Alex Afari is on Kentucky’s roster for the season opener against Youngstown State, but whether he actually takes the field is still up to Will Stein.
J Batt, the Champions Blue CEO and Director of Athletics, confirmed on the Kentucky Sports Radio Pregame Show that Afari has been rostered for Saturday’s game and will wear No. 9 for the Wildcats.
“That’ll be a Will Stein decision on whether he plays or not. We will see out there, but he is rostered for today,” Batt said.
Afari’s status has been tied up in the broader legal fight surrounding college athletics. On Wednesday, Louisville Circuit Court Judge Brian Edwards ruled in Afari’s favor, allowing the Kentucky linebacker to join the lawsuit against the NCAA and effectively granting him a temporary restraining order to play a fifth season of college football this fall. The NCAA then filed an emergency motion to stop him from playing, but the Kentucky Court of Appeals denied that request.
The timing makes for a strange lead-in to the season, especially after Afari went undrafted in April. He later took part in a rookie mini-camp with the Green Bay Packers, but he did not sign a contract. Instead, he only signed a medical waiver for the tryout, which left the Cincinnati native free to return to Kentucky for another year of SEC football.
Afari’s value to the Wildcats is easy to see. He came to Kentucky as a defensive back recruit, then developed into a starting inside linebacker.
Over the last two seasons, he led the team in tackles for loss with 18.0 combined. He has played in 48 games and made 31 starts, while Grant Godfrey is the only other Kentucky linebacker who has started a college game.
“He’s a talented kid. I really like him,” defensive coordinator Jay Bateman said a few weeks ago.
“I don’t know many D coordinators that would be disappointed if a guy like that was able to come. I’m fired up about him, hope it happens, but feel good about the linebackers either way.”
Kentucky has been preparing for this season for months, and Afari even managed to get a week of practice in before hiring an attorney. He can be a dependable piece for the Wildcats this fall, but the expectation is that he will be brought along gradually over the first few weeks of the season.
In Other News...
Kentuckys Will Stein Era Opens With One Big Roster Question
Will Steins first game as Kentuckys head coach brings a fresh start to a program that has spent more than a decade with the same man on the sideline. The Wildcats open against Youngstown State at Kroger Field, with the usual early-season mix of optimism and uncertainty hanging over a roster that is already being shaped by the new staffs decisions and the reality of availability.
One of the biggest early talking points is at linebacker, where Alex Afari is eligible to play after a court ruling, giving Kentucky a notable option as Steins era begins. On the other side of the ledger, running back Jovantae Barnes will not be available because of injury, leaving a gap the Wildcats have to manage right away as they settle into a new season, a new coach and the rest of the road ahead on the 2026 schedule. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Just Got Alex Afari Back But One Question Remains
Alex Afari is back on Kentuckys roster for the 2026 season opener, a notable development for a veteran linebacker whose status had been caught up in the NCAAs new five-year eligibility system. The Jefferson County judges decision to deny the NCAAs appeal of a temporary restraining order cleared the way for Afari to be added officially, and Kentucky listed him on the roster with No. 9 after he spent four seasons in Lexington.
For the Wildcats, the immediate significance is simple: a familiar defender is available again as the program navigates the ripple effects of the eligibility changes and the lawsuits attached to them. Afaris return gives Kentucky another experienced piece on defense, even as the broader question around how these cases are ultimately resolved still hangs over players who are trying to get one more season on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Kentuckys New Offense Just Gave Fans A Reason To Believe
Will Steins first Kentucky offense did what every new coaching staff wants to do on opening night: it looked organized, quick and in control right away. Against Youngstown State, the Wildcats opened with a crisp first drive that moved at a fast pace and showed an efficiency this fan base has been waiting to see, with the new system giving the offense an immediate sense of purpose.
Kenny Minchey handled the start cleanly and kept the drive on schedule, while the ground game finished the job in the red zone. The sequence ended with CJ Baxter punching in the score, and for a program trying to build confidence under a new head coach, the opener offered an early sign that the offense may have more rhythm than Kentucky has shown in recent years. [Read more 🡒]