It wasn't enough.

Last week he threw for 555 yards and four touchdowns against Syracuse.

It wasn't enough.

Entering the season with much bluster about contending for the national championship, Louisville lost its luster with back-to-back upset defeats to Kentucky (40-34) and Syracuse (38-35).

Brohm aims to reverse that trend at N.C. State on Saturday, and few are more capable of creating a turnaround. State has seen Boston College's Matt Ryan and Clemson's Cullen Harper, but not anyone as prolific as the 6-foot-4, 224-pound Cardinals slinger.

Ballyhooed as a Heisman Trophy candidate, Brohm, a drop-back, pocket passer, has completed 114 of 168 attempts for 1,697 yards and 15 touchdowns with only three interceptions. He also has about a 54 percent conversion rate on third downs, which Pack coach Tom O'Brien said is "unheard of in college football."

"They have a tremendous quarterback," O'Brien said. "He can make all the throws. I look forward to the challenge of seeing if we can slow him down a little."

The challenge is coming at a time when Brohm wants to crank it up even more. The two straight defeats have chafed him.

As for the Heisman hype, Brohm says he isn't thinking about that, ... just about "getting back on the winning track."

He rewinds to his high school days in Louisville. One of his Trinity teams started 0-4 but won the state championship.

"It's the same kind of deal [we're in] now," he said. "I'm trying to draw from that experience."

While Louisville's porous defense has suffered enough breakdowns to light up the eyes of State quarterback Harrison Beck, the Cardinals must address other faulty issues as well, Brohm says.

"We need to play with more intensity and passion," he said. "We're getting beat with little details and fundamentals. We need to eliminate turnovers, eliminate penalties, and need to get our running game up and running."

Brohm, drafted out of high school by baseball's Colorado Rockies, works at his craft like an artist, searching himself for flaws.

"He's a good person, and he does a good job looking at how he can improve," Cardinals coach Steve Kragthorpe said. "He's having an excellent season but needs to continue to be consistent. When he's struggling, he can't try to make too many big plays."

Considering State gave up 608 yards to Clemson last week, Brohm surely sees daylight in the Pack's defense, though he didn't say so Tuesday. NCSU defensive coordinator Mike Archer already has seen too much of him. Last year, when Archer was at Kentucky, Brohm threw for 254 yards in a 58-29 Cardinals rout.

It seems one Brohm or another always has been pestering Louisville foes. Brian's father, Oscar, and his brothers, Greg and Jeff, also sparkled for the Cards, and the brothers are on the coaching staff now. Jeff is the assistant head coach who tutors QBs and coordinates the passing game.

"He's always been a mentor, a person I look up to," said Brian, who wants to conclude a stellar career in winning style.

Certainly, the Cardinals have a quarterback who can make that come to pass.

Get $150+ in coupons in every Sunday N&O. Click here for convenient home delivery.