It’s easy to overlook what’s brewing in Louisville. Maybe it’s the quiet ACC vibe. Maybe it’s because the Cardinals don’t do drama the way, say, Ohio State or Florida State does. But if you’ve been watching closely, Jeff Brohm is pulling a fast one. While everyone’s focused on flashy SEC realignments and NIL headlines, the Cardinals are… copying homework. A Big 10 recruiting powerhouse’s homework, to be exact. And guess what? It’s working.

And the program they are copying is the USC Trojans. You might remember how USC turned its subpar recruiting into the No. 1 class of 2026 by flipping the script. After years of chasing out-of-state stars and losing, they hired Chad Bowden, general manager and the recruiting magnet of their sworn rival, Notre Dame. And what happened next is history. They built a fence around California and turned all their focus on recruiting in-state first. And suddenly every blue-chip kid from L.A. to Long Beach wanted in. Now, look who’s doing the same thing in Kentucky. Jeff Brohm didn’t just hire a recruiter. He hired a game-changer. You do remember the guy’s name, right? It’s Vince Marrow. 

Here’s where it gets spicy. Like Bowden, Marrow came from the rival up the road—Kentucky. Brohm snatched him and gave him the keys to the city. And just like that, Louisville is playing big-time recruiting chess. “What we wanted to do was just add a valuable piece… someone who could give us a huge advantage,” Brohm said at ACC Media Days. “His ability to build relationships with players on our team, players and families we’re recruiting—that comes as natural to him as anybody.” Sound familiar? That’s almost word-for-word how USC’s staff gushed over Bowden. They’re strategy moves. They’re Trojan horses (pun absolutely intended) to flip local stars before the big boys even know what hit them.

Brohm isn’t pretending this is business as usual, either. He wants local loyalty, not just talent. “Well, it’s more than important to us. I think, having some pieces on your team… means a little bit more because they’re from here. They’re invested. They have a lot of family and friends watching, so they go that extra mile, that] has always been important,” he said. Think about the old Louisville glory days: Brian Brohm. Michael Bush. That DNA is back in style. “Those two guys could have gone anywhere in the country,” Brohm added. “And they chose to stay at Louisville.” That’s the exact USC model under Bowden: lock down the backyard, win the state, then go on a national recruiting hunt by making recruits recruit their friends. And with Marrow’s Kentucky ties, Brohm may have just built his own West Coast fence, only it’s lined with bourbon and barbecue.

So what does this mean for you, the fan who’s maybe just hoping your team survives realignment and the next NIL twist? It means Louisville is stacking chips now. The blueprint has already worked in L.A., and now it’s coming to the Bluegrass. The local stars are being courted, the playbook has been stolen, and Jeff Brohm might be building something sneaky and dangerous.

A full circle moment for Miller Moss

Miller Moss’ transfer to Louisville was a complete shift in environment and expectations. Leaving behind the spotlight and scrutiny at USC, Moss embraced a system that aligned better with his goals. “I think the opportunity to win and compete at a high level was certainly a part of that,” he said at the ACC Kickoff. “But I really wanted to be surrounded by good and decent human beings who cared about the right things.” His words painted a clear picture of Louisville’s environment. The Cardinals might be copying USC’s blueprint for recruiting, but they are beating them on the cultural front. 

Jeff Brohm’s system at Louisville offers that very platform that Miller wanted. Known for transforming underappreciated quarterbacks into pros, Brohm’s track record was a magnet for Moss. “I mean, I think it was certainly an attractive part of it,” Moss admitted, referencing Brohm’s success with Tyler Shough and other underrated QBs. “When there’s consistent proof of your ability to do something that kind of transcends any words you hear in a meeting…” Moss is chasing results, and Brohm’s resume gives him every reason to believe he’ll get them.

And in a poetic twist, Moss’ last great moment at USC was against Louisville. In that game, he threw for 372 yards and six touchdowns. “It’s kind of a full circle moment or whatever you want to call it,” he said. But now it’s about what’s next. And if his chemistry with Brohm clicks the way it has for past protégés, Moss might just be Louisville’s next breakout star.