Brown: What Jeff Brohm is doing with Louisville football mirrors Mike Elko's start at Duke

Louisville is this year’s Duke with the caveat that the Cardinals can still accomplish more starting Saturday if they can beat the Blue Devils.

The Cards are currently tied with North Carolina for second in the ACC standings and are in a four-way tie with one-loss in league play along with Duke and Virginia Tech. With games remaining against the Blue Devils and Hokies, U of L still has a clear path to the ACC championship game.

Many voting in the league’s preseason poll surely didn’t picture that as a possibility. In fact, they didn’t think much at all of the team U of L coach Jeff Brohm was inheriting in his first season.

The Cards, ranked No. 18 in the US LBM Coaches Poll, were picked to finish eighth in the ACC during its first season without divisions.

If there’s a coach and team that can understand outperforming expectations, it’s Mike Elko and Duke.

Let’s be frank here, it’s Duke football. It has never demanded attention on an annual basis, much less coming off a 3-9 season in 2021 that wrapped up three straight losing seasons to end David Cutcliffe’s tenure in Durham.

Last season, the Blue Devils were picked to finish last in the Coastal Division. They ended up tied for second, just a game away from winning the division and playing in the ACC championship game.

Elko ushered in a change of culture emphasizing minor adjustments, like to the food selection, which led to a major shift in Duke football. With the physicality it plays with and a defense molded after the best Elko coached as a coordinator, the No. 21 Blue Devils absolutely demand attention now.

That started with their season-opening win over Clemson and continued with how they battled Notre Dame until the final seconds of a 21-14 loss.

“This is a tough, physical, football team,” Brohm said. “They’ve played very, very well this year and in order for us to win, we’re going to have to play our best football.”

U of L clearly didn’t do that the last time out, losing at Pitt 38-21 due to three turnovers and a few major absences due to injuries.

Starting right tackle Renato Brown injured his knee during warmups and Brohm announced on Monday that he’s out for the year. After a hamstring injury, running back Jawhar Jordan was limited to just two carries against Pitt. Brohm said his return to action will be evaluated as the week progresses. Starting cornerback Jarvis Brownlee Jr. had a foot injury that Brohm is “hopeful” he can return from this week.

The loss to the Panthers erased much of the validity that came from U of L’s win over Notre Dame and again raised a question of just how good is this team.

The Cards could answer that on Saturday against Duke, which had a similar setback last season when it lost 23-20 in overtime to a rudderless Georgia Tech team that had just fired its coach midseason.

That brings me to the one clear difference between the Cards and Duke. The Blue Devils, who finished 8-4 last season, went 1-3 in games decided by a field goal or less.

Their inability to close out games happened again last month in their loss to Notre Dame.

In the close games U of L has been in, it has emerged 3-0 this season with its season-opening 39-34 win over Georgia Tech; a 21-14 win over Indiana that needed a goal line stand in the fourth quarter to preserve; and its 13-10 win at N.C. State.

That’s why Brohm isn’t lamenting the loss at Pitt too much.

“We probably won three games by the skin of our teeth and I’m sure the other team would like to have it back as well,” Brohm said.

According to ESPN Stats and Info, FSU has a 99% chance of reaching the ACC title game. UNC is next at 36% with U of L and Duke both tied at 26%.

Not many would have put the Cards in this position before the season. So, yes, beating expectations seven games into the season is a good start for the Brohm era. But beating the Blue Devils and edging one step closer to a spot in the ACC title game would be better.

Reach sports columnist C.L. Brown at clbrown1@gannett.com, follow him on X at @CLBrownHoops and subscribe to his newsletter at profile.courier-journal.com/newsletters/cl-browns-latest to make sure you never miss one of his columns.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville football: Jeff Brohm start mirrors Mike Elko Year 1 at Duke