NCAA rules Kentucky EDGE transfer Antonio O’Berry ineligible for 2026 season, coach says

Kentucky football coach Will Stein told reporters during the team’s fall camp scrimmage at Kroger Field that the NCAA has declared EDGE transfer Antonio O’Berry ineligible for the 2026 season, according to WAVE. Stein made the announcement in his opening statement as the program began fall evaluations in front of the media.

The school’s statement came after the team’s fall camp scrimmage, a session used by coaches to assess personnel and systems ahead of the regular season. WAVE reported that Stein shared the eligibility outcome as part of his initial remarks rather than waiting for a later update.

O’Berry is identified by Kentucky and the reporting outlet as an EDGE transfer. The NCAA’s ineligibility ruling means the player will not be available for participation during the 2026 season, at least as the program and media were told at the time of the announcement.

The report did not provide additional details on the basis for the NCAA determination. It also did not specify whether any appeal is pending or whether the ruling addresses a particular category of participation under NCAA rules.

For Kentucky, the timing of the announcement places added pressure on game planning and depth at the defensive edge position as the season approaches. Coaches typically build rotations during fall camp, so a late eligibility development can affect who practices with first-team units and how matchups are prepared.

The NCAA’s eligibility processes can take place over extended periods, but the eligibility determination cited by Stein was communicated directly to reporters during the fall camp scrimmage week. That means the program is now adjusting plans with at least part of its edge rotation constrained by NCAA limits.

The university and the player are expected to follow the NCAA’s compliance framework moving forward. Without additional details on the ruling’s specific grounds, Kentucky’s public course of action and any follow-on steps cannot be confirmed from the reporting that has been published.

WAVE’s account ties the information to Stein’s opening statement during the Kroger Field scrimmage. The next expected public update, if any, would come from additional statements by Kentucky athletics, NCAA officials, or other authoritative communications clarifying the basis of the ruling and what, if any, options remain.