The first movement involving Western Kentucky in the NCAA transfer portal has happened, according to published reports.

WKU redshirt sophomore Darius Thomas, a three-year player for the Hilltoppers, has committed to Louisville to play for former WKU head coach Jeff Brohm, Chris Hummer and Matt Zenitz of 247Sports.com reported first Thursday night.

Thomas, a native of Miramar, Florida, has been one of the Hilltoppers’ best defenders this season. The 6-foot-2, 212-pound Thomas leads the Tops with four sacks this season and has 6.5 tackles for loss in all. His 54 tackles are tied for third on the team and he also has a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

Thomas is one of more than 30 WKU players in the transfer portal as the team gears up to play James Madison in the Boca Raton Bowl on Dec. 18 in Boca Raton, Florida. Among the numerous Tops currently portaling is redshirt sophomore starting quarterback Caden Veltkamp, who was named the Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year this week. Redshirt sophomore kicker Lucas Carneiro, named the CUSA Special Teams Player of the Year this week, is also in the portal along with All-CUSA first-team defensive lineman Hosea Wheeler, second-team offensive lineman Marshall Jackson, and honorable mention picks Easton Messer (wide receiver), defensive tackle Dallas Walker, defensive end Deante McCray and Thomas.

It’s not an unusual situation for the program, which had numerous players in the portal last season as well leading up to WKU’s win against Old Dominion in the Famous Toastery Bowl. Head coach Tyson Helton will again give those players the option to play in next week’s bowl game, just as he did last year.

“We have some really good football players here that hopefully we can retain,” Helton said before the Hilltoppers lost 52-12 to Jacksonville State in the CUSA Championship game earlier this month. “But I’m a realist and think that everybody has to evaluate every single year what is my next step – both coaches and players. So, as long as you’re open and honest and have those conversations and everybody’s on the up-and-up, we’ve done well here. We’ve been able to keep some of our best players here that had great opportunities.

“The data shows they made the right decisions. You look at three years of third-round draft picks with the men that stayed here, that says a lot about this place and about this program.”

BACK IN THE PORTAL

One former WKU standout who did leave after last season via the transfer portal announced plans to get back in it. Linebacker JaQues “Donut” Evans, who played four seasons at WKU, muddled through an injury-plagued season with Baylor and tallied just one tackle in three games.

As a Hilltopper, Evans was the 2023 CUSA Preseason Defensive Player of the Year but has his season cut short midway through with a knee injury suffered against Louisiana Tech. The Dublin, Georgia, native appeared in 41 games, starting 20, for the Hilltoppers. His best season for WKU came in 2022, when he led the team with 106 tackles, had 14 tackles for loss (nine sacks), four pass breakups and two fumble recoveries.

INTERVIEW SEASON

WKU co-offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Drew Hollingshead is set to interview for the offensive coordinator job at CUSA rival UTEP, reported 247Sports.com on Friday.

Hollingshead, who served as offensive coordinator in 2023, helped the Hilltoppers rank 15th nationally in passing. This season in conjunction with offensive coordinator Will Friend, Hollingshead has helped the Hilltoppers rank 32nd nationally in passing despite losing starting quarterback TJ Finley to injury early in the season. Velkamp blossomed in a starting role, with Finley joining him in the transfer portal.

FEE DISPARITY

Brett McMurphy of ActionNetwork.com pointed out the difference in student fee revenues that go toward athletics funding between Boca Raton Bowl opponents WKU and James Madison/

“Biggest mismatch of the bowl season – at least regarding student fee revenues – is Boca Raton Bowl b/w James Madison & Western Kentucky,” McMurphy wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter). “JMU receives $53 million in student fees most of any FBS program, compared to only $3M for WKU.”

WKU (8-5) plays the Dukes at 4:30 p.m. CT on Wednesday in the Boca Raton Bowl at FAU Stadium in Boca Raton, Florida. ESPN will televise the game.