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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.
Team
Head Coach
Offensive Player
Defensive Player
Delaware
Ryan Carty
QB Nick Minicucci
DE Noah Matthews
FIU
QB JJ Kohl
Jax State
Charles Kelly
QB Caden Creel
S Caleb Nix
Kennesaw State
Jerry Mack
OL Nikola Milovac
LB Baron Hopson
Liberty
Jamey Chadwell
TE Caleb Ryan
LB Derrell Farrar
Missouri State
Casey Woods
TE Jeron Askren
LB Jared Lloyd
MTSU
Derek Mason
QB Roman Gagliano
P Ashton Logan
NM State
Tony Sanchez
WR TK King
DL Henry Davis
Sam Houston
Phil Longo
QB Landyn Locke
LB Dean Ford
WKU
Tyson Helton
OL Karsten Upchurch
S Jaylen Lewis
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.