A judge has shut the door on former Kansas defensive end Dean Miller’s bid for one more year of eligibility, ruling that he will not be able to suit up for UCF this season.
The decision came from an Orange County Ninth Circuit Court judge on August 25, 2026, leaving Miller without the extra season he had hoped to use with the Golden Knights.
Miller’s case stood out because he was not simply chasing an additional year under the newer 5-for-5 age-based framework. He was also trying to have his JUCO season at College of the Canyons ruled non-counting.
That same path worked for former Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia in December 2024, when he was granted another year. Pavia then put together a massive 2025 season, throwing for 3,539 yards and running for 862 more, while accounting for 39 total touchdowns and finishing second in the Heisman race for the 10-3 Commodores.
Miller arrived at Kansas after being rated the nation’s 60th-best JUCO prospect and the No. 8 edge rusher. Over three seasons with the Jayhawks, he produced 65 total tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and 7 sacks. Before last season, he was named to the preseason Athlon Sports All-Big 12 First Team after earning Second Team All-Big 12 honors in 2024.
His final year in Lawrence ended with 29 tackles, 4 tackles for loss and 1 sack as Kansas finished 5-7 for a second straight season without a bowl appearance.
One of Miller’s more notable performances came against his would-be new team. In Kansas’ 27-20 win over UCF last season, he finished with 2 tackles. The Jayhawks were down 20 points in the first half before settling in defensively after halftime and slowing down a UCF offense that had looked dangerous early.
After entering the transfer portal, Miller was listed as the 938th-best prospect and the 108th-rated edge rusher.
Had the ruling gone the other way, he would have had a return trip of sorts on the schedule, with UCF set to visit Kansas at David Booth Kansas Memorial on November 7.
UCF enters the season off a 5-7 finish under Scott Frost, who is back in charge after his first run in Orlando produced a 19-7 record and the unbeaten 2017 team. Even without a bowl trip last year, the Knights still had some positives, including a defense that ranked 39th and allowed 348.5 yards per game.
In Other News...
Kansas Suddenly Has One Huge Frontcourt Question For Bill Self
Flory Bidungas transfer to Louisville left Kansas with a clear opening in the middle, and Bill Self has made it plain the Jayhawks still need a dependable center to anchor the frontcourt. The options on hand are Christian Reeves and Paul Mbiya, two players whose roles could loom much larger now that the rotation has to be reshaped around the loss of a key interior presence.
Mbiya appears to have the inside track for the starting job, especially with Reeves coming off recent shoulder surgery, and Self has been encouraged by the progress Mbiya has made. Even so, both big men are expected to play meaningful minutes, which leaves Kansas with size and depth, but also with one major unanswered question about how much production the Jayhawks can count on in the paint. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Freshman Is Already Forcing His Way Into Secondary Buzz
Trey Brown has spent training camp doing what freshmen are supposed to do if they want to matter early: showing up prepared, listening closely and stacking good days. The Kansas cornerback arrived on campus early, used the summer to get a head start with coaches and teammates, and it has paid off in the way he has carried himself through camp. For a young defensive back, that kind of foundation can go a long way.
Defensive coordinator D.K. McDonald has taken notice of Browns work ethic and the way he has stayed consistent in the building. For Kansas, it is the sort of development that can quietly change a position groups outlook before the season even begins. Brown is still a freshman, but the way he has handled camp suggests he is already making the secondary conversation harder to ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Cole Ballard Just Gave Kansas Fans A Reason To Watch This Battle
Cole Ballard spent late June at the 30th Manning Passing Academy at Nicholls State University in Louisiana, an environment built for quarterbacks who want to sharpen the details that separate good from great. The Kansas signal-caller worked out alongside other high-profile college quarterbacks and came away talking about how valuable the experience was, especially the lessons from Peyton and Eli Manning on film study and leadership.
Now Ballard is back in preseason workouts at Kansas, where the real test is getting those lessons to show up in a live competition for the starting job. For the Jayhawks, that makes his summer trip more than a feel-good development story - it is part of a bigger battle that will help shape the offense before the season begins. [Read more 🡒]