The Courier-Journal (Louisville)
Spring in their steps
Clarkson, Allen, Bailey compete for U of L’s backup QB spot
Pierce Clarkson came to Louisville football with star power.
Even before the California quarterback arrived on campus, he began “FlyVille” branding and was one of the biggest voices helping to keep most of the Cardinals’ 2023 recruiting class together. His time on the field last fall was limited to completing 1 of 2 passes for 7 yards in the 2023 home opener against Murray State before he redshirted.
Clarkson is competing with Brady Allen and Harrison Bailey to be Louisville’s backup quarterback behind Texas Tech transfer Tyler Shough. Shough is spending his seventh and final college football season as the Cardinals’ projected starting signal caller. All three returners were part of last season’s nine-player quarterback room. The unit is down to seven players, and Clarkson described the group as “a pretty loving quarterback room.”
“I really feel good about this quarterback room and what we could do during the season, what we will do during the season just because of how close we became already within these first three months, and how close we’ll become in the next six months or whenever our first game is in August,” Clarkson added.
While Clarkson was on the sideline during the 2023 season, he said he gained weight. As a recruit, 247Sports listed him at 183 pounds. His updated bio on Louisville’s website has him at 195 pounds. He also learned the playbook and adjusted to college football.
“It was a lot to try to learn all that at first,” Clarkson said, “and then once I first got it down pat, it just felt like everything started running smoothly. Coming into
the spring, really for me, I feel more comfortable with everything. Even in the winter workouts just leading up to spring ball, everything just felt more comfortable, like it was flowing naturally.”
Brian Brohm, U of L offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, commended Clarkson’s commitment to watching film on his own and improving. The redshirt freshman opened spring practices last week by taking second-team reps, which included some run plays.
Clarkson’s one year of being in the Brohms’ system is second to Allen, who was with the coaches at Purdue two years ago. He and Bailey came to Louisville during the summer last year, missing the spring practices. But like Clarkson, the two only played against Murray State. Bailey was 3-of-5 passing for 60 yards and a touchdown. Allen completed a 7-yard pass. All nine rostered quarterbacks saw the field during that game.
Brohm was impressed with how quickly Bailey learned the system last year and the way he competed in the fall. The next step is consistency in implementing what he’s learned. Allen will have to continue improving, too, as he keeps “feeding off these other guys and competing,” Brohm said.
“We’d like to see in the spring all four of these guys,” he said of Clarkson, Shough, Bailey and Allen. “We want to get them reps. You want to see them in simulated live action. Obviously, we’re not tackling, but you want to see them with bodies flying around. You want to see them with pockets collapsing, being able to make the throws, stay in the pocket, do those type of things. We do a lot of different things to try to simulate as much live real-live action as you can.”
Reach Louisville football, women’s basketball and baseball beat writer Alexis Cubit at acubit@gannett.com and follow her on X at @Alexis_Cubit.