Catching up on an increasingly crowded Louisville football quarterback room, and examining what role each player could assume in 2023 and beyond.
When Jeff Brohm took over as the Louisville football head coach, the Cards had one QB- senior Brock Domann- who had started a game. Domann started 5 games last season in place of entrenched star Malik Cunningham but was not seen as a potential face of the program.
Behind Domann was long-time backup Evan Conley, who spent all of last season as UofL’s third option. And entering the fold was incoming freshman Pierce Clarkson- A talented but inexperienced four-star QB.
That was all, however. Very little experience, and an immediate conundrum for the incoming staff.
Brohm’s offense is predicated on strong QB play, and his system requires a leader who is willing to charter a ship with lots of complex moving pieces.
So Brohm did what he has likely done better than any coach in the country this offseason- He hit the transfer portal.
Let’s take a look at the Louisville football QB room and what Cards fans can look forward to in the coming season.
Jack Plummer – The Veteran Leader
Purdue/ Cal
Career: 22 Starts, 6,500 yards, 63.7 CMP%, 47 TD, 19 INT
The starting QB situation entering 2023 starts and ends with veteran Jack Plummer.
A former starter for Brohm and staff at Purdue, Plummer had a solid start to his career before an injury saw him lose his job to future NFL draft selection Aidan O’Connell.
Plummer transferred to Cal for one season, overcoming the worst offensive line in power-five football to throw for 3,095 yards and 21 touchdowns in 2022.
Now, behind a revamped offensive line, with a number of weapons around him, Plummer is looking to become the face of the program under Brohm’s tutelage once again.
Plummer is exactly what Louisville football needed in a bridge year from Scott Satterfield and Cunningham to a new era of high-powered Brohm offense.
He has four years of experience- three of them with the Brohm’s- knows how to execute in a pro-style offense, and brings a calming veteran influence to a QB room that was desperate for a direction.
Plummer has an excellent frame and a pro arm and showcases instinctive decision-making.
On a team that may lean more on its defense than any of Brohm’s at Purdue or WKU, Plummer feels like the right guy to steady the ship when things aren’t going well and execute proficiently down the stretch of games.
Plummer had a lowly Cal team ahead at Notre Dame 10-7, and then 17-14 in the third quarter a season ago. He guided his team on a 12-play, 59-yard drive that finished with a game-tying field goal at Colorado. He took his team from 20 down at USC to the final play of the game at USC.
There is no shortage of instances where Plummer showed veteran savvy and leadership en route to comebacks or on the way to big leads at both Purdue and Cal.
He made six starts in his true freshman season, three starts in 6 total games his sophomore year, and started the first three games of his junior season, beating out O’Connell in the fall before his injury.
If there are any concerns with Plummer at the helm for the Cards, they are very similar to those fans had with Cunningham; durability and ability to win games.
Plummer’s teams have only won 8 games in his 22 career starts, including a 4-6 record under Brohm at Purdue.
However, with an offense continuing to add talented weapons around him, a fortified line, and a defense that should serve to ham and egg it well, Plummer should almost assuredly be in for his most successful season yet.
Brady Allen – The Gunslinger
Purdue
Career: 1 game, 8 yards
Newest Louisville football signee Brady Allen is perhaps the favorite to win the backup quarterback spot behind Plummer.
A former Purdue backup in the Brohm regime, Allen was a highly coveted recruit who chose the Boilermakers over Cincinnati, West Virginia, and Virginia Tech, among others.
At 6’6″, Allen is another massive QB- Something Brohm seems to look for on the recruiting trail.
Allen Trieu of 247Sports wrote glowingly of Allen in high school:
“A big high school quarterback who will have prototypical size as a college pocket passer,” said Trieu. “Varsity starter since early in his career and has a lot of game experience. Has the arm to make all the throws and has shown he can throw through wind and tough conditions without losing much velocity.
“Throws with good touch down the field and can drop the ball in over the top of coverage. Can also throw on the move without losing velocity. Elevated team throughout the course of his career and played well against good competition. Can throw on the run but is not as much of a running threat and has to show he can escape the rush at the Power Five level.”
Allen’s tape is impressive. He has the requisite size and frame of a pro-style quarterback and showed the ability to make throws at every level.
Perhaps most impressively, Allen is the first QB to lead his high school team- Gibson Southern- to an Indiana 3A State Championship. After trailing by 19 points, Allen and GSH outscored Brebeuf 35-6 the rest of the way. Allen passed for 398 yards and 5 touchdowns, becoming a hometown hero in the process.
Now. Allen joins Louisville football as the highest-rated QB in the 502 since Teddy Bridgewater.
He has the hype. Allen possesses the intangibles. And now, we wait to see what kind of impact he can make for a UofL team eager to jump into an explosive era of offense.
Harrison Bailey – The Darkhorse
Tennessee/ UNLV
Career: 5 starts, 13 GP, 912 yds, 60.9 CMP%, 6 TD, 3 INT
Former high school stud Harrison Bailey was a can’t-miss prospect for years. He had offers from nearly every power five school, including Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Florida, Ohio State, Michigan, etc.
In 2018, 247Sports analyst Charles Power projected Bailey as a top 2-3 round pick, comparing him to former NFL journeyman Kyle Orton.
“A polished pocket passer with sound mechanics, Power wrote of Bailey. “Well coached in terms of technique and has a consistent delivery. Has the ability to drive the ball downfield and shows good touch and ball location. Has posted good passing numbers against top competition in Georgia. Able to distribute to all levels of the field.”
Bailey wound up choosing Tennesee over Michigan, entering his first year in Knoxville during the COVID-shorted 2020 season.
During that 2020 year, Bailey started three games on the back half of the season for an ailing Vols team that finished the year 3-9.
He played the entire game against Florida and Texas A&M while splitting reps in a win at Vandy.
When watching Bailey’s tape, his game reminded me a ton of Louisville football senior Brock Domann.
As far as size, stature, and intangibles, Bailey is obviously a gifted athlete. There is a reason he was projected as a future NFL starter. However, his playing style with the Vols was quite similar to that of Domann’s during the 2022 season.
He doesn’t take many risks, has solid escapability, and throws a catchable ball.
Bailey seemed to have a good rapport with the UT receivers and played a game manager type of role when he was under center for the Vols.
In 2021, however, Bailey was forced into a second and third-string role behind Vols star QB-to-be Hendon Hooker.
Bailey only saw action in one game for Tennesee in 2021 before entering the transfer portal in October. From there, he was passed over by a number of power five programs before landing at UNLV for the 2022 season.
In Vegas, Bailey was given an opportunity to win the starting job for the Rebels, ultimately earning a “co-starter” role with experienced signal-caller Doug Brumfield.
However, when Brumfield went out early in an October matchup with San Jose State, it was QB Cameron Friel who got the nod for the Rebels.
Bailey finally got the nod as the team’s starter in a rivalry game with in-state Nevada.
He led the team to a come-from-behind victory while throwing for 209 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Bailey’s stint with UNLV finished similarly to the one at Tennessee. The Marrieta, Georgia native never solidified himself as the team’s starter or wowed the coaching staff enough to be entrenched as the guy for his squad.
At the same time, Bailey’s talent and potential are undeniable.
With two seasons remaining, Bailey joins the Louisville football roster as a preferred walk-on.
Given the current volatility of the college football transfer market, there is every reason to believe that Bailey can be a part of the conversation come the start of 2024.
Joey Gatewood – The Journeyman
Auburn/ Kentucky/ UCF
Career: 24 GP, 180 yds, 47.1 CMP%, 3 TD, 1 INT | 380 rush yds, 4 TD
Journeyman Joey Gatewood was yet another heralded QB out of high school that never panned out at each of his stops.
After transferring from Auburn to Kentucky in 2020, Gatewood had his most productive season with the Wildcats as a rush-first QB in a COVID-shortened season. He started one game over then-started Terry Wilson, against Georgia, and went 15-for-25 for 90 yards, while rushing 16 times for 23 yards.
The following year, he transferred to play with his former coach Gus Malzahn, but after failing to beat out a true freshman QB when starter Dillon Gabriel went down, he was moved from from QB to wide receiver last season.
Gatewood never saw the field for the Knights in 2022, which again prompted a transfer to Louisville.
It’s been reported that Gatewood, who is listed at 6’5, 220-pounds, will play tight end for Louisville football, where he will have a last-gasp chance at a productive season in his sixth year at the collegiate level.
Gatewood feels like a guy who would fit well at tight end. He has shown the willingness to do whatever is asked of him at the collegiate level. Now, it’s just about that willingness translating to more snaps on the field.
“His hands are good. He does some natural things sometimes, he’s very athletic,” former UCF offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey said of Gatewood’s transition to wide receiver. “He’s got a lot of potential, but it’s gonna take him some time because he’s played quarterback his whole life… Really pleased. His attitude is great, it will just take some time.”
There is definitely a tight-end-like instinct from Gatewood. He has the ability to read the field, evade tacklers, and then punish defenders while finishing off runs.
If Gatewood can pick up where he left off as a receiver at UCF this season, he has all of the potential to be a multifaceted weapon for Louisville football.
Look for Louisville to find ways to get him on the field; Including, but not limited to, “wildcat” action out of the backfield.
Related: How Louisville football flipped its roster through the transfer portal
Pierce Clarkson – The Superstar Freshman
St. John Bosco HS
Career: 29 GP, 4,228 yds, 62.1 CMP%, 55 TD passing | 925 yds, 7.7 yd avg, 10 TD rushing
There was perhaps no one more responsible for the sensational 2023 Louisville football recruiting class than incoming freshman Pierce Clarkson.
The son of a QB guru, and one of the highest-rated signal-callers in the class, the Clarksons made Pierce’s pledge to Louisville football a big deal early and often; Their personalities and assurance from the jump inspired other top prospects to come aboard.
From the beginning, Clarkson and his contemporaries made it clear that their pledge was to the school and not the previous coaching staff.
When the old regime bolted for Cincinnati, the bulk of the group stayed.
Clarkson the player is the real deal. He led his St. John Bosco team to a California state title and a national title.
Surrounded by a cast of high-profile characters, Clarkson and Co. made scoring points look easy, most of the time dominating in a 12-1 season.
Clarkson has all of the intangibles of a starting college QB, and brings the duel threat aspect that Louisville football fans have become accustomed to over the last decade.
He has a ton of experience at the highest level of high school football and the polish, grit, and determination to succeed at the next level.
The question now is obvious: Can Clarkson beat out his contemporaries for a starting role in the next two years?
It seemed the previous coaching staff was content to give Clarkson the reigns right away in the QB room with Domann, Conley, and (since transferred) Khalib Johnson.
The new staff knows competition breeds success, and now Clarkson’s path to the field feels far more daunting.
The reality is that if Clarkson can make his way into the rotation this year, Louisville football has a special player on its hands.
If not, the competition between him, Allen, Bailey, and 2024 commit Duece Adams figures to be a special one.
Either way, it appears Clarkson has the resolve to stick it out with the Cards. As a fan, it’s hard not to love the impact he has already had on the program.
The Returnees
Brock Domann
Career: 11 GP, 998 yds, 54.9 CMP%, 4 TD | 69 yds, 1 TD rushing
Evan Conley
Career: 15 GP, 740 yds, 56.8 CMP%, 5 TD | 104 yds, 1 TD rushing
Louisville football has a stable veteran presence in super senior Brock Domann and senior Evan Conley.
The latter was an important pickup for the previous staff, as Conley played a critical role in sparing Cunningham in a wild, injury-plagued 2019 season.
Domann stepped in for a similar role in 2022, playing in 10 games, starting in 5.
An essential game manager for the Cards in relief of Cunningham, Domann became much more aggressive as he settled into a starting role. Louisville football finished 3-2 with Domann at the helm, including workmanlike performances against Virginia, NC State, and in the Fenway Bowl vs. Cincinnati.
Domann ran with the second-string offense and looked about as good as one can recall in the 2023 spring game.
It feels less likely, but Domann and Conley could certainly factor into the mix at QB should injuries arise in 2023.
The future of the Louisville football QB room
It would be a massive upset if Louisville football didn’t trot out Jack Plummer game 1 against Georgia Tech.
The QB battle feels as settled as it ever has on Floyd Street.
But who comes after Plummer and how they are implemented is one of the main storylines of the offseason.
Brohm is a Schnellenberger and Petrino disciple. He had at least 2 QBs throw for over 800 yards in 4 of his 6 seasons at Purdue- Twice he had 2 QBs account for over 1,000 yards a piece.
It’s highly likely that Louisville football will implement the same strategy in 2023.
So, while Plummer seems like the guy this season, it will be fascinating to watch the QB battle between 4-5 guys that feel almost equally deserving at this stage.
Domann was the clear leader in the spring, but perhaps only because the scintillating Clarkson was sidelined after a minor procedure.
Since spring ball, the Cards have added two solid pieces in Allen and Bailey.
Allen was the next guy up at Purdue and spurned an opportunity to play in a Graham Harrell-coached air raid offense for the familiarity of Brohm’s system. He’s about 100 miles from home and already acclimated to the Brohm system and coaching style.
Then there is Bailey- The one-time All-American turned walk-on. Could a summer and fall camp in a new system and new home prove to be what the doctor ordered? A little time out of the spotlight and in a different role could serve to be exactly what the doctor ordered.
Then there’s Gatewood. The likely hybrid tight end/ wide out combo. It doesn’t appear that he will factor into the QB competition, but you’d expect to see the veteran getting some reps in a wildcat-like package if needed.
Finally, don’t count out Clarkson or Domann. Clarkson has proven his merit time and again prior to his stop in Louisville. He only lost 4 times his entire high school career, won a national title, and possesses all of the winning intangibles.
Only time will tell who becomes 1A to Plummer in the QB room. But one thing is certain: the quarterback room has never been as loaded as it is in 2023.
That is a great thing a Louisville football scheme predicated on reliable QB play.
Jeff Brohm and company have things rolling in Louisville- Now it’s just about making the pieces fit together.
If the past is any indication, the Cardinals QB competition should set the tone for what may be an unprecedented tenure.
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