3 things we learned about Jeff Brohm's 2023 team during Louisville football spring game

The night before Thunder Over Louisville, the University of Louisville’s football team kicked off the Jeff Brohm era during Friday’s spring game at L&N Stadium.

The Cardinals’ defense shined the brightest on a rainy night under the lights, winning the contest 51-30 to wrap up spring practice.

The team opens the 2023 season at Georgia Tech on Sept. 1.

"I thought we had our ups and downs on the offensive side," Cardinals quarterback Jack Plummer said. "I didn't think we started the way we wanted to but picked it up later. ... It's always a little bit different when you put a little bit more pressure on yourself. It's not just practice. We really try to stress that this is the closest thing we get to the game before the fall. So, I think the guys were feeling that a little bit. It was good to go out there and execute a little bit with our guys."

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Here are three takeaways from the Cardinals’ Red-White spring game:

Louisville’s defense doesn’t miss a beat

It took three plays for the offense to gain positive yardage. That should tell you everything you need to know about the status of the Cardinals’ defense.

With Ron English and Mark Hagen now serving as U of L’s co-defensive coordinators, the group looked to have picked up where it left off last season. The first-team forced a three-and-out during the first two series of the game. On the opening drive, it held the offense to negative-2 yards. And while the group didn’t play the final two quarters, the Cardinals showed their depth with TJ Quinn, Daniel Martens and Derrick Edwards each recording interceptions during the second half.

In addition to the three interceptions, Louisville's defense totaled 16 tackles for loss and three sacks. Ashton Gillotte and R.J. Sorensen had one of each, while Popeye Williams had a team-high two TFL.

"The defense here at the University of Louisville played well the last half of the season last year and we want to find ways to build upon that," Brohm said. "We got stops. I thought we gave up some big plays at times on defense early, which is not good. Some of it was lack of discipline and intelligence on some of our plays. But, we have good players on that side of the ball, and I do think that we have good young players on defense as well that have shown up this spring."

During the game, the defense earned two points for defensive stops, three points for forcing a three-and-out or fourth-down stop, five points for a turnover and seven points for a touchdown.

Louisville's defense was without two of its top defensive backs in Quincy Riley and Josh Minkins Jr., who were absent from spring practices, as well as defensive lineman Jermayne Lole, who missed last season with a bicep injury.

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Jack Plummer makes U of L debut

Plummer, who was at Purdue under Brohm for four seasons before transferring to California, looked comfortable in the pocket as he made his public debut as a Louisville Cardinal. Jimmy Calloway was his top target Friday night, catching all four of the passes Plummer threw his way. At one point, Plummer showed what he can do on the ground, scrambling for 5 yards. But he didn’t run beyond that.

He ended the night going 10-for-13 for 130 yards with two touchdown passes in six drives.

"I know the system like the back of my hand," Plummer said, "but now it's just new faces as far as who I'm playing with. I think the spring was valuable for me just to see how guys break in and out of their cuts, what guys are good at certain things and just kind of how they move wherever you throw the ball for them. I think that, comfort-wise, was me trying to settle in that way."

The offense was without wide receiver Jadon Thompson, a transfer from Cincinnati, and offensive lineman Austin Collins.

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Louisville finds its new tight end

With Marshon Ford now graduated, Louisville worked during spring to find its next starting tight end. Josh Lifson looked like the most promising option while splitting first-team reps with Francis Sherman during the spring game.

Lifson, who mostly played on special teams a year ago, caught both touchdown passes from Plummer, starting with a 12-yard pass to give U of L’s offense a 10-6 lead over the defense. In the second quarter, the 6-foot-3, 250-pound walk-on tight end caught a 30-yard pass on a double-reverse flea flicker. He was the team's leading receiver by night's end with 42 yards on two catches.

"The tight end position, we'd like to utilize as much as we can," Brohm said. "We have some young guys there and they've had some ups and downs this spring. There's not a lot experience, so we've just got to continue to work through it. It was good to see (Lifson) make some plays. I think the more they learn exactly what to do, that they can capably get it done. Just right now, there's some spinning going on."

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

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville football spring game under Jeff Brohm: Jack Plummer, more