What we learned about Jeff Brohm, Louisville football after ACC win over Boston College

Louisville is on the verge of history.

Jeff Brohm's homecoming as the Cardinals’ coach has been sweet, with Louisville one win from the program’s first 3-0 start to ACC play.

Louisville’s last 3-0 conference start was its final season in the Big East in 2012. Led by Charlie Strong, the Cardinals lost only two conference games that season and finished 11-2 overall.

The road to consecutive ACC wins to start the season has been vastly different: U of L defeated Georgia Tech 39-34 at a neutral site before the team routed Boston College three weeks later at home, 56-28. Still unbeaten this season, the Cardinals showed growth in between the games and are closer to playing four full quarters. On Saturday, they jumped on the Eagles early.

“When you play conference games, you’ve gotta find a way to win,” Brohm said. “If we can start like that in every game, I'll take that, for sure. So, it's just about continuing to fix a few of the things that pop up.”

Here are three takeaways from Louisville’s Week 4 win over Boston College:

Jack Plummer is ‘sharpest he’s ever been’

For the first time this season, Jack Plummer wasn't intercepted. The California transfer seemed more comfortable in Brohm’s system and was consistent. He had a career-high five touchdown passes to complete a 388-yard passing performance.

That included seven passes of 27 or more yards, four of which were touchdowns.

“These weren't easy full screens and things like that,” Brohm said. “These were throws up the field, vertical shots, hitting them on the money. The receivers ran good, precise routes, had good protection. But I thought Jack was the sharpest he's ever been.”

For Plummer, it’s not about doing anything differently. The focus is trusting himself and what he sees on the field. Brohm noted that sometimes his quarterback presses too much, but against Boston College, Plummer seemed to play freer. The manifestation was Louisville scoring 56 points, which was the most since the program tallied 62 against Duke on Nov. 18, 2021.

“I just feel like I was going out there and playing,” Plummer said. “Our guys were getting open, and I was able to sit back there. The line did a good job blocking, so it's combination of a lot of things. But I think it's part of my game. When I get into a groove, I feel like I'm pretty dangerous.”

Defense feeds off offensive success

For the first time this season, Louisville's outcome against an FBS opponent didn’t come down to a defensive stop. This time, the offense won the game.

Defensive lineman/linebacker Stephen Herron knows the Cardinals’ offense can be counted on — something he says he hasn’t always experienced. That confidence was strengthened after defensive back Ben Perry’s stop forced Boston College into a turnover on downs on the opening drive. U of L's offense turned that into points on running back Jawhar Jordan’s 33-yard touchdown run, capping a five-play, 59-yard drive.

Louisville’s defense then forced the Eagles to punt on the next three series, which the offense turned into a 28-0 lead. Despite the Cardinals’ defense giving up 265 passing yards to Eagles quarterback Thomas Castellanos, there wasn’t as much pressure because the group trusted its offense to keep scoring.

“While I do feel like defense is still gonna win us ballgames, plenty of ballgames, championships, I do feel so much more confident when I can get a third-down stop, (and) I'm not right back out there in three or four plays,” Herron said. “I can give it to my offense. I can trust them.

“Even if they don't score, if they don't get points, they're gonna keep on moving, keep on trucking, come out just as confident the next series and score again."

Louisville makes early case as ACC contender

With the end of ACC divisions, the conference standings are dependent on records. The teams with the two best win percentages will earn a spot in the ACC title game in December. Louisville is making its case for being an early contender.

The Cardinals learned from fourth-ranked Florida State and didn’t fall for Boston College as a potential trap game. U of L’s 28-point win over the Eagles without committing a turnover is the second largest against a Power Five opponent, behind the team’s 40-3 win over Duke on Sept. 7, 2002.

The reward is third place in the league standings behind the No. 18 Blue Devils, the Cardinals’ opponent Oct. 28, and the Seminoles, who earned an overtime road win over Clemson this weekend. N.C. State is fourth in the standings after picking up its first conference win over Virginia.

Louisville remains focused ahead of its first true road game against the Wolfpack. Picking up a win in Raleigh, North Carolina, would keep the Cards among the top three ACC teams. From there, the Cardinals’ toughest ACC competition would be Duke and the conference finale at No. 20 Miami. Its other conference opponents — Pitt, Virginia Tech and Virginia — combined for two wins over the first three weeks of the season.

BROWN COLUMN: Jeff Brohm has offense rolling as Louisville football approaches challenging stretch

Reach Louisville football, women's basketball and baseball beat writer Alexis Cubit at acubit@gannett.com and follow her on X at @Alexis_Cubit.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Keys to Louisville football, Jeff Brohm's ACC win over Boston College