2026 FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL MEDIA GUIDE
COACH STAFF
The Panthers coming off their best season since 2018, will look to make history once again under 2nd Year Head Coach Matt Miller.. Miller made a bold move at the end of the season firing his DC bringing Malcom Brooks who has South Florida ties (pipeline). OC Charles Clement returns to help guide a Panther Offense that led the nation with (245) 1st Downs last year and a Passing Offense that finished 2nd CUSA play and 13th in the nation well also averaging 33.7 PPG.
THE SCHEDULE
FIU has a bit more of a balanced schedule this season playing 6 games at home in Pittbull Stadium and 6 road matchup's. However 4 of those home games will come in the first 5 weeks of the season including a pair of Top-25 matchups as FIU will host #24 Miami and former Panther HC Mario Christobal in the City Championship as well as Coach Miller's former team the #16 ranked Boise Broncos in Week 4 (the CPU scheduled the game and I just kept it).. Here is a look at the full schedule
Week 0- vs #24 Miami (Rivalry Game-City Championship)
Week 1- @ USF (Rivalry Matchup)
Week 2- @ Coastal Carolina
Week 3- vs FAU (Rivalry Game-Shula Bowl)
Week 4- vs #16 Boise State (Miller faces former team)
Week 5- vs Marshall
Week 6- "Bye"
Week 7 @ James Madison
Week 8 vs Appalachian State
Week 9 vs East Carolina
Week 10 @ Old Dominion
Week 11 @ Charlotte
Week 12 "Bye"
Week 13 vs #25 Liberty (Senior Night)
THE ROSTER
FIU will go into the season with 75 players (42 Offense/31 Defense/2 ST) including 13 Seniors, 14 Juniors, 19 Soph's and a combined 29 Freshman (Red and True). Of those 75 players 59 are from the State of Florida and 16 of those are from Miami.
QB
SR QB Keyone Jenkins (83 Ovr)
"Jenkins returns as a 4th year starter, as he looks to cement his name further into the FIU history books"
SR QB Brady Allen (77 Ovr)
"The Louisville 3* Transfer didn't complete a pass last season for the Cardinals but gives Coach Miller another option should Jenkins miss any time"
SO Clayton Dees (77 Ovr)
"Dees spent last season as the team's #2 but never played a snap. He currently the front runner to replace Jenkins next season, so look for Dee's to get some PT this year should FIU find itself with a lead in the 4th Quarter"
RS FR Victor Ojukwu (69 Ovr)
"A 3* from the 2024 Class, Ojukwu redshirted last season and will look to pus Dee's for the starting job next year unless Coach Miller finds better option in the 2026 class"
(R) FR Tavarius Maijeh (68 Ovr)
"A late addition to the 2025 Class after original target Tim Graham signed with Florida State. Maijeh will redshirt this season and look to compete for the starting job next Fall or at worst the #2 job"
RB/FB
JR Cole Tabb (79 Ovr)
"The Stanford transfer will look to replace 1000 yd rusher Shomari Lawrence as he wins the RB1 job coming out of the Spring game. Tabb has 216 career carries (197 last year) for 792 yds (727 last year) and 10 TD's (9 last year)"
SR Cash Jones (74 Ovr)
"The former Georgia Bulldog transfered to Wyoming in 2025 where he rushed 45 times for 192 yds and 1 TD. Now he is looking to push Tabb and Showden for more carries giving Coach Miller another option in the run game. He also has the best hands of the group and will likely see action on 3rd down's and on Special teams"
JR TJ Snowden (76 Ovr)
"Snowden carried the ball 84 times for 303 yds (3.6 avg) with 5 TD's last season well also adding 15 rec for 85 yds. Listed at just 5'9 and 161 lbs (Tabb is 5'8 200 and Jones is 6'0 182), Snowden will look to carve out a role this year as the team's #2/3
(R) FR Isiah Dennis (70 Ovr)
"A 3* Recruit in the 2025 Class, Dennis is the biggest back on the roster listed at 5'10 226 lbs. He could see a move to FB next year"
(R) SO Jalen Haslam (67 Ovr)
"The 3* Athlete carried the ball just 1 time last year (0 yds) but did play a vital role in on Special teams with 15 KR for 381 yds (23.8 avg) and 33
PR for 293 yds (8.9 avg). He will redshirt and hopes of securing a bigger role at RB in 2027"
(R) FR Titus Thompkins (67 Ovr)
"Another 3* Recruit from the 2025 Class, Thompkins could be the future feature back, as he boasts the most speed of this group (95)"
(R) SO Major Benshaw (65 Ovr)
"Like Haslam, Benshaw is a former 3* Athlete from the 2024 Class. Benshaw carried the ball 15 times for 67 yds (4.5 avg) well also serving as the teams other primary return man (28 KR 624 yds 22.3 Avg). However with the addition of Tabb and Jones, Benshaw will take advantage of being able to redshirt this season as he looks for a bigger role at RB next year"
SO Antonio Ferguson (76 Ovr)
"A former TE who moved to FB last year, returns to that role again this year. Listed at 6'3 225lbs, he could see some goal line carries after not getting a single carry in 2025"
WR/TE
RS FR Enrique Cortez (81 Ovr)
"The Star of the Spring Game (Training bumped 13 points). Cortez goes from Redshirt last year to pushing Lewis and Jones Jr for the rights to be called WR2"
RS JR Kyle McNeal (80 Ovr)
"McNeal took WR1 by storm last year posting school records for Receptions (80) and Yards (1337) well adding 8 TD's "
RS SR Victor Jones Jr (77 Ovr)
"The former Liberty Flame caught 14 TD's last season (52 rec 794 yds) With the best hands on the team (88 catch) he will most likely slide into the slot WR role this season."
RS JR JuJu Lewis (76 Ovr)
"Lewis caught 11 rec for 199 yds and 3 TD's in the Bowl win over WSU giving him the school record for most TD's in a season (11) finishing just 63 yds shy of a 1000 yd season (63 rec 937 yds). He will look to improve on those #'s but with Jones and Cortez in the mix it could be hard to do."
SO Faitele Okwara (73 Ovr)
"A 3* Recruit in the 2024 class, Okwara played a huge role last season stepping up as the team's #3 WR finishing the year with 57 rec for 749 yds and 9 TD's. He will not redshirt again this season despite falling to #5 on the depth chart. Hopefully Jenkins can find enough throws to go around to keep everyone happy."
(R) SO Kevin Osgood (71 Ovr)
"Like Okwara, Osgood another 3* Recruit from the 2024 class, played as a true freshman but didn't have a single reception. He will redshirt and hopes of earning a bigger role in 2026"
(R) FR Tyler Cisco (68 Ovr)
"1 of 2 4* Recruits in the 2025 Class, Panther fans had high hopes for Cisco but struggled to find his grove in the spring game and instead will take a year to redshirt with hopes of maybe replacing Jones Jr as the Slot WR next season"
(R) FR Terry Babineaux (61 Ovr)
"A late addition to the 2025 Class, this 3* looks liks a complete dud and will likely be a encouraged transfer next season"
FR Dominick Naanee (73 Ovr)
"The other 4* Recruit from the 2025 class will look to replace Rocky Beers as the teams #1 TE. Beers recorded over 50 rec for 700+ yards and 5 TD's last year, I think he has the talent to match those #'s"
SO Wayne Gutierrez (70 Ovr)
"A former 3* WR who moved to TE last year to backup Beers caught 7 balls for 92 yds (13.1 avg). He will be the team's #2 TE again this season.
FR Jose Malik (69 Ovr) and FR John Virgin (66 Ovr)
"Both 3* Recruits from the 2025 class, they will look to push Gutierrez for some snaps at TE2. I would expect 1 of them to potentially transition to FB next year.
O-LINE
Starting 5 will be
LT-RS JR Daniel Michel (82 Ovr)
LG RS JR Jaheim Buchanon (82 Ovr)
C-RS SR Jadarious Lee (71 Ovr)
RG RS SR-Naeer Jackson (81 Ovr)
RT-RS SR Jaleel Davis (80 Ovr)
With 3 of last year's start 5 gone to graduation it will be interesting to see how this new unit gels. Keyone Jenkins is a lefty, so well Michel is the new starter at LT, he doesn't protect the Blindside as Davis and Jackson return to anchor the right side.
The Reserves
RS SR Jackson Schutlze (76 Ovr) and RS JR Mykeal Rabess (75 Ovr) are the primary backups at Tackle.
RS FR Alex Hill (78 Ovr) and RS SO Jon Rodriguez (74 Ovr) will be the primary backups at Guard.
RS FR Wayen Merdiath (68 Ovr) is the primary backup Center well
RS FR's Tony Olszewski (67 Ovr) and
Tony Brewer (68 Ovr) provide additional Depth.
3* Recruits
Curt Cole (67 Ovr), Ramon Anzalone (67 Ovr), Terrance Bliss (64 Ovr), Dontae Penny (69 Ovr) and Casey Hodel (69 Ovr) will all
Redshirt this season as they look to carve out roles next year with 3 starters set to graduate.
D-LINE
Eddie Walls III is gone to graduation but
JR Germaine Carter (85 Ovr) is ready to take over. Carter had a huge spring (improved 10 points).after registering just 3 tackles last season.
RS SO Robert Williams (76 Ovr) and Wake Forest/FAU transfer
JR Wilky DeNaud (72 Ovr) will likely rotate at the other DE Spot.
DT looks to be a 3-Head moster with a
Trio of SR's looking to fill the spot as Coach Brooks brings in a new 3-3-5 Defense.
Steven Shannon (82 Ovr) has recorded 33 Tackles with 6 TFL and 4.5 sacks over the past 2 seasons.
RS SR Clinton Mahoni (76 Ovr) actually recorded 28 Tackles with 5.5 sacks last year and could actually factor into the rotation with Williams/DeNaud at DE.
RS SR Claude Larkins (73 Ovr) recorded even less stats then Shannon the past 2 years with just 6 Tackles (1 TFL) as a reserve.
LINEBACKERS
SR Percy Courtney JR (78 Ovr) played well last year as a fulltime starter recording 52 Tackles with 7 TFL and 5.0 Sacks well also picking off 1 INT.
JR Josiah Taylor (80 Ovr) also played well actually leading the team in Sacks with 10.5 finishing just 1/2 shy of tying Walls III school record of 11. Taylor also had 43 Tackles..
With Courtney and Taylor emerging as starters,
SR Alexander Phifer (72 Ovr) will move from a backup role at OLB to starting MLB replacing D. Nuno. Phifer had 13 Tackles last year as a reserve.
2 Players who had a huge Spring (Training increase) are
RS FR Xavier Mattison (62 to a 74) and
SO Ronnie McRae (57 to a 76). With the switch from a 4-2-5 to a 3-5-5 Defense both players should factor into some PT as they look to replace Courtney and Phifer in the starting lineup next year.
3* Recruits
Tevaughn Stewart (70) and Sam Truong (67) are both set to
Redshirt
SECONDARY
#1 CB Brian Blades and his team high 6 INT are gone, but the rest of the starting unit returns including
SO SS Sadonnie Gay (69 Ovr) who actually led the team in Tackles with 95 well also recording 3 INT's.
JR Mister Clark (83 Ovr) takes over as the teams CB1. Clark recorded 73 Tackles last year with 2 INT's and 7 Pass Deflections.
Fellow JR's
Preston Thompson (78 Ovr) and Dominick Mays (78) join them as CB2 and the FS this season. Thompson had 67 Tackles and 3 INT last year well Mays had 63 Tackles, 2 INT's and 7 Pass Deflections.
RS SO Rahiem Sexil (80 Ovr) played as the primary Dime back when FIU wen to a 6 DB set and ended up recording 61 Tackles with 1 INT and 6 Pass Deflections. With FIU staying with a 5 DB Base Defense, Sexiil will look to be the 5th starter but could b pused by fellow
RS SO Jaden Williams who had a huge Spring (Training went from a 70 to a 84 Overall)
Coach Miller landed 2-3* Transfers in the Portal in
RS SO's Ryan Robinson Jr (78 Ovr) and James Chenault (78 Ovr) they will join
RS JR Jamair Holliman (79 Ovr) and RS FR's Brian Wall (72 Ovr) and Blair DeLuca (70 Ovr) giving FIU some of the best depth at CB in the nation.
Robinson Jr played at Iowa State last year recording 21 Tackles well Chenault had 50 Tackles last season for USF.
3* Recruits
O. Beal (70 Ovr), TJ Everett (67 Ovr), Joshn Amador (64 Ovr), and Joey Cordero (67 Ovr) are all set to
Redshirt.
SPECIAL TEAMS
SO Issac Glennon (77 Ovr) returns for his 2nd season.. Glennon last year as a True Freshman converted 22/25 FG's and a perfect 52/52 XPT's. He had only 1 miss inside 50 yds and recorded 39 TB's out of 86 KO's.
SO Louis Myers (73 Ovr) returns as the team's Punter. Last season Myers had 55 Punts for 2322 yds (42.2 Avg) with a Net Avg of 35.6 yds and a long of 62 yards.
With Hollman and BenShaw currently Redshirting, FIU will debut 2 new players for Kick Returns and Punts this season. Currently Backup RB Cash Jones and SO WR Faitele Okwara have seen the bulk of the action. but reports are starting RB Cole Tabb is also pushing for reps and we could also see 4* Recruit Tyler Cisco potentially come in for at least 4 games to get in some PT reps.