Since August, the UCF Knights have been trying to find a way to add fifth-year linebacker Cole Kozlowski to the roster. That came after an NCAA rule change to allow players to play five years of college football, with no more redshirts, rather than four with redshirts.
Due to the high school class Kozlowski was in, he didn’t initially make the cut. However, the cutoff debate has been largely debated in a series of lawsuits, teasing the possibility of a return to UCF for some time.
Now, a new court decision has paved the way for Kozlowski. He announced the news that he had another year of eligibility on Twitter/X.
“Everything happens for a reason! After recent ruling, I have now been granted eligibility for the rest of the 2026-27 football season,” Kozlowski wrote. “Unbelievably blessed for the opportunity to strap up the helmet and play the game I’ve loved since I was 5 years old.”
It remains unclear when Kozlowski will return to the field for UCF. For now, this was a major first step.
What Cole Kozlowski Brings to the UCF Knights?
UCF has had a good defense this season, and there’s a lot of excitement around the addition of Cole Kozlowski to the roster. In particular, that this could help make the Knights one of the best defenses in the entire Big 12.
Kozlowski joined UCF ahead of the 2025 season. He had previously spent three seasons in FCS football, playing for Colgate. He’d quickly prove how valuable he can be, earing Third-Team All-Big 12 honors on the back of 82 total tackles, which was second on the team. He also had 7.5 tackles for a loss, 2.0 sacks, 3 PBUs, and a forced fumble.
Now, UCF is adding another experienced linebacker to the defense. He’s someone who doesn’t need time to learn the system, either, given that this will be his second season at UCF.
There is going to be some question about where Kozlowski is physically. After all, he hasn’t played this season. However, given that he’s been trying to get back on the field for a couple of months, he has had some time to get back into playing shape.
Injuries are a Growing Concern for UCF
The addition of Cole Kozlowski comes at a great time for UCF. The injuries are becoming too much to overcome. That includes the loss of multiple linebackers.
Lewis Carter is the biggest injury to the defense. A star at the linebacker position, he’s missed a couple of games in a row now, and that loss was notable in the second-half against Houston. Jayden Jennings would then leave the Houston game with his own injury. So, depth is wearing thin and head coach Scott Frost is getting frustrated.
“It’s frustrating. It’s unfortunate. There’s nothing you can do about it. The majority of our injuries aren’t anything that I think we could have affected by training differently or anything. So you just have to deal with it. You always hope you’re the team that doesn’t get touched by the injury bug,” Frost said.
“To this point, we’re not that lucky. But, man, there’s a lot of football left, and I hope we start getting some of these guys back. I think we can be a pretty good football team down the stretch.”
The difficult stretch for UCF continues next week. They go on the road to take on an explosive Oklahoma State team.
UCF LB Cole Kozlowski Announces Decision on Playing in 2026 After Court Ruling