South Alabama linebacker Khalil Jacobs has withdrawn from the NCAA transfer portal, multiple sources confirmed to AL.com.

Jacobs announced Thursday he planned to enter the portal, shortly after the departure of head coach Kane Wommack to become defensive coordinator at Alabama. However, he has apparently had a change of heart following the promotion of offensive coordinator Major Applewhite to head coach.

The 6-foot-2, 218-pound Jacobs totaled 56 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, three sacks and three forced fumbles in a part-time role as a sophomore in 2023. The Niceville, Fla., native was fifth on the team in tackles, second behind only All-Sun Belt Conference safety Jaden Voisin (who also briefly entered the portal only to later announce he had withdrawn) among players eligible to return in 2024.

The return of Jacobs is huge news for South Alabama’s defense, which lost its top three linebackers to graduation at the end of the 2023 season. Jacobs is now once again set to pair with Blayne Myrick — a redshirt freshman this past season — to give the Jaguars two promising young inside linebackers going forward.

Jacobs has not yet publicly announced he is returning to South Alabama, Jacobs did change the avatar on his Instagram account to a picture of Applewhite during his playing career at Texas. In addition, teammate Braylon McReynolds appeared to make a note of Jacobs’ return with a Twitter/X post that Jacobs re-posted.