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Going Camping: Key Storylines As ULM Football Opens Preseason Drills

Going Camping: Key Storylines As ULM Football Opens Preseason Drills

Football Jul 31
By Paul Letlow, ULMWarhawks.com Online Columnist
 
MONROE, La. – ULM head coach Matt Viator heard the same line of questioning over and over again as he made the rounds at Sun Belt Conference Football Media Day in New Orleans.

His improving program finished 6-6 in 2018 and was bowl eligible but wasn't invited to a postseason game. Can ULM parlay that modest success into something bigger in 2019?

"We were in position last year and didn't quite get it done," Viator said. "We were bowl eligible but didn't get into a bowl. What kind of incentive is that?

"Well really, the way we've attacked it is, let's just try to get better. Because if we get better, we're hoping that will take care of itself."

The Warhawks report on Thursday, Aug. 1 and open training camp on Friday, Aug. 2. Picked third in the Sun Belt West behind Louisiana-Lafayette and Arkansas State, ULM seems to be flying a little below radar in the conference. 

"That's exactly how I voted because that's how it fell last year," Viator said. "I don't think you can go into the offseason and move anybody up. If you look at last year, it was close between Lafayette, Arkansas State and us. But we did finish third and that's kind of the way it is.

"To me, preseason polls kind of fall the way they did the previous year, and then you start over and move forward." 

The Warhawks are on the upswing entering their fourth season under Viator. ULM returns six offensive starters, eight defensive starters and record-breaking quarterback Caleb Evans. 

"I really like our football team a lot," Viator said. "I think we have some of the pieces in place that we need. The biggest thing that we continue to focus on is to get better. We think we've gotten a little better each year, if you go back and look at what we've done."

ULM will hang its hat on the quarterback Evans, back for his third full season as the starter.
 
"I tell him, 'You're the face of what we're doing,'" Viator said. "I think he's handled it all well. He's a very personable young man and he's done well with it." 

He'll work behind a veteran offensive line but will need help from a new cast of receivers and running backs to keep the offense moving. 
        
"I think we've got a chance with some of those guys," Viator said. "Obviously, you lose Marcus Green and R.J. Turner, you lose a lot of production. But Xavier Brown is coming back, which we're excited about. He redshirted last year. Markis McCray, we redshirted two years ago when he got hurt and he has a chance to play a year after Marcus left. They kind of do the same stuff. Guys like Brandius Batiste, Zach Jackson, Jonathan Hodoh and Perry Carter have been here and are waiting to play. 

"Hopefully we can do some things around him better, like run the football and keep some tight ends healthy."

ULM's defense was a big part of the team's improvement last season. 
 
"The last six games, I thought we played well enough to win every game," Viator said. "I thought our defense came a long way, in terms of limiting big plays. We keep talking about that as a defensive staff. This is a league, and I've studied it a lot the three years I've been involved, where there are not a lot of shutouts. People are going to move the football. People are talented on offense. But if you can get some stops, maybe get a few field goals instead of touchdowns, get a few turnovers here and there, you can give yourself a greater chance to win."   

CAMP SPOTLIGHT 

You might call them holes to fill but players on the rise see opportunities. Here are some of the key camp battles to watch. 

The running men: A host of running backs are lined up to try to replace top rusher Derrick Gore, who recently signed a free agent deal with NFL's Chargers.

Pile-moving senior Austin "Bus" Vaughn is the respected veteran, with players like Kayin White and Josh Johnson also fitting the power-back mode.

Keep tabs on Isaiah Phillips, a red-shirt freshman who ran for 1,943 yards and 26 touchdowns as a senior at Lufkin (Texas) High School.

Good hands people: The wide receiver position is in transition with NFL draftee Marcus Green and R.J. Turner moving on. Veteran options include Markis McCray and Xavier Brown, two fifth-year seniors. A player on the rise worth noting here too is Zach Jackson, a sturdy 6-foot, 210-pound sophomore ready to break out.  

Happy Returns: Green's contributions were big in the return game too. 

Look for McCray and Carter to get the first cracks at bringing back kickoffs and punts, but the reality is, it's hard to identify those guys until they play under the lights when the action is live.

Corner the market: The cornerback position saw some attrition since last season. 

Not only did ULM lose starter Marcus Hubbard, but will also be without Kenderick Marbles this year as he redshirts to focus on academics. Corey Straughter returns and the Warhawks get fifth-year senior Rhoy Williams back from injury. Williams was expected to start last year but injured his knee in the preseason.
 
Whoever mans the position, ULM is looking for more takeaways this season. The Warhawks got only three interceptions from their cornerbacks in 2018. 

Just kicking it: At kicker, ULM is replacing Craig Ford, who scored 262 career points for the Warhawks.
 
Left-legged kickoff specialist Jacob Meeks is a thumper, who showed off his power in spring practice one afternoon with a 61-yard field goal.
 
Returning punter Jared Porter could pull double duty if he proves to be the more consistent option. 

Bird watching
QB Caleb Evans, Sr.: Enters his third full season as ULM's starting quarterback (22 consecutive starts) . . . Preseason All-Sun Belt second team . . . has completed 518-of-862 passes (.601) for 6,571 yards, 37 TDs and 24 interceptions in 31 career games . . . already ranks among ULM's all-time Top 10 in completion percentage (second), passing efficiency rating (third at 132.7), total offense (third with 7,945 career yards), pass completions (fifth), passing yards (sixth), pass attempts (seventh) and TD passes (seventh).

OG T.J. Fiailoa, Jr.:  Enters his third season as ULM's starting right guard . . . Preseason All-Sun Belt Second-Team selection by the league's head coaches and media panel, Phil Steele, Lindy's and Athlon Sports . . . has started 19 of 24 career games

C Bobby Reynolds, Sr.: Has started 22 consecutive games at center for the Warhawks . . . named to the Rimington Trophy Fall Watch List (presented to the nation's most outstanding center) . . . Preseason All-Sun Belt Second-Team selection by Phil Steele and Lindy's .

TE Josh Pederson, Jr.: Fourth-year player figures to play a key role in ULM's offensive game plan in 2019 . . has added 12 pounds to his frame since the conclusion of the 2018 season . . . 22 career games, including 11 starts . . . has 24 career catches for 257 yards (10.7 avg.) and two scores
        
LB Chase Day, Sr.: Fifth-year player has started 25 of 35 career games at MIKE linebacker . . . has recorded 165 career tackles, with 17.5 coming behind the line of scrimmage (55 yards) including 4.5 sacks (21 yards)

DE Donald Louis Jr., Sr.: Fifth-year senior enters his third season as a starting defensive end . . . has started 24 consecutive games at defensive end for the Warhawks . . . Preseason All-Sun Belt Fourth-Team selection by Phil Steele and Athlon Sports . . . has recorded 10.0 career tackles for loss (58 yards), including 7.5 sacks (51 yards) .  

DL Larance Shaw, Sr.: Enters his second season as the starting nose tackle . . . rated among the Sun Belt's top returning interior defenders (No. 2 with 82.7 grade), according to Pro Football Focus . . . Preseason All-Sun Belt Third-Team selection by Athlon Sports.

LB Cortez Sisco Jr., Sr.: Fifth-year senior ranks as the heir apparent to replace three-year starter David Griffith at WILL linebacker . . . Preseason All-Sun Belt selection by Phil Steele (fourth team) . . . has appeared in 33 career games, including three starting assignments. … . has recorded 158 career tackles, with 12.0 resulting in losses (50 yards) including 3.0 sacks and two INTs. 

CB Corey Straughter, Jr.: Local product heads into his second season as a starting cornerback, his first at field corner . . . Preseason All-Sun Belt selection by Athlon Sports (third team) and Phil Steele (fourth team) . . . has appeared in 24 career games, including 15 starting assignments . . . his career totals include 51 tackles, four interceptions and nine PBUs.

By the numbers
Offensive returning starters (6): LT Trace Ellison; C Bobby Reynolds; RG T.J. Fiailoa; RT Eastwood Thomas; TE Josh Pederson; QB Caleb Evans.

Defensive returning starters (8): DE Sam Miller; NT Larance Shaw, DT Jaylen Veasley, DE Donald Louis Jr., LB Rashaad Harding, CB Corey Straughter, WS Jabari Johnson, FS Austin Hawley.

Specialists returning starters (3): KO Jacob Meeks, P Jared Porter, LSN Walker Easton.

See you at Malone Stadium
ULM will kick off the 2019 football season against Grambling State on, Aug. 31 at 7 p.m. CT in Malone Stadium.

The Warhawks open Sun Belt play Sept. 28 at home against South Alabama, with kickoff set for 6 p.m.
 
Meet the Warhawks
ULM football fans of all ages are invited to attend the second-annual "Warhawk Rally at Antique Alley," scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 17 from 3-4 p.m. in West Monroe. Members of the 2019 ULM football team will be available for autographs and photos on the patio of Miss Kay's Sweets & Eats, located at 401 Trenton St. in West Monroe.
 
In addition, the ULM Athletics Department Ticket Office will have a remote location open for season-ticket and single-game sales.
 
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