Louisville RB Isaac Brown will be 'out for a while' due to leg injury suffered against Virginia Tech

Louisville running back Isaac Brown will be "out for a while" due to a leg injury suffered in the second half of the 14th-ranked Cardinals' Week 10 win against Virginia Tech, coach Jeff Brohm announced. Brown is out, at least, for Louisville's Week 11 home game against California. 

Brohm did not rule out a regular-season return for Brown with four games left on the schedule for Louisville.

"I wouldn't go that far yet," Brohm said. "We'll see how these next few weeks go and go from there."

Brown has been the top weapon on Louisville's offensive attack since his freshman season. Brown, a second-team CBS Sports Preseason All-American, is the ACC's second-leading rusher with 782 yards on the ground on just 91 carries. His 8.6 yards per rushing attempt leads the nation. He scored Louisville's first touchdown against Virginia Tech on a 52-yard run and had 130 yards rushing prior to suffering the leg injury with five minutes left in the fourth quarter. 

Brown failed to reach 50 yards just twice this season, and that was when he was limited with a separate leg issue in wins against Bowling Green and Pittsburgh. 

Brown, a former three-star prospect out of Homestead, Florida, was the 2024 ACC Rookie of the Year after rushing for 1,173 yards and 11 touchdowns as a true freshman. He also averaged an impressive 7.1 yards per carry in 13 games last season. 

What Brown's injury means for Louisville 

Brown is a clear loss for Louisville as it pushes for its second ACC Championship Game appearance in three years under Brohm. Fortunately, the Cardinals have a manageable schedule over the last month of the regular season. 

Their toughest remaining test comes on Nov. 22 when they travel to face SMU, which just earned a top-10 win against Miami. Otherwise, Louisville hosts three home games, two of which come against opponents with a losing record. 

Without Isaac Brown, Louisville likely turns to No. 2 option Keyjuan Brown as its primary running back. He made a couple of key runs late in Louisville's win against Virginia Tech, including a 24-yard scoring sprint that gave the Cardinals a decisive advantage with just over two minutes left to play in the fourth quarter. He also had a 67-yard touchdown run that sealed Louisville's 38-24 Week 9 victory over Boston College. Brown has 321 yards rushing and six touchdowns in seven games this season.