Roundup: Tuesday, December 24th
A monumental NCAA waiver, a new transfer commit, and the official introduction of a defensive staffer.
Programming note: no roundup tomorrow.
NCAA
The NCAA has:
“granted a waiver to permit student-athletes who attended and competed at a non-NCAA school for one or more years to remain eligible and compete in 2025-26 if those student-athletes would have otherwise used their final season of competition during the 2024-25 academic year, and meet all other eligibility requirements.”
In simpler terms, athletes scheduled to exhaust their eligibility during the 2024-2025 academic year who spent time at a non-NCAA school — e.g. JUCO or NAIA — will be allowed to continue competing next year.
At the moment, this decision only applies to athletes scheduled to exhaust their eligibility this year. As Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports posted: “For now, other junior college or NAIA athletes would continue on their normal eligibility course. Emphasis on *for now.*”
The decision comes as a response to the recent injunction a Tennessee federal court granted in favor of Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia that prevents the NCAA from counting Pavia’s two junior college seasons against his eligibility. In the interest of competitive balance, the NCAA allowed every athlete in Pavia’s position to retain their eligibility next season.
This most notably affects UAB basketball, as F Yaxel Lendeborg, F Christian Coleman, G Alejandro Vasquez, G Tyren Moore, and G Greg Gordon are now eligible to return next year. On the football side of things, it seems as though RB Isaiah Jacobs, OL Quez Yates, LB Michael Moore, QB Carter Putt, LB Joker Gill, and TE Bryce Damous will have the option to come back.
FOOTBALL
The Blazers snagged their fourth transfer commitment of the cycle yesterday, picking up former FIU tight end Antonio Ferguson.
6’3”, 225 lbs — two years of eligibility remaining
Ferguson, an Apopka, Florida native, started his career at East Carolina in 2023, where he appeared in six games but caught no passes. He transferred to FIU last season, playing in all 12 of the Panthers’ games and catching seven passes for 90 yards and a touchdown. Ferguson received an offer from UAB on December 10th, took an official visit to Birmingham the next week, and chose the Blazers over South Alabama, UTEP, and others.
Ferguson joins former Iowa WR Kaleb Brown, former Wingate (DII) WR Evan McCray, and former Arkansas TE Var’Keyes Gumms as the inaugural members of UAB’s 2024 transfer class. In a wide-open tight end room losing its top three contributors, Ferguson will compete with likely starter Gumms for playing time.
In other UAB football news:
Former Alabama State defensive coordinator Ryan Lewis has officially been added to Trent Dilfer’s staff.
Lewis was a standout linebacker at Bethune-Cookman in the early 2010s and enjoyed a brief NFL career.
Before his 2022 arrival at Alabama State, Lewis spent time as a defensive coordinator at DII Edward Waters College and as a quality control coach and linebackers/special teams coach at Bethune-Cookman.
According to Footballscoop’s Zach Barnett, “Lewis is regarded as one of the rising stars in the profession after a 3-year stint at ASU that saw the Hornets post numerous top-10 rankings in FCS. Alabama State has ranked among the top 10 nationally in scoring defense each of the past three seasons.”
UAB DB AJ Brown announced his withdrawal from the transfer portal yesterday.
Brown had been in the portal since December 14th.
A redshirt sophomore, Brown signed with the Blazers out of Marietta, Georgia’s Walton High School in 2022.
He enjoyed a breakout season in 2024, finishing the year with 31 total tackles, one sack, two tackles for loss, one interception, and one pass breakup.
Brown’s return brings the number of UAB players in the portal down to 29 from 30. A full list can be found at The Banner.
The list is missing DT Miquon Merriweather, who entered the portal a day after it was published.