ankle injury. He's looked good in practice this past week, and I'm hopeful that he can help us against Stanford."

Perry suffered an unspecified injury late in the first quarter of Louisville's 33-21 win at Clemson. He dove to make a tackle, got up, then immediately went back down to the ground.

He spent several minutes laying on the ground at Memorial Stadium, with head coaches Jeff Brohm and Dabo Swinney both standing by the trainers while they worked on him. Perry was eventually helped off the field while wearing a neck brace, then taken off in an ambulance to a local hospital.

Fortunately, ESPN sideline reporter Kris Budden stated during the broadcast that Perry was "alert and talking" as he left the stadium. The next morning, Louisville announced that all tests on Perry "came back normal," and that he was able to fly back to Louisville with the rest of the team.

The 6-foot-2, 170-pound linebacker/safety has played in all nine games for Louisville this season, logging 19 tackles, two for loss, a sack and a forced fumble. He had served as the starter at STAR last season in Brohm's first year as the head coach, but Antonio Watts has taken over in that role so far this season.

As for Turner, he has been out since suffering an ankle injury in Louisville's second game of the year against Jacksonville State back on Sept. 7.

Starting in both of the Cardinals' first two games, the 5-foot-10, 190-pound all-purpose back had just four rushes for 27 yards along with an eight-yard reception in the opener vs. Austin Peay. Against Jax State, he finished the game with 12 rushing attempts for 60 yards and a one-yard touchdown.

During Turner's absence, true freshman Isaac Brown was eventually vaulted into the starting role, and has so far put together a season worthy of a Freshman All-American nod. In nine games, he has ran for 800 yards and seven touchdowns, as well as caught 26 passes for 131 yards.

Kickoff vs. Stanford is set for Saturday, Nov. 16 at 3:30 p.m. EST.

(Photo of Benjamin Perry: Michael Clubb - South Bend Tribune/USA TODAY Network)

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