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ULM Football Continues to Improve Under Viator

ULM Football Continues to Improve Under Viator

Football Dec 02
By Paul Letlow, ULMWarhawks.com Online Columnist
 
MONROE, La. – The 2018 ULM football team was bowl eligible but will not be bowl bound.  

There were 82 bowl-eligible teams for 78 spots, and the Warhawks were left on the outside looking in with a chance at gaining their first postseason appearance since 2013.

"We can certainly compete in this league and win in this league," ULM head coach Matt Viator said on Sunday. "Unfortunately, we came up a little short. The second disappointing thing is that this year is not a good year (to go to a bowl with six wins). Last year, we'd have been in with the same deal. Next year, we'd be in with the bowl we're adding. But it just didn't work out." 

Still, ULM's 6-6 overall mark and 4-4 Sun Belt Conference record represent improvement in Viator's third season. The Warhawks, who finished 4-8 in the past two campaigns, were still in the hunt for a conference championship down the stretch.

"I don't think there's any question we've improved," Viator said. "I think we've improved each year. When you step back and look at it, they've got us in the conversation. We had meaningful games at the end of the year. 

"We're never going to improve as much as I want us to improve. I'm not real patient. But I try to step back and look at the big picture and stuff." 

No question, ULM was streaky throughout the year, opening with two wins, losing four straight, winning four straight and finishing on a costly two-game slide at Arkansas State and at home against Louisiana-Lafayette. 

"The first order of business was to improve the roster, and I think we've done that," Viator said. "We came close. We achieved goal number one, which is bowl eligibility. We were really, really close to having the opportunity to go play for the conference championship. We just came up a little short."

For the Warhawks, reaching the point where they played meaningful games in November is a good measuring stick.   

"You have to get really, really, really close to accomplishing what you want to, to hurt as bad as it hurts when you lose," Viator said. "For the last couple of years, we're playing these games at the end of the year and it don't hurt that bad. But when you get close to doing what you wanted to do, they really hurt. I'm excited to hurt again." 

ULM's defense deserves much credit for its improvement this season. During ULM's four-game winning streak the defense limited opponents to 17.3 points, 156.5 rushing yards, 122.3 passing yards and 278.8 total yards. The Warhawks made 38 tackles for loss and 17 sacks during that stretch of victories over Coastal Carolina, Texas State, Georgia Southern and South Alabama. 

"We played a lot better defensively, especially the second half of the year," Viator said. "We've seen it coming and seen the improvement. The coaches and kids have worked really hard. It helped this year that we stayed a little healthier than we have in the previous two years."

Among the snapshot moments and memorable performances over the course of the year: 

• R.J. Turner blocked a 37-yard field-goal attempt as time expired to preserve a 34-31 win over Southeastern Louisiana in the season opener before 10,137 at JPS Field.

• The Warhawks registered five sacks and made four takeaways in their 21-20 win at Southern Miss. A leaping interception by Cortez Sisco Jr. late in the game sealed the win. 

• After trailing Troy by four touchdowns at halftime of its Sun Belt Conference opener, ULM outscored the Trojans, 20-0, before losing, 35-27. ULM held the Trojans to four first downs while forcing five punts in the second-half turnaround.

• ULM's 45-20 win over Coastal Carolina got the team back on track after a four-game losing streak. Marcus Green caught five passes for 111 yards, Derrick Gore rushed for a career-high 147 yards on 16 attempts and ULM's defense recorded five sacks to go along with three takeaways.

• The defense stood tall in a 20-14 win over Texas State. ULM held the Bobcats 242 total yards, forced eight punts, had 10 tackles for losses including three sacks, and limited the visitors to just 2-of-13 on third-down conversions.
 
•  The Warhawks surged past South Alabama, 38-10 at Ladd-Peebles Stadium for a fourth-straight win that secured bowl eligibility for ULM for the first time since 2013. The win also maintained sole possession of first place in the Sun Belt West Division standings. ULM's defense posted four sacks, nine tackles for losses and limited the Jaguars to 218 yards and 11 first downs. The 10 points allowed were the fewest allowed by ULM under Viator.
 
The ULM offense rang up 551 yards and scored on six consecutive possessions on drives covering 70 or more yards while building the lead. Quarterback Caleb Evans connected on 27-of-32 passes for 367 yards and two touchdowns and ran 12 times for 54 yards and two scores. Evans completed throws to 11 different receivers, including senior D'Marius Gillespie who reached a career-high 159 yards on seven catches and one touchdown. 

The turning point came in the final two weeks.
 
With a likely bowl bid there for the taking and a berth in the inaugural Sun Belt Conference Championship Game still up for grabs, the offense didn't answer the bell as ULM lost its last two games against Arkansas State and Louisiana-Lafayette. 

"For a couple of weeks there," Viator said, "it didn't seem like we made the plays or got the plays to go our way." 

In a 31-17 loss to Arkansas State, the Warhawks gained just 276 yards on 54 plays with 58 yards on the ground. Evans completed 17-of-28 passes for 218 yards and one touchdown but also tossed three interceptions. 

In its 31-28 loss to ULL, ULM's offense finished with 344 yards of total offense but 156 of those yards came in the fourth quarter. Evans was 15-of-24 for 201 yards and two TDs and also tossed a costly interception in the end zone in the second half, one of two turnovers in the period that derailed scoring opportunities.

The Cajuns celebrated by puffing cigars on the field and in the locker room, filling the bowels of Malone Stadium with smoke.  

"You remember losses," Viator said. "You remember those tough ones that get at you. 
This will go down as one of them. Just because of who we were playing, the type of atmosphere here, everything. This will go down as one of them."

The Warhawks bid farewell to 15 seniors after their final game, including wide receiver Marcus Green, running back Derrick Gore, linebacker David Griffith, cornerback Marcus Hubbard, safety Collin Turner and kicker Craig Ford. 

"I'm excited and proud of what these guys accomplished, the seniors," Viator said.   

Green departs as ULM's all-time leader with 5,286 all-purpose yards, surpassing the 5,246 yards by running back Cisco Richard from 1987-90.

Griffith leaves as ULM's all-time leader with 42.5 career tackles for loss.     

Ford moved past Justin Manton into second place on ULM's career scoring list during the season and finished with 262 career points. Career leader Teddy Garcia scored 326 points from 1984-87. 

Returning starters will be plentiful, which should give fans optimism going into the 2019 season. ULM will have six home games, with non-conference visits from Grambling and Memphis on the schedule.

A key offensive returnee for 2019, Evans ranked second the Sun Belt in passing yards (239.1 per game) and total offense (297.1 ypg.). He completed 231-of-374 throws (.618) for 2,869 yards, 16 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Evans led the Warhawks in rushing TDs (10) and ranked second on the team in rushing with a career-high 632 rushing yards (140 carries).

"We have a good nucleus of guys coming back," Viator said. "Really a lot of guys coming back. The objective will be what it is every year, to improve every position. It could be with these guys hopefully. But we have to continue to upgrade our roster and get better at every position. The only way to do that is through good recruiting and competition."
 
ULM 2018 Football Flyover
 
Final Record: 6-6, 4-4 Sun Belt (third / West Division)

Best game: ULM delivered its most complete performance of the season in beating Georgia Southern, 44-25, at Malone Stadium. Quarterback Caleb Evans accounted for 439 yards total offense and four TDs. Evans completed 13-of-22 throws for 337 yards, two TDs and two interceptions against the Eagles. He hit Marcus Green for scoring plays of 80 and 69 yards in the first half. Evans also posted his second 100-yard rushing game of the season and third of his career, with 15 carries for 102 yards and two TDs.

ULM's defense stalled Georgia Southern's triple option attack, holding the Eagles to 138 yards rushing. The 216 yards total offense were a new low for ULM under head coach Matt Viator.  With the visitors forced into uncharacteristic passing mode, the Warhawks registered five sacks to ice the cake.
  
Worst game: The 46-14 loss at Georgia State was rough from start to finish. ULM managed just 262 yards of total offense, committed four turnovers and was just 2-of-11 on third-down conversions with eight punts. A woeful first half saw ULM give up 355 yards on defense and commit three turnovers on offense while falling behind 30-14 at Georgia State Stadium. ULM managed just one first down in the final two quarters and punted on six of seven series. Georgia State set a team rushing record with 308 yards on the ground. The Panthers tallied 487 yards overall in a dominant outing.

Top offensive player: Fifth-year senior Marcus Green led the team in receptions (50), receiving yards (855), touchdown receptions (8) and all-purpose yards (1,518) and earned spots on the All-Sun Belt First Team as both a wide receiver and all-purpose player, as selected by the league's head football coaches and media panel.

Top defensive player: Senior David Griffith set career highs in tackles (92), tackles for loss (15.5 for 44 yards) and sacks (5.0 for 25 yards). He ranked among the Sun Belt leaders in tackles for loss (second), tackles (fifth at 7.7 per game) and sacks (tied for fifth). Griffith produced at least one tackle for loss in each of the last seven games and nine of 12 games overall. He anchored a Warhawk unit that ranked fourth in total defense in Sun Belt league games, allowing 366.0 yards per game.
 
Top special teams player: Punter Jared Porter came in to solidify a position that was a question mark entering the season. The freshman averaged 42.1 yards with three touchbacks and dropped 11 inside the 20. 

Unsung hero: Senior running back Derrick Gore led the team in rushing yards with 662 and ranked second on the team with 759 all-purpose yards. Gore posted 100 or more yards in three games, all wins over Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern and Southeastern Louisiana.  

Emerging stars: Defensive end Kerry Starks finished second on the team to Griffith in tackles for loss (11) and sacks (five). 

True freshman safety Jabari Johnson, a local product from Ouachita Parish High School, started the last seven games and finished fourth on the team with 50 tackles in 10 games. Johnson also contributed a sack and an interception in his rookie year. 

Notable numbers: Green is now ULM's all-time leader with 5,286 all-purpose yards (previous record: 5,246 yards by running back Cisco Richard, 1987-90). … Evans ranks as the only NCAA FBS player to put together multiple games with at least 290 passing yards and 100 rushing yards this season (vs. Georgia Southern and Troy). … ULM posted 34 sacks on the season which surpassed 21 in 12 games in 2017. … RT Eastwood Thomas has the team's longest active streak of starts at 30 games. 

Returning starters – offense: WR R.J. Turner, WR Xavier Brown, LT Trace Ellison, LG Devin Jackson, C Bobby Reynolds, RG T.J. Fiailoa, RT Eastwood Thomas, TE Josh Pederson, QB Caleb Evans.

Returning starters – defense: DE Kerry Starks/Sam Miller, NT Larance Shaw, DT Jaylen Veasley, DE Donald Louis, LB Rashaad Harding/Chase Day, CB Corey Straughter, WS Jabari Johnson, FS Austin Hawley.

Returning specialists: P Jared Porter, SSN Trey Corley, LSN Walker Easton, KO Jacob Meeks.
 
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