by The Extra Point Staff, Western Kentucky University

The Hilltopper Football season ended on a sour note with a loss to James Madison University in the Boca Raton Bowl. With WKU losing 4 of their last 5 games, and the transfer portal opening to players, questions have already been raised regarding the roster’s status for the 2025 season.

The Extra Point gathered a full list of players who have made commitments, entered the portal, departed due to graduation, or declared for the NFL Draft. This page also includes movements for WKU Football coaching staff. EP will keep this article up-to-date with any future changes and movements. All updates can be found here.

STAFF CHANGES/ADDITIONS

HC Tyson Helton – 4-Year Contract Extension (through 2028 season)

DC Tyson Summers – Signed to Colorado State (Defensive Coordinator)

Assistant DB Coach Brayden Herdic – Signed to Colorado State (Safeties Coach)

Co-OC & QB Coach Drew Hollingshead – Signed to Coastal Carolina (Offensive Coordinator)

Offensive Quality Coach Caedon Malone – Signed to Coastal Carolina (Offense/QB Analyst)

Secondary Coach Da’Von Brown – Promoted to WKU Co-Defensive Coordinator (Play-caller)

LB Coach Davis Merritt – Promoted to WKU Co-Defensive Coordinator

Defensive Line Coach Carson Hall – Signed to Baylor University (Outside Linebackers Coach)

Analyst Grant Chesnut – Signed to Colorado State (Tight End Coach)

Carson Burgess – Hired as WKU Quality Coach (UNC Football Alumni) 

Matthew Giampa – Hired as WKU Offensive Quality Coach & Assistant QB Coach (formerly Abilene Christian)

KaRon White – Hired as DL Graduate Assistant Coach (formerly App. State) 

Rick Bowie – Hired as WKU Quarterback Coach (formerly Abilene Christian)

Jason Barnes – Hired as WKU Wide Receiver Coach (formerly UNC Charlotte) 

Dean Shaffer – Hired as WKU Safeties Assistant Coach (formerly Hawai’i)

Jimmy Lindsey – (Expected) Hired as WKU Defensive Line Coach (formerly University of South Carolina)

Bryan Applewhite – (Expected) Hired as WKU Running Backs Coach (formerly University of Buffalo)

SIGNED PLAYERS/COMMITMENTS

QB – Maverick McIvor (Abilene Christian University Transfer)

WR – Dylan Vickerson (Creekside High School, Georgia)

WR – Brandon Buckhaulter (UAB Transfer)

WR – Kody Epps (BYU Transfer)

WR – Jarius Mack (UNC Charlotte Transfer)

WR – Matthew Henry (Western Illinois Transfer)

WR – Kelby Williams (Old Dominion Transfer)

RB – La-Vell Wright (Austin Peay Transfer)

RB – Elijah Rumph (Eden Prairie High School, Missouri)

RB – Marvis Parrish (Lowndes High School, Georgia)

RB – Treyvion Hall (NJCAA Transfer… Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College)

TE – Jackson West (Florida State Transfer)

TE – Justin Wolf (Kansas State Transfer)

TE – Trace Patterson (NJCAA Transfer… Feather River College)

OL – Hackman Pierre (NJCAA Transfer… Southwest Mississippi Community College)

OL – Jaylin Rogers (NJCAA Transfer… Holmes Community College)

OL – Jackson Dialls (Frederick Douglas High School, Kentucky)

OL – Jemeil Jackson (Central Michigan Transfer)

OL – Isiah Stoudamire (Stebbins High School, Ohio)

OL – Laurence Seymore (Akron Transfer)

OL – Max Thurston (NJCAA Transfer… Georgia Military College)

OL – Weston Wallace (Georgia Southern Transfer)

OL – Tank Williams (Kent State Transfer)

DL – Jayden Gray (Louisiana Tech Transfer)

DL – Al Sandifer (NJCAA Transfer… Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College)

DL – Kaiaulu Micatrotto (Brentwood High School, Tennessee)

DL – Sekou Peters (Westlake High School, Georgia)

DL – Jakeem Fletcher (Alabama State University Transfer)

DL – Venson Sneed Jr. (University of Indiana Transfer)

DL – Eric Etienne (Norfolk State Transfer)

DL – Rylen Su’a-Filo (Southern Utah Transfer)

DL – Mackavelli Malotumau (Nevada Transfer)

LB – Kennon Loftin (Jones College Transfer)

LB – Jordan Donald (Perry High School, Georgia)

LB – Montreze Smith Jr. (Duke Transfer)

LB – Dominic Oliver (San Diego State Transfer)

DB – Dylan Flowers (NJCAA Transfer… College of the Canyons)

DB – Korbyn Green (NJCAA Transfer… Hutchinson Community College)

DB – Braxton Myers (Southern Miss Transfer)

DB – Jaylen Lewis (Temple University Transfer)

DB –  DB Jaavan Mack (UNC Charlotte Transfer)

DB – Jalen Emery (Houston Transfer)

DE/TE – Cross Nimmo (Lake Catholic High School… Ohio)

DE – Sharlandin (Zaqq) Strange (Miami Carol City High School… Florida)

K – John Cannon (University of South Florida Transfer)

GRADUATES/NFL DRAFT

RB – Elijah Young (NFL Draft)

WR – Dalvin Smith (NFL Draft)

WR – Bryce Childress

WR – Kisean Johnon

WR – Michael Mathison

TE – Trevor Borland

TE/OL – Colton Cable

OL – Blake Austin

OL – Quantavious Leslie

OL – Mike Ondelacy

OL – Travon Taylor

OL – Stacey Wilkins

K – Riley Stephens

DL – Terrion Thompson (NFL Draft)

DB – Upton Stout (NFL Draft)

• • Reese’s Senior Bowl Participant

DB – Anthony Johnson Jr.

DB – Devonte’ Matthews (NFL Draft)

DB – Keyshawn Swanson (NFL Draft)

DE – Zach Edwards

LB – Sebastian Benjamin (NFL Draft)

LB – Terreance Ellis (NFL Draft)

LB – Nathan Griffin

LB – Kylan Guidry

LB – Devon Lynch

LB – Chandler Matthews

LB – Keondre Williams (NFL Draft)

LS – Drew Wilson

TRANSFER PORTAL PLAYERS

QB – TJ Finley

• • Transferred → Tulane

QB – Caden Veltkamp 

• • Transferred → Florida Atlantic University

QB – Turner Helton 

• • Transferred → Georgia Southern

WR – Demick Starling

• • Transferred → Utah State

WR – Jarvis Hayes

WR – Moussa Barry

• • Staying with WKU

WR – Denzil Alleyne

WR – Easton Messer

• • Transferred → Florida Atlantic University

WR – Jaylen Hampton

• • Transferred → Charlotte

WR – Koy Moore

• • Transferred → UNLV

RB – LT Sanders

• • Transferred → North Alabama

RB – Donovan Jones

TE – River Helms

• • Transferred → Georgia Southern

TE – Elvin Fofanah

• • Transferred → Gardner-Webb

K – Lucas Carneiro

• • Transferred → Ole Miss

OL – Marshall Jackson 

• • Staying with WKU

OL – Wesley Horton

OL – Darrell Johnson

• • Transferred → Akron

OL – Leavy Johnson

OL – Michael Moment

OL – Rodney Newsom Jr.

• • Transferred → South Carolina (USC)

OL – Evan Wibberley

• • Transferred → University of Kentucky

DL – Jalil Rivera-Harvey 

• • Transferred → Marshall

DL – Hosea Wheeler

• • Transferred → Indiana

DL – Dallas Walker

• • Transferred → Auburn

DL – Jayden Loving

• Transferred → Wake Forest

LB – Darius Thomas 

• • Transferred → Louisville

LB – Reid Jamerson

DE – Marcus Patterson

• • Transferred → Kennesaw State

DE – Deante McCray

• • Transferred → Florida State University (FSU)

DB – Alexander Ford

• • Transferred → Kennesaw State

DB – Jaymar Mundy

• • Transferred → University of Ohio

DB – Dave Herard

CB – DeMarko Williams

• • Visiting Mississippi State

For further updates and news on Western Kentucky Football, and WKU Athletics, follow our social media sites at the link(s) below.

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