NIL
Kentucky basketball roster 2025
AI-assisted summaryKeep this page bookmarked throughout the offseason to see how the 2025-26 roster takes shape.Leading scorer Otega Oweh is considering returning after going through the NBA draft process.LEXINGTON — After assuming the reins of his alma mater, coach Mark Pope had to build the Kentucky basketball roster from scratch. The dozen scholarship players who were part of the 2023-24 team? All of them left. Some because their college eligibility was up. Others departed for the NBA draft or transfer portal.
Pope shouldn’t have quite as much heavy lifting heading into Year 2.
That’s because four players could return from last season.
The Wildcats have signed two high school prospects in the 2025 recruiting cycle — which had been three before four-star guard Acaden Lewis decommitted April 10. The class rose back to three once more April 12, when Croatian forward Andrija Jelavic gave his pledge.
UK must replace its seven-member senior class. Only one of them will play college hoops during the 2025-26 campaign, though: Kerr Kriisa revealed March 31 he would enter the transfer portal (and found his new team April 6).
Pope and his staff already have six portal players in the fold for next season: Former Tulane wing Kam Williams committed March 28. Ex-Pittsburgh guard Jaland Lowe joined April 5. Then the Wildcats landed commitments on back-to-back days: Former Alabama forward Mouhamed Dioubate gave his pledge April 7, with former Arizona State forward Jayden Quaintance following April 8. Ex-Florida guard Denzel Aberdeen cast his lot with UK on April 21. And former Miami (Ohio) center Reece Potter pledged May 5.
Bookmark this page as The Courier Journal tracks offseason news related to UK’s 2025-26 roster.
G Kerr Kriisa (6-foot-5, 185 pounds, Fifth-year Sr.): Kriisa appeared in UK’s first nine games of the 2024-25 season … and that was all she wrote for the Estonian. A foot injury suffered in the team’s overtime win over Gonzaga on Dec. 7 simply never healed to the point he was cleared to return to the floor. While he said March 31 he’d put his name into the transfer portal, 11 days before that, Kriisa pondered the possibility of heading back overseas to start his professional career. Kriisa averaged 4.4 points, 2.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game for the Wildcats; his assist average ranked No. 2 on the team behind fellow point guard Lamont Butler (4.3). On April 6, on his personal Instagram account, Kriisa announced he had committed to Cincinnati. UC will be his fourth school in six seasons. Kriisa started his college career at Arizona (2020-21 through 2022-23) before moving on to West Virginia (2023-24) and then Kentucky.
G Travis Perry (6-foot-1, 188 pounds, Fr.): Perry was a consistent presence for the Wildcats last season, appearing in 31 of the team’s 36 games. When UK was hampered by injuries in the backcourt, the in-state star moved into the lineup, starting four times. But the all-time leading scorer in Kentucky high school basketball history found points harder to come by in his first season at the college level: Perry averaged 2.7 points per game. (In addition, he averaged 0.8 rebounds and 0.6 assists in 9.7 minutes per outing.) Coincidentally, his two best scoring performances came against the same team: Alabama. Perry had a career-high 12 points in a loss to the Crimson Tide on Feb. 22. Then he had 11 points against UA in a lopsided loss in the SEC Tournament on March 14. Perry put his name into the transfer portal on April 22, the final day the window was open. He committed to Kentucky (and former coach John Calipari) in November 2023. At that time, Perry picked UK over his four other finalists: Alabama, Cincinnati, Ole Miss and Western Kentucky. Prior to his transfer decision, Perry had been the only remaining connection linking the end of Calipari’s reign to the beginning of Pope’s tenure. Perry will remain in the SEC: He committed to Ole Miss on May 4.
Here are the six Kentucky seniors who have played their final collegiate games:
- F Ansley Almonor (6-foot-7, 244 pounds)
- G Koby Brea (6-foot-7, 215 pounds)
- G Lamont Butler (6-foot-2, 208 pounds)
- F Andrew Carr (6-foot-11, 235 pounds)
- G Jaxson Robinson (6-foot-6, 192 pounds)
- C Amari Williams (7 foot, 262 pounds)
This section will be updated as Kentucky players announce whether they plan to return to Lexington for the 2025-26 season.
Here are the four players who might be back with the Wildcats:
- G Collin Chandler (6-foot-5, 202 pounds)
- F Brandon Garrison (6-foot-11, 250 pounds)
- G Trent Noah (6-foot-5, 220 pounds)
- G Otega Oweh (6-foot-4, 215 pounds)
What to know: Garrison became the first member of the above quintet to make an official proclamation regarding his intentions for next season, posting a video on his personal Instagram account April 12 that he’d be back with the Wildcats. Included with the video was a hashtag that read, “Unfinished business.”
On April 17, Chandler posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. His post included a GIF of Keanu Reeves, in his role as John Wick, with the caption, “Yeah, I’m thinking I’m back.”
Noah previously had made the most definitive statement of the freshman triumvirate.
“Kentucky, this is my dream school,” he told The Courier Journal on March 28, shortly after the team’s season-ending loss to Tennessee. “I don’t want to put on any other jersey besides this one. So, yeah, (being back next season) is the plan, for sure.”
True to his word, Noah announced April 18 on X he’ll return for his sophomore season, posting a highlight reel of some of his best plays from the 2024-25 campaign. Playing over the highlights was a Drake song, “9.” In this case, the song title had a double meaning: Noah wears No. 9, and the Wildcats are pursuing their their ninth national championship — which the video referenced at the end, as the words, “Still chasing 9” flashed across the screen.
A rising senior, Oweh announced April 15 he was declaring for the NBA draft while maintaining his college eligibility.
G Denzel Aberdeen (6-foot-5, 190 pounds): Abeerden played in 83 games the past three seasons at Florida, with five starts — all of which came in consecutive fashion — in February 2025 (Feb. 4-18, in 2024-25. Included in that stretch was his best performance as a collegian, scoring a game- and career-high 22 points in an 88-67 win over South Carolina on Feb. 15. Aberdeen has posted year-over-year gains in points, rebounds and assists per game in his three seasons with the Gators. A native of Orlando, Florida, Aberdeen was a three-star prospect in the 2022 class, per the 247Sports Composite, ranking 150th nationally and 20th among recruits in the Sunshine State. Aberdeen was the fifth transfer portal player to pledge to UK, committing April 21.
F Mouhamed Dioubate (6-foot-7, 215 pounds): Dioubate was a key component off the bench for the Crimson Tide the past two seasons. Every game he appeared in, 70 in all, were as a reserve. In those two seasons, Alabama combined to go 53-21, advancing to the first Final Four in program history in 2023-24 and bowing out in the Elite Eight this past season. While he averaged only 2.9 points and 2.4 rebounds per game as a freshman, Dioubate improved on those figures as a sophomore, contributing 7.2 points and 5.9 rebounds per outing. Hailing from Queens, New York, Dioubate was a four-star prospect in the 2023 class, per the 247Sports Composite rankings. He was the No. 25 power forward nationally that year. Dioubate announced his commitment to UK on April 7.
G Jaland Lowe (6-foot-3, 175 pounds): Lowe showcased his scoring prowess with regularity the past two seasons at Pittsburgh. In 63 appearances during that span, he totaled 10-plus points 43 times. That includes a dozen 20-plus-point outings, with a high of 28 in an overtime win at Ohio State. But he’s far more than just a scorer, as he posted only the sixth triple-double in the Panthers’ record book after totaling 11 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in a win over VMI. Lowe netted All-ACC third-team laurels in 2024-25 after averaging 16.8 points, 5.5 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game. He committed to UK on April 5.
C Reece Potter (7-foot-1, 215 pounds): Potter appeared in 56 games in two seasons at Miami of Ohio, with 11 starts. All of those starts occurred during his freshman campaign (2023-24), however, as he came off the bench in the 30 games he participated in last season. He finished his time with the RedHawks with averages of 6.3 points and 3.4 rebounds in 15.7 minutes per outing. His height belies his long-range touch, as he’s a knock-down shooter beyond the 3-point arc. Potter has made 39.8% (37 for 93) of his 3-point attempts as a collegian, including 45.5% (15 of 33) in 2023-24. He committed to the Wildcats on May 5. It will be a homecoming for Potter: He’s from Lexington and was a standout for Lexington Catholic High School. He averaged 17.9 points and 8.7 rebounds per game during his senior season, guiding the team to a 32-3 overall record. A statewide vote of boys basketball coaches placed Potter on the The Courier Journal’s Kentucky All-State first team for the 2022-23 KHSAA season.
F Jayden Quaintance (6-foot-9, 225 pounds): Quaintance is no stranger to UK and its fan base: In November 2023, he committed to the Wildcats, at a time when longtime coach John Calipari still held the keys to the program. But once Calipari relinquished his post to take over at Arkansas, Quaintance’s interest in Kentucky dissipated. He received a release from his national letter of intent and signed with Arizona State. One of the most highly regarded prospects in the 2024 class, Quaintance played up to the billing last season — when healthy. Multiple injuries limited him to only 24 games during the 2024-25 campaign. But he excelled when he was on the court, leading the Big 12 in blocks per game (2.6) and topping the Sun Devils in rebounds per outing (7.9) en route to netting All-Defensive Team and All-Freshman Team laurels from conference head coaches. Quaintance played all of last season as a 17-year-old, making him the youngest player in college hoops. His immense potential makes him one of the most captivating players in the sport next season; ESPN has Quaintance going off the board among the top five picks in the 2026 NBA Draft. He was UK’s fourth transfer portal commitment this offseason, giving his pledge April 8.
G/F Kam Williams (6-foot-8, 195 pounds): Williams became the first transfer commitment for the Wildcats’ 2025-26 squad on March 28, hours before the team’s Big Dance battle versus Tennessee. An uber-athletic wing, Williams averaged 9.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1 block per game for Tulane during the 2024-25 season. He also was an All-American Athletic Conference Freshman Team selection after pacing the Green Wave in 3-point percentage (41.2; 63 for 153).
F Andrija Jelavic (6-foot-11, 220 pounds): One of the NBA draft’s best international prospects who played in Europe in 2024-25, the 20-year-old Jelavic joined UK’s 2025 recruiting class April 12. A Croatian, Jelavic has spent the past two seasons with Mega Superbet, a Serbian team that is part of the Adriatic League. During his 53 appearances with Mega Superbet, he averaged 10.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.2 steals in 30 minutes per game. Last season, Jelavic connected on more than half of his field-goal attempts (50.3; 92 for 183), with a conversion rate of 32.3 (21 of 65) on 3-pointers.
G Jasper Johnson (6-foot-4, 174 pounds): Johnson, a Lexington native, is a UK legacy. His father, Dennis Johnson, once starred for the Wildcats’ football team along the defensive line. (The elder Johnson now is Woodford County’s athletics director and head football coach.) Jasper Johnson committed to Kentucky on Sept. 5 during a ceremony at Woodford County High. Jasper led Woodford County to the KHSAA Sweet 16 in 2023 — the school’s first appearance in the event since 1986 — before transferring to national prep powerhouse Link Academy. He finished his last season of high school basketball competing in the Overtime Elite league in Atlanta. Johnson is considered a five-star prospect by ESPN, while Rivals, 247Sports and On3 gave him four stars. Per the 247Sports Composite, Johnson ranks No. 18 nationally — and No. 5 among shooting guards — in the 2025 cycle.
C Malachi Moreno (6-foot-11, 230 pounds): Moreno got the Wildcats’ 2025 recruiting class off the ground Aug. 19, announcing his commitment during a ceremony at Great Crossing High in Georgetown. Now a McDonald’s All-American, Moreno was named Kentucky’s 2025 Mr. Basketball after averaging 21.5 points, 14.8 rebounds, 3.6 blocks and 3.5 assists per game during the regular season. He then propelled the school to its first state title in boys basketball, tallying 24 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks against Bowling Green in the championship game of the UK HealthCare Sweet 16 at Rupp Arena. Not surprisingly, Moreno won the Sweet 16 MVP award. Moreno entered the Sweet 16 with 2,392 points and 1,896 rebounds during his high school career, which began when he still was an eighth grader. Moreno clocks in as the No. 27 player nationally in 2025, per the 247Sports Composite — and the No. 2 center.
Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.
For most people, this time of year is about spending time with family and enjoying some well-earned time off, maybe with a glass of eggnog and a holiday movie.
That will be the case for most of the Boise State football squad, which earned itself a long Christmas break after winning the Mountain West championship for a third straight year and playing in the LA Bowl last weekend — one of the earliest postseason games on the schedule.
But for head coach Spencer Danielson and his staff, this time of year is also about keeping the football family together for the following season and trying not to let the stress ruin a visit from Old St. Nick.
Despite the fact that college football’s bowl season and playoffs go deep into January, the transfer portal opens on Jan. 2 and runs through Jan. 16. That means players who are looking to move are already declaring their intentions — whether their reason is playing time, money or location — and being courted by programs across the nation.
After Boise State’s berth in the College Football Playoff last year, which led to the Fiesta Bowl on New Year’s Eve, the Broncos had to contend with some players going to the portal, such as wide receiver Prince Strachan (USC), linebacker Andrew Simpson (UNC) and defensive tackle Braxton Fely, who ultimately returned.
Things are somewhat less stressful this year, but the next couple of weeks won’t be that restful, either.
Here’s where Boise State stands from a recruitment and Name, Image and Likeness standpoint as the Broncos look to retool for 2026.
How does Boise State approach NIL?
A big indicator of where Boise State stands in the new whirlwind of college athletics is how much NIL money the program is able to dish out. Unfortunately, like most programs, it is tight-lipped about spending power.
Former offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter said last January that Boise State’s 2024 NIL budget was just shy of $2 million. Given Boise State pocketed at least $3 million for traveling to the Fiesta Bowl, and there was $8 million paid to the Mountain West to be distributed among its teams, Danielson’s team likely saw a bump in its spending power.
Danielson said that Boise State would see an increase in NIL spending from 2025 to 2026, but that it’s still not enough.
“Is it where we absolutely need to be? No, there’s still a lot of meat on the bone; we need to continue to push,” Danielson said Wednesday. “But it is an increase from last season, and I’m excited to continue to do that in the years to come.”
Danielson said he and his staff are busy prepping for the portal — including working with current players to keep them — but they won’t actively meet with anyone until at least Jan. 2.
The coach said Wednesday that some teams are already reaching out to players and attempting to cut deals, but he has made it clear that Boise State will play by the rules and not be involved in underhanded activity.
“If someone on social media says, ‘Hey, I’m going to transfer,’ we are going to log that to know, ‘Hey, blank player’s leaving, let’s look at some film and see,’” Danielson said. “But we are going to have zero communication with that young man until he’s on the board. … When the portal opens up on January 2, we can have communication.”
What is Boise State looking for in a transfer?
When asked which specific positions the Broncos might try to enhance throught the portal, Danielson again remained coy.
“We’re going to really look at it holistically, and we’ve got some spots left,” Danielson said. “I’m really, really proud of the class that we got coming in as freshmen, and we’ve got a few spots left that we’ll be looking at the transfer portal for.”
He added that the program is also evaluating junior college players, but isn’t going to “recruit a lot of them.”
Danielson already said BSU would not pursue a quarterback, putting his trust in starter Maddux Madsen and primary backup Max Cutforth, as well as the incoming freshmen.
Speculating on some of the team’s other needs, a veteran wide receiver is probably on the wish list. The only upperclassman set to return in 2026 is redshirt junior Chris Marshall. Behind him are exciting but more inexperienced underclassmen Cam Bates, Quinton Brown and Qumonte Williams Jr.
A good chunk of the starting offensive line needs to be replaced, with starting left tackle Kage Casey heading to the NFL Draft, and center-turned-left-tackle Mason Randolph and backup-turned-starting-center Zach Holmes both graduating.
Team captain Marco Notarainni is graduating at linebacker, but redshirt sophomore Boen Phelps made big leaps in 2025. Still, depth at that position is always crucial.
Players declare for the NFL Draft
Casey announced his intention to declare for the draft and opted out of Boise State’s LA Bowl loss to Washington. Casey didn’t even travel with the team to Southern California, and Danielson confirmed on Wednesday that he decided to keep Casey away from the team to avoid any distractions.
Fifth-year cornerback A’Marion McCoy, who missed the last month of the season with an injury, announced on his Instagram that he was declaring for the draft as well. McCoy ended the 2025 season with four interceptions, including a three-game streak of interceptions through October.
Junior safety Ty Benefield also could try to make it in the NFL. Benefield filed paperwork with the league last week to receive a draft projection and make a decision, and Danielson has said he will support whatever the team’s leading tackler from 2025 wants to do.
“It’s not a question of if he would be drafted, it’s a question of when,” Danielson said. “And he and his family are going to go through it and pray through it, and we’re going to go through that process in the next few weeks.”
Are any players leaving Boise State?
Several backups already have announced their intention to enter the transfer portal, including redshirt junior kick specialist Jarrett Reeser and redshirt junior offensive tackle Hall Schmidt.
Danielson said he doesn’t expect any major players to attempt to leave the program. One player who could be a target of other programs with lots of NIL money to spend is Benefield, but Danielson is confident that won’t happen if he decided to return for another college football season.
“I do believe that Ty and his family know, through how he’s been able to develop here, how he’s been able to play, the amount of NFL attention he has right now,” Danielson said. “If he decides not to go to the NFL, I believe that we would absolutely have a really good shot to keep him here, because he knows the best thing for his long-term future is being here.”
Danielson also has repeatedly said that a large chunk of the program’s NIL budget goes toward retaining and rewarding current players.
Boise State currently operates a tiered NIL model that provides a consistent package for players based on where the coaching staff believes each player is developmentally. Some of those groups include “guys that haven’t played, to played a little bit, to guys that are on the rise, to guys that are all-league,” Danielson said.
“I believe we’re going to find a way to give our guys really good offers. But more importantly, I need them to want to be here.”
Shaun Goodwin
Idaho Statesman
NIL
WATCH | Ole Miss AD Keith Carter on College Football Playoffs, SEC Schedule, NIL, Rev Share and more
OXFORD, Miss. — The Rebel Walk’s Kam Wicker and Zach Moreth sat down this week with Ole Miss Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics Keith Carter for an episode of The Rebel Talk, covering a wide range of topics relevant to Rebel fans.
Carter discussed the evolving landscape of college athletics, including NIL, revenue sharing, and the College Football Playoff, offering insight into where Ole Miss fits in a rapidly changing environment.
The Rebels’ athletics director also provided additional details on Ole Miss’ recent Request for Proposals (RFP), which seeks a development team to lead a transformative, multi-asset public-private partnership aimed at reshaping the areas surrounding Vaught-Hemingway Stadium and the campus edge.
In addition to the business of college athletics, Carter shared a more personal side, giving the hosts a glimpse into how he spends what little free time he has away from the office.
WATCH the full episode below:
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Evelyn Van Pelt
Evelyn has covered sports for over two decades, beginning her journalism career as a sports writer for a newspaper in Austin, Texas. She attended Texas A&M and majored in English. Evelyn’s love for Ole Miss began when her daughter Katie attended the university on a volleyball scholarship. Evelyn created the Rebel Walk in 2013 and has served as publisher and managing editor since its inception. Email Evie at: Evie@TheRebelWalk.com
Brendan Sorsby, a redshirt junior who split his first two years at Indiana before transferring to Cincinnati in 2024, posted an efficient, productive 2025 season.
In 12 games, he threw for 2,800 passing yards with 27 passing touchdowns and five interceptions, plus 580 rushing yards and nine rushing scores, making him among the more complete dual-threat QBs in the country.
Unfortunately for the Bearcats, he informed Cincinnati of his intent to enter the NCAA transfer portal on Monday and is also awaiting an NFL draft grade while he gauges options.
Brendan Sorsby’s public NIL profile ranks him among the higher-valued transfer assets nationally, with a reported valuation of around $2.4 million, ranking 12th among all NCAA athletes in 2025.
As college football’s winter transfer market quickens, Tennessee has now been connected to Sorsby, according to reporting by On3’s Pete Nakos.
The link arrives as the Vols’ quarterback picture for 2026 grows murky, creating a plausible landing spot for a veteran signal-caller.
Tennessee starter Joey Aguilar closed the 2025 regular slate with 3,444 passing yards, 24 TDs, and 11 INTs, but the depth chart behind him has thinned.
Backup Jake Merklinger has reportedly told staff he plans to enter the portal, and the only experienced alternatives are true freshmen and early enrollees such as George MacIntyre and incoming five-star signee Faizon Brandon.
That combination leaves Tennessee weighing whether to chase an established transfer or roll with youth.
Several other programs, including Big Ten and Big 12 teams, have also been linked to Sorsby, notably Indiana, Oregon, Penn State, and Texas Tech.
Sorsby’s decision will likely hinge on three factors: NFL feedback on his draft prospects, immediate playing opportunity, and a clear path to a starting role.
Tennessee checks two of those boxes: potential playing time if depth erodes and a high-usage offense, though competition from programs willing to offer larger NIL guarantees remains a factor.
Expect conversations and movement to heat up with the portal opening on January 2, 2025.
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COLUMBUS, Ohio — Receiver Jeremiah Smith, safety Caleb Downs and defensive tackle Kayden McDonald have earned first-team All-American honors from all five major publications this postseason, officially making them unanimous selections.
In doing so, the collection of stars helped Ohio State football set a record.
The Buckeyes now have a college-football best 42 unanimous All-Americans in program history.
Alabama, which entered the season with a record 41 unanimous selections, had none. Notre Dame, which was tied with OSU at 39 coming into the season, had two (Jeremiyah Love, Leonard Moore).
This is the first time Ohio State has ever had three unanimous selections in the same year.
| Five major All-American publications |
|---|
| Walter Camp Football Foundation |
| Associated Press |
| American Football Coaches Association |
| Sporting News |
| Football Writers Association of America |
Downs is the first defensive player in program history to earn multiple unanimous All-American honors.
He’s in his second campaign at OSU after transferring from Alabama. Along with his All-American honors, Downs won the Lott IMPACT Trophy and Jim Thorpe Award this year.
Smith is also in his second season with the Buckeyes after arriving as one of the most highly-touted recruits in program history. He’s lived up to the hype, highlighted by his 80 receptions for 1,086 yards and 11 touchdowns this season.
McDonald has been a fixture in the middle of Ohio State’s defensive line, collecting 57 tackles, three sacks and two forced fumbles. He’s anchored a unit allowing only 84.46 rushing yards per game.
FOX Sports analyst Joel Klatt drew instant scrutiny this week when he made the claim that the only reason the Group of Five was in the College Football Playoff was the threat of litigation. He also suggested, in a parallel vein, that the NCAA basketball tournament isn’t an effective way to crown a champion in the sport.
He railed against Cinderellas a bit and just generally came off seeming a touch antagonistic toward both college basketball and the G5. On Thursday, he apologized for his delivery.
“I had an interesting take. It was a bad take. It was a terrible take,” Joel Klatt said on The Joel Klatt Show. “I have this take about the NCAA Tournament that is a bad take. And it’s a hot take. But it’s what I believe about the NCAA Tournament.
“Now, to be fair, what I said on their show on Monday morning early was sloppy and worded wrong. So it was kind of like I landed the plane but it was in a corn field and so like we had to hit the eject and the plane didn’t crash necessarily. Here’s the deal: I did not articulate what I wanted to articulate.”
He later spent a few minutes on his podcast further outlining his thoughts on Thursday morning. But has his stance really changed?
“Here’s the take: The NCAA basketball tournament, if the objective was to crown the best basketball team of the college basketball season, then it’s a bad format,” Klatt said. “And because of that, then it’s not fair, is what I said. And I said it is a joke and it’s the dumbest, and that’s obviously going to grab headlines. That’s stupid of me to use those terms.
“But the structure of the NCAA basketball tournament, its objective is entertainment, it’s meant to be a gauntlet. So the point is the best college basketball team for the year doesn’t always win the NCAA basketball tournament. That tournament is set up to just crown its own champion. It’s a made-for-TV, entertainment event. And it’s great. And by the way, I do love the NCAA basketball tournament. But if you’re asking me if it’s structured properly to crown the best team of the season, then the answer is no.”
Klatt would admit his opinion is unpopular. But he was unflinching in defending the heart of his point, even if not his delivery of the initial comments.
“Now… it’s a hot take. It’s a bad take,” Klatt said. “Not everyone’s going to share that with me, because everyone loves the entertainment value of Cinderellas in the NCAA basketball tournament. But there’s the thing, if you’re actually honest with yourself, you love the Cinderellas early, but late, you want to see the best teams playing against each other. You want to see incredible regional finals. You want to see Kentucky and Duke with (Christian) Laettner hitting it at the buzzer. Why? Because that’s greatness. So I root for good teams to become the participants late in the tournament.”
Here’s where the argument starts to come back around to the Group of Five and the College Football Playoff a little more. The links that were perhaps missing or not well-enough established in Joel Klatt’s initial go-round were filled in.
“In college football, ours is much more selective. We have 12 teams of 130-whatever in college football,” Klatt said. “So once we’re down to 12, well, now we don’t really want Cinderellas. And I will maintain that opinion. You can disagree and more power to you.”
As for the NCAA basketball tournament, perhaps it was just a case of Joel Klatt conflating two ideas and two different opinions that didn’t need to intersect. Maybe.
Still, the analyst stuck to his guns on his overall points. Especially with the G5 in the playoff.
“The way I said it on Monday morning was so dumb. Dumb take,” Klatt said. “And I prefaced it by saying it’s like the hottest of all takes. There’s 68 teams in the NCAA basketball tournament. So yeah, people love the Cinderellas, but you want the great teams playing late. That makes it awesome in the Final Four and the regional finals. And I’m saying we’re already at that point in college football.”
So what should the Group of Five do if they’re no longer welcome in the playoff? Well, Klatt suggested an alternative. It’s likely to be controversial. But it’s not something totally out of the realm of possibility, either.
“By the way, I’m not a Group of Five hater,” Klatt said. “I think it would be better for the Group of Five if they played their own championship, so that we could celebrate them. Focus on them. More teams could be involved, more fanbases could be involved. That would be awesome. I think that would be great for everyone. Not having to go up to Autzen and face one of the best five teams in the country. That’s impossible for JMU. … I will just say I think it would be better if they played their own playoff.”
BATON ROUGE, La. – Marshall Faulk continues to assemble a staff with deep Power Four ties, as the HBCU program at Southern University prepares to hire Ben Miles, the son of former LSU head coach Les Miles, as tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator.
The move was first reported by Matt Zenitz of CBSSports and represents another notable addition to Faulk’s growing staff in Baton Rouge. For Miles, the hire marks a return to Louisiana and a new chapter inside Black college football.
Ben Miles arrives at Southern after serving as a graduate assistant at Florida State, where he gained experience working within one of college football’s most resource-rich environments. Before joining the Seminoles, Miles worked on staff at Texas A&M, adding further exposure to high-level recruiting operations and player development.
Now, he brings that experience to an HBCU setting under one of the most recognizable figures in football.
A Baton Rouge Return
The hire carries added symbolism because of Miles’ family ties. His father, Les Miles, spent more than a decade as head coach at LSU, leading the Tigers to a national championship in 2007 and becoming one of the most recognizable figures in the program’s history.
While Ben Miles is carving out his own coaching path, his return to Baton Rouge places him back in a city deeply connected to his football roots. This time, however, the setting is Southern University, where Faulk is working to elevate the Jaguars’ profile nationally.
Recruiting Emphasis
In addition to coaching tight ends, Miles is expected to serve as Southern’s recruiting coordinator. That role aligns with Faulk’s stated emphasis on expanding Southern’s reach in modern recruiting landscapes shaped by NIL, facilities, and national visibility.
Athletics Director Roman Banks has been clear that Southern must compete differently in today’s college football environment. Adding staff members with Power Five experience supports that goal and enhances Southern’s credibility with prospects and families.
Miles’ background at Florida State and Texas A&M provides insight into recruiting operations at the highest level. That knowledge could prove valuable as Southern seeks to attract and retain talent in an increasingly competitive space.
Staff For Marshall Faulk Takes Shape
Since being introduced as head coach, Marshall Faulk has leaned heavily on relationships, trust, and experience while building his staff. The additions of Todd Lyght and now Ben Miles reflect a blend of NFL pedigree, Power Five exposure, and long-term developmental focus.
Southern is not simply filling roles. The Jaguars are assembling a staff designed to teach, recruit, and compete with purpose.
As Faulk’s first season approaches, each hire adds another layer to what is becoming one of the most closely watched coaching transitions in the HBCU football landscape.
The post Marshall Faulk adds Les Miles’ son to football staff appeared first on HBCU Gameday.
HBCU Gameday
This story was originally published December 18, 2025 at 2:25 PM.
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