Southern defensive standout Ckelby Givens’ return to the Jaguars remains up in the air as the NCAA’s latest legal victory threatens to keep the veteran defensive end off the field at the start of the 2026 season.
Southern head coach Marshall Faulk said Monday during the SWAC coaches video conference that the program has no immediate clarity on Givens’ eligibility. Still, the Jaguars are prepared to wait as long as possible for a resolution.
“None right now,” Faulk said when asked about Givens’ eligibility. “We understand the situation that we’re in. You know, it’s the ebbs and flows.”
The uncertainty stems from a legal battle over whether players from the 2022 high school graduating class should receive an additional season of college eligibility.
On Friday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit granted the NCAA’s request to stay a class-wide preliminary injunction in the Colorado case, Wisne v. NCAA.
The preliminary injunction had allowed college athletes from the 2022 graduating class who had exhausted their traditional four seasons of eligibility to compete during the 2026-27 season.
The appeals court’s decision temporarily pauses that ruling while the legal process continues.
For Givens, the timing is significant.
The 6-foot-2, 245-pound defensive end is currently prevented from playing in Southern’s season opener against Alabama State at 2 p.m. Aug. 29 in Birmingham, Alabama.
Givens is in a particularly difficult position because he is not publicly named in another lawsuit that could independently protect his eligibility. That means his ability to play currently hinges on the class-wide injunction in the Colorado case.
Faulk acknowledged how quickly Givens’ status has changed throughout the offseason.
“When he was the GA and then he was back and then he was then he wasn’t again,” Faulk said. “So we’re going to take it up to the clock to see what happens.”
Givens officially rejoined Southern’s team Wednesday after announcing Monday that he would attempt to return for another season.
His return came after a complicated offseason.
Givens played all four seasons at Southern before going undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft. He subsequently received an invitation to Buffalo Bills training camp before returning to Baton Rouge and taking on a graduate assistant role with the Jaguars, primarily working with the defensive line.
When the opportunity for another college season emerged, Givens went through an acclimation process with Southern, according to defensive line coach Kyle Kramer, to demonstrate that he remained worthy of a roster spot.
Now, however, Givens is back in another waiting game.
The 2022 class has become the center of a broader eligibility fight that could affect thousands of college athletes who exhausted their traditional eligibility but hoped to take advantage of an additional season.
Faulk said Southern is hopeful that the legal situation ultimately works in Givens’ favor.
“Hopefully things work out for the class of 2022, that those kids get an extra year and that Kelby gets to play with us another year,” Faulk said.
