Among Louisville defensive end Clev Lubin’s deep catalogue of sack celebrations is the one where he imitates shaking and rolling dice.
Lubin said he does it as a reminder that he bet on himself to succeed when others didn’t think he could at this level. The Coastal Carolina transfer is off to a good start picking up two sacks in the season opener.
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Even in this pay for play era — well, legally, pay — the same big-brand programs that have always had more financial resources still have more resources for football. Louisville and Kentucky will never outspend programs like Ohio State, Texas and Alabama.
Five-star talent, in theory, has never been more accessible for any program willing to spend to obtain. The reality is, they’re still headed to the traditional powers.
Out of 32 five-star players in the Class of 2025, according to 247 Sports, only three went to programs (SMU, Georgia Tech and Kansas State) that are not usually in that neighborhood.
How competitive programs like the Cardinals and Wildcats can be still comes down to identifying and rolling the dice on players who may have been underrated and overlooked, but have the potential to overachieve.
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Lubin, who is listed at 6-foot-3, 250 pounds, is a bit undersized for an edge rusher. It’s how he began his career at Army after being the Gatorade Player of the Year in New York as a senior in high school.He didn’t receive an offer from a Power Four conference school until he entered the transfer portal last year after a big season for Coastal, when U of L came calling.
UK starting left tackle Shiyazh Pete wasn’t on anyone’s radar out of high school. He made the team at New Mexico State as a walk-on before working his way into the starting lineup as a redshirt freshman.
Pete is one reason why UK offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan declared the ‘Big Blue Wall’ was back and had so much confidence in the offensive line this season. The Cats backed that claim while gaining 220 rushing yards and not allowing a sack in the opener.
Lubin and Pete are examples of how players who were overlooked can make an impact at the highest level of college football.
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Unfortunately, there are also examples of how gambling on the wrong player can send a program spiraling in the wrong direction.
It’s why UK coach Mark Stoops is in the position he’s currently in with a fanbase growing in its discontent.
The Cats haven’t seemed to get the quarterback position right, neither from developing a high school recruit, nor signing one out of the transfer portal.
Brock Vandagriff had little game experience while being behind Stetson Bennett and Carson Beck on Georgia’s depth chart. Stoops made the risky move to bring him in and Vandagriff’s season was so off-putting that he retired from football despite having a year of eligibility remaining.
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It remains to be seen if Texas A&M/Incarnate Word transfer Zach Calzada is the right fit. Calzada got off to a shaky start with just 85 yards passing in UK’s season-opening win over Toledo.
If he has another unimpressive performance, the Cats have to see what Cutter Boley can do. Boley would represent a change as Stoops hasn’t started a quarterback who didn’t transfer in since Terry Wilson in 2020.
U of L coach Jeff Brohm has brought in a transfer at quarterback in each of his three seasons, including current starter and USC transfer Miller Moss.
Having an eye for talent still matters, just like coaching does, and has more of an impact on winning and losing for the Cards and Cats than simply how much they can pay players.
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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 Cardinals, Kentucky Wildcats football success: This is key
