DALLAS — Conference USA (CUSA) has announced that the 2026 CUSA Football Kickoff and Media Days are slated for July 20-21, at the Texas Live! Arena and the Loews Arlington Hotel & Convention Center in Arlington, Texas.
FIU will be represented by Head Coach Willie Simmons, Quarterback JJ Kohl and 2025 CUSA All-Freshman Team Defensive Back Shamir Sterlin.
This trio of Panthers will participate in a packed two days that will consist of a live ESPN+ show (July 20), hosted by ESPN's Mike Corey at the Texas Live! Arena, along with traditional press conferences and media availability (July 21).
Simmons led FIU to a historic campaign in his first season in the '305', taking the Panthers to a bowl game for the first time since 2019. Simmons' bunch ended the regular season on a four-game winning streak and looks to parlay that momentum into a title charge in 2026.
Kohl, a highly-regarded transfer quarterback, can be expected to be the starting signal-caller for FIU in 2026, bringing experience and size with his 6-7 frame. In 2025, Kohl passed for 1,465 yards and 12 touchdowns, completing 61.6 percent of his attempts as a member of App State.
Sterlin continues to improve as a standout player in the secondary, earning both All-Freshman and Honorable Mention All-CUSA status following a breakout 2025 campaign. The Port St. Lucie, Fla.-native had 65.0 tackles, fourth-most for FIU, along with two interceptions and four pass breakups while starting in 12 games.
Specific times for the live ESPN+ show will be announced at a later date. A full list of participants for all CUSA institutions is below.
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Team
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Head Coach
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Offensive Player
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Defensive Player
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Delaware
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Ryan Carty
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QB Nick Minicucci
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DE Noah Matthews
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FIU
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Willie Simmons
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QB JJ Kohl
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S Shamir Sterlin
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Jax State
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Charles Kelly
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QB Caden Creel
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S Caleb Nix
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Kennesaw State
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Jerry Mack
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OL Nikola Milovac
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LB Baron Hopson
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Liberty
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Jamey Chadwell
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TE Caleb Ryan
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LB Derrell Farrar
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Missouri State
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Casey Woods
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TE Jeron Askren
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LB Jared Lloyd
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MTSU
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Derek Mason
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QB Roman Gagliano
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P Ashton Logan
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NM State
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Tony Sanchez
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WR TK King
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DL Henry Davis
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Sam Houston
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Phil Longo
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QB Landyn Locke
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LB Dean Ford
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WKU
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Tyson Helton
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OL Karsten Upchurch
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S Jaylen Lewis
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SOCIAL MEDIA
Get all the latest information on the team by following @FIU.Football on Instagram and @FIUFootball on Twitter and Facebook. General athletic news can also be found at @FIUSports on Facebook and @FIUAthletics on Twitter and Instagram.
ABOUT TEXAS LIVE!
Texas Live! is a premier $250 million entertainment, dining, and hospitality destination located in the heart of Arlington, Texas. Developed in partnership between the Texas Rangers and The Cordish Companies, the 200,000-square-foot complex serves as a central hub for sports fans and visitors, situated directly between AT&T Stadium and Globe Life Field.
