U of L has announced that preseason All-American Antonio Watts will miss the remainder of the season because of a knee injury. A source with the program tells Card Chronicle that Watts suffered the injury in practice.
Playing the STAR position on the Cardinal defense, Watts earned All-ACC honors in 2025 after logging 42 tackles, a team-best three interceptions and forcing three fumbles. He missed the final three games of the regular season because of a knee injury. Watts started all 13 games at linebacker
for the Cards in 2024 and made 51 tackles.
It goes without saying that this is a monster blow to the Cardinal defense. The question now becomes how Mark Ivey and Steve Ellis proceed.
The listed backup at the STAR spot is Trinity High product Blake Ruffin, who has played sparingly since transferring to U of L from Eastern Illinois. Ben Perry has experience at the STAR spot for the Cards, playing it before his transfer to UCLA last season. Another option for the defense is to move safety Koen Entringer to the position and play Kaleb Beasley and TJ Banks at the safety spots.
I suppose we’ll find out on Saturday afternoon what the move is.
Best of luck to Antonio on a speedy and complete recovery.
