ULM Battles Non-Conference Foe Liberty in Malone Stadium

Football Oct 16

Game 6: Liberty (5-1, FBS Independent) vs. ULM (2-3, 1-2 SBC)
Saturday, Oct. 16 | 6:05 p.m. CT
Malone Stadium (30,000) | Monroe, La.
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ULM Football Notes: Game 6 vs. Liberty

Digital Game Program

Flipcard

Terry Bowden Weekly Press Conference

FIRST-AND-10 –
• The ULM Warhawks play the middle game of a three-game homestand at 6:05 p.m. Saturday when they host the Liberty Flames at Malone Stadium. ULM is coming off a 55-21 loss to Georgia State on Saturday in Monroe to drop to 2-3 overall and 1-2 in the Sun Belt Conference. Liberty has won back-to-back games after Saturday's 41-13 home win against Middle Tennessee to improve to 5-1 overall. Liberty is an FBS Independent.

• Saturday's game marks the second meeting between ULM and Liberty. The Flames won the inaugural meeting last year, 40-7, in Lynchburg, Virginia. LU racked up 400 yards of total offense and limited ULM to just 198 yards. Three of Liberty's touchdowns came on special teams through a fumble recovery, blocked punt and a punt return.

• Former ULM linebacker Rashaad Harding returns to Malone Stadium with Liberty. Harding, who is listed as the starting Mike linebacker for the Flames, lettered three seasons at ULM from 2017-19. He registered 132 career tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss (38 yards) and 4.5 sacks (22 yards.) for the Warhawks.

• This weekend, the ULM L Club Sports Hall of Fame welcomes three new members, in Ray "Smoke" Laval (baseball coach, 1994-2000), Dave Roberts (football coach, 1989-93) and Robert Williamson (assistant athletic trainer, 1983-2008). This class, originally selected in 2020, had its induction delayed last fall due to COVID-19 protocols.

Planned activities for this Hall of Fame weekend include a reception Friday, Oct. 15, beginning at 6 p.m. at the L Club House, inside Malone Stadium, as well as the official induction ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 16 at 10 a.m. at Bayou Pointe. In addition, the Class of 2020 will be introduced at halftime of Saturday's ULM-Liberty football game in Malone Stadium.

• ULM super senior Ty Shelby, who continues to be a menace for opposing quarterbacks, has been added to the Watch List for the Ted Hendricks Award, presented annually since 2002 to the nation's top defensive end. The Houston, Texas, native has posted five sacks through five games, including a sack for a safety on Sept. 25 vs. Troy. His five sacks rank third in the Sun Belt Conference and eighth in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision at 1.0 sacks per game. He has 23 tackles, six tackles for loss, two quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery through five games.

• Fifth-year senior placekicker Calum Sutherland leads the Sun Belt Conference and ranks 13th in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision with 1.80 field goals made per game. Through five games, he leads the Warhawks in scoring with 34 points, connecting on 9-of-12 field-goal attempts and 7-of-7 extra-point tries.

A native of Keller, Texas, Sutherland connected on all three of his extra-point attempts and missed a field-goal attempt from 41 yards on Saturday against Georgia State.

• ULM senior linebacker Traveion Webster and senior cornerback Adam Sparks rank among the top tacklers in the Sun Belt Conference.

Webster leads ULM with 38 tackles. His 7.6 tackles per game is good for fourth in the SBC. He has 1.5 tackles for loss, half a sack and a pass break-up.

Sparks is second on the team with 35 tackles. His 7.0 tackles per game is sixth in the SBC. He has two pass break-ups, one quarterback hurry, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.

• ULM freshman quarterback Chandler Rogers has started the last two games following an injury to junior Rhett Rodriguez. The Mansfield, Texas, native had his first 200-yard passing game on Saturday vs. Georgia State, completing 15-of-23 passes for 208 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. He also led the Warhawks in rushing for the second consecutive game, picking up 72 yards on 14 carries.

• ULM leads the Sun Belt Conference and ranks 11th in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision in turnover margin at +1.0 per game. The Warhawks have recorded eight takeaways (5 fumble recoveries, 3 interceptions) in five games. By comparison, ULM totaled 10 takeaways (6 fumble recoveries, 4 interceptions) in 10 games during the 2020 season.

• ULM is one of two NCAA FBS teams (Texas A&M) that hasn't allowed a fourth-down conversion (0-for-4) in 2021.

CLASS BREAKDOWN (STARTERS) –
ULM Offense: 3 seniors, 3 juniors, 2 sophomores, 3 freshmen
ULM Defense: 3 seniors, 3 juniors, 3 sophomores, 2 freshmen
LU Offense: 6 seniors, 2 juniors, 3 sophomores
LU Defense: 6 seniors, 2 juniors, 3 sophomores

STAT LEADERS –
ULM (after 5 games):
Rushing – Andrew Henry (51 carries for 203 yards, 4.0 avg., 1 TD)
Passing – Chandler Rogers (28 of 50, 56.0%, for 365 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT)
Receiving – Boogie Knight (21 catches for 261 yards, 12.4 avg.)
Tackles – Traveion Webster (38 tackles, 12 solos, 26 assists, 1.5 TFL, 0.5 sack, 1 PBU)

Liberty (after 6 games):
Rushing – Malik Willis (82 carries for 498 yards, 6.1 avg., 7 TDs)
Passing – Malik Willis (93 of 137, 67.9%, for 1,327 yards, 13 TDs, 3 INTs)
Receiving – Demario Douglas (33 catches for 526 yards, 15.9 avg., 4 TDs)
Tackles – Storey Jackson (42 tackles, 26 solos, 16 assists, 4.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks, 1 INT, 2 PBU, 4 QB hurries)

ULM/LIBERTY SERIES NOTES –
Saturday's game marks the second meeting between ULM and Liberty. The Flames won the inaugural meeting last year, 40-7, in Lynchburg, Virginia. LU racked up 400 yards of total offense and limited ULM to just 198 yards. Three of Liberty's touchdowns came on special teams through a fumble recovery, blocked punt and a punt return.

THE LAST MEETING –
Liberty 40, ULM 7 (Oct. 10, 2020, in Lynchburg, Virginia): ULM stumbled into a Liberty ambush on Saturday and staggered out of Williams Stadium on the wrong end of a 40-7 decision.

Overall, ULM's punt team surrendered three touchdowns on a dropped punt, a blocked punt and a punt return, and gave up a lengthy return that set up another score.

The Warhawks clearly weren't early birds in 2020. With an 11 a.m. CDT kickoff for the nationally-televised contest on ESPN2, ULM (0-5) trailed 14-0 after one quarter and 24-0 by halftime as the offense faltered and special teams made costly blunders. The Warhawks had been outscored 56-10 in the first quarter and 117-38 in the first half of their first five games.

Quarterback Colby Suits came into the game as one of the nation's most productive quarterbacks but struggled to ignite the offense against the Flames, as he completed 13-of-29 passes for 78 yards with two interceptions.

ULM's score came with 3:34 left in the game on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Jeremy Hunt to running back Kadyn Roach, the first of his career. In relief, Hunt completed 3-of-6 attempts for 42 yards and his first ULM touchdown pass.

Liberty (4-0) won its sixth-straight game overall while facing ULM for the first time. The Flames outgained ULM in total yardage, 400-198, while the Warhawks were 1-of-16 on third-down conversions.

Liberty's offensive unit spent much of the first half in ULM territory.

Traveion Webster's fumble recovery helped ULM dodge early damage, with the takeaway coming one play after a 53-yard reception.

However, a big special teams return by Liberty put the Flames right back in striking distance.

Demario Douglas delivered a 38-yard punt return to the ULM 24 to set up Liberty's first score. Four plays later, Peytton Pickett scored on a 15-yard touchdown run on a fourth-and-1 play with 10:01 left in period as the Flames jumped out to a 7-0 lead.

ULM's early woes continued on the next offensive series as Javon Scruggs intercepted Suits at the Warhawks' 41. Seven plays later, Malik Willis scrambled 6 yards for the score and Liberty led 14-0 with 6:11 remaining in the first quarter. Willis passed for 177 yards and rushed for 87 yards.

In building a two-touchdown lead, Liberty outgained ULM, 166-18, in total yards and held the Warhawks without a first down.

The Flames were approaching the end zone again as the opening quarter ended but Austin Hawley picked off Willis two plays into the second and returned it 39 yards to the ULM 48. The Warhawks saw another drive fizzle though, turning it over on downs at the Liberty 31.

ULM's shaky special teams unit dealt the Warhawks another blow when punter Daniel Sparks dropped the snap in the end zone, allowing Liberty to recover for a touchdown. The Flames led 21-0 with 3:56 to go before halftime.

Adding to the misery index, Liberty intercepted Suits again with 2:59 left and took over at the ULM 22. Ty Shelby's third-down sack forced the Flames to settle for a 42-yard field goal that extended the lead to 24-0 at the 1:46 mark.

ULM's first-half offensive numbers didn't add up to much. The Warhawks managed one first down with 50 yards, offset by seven penalties for 54 yards. ULM was 0-for-9 on third down.

ULM's special teams' woes continued in the second half as Liberty's Treon Sibley blocked Sparks' first punt attempt of the third quarter and Chancellor Smith recovered in the end zone for another touchdown and a 31-0 lead.

Through three quarters, ULM stuck with Suits, who directed a promising drive that ended on downs at the Liberty 1, with Chandler Whitfield catching a 7-yard pass on fourth-and-8.

The Flames took over and marched 87 yards on 15 plays to kick a 30-yard field goal for a 34-0 lead early in the fourth quarter.

With 10:47 left in the game, Douglas returned a punt 73 yards for a touchdown that gave Liberty a 40-0 edge.

THE LAST TIME OUT –
Georgia State 55, ULM 21 (Oct. 9, 2021 in Monroe, Louisiana): ULM scored first Saturday night but the good times didn't last long against Georgia State.

After spotting the home team a touchdown, the Panthers responded with 35 unanswered points at Malone Stadium to pull away in a 55-21 win over the Warhawks.

GSU (2-4, 1-1 Sun Belt) rushed for 326 yards and quarterback Darren Grainger had a hand in five touchdowns, with four passing and one on the ground. The Panthers accumulated 572 yards on 87 plays with 39 first downs.

The loss was a total team effort. ULM (2-3, 1-2 Sun Belt) couldn't slow the Panthers defensively, didn't muster a consistent offense and was penalized nine times for 92 yards. The Warhawks missed their only field-goal attempt and lost a fumble.

ULM managed 374 yards total offense with 21 first downs while punting five times. Making his second start, quarterback Chandler Rogers completed 15-of-23 passes for 208 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 72 yards on 14 attempts.

ULM took a 7-0 lead with 9:35 left in the first quarter as Rogers threw his first career touchdown pass. Rogers connected with tight end Zach Rasmussen for 25 yards to finish a quick six-play, 97-yard drive that burned only 1:44 off the clock.

After a sluggish opening drive, GSU responded to ULM's touchdown with a 10-play, 75-yard scoring drive of its own. Jamyest Williams punched in a 1-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 7-7 with 6:35 showing in the first.

The Panthers went ahead 14-7 with 13:28 left in the second quarter on a 10-yard touchdown pass from Grainger to tight end Aubry Payne. Already struggling to slow GSU's running game, ULM lost linebacker Quae Drake to a targeting penalty on the same play. Drake already had six tackles when he departed.

Grainger gave GSU a 21-7 lead with 4:23 left in the half with a 31-yard touchdown pass to Ja'Cyais Credle. The Panthers covered 76 yards over 14 plays on the drive.

On the second play of the ensuing drive, ULM's Andrew Henry fumbled after a big hit and GSU recovered at the Warhawks' 34. The Panthers would capitalize seven plays later as Tucker Gregg scored on a 2-yard run for a 28-7 lead with 1:33 to go before the half.

GSU extended the lead to 35-7 by scoring on the opening drive of the third quarter as Grainger threw his second touchdown pass to Payne from 9 yards out.

The Warhawks regained their offensive footing with a seven-play, 75-yard drive to get back into the end zone. Rogers threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Zach Jackson for a 35-14 score with 9:10 to go in the third.

But the Panthers responded with another 20 unanswered points to widen the gap.

GSU extended the lead to 42-14 on Grainger's 1-yard touchdown run with 4:31 left in the third.

Grainger's fourth touchdown pass, a 38-yarder to Credle thrown into triple coverage early in the fourth quarter, pushed the lead to 49-14.

GSU back-up quarterback Cornelious Brown ran for a 26-yard touchdown with 11:48 left in the game for a 55-14 advantage.

ULM's third quarterback Jiya Wright provided a fourth-quarter highlight by directing a 12-play, 70-yard drive and tossing a 6-yard touchdown pass to Coby Cavil to cut the deficit to 55-21. Wright rushed for 41 yards on seven carries on ULM's march toward the end zone.

ULM L CLUB SPORTS HALL OF FAME WEEKEND –
This weekend, the ULM L Club Sports Hall of Fame welcomes three new members, in Ray "Smoke" Laval (baseball coach, 1994-2000), Dave Roberts (football coach, 1989-93) and Robert Williamson (assistant athletic trainer, 1983-2008). This class, originally selected in 2020, had its induction delayed last fall due to COVID-19 protocols.

Planned activities for this Hall of Fame weekend include a reception Friday, Oct. 15, beginning at 6 p.m. at the L Club House, inside Malone Stadium, as well as the official induction ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 16 at 10 a.m. at Bayou Pointe. In addition, the Class of 2020 will be introduced at halftime of Saturday's ULM-Liberty football game in Malone Stadium.

Here are bullet-point sketches for the ULM L Club Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2020:

Ray "Smoke" Laval (baseball coach, 1994-2000)
Compiled a 241-159 record in seven seasons. His teams made three NCAA Regional appearances, won two Southland Conference (regular-season) Championships (1999 and 2000) and one Southland Conference Tournament Championship in 1995. A 41-22 campaign in 2000 sent the program to back-to-back NCAA Regional appearances. Was known for implementing "The System," an approach to the game he learned as an assistant at LSU which meant playing pitch-by-pitch, fundamental baseball, knowing the current situation and aggressiveness.

Dave Roberts (football coach, 1989-93)
Left ULM with the highest winning percentage of any football coach in school history (.644) and a record of 37-20-2. His last four teams were nationally ranked and his 1990 and 1992 clubs won Southland Conference Championships. His 1993 team was 9-3, participated in the NCAA playoffs and ended the regular season ranked No. 4 in the nation by Sports Network in the school's final year in FCS. His 1992 team ended the regular season tied for No. 1 in the nation. Named National Coach of the Year in 1992 by the NFL Draft Report, along with similar honors in the Southland Conference and Louisiana. Overall, his teams produced 18 All-Americans and numerous professional players.

Robert Williamson (assistant athletic trainer, 1983-2008)
Began in 1977 as a student athletic trainer with late Hall of Fame athletic trainer Charlie Martin. In 1983, he became the university's full-time assistant athletic trainer and served in that role until retiring in 2008. Working primarily with basketball, Williamson assisted former coaches Lenny Fant, Benny Hollis, Mike Vining and Orlando Early, and he was part of the program's seven NCAA Tournament trips. Williamson, who worked as an instructor of kinesiology at ULM, was inducted into the Louisiana Athletic Trainers Hall of Fame in 2012.

SHELBY CONTINUES TO PRESSURE OPPOSING QUARTERBACKS –
ULM super senior Ty Shelby, who continues to be a menace for opposing quarterbacks, has been added to the Watch List for the Ted Hendricks Award, presented annually since 2002 to the nation's top defensive end. The Houston, Texas, native has posted five sacks through five games, including a sack for a safety on Sept. 25 vs. Troy. His five sacks rank third in the Sun Belt Conference and eighth in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision at 1.0 sacks per game. He has 23 tackles, six tackles for loss, two quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery through five games.

Shelby collected a season-high seven tackles (two solos, five assists) on Saturday against Georgia State.

Shelby recorded five tackles, including half a tackle for loss at No. 16 Coastal Carolina on Oct. 2.

Shelby picked up four tackles, including a sack, 1.5 tackles for loss and a quarterback hurry against Troy on Sept. 25. He had two sacks in the home opener against Jackson State on Sept. 18, including his first forced fumble of the season. He also picked up one quarterback hurry.

Shelby was named to Scouting Insiders National Defensive Player of the Week after recording five tackles (4 solos, 1 assist), including a career-best two sacks for 11 yards, and recovered a fumble at Kentucky in the 2021 season opener. Shelby finished with a team-high 10 production points.

Shelby ranked third on the team in tackles for loss (6.5 for 14 yards) and sacks (2 for 2 yards) in 2020, setting career highs in both categories. Shelby finished second among ULM defensive linemen and ranked eighth on the team with a career-best 36 tackles (13 solos, 23 assists).

The Preseason All-Sun Belt selection (third team by Pro Football Focus and fourth team by Athlon Sports) heads into his third year as one of ULM's starting defensive ends. Shelby has started 24 of 49 career games and his career totals include 131 total tackles, with 22.5 resulting in losses (95 yards) including 11.5 sacks (63 yards).

SUTHERLAND LEADS NATION IN FIELD GOALS PER GAME –
Fifth-year senior placekicker Calum Sutherland leads the Sun Belt Conference and ranks 13th in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision with 1.80 field goals made per game. Through five games, he leads the Warhawks in scoring with 34 points. He is tied with Arkansas State's Blake Grupe for the SBC lead in field goal percentage with both kickers connecting on 9-of-12 field-goal attempts. Sutherland has made 7-of-7 extra-point tries.

A native of Keller, Texas, Sutherland connected on all three of his extra-point attempts and missed a field-goal attempt from 41 yards on Saturday against Georgia State.

Sutherland picked up all six of ULM's points at No. 16 Coastal Carolina on Oct. 2, booting through field goals from 40 and 30 yards against the Chanticleers.

Sutherland made both of his field-goal attempts and all three of his extra-point tries on Sept. 25 vs. Troy. He connected from 26 and 32 yards against the Trojans.

Sutherland accounted for all 12 points in ULM's 12-7 victory over Jackson State on Sept. 18. He was named Sun Belt Conference Special Teams Player of the Week on Sept. 20 as selected by a media panel. His 12 points matched his career high (12 at UCLA in 2019), as the Warhawks won for the first time since Nov. 23, 2019, 45-42 over Coastal Carolina, ending a 12-game losing streak.

Sutherland converted 4-of-6 field-goal attempts, hitting from 29, 45, 42 and 49 yards against the Tigers. His 42-yarder early in the fourth quarter gave ULM a 9-7 lead and his career-long 49-yarder with 2:24 left in the game provided the final margin.

With four made field goals, Sutherland tied the ULM single-game record, joining Cole Wilson (vs. UL Lafayette, Dec. 3, 2006), Roger Miller (vs. McNeese State, 1993), Teddy Garcia (vs. Georgia Southern, 1987) and Bubba Toups (vs. Mississippi College, 1980). His six field-goal attempts are tied for the fourth-highest single-game total in Sun Belt history.

In addition, he was selected as one of the Lou Groza Award Stars of the Week.

Sutherland made his only field-goal attempt, from 29 yards, and extra-point try on Sept. 4 at Kentucky.

SPARKS FLYING FOR WARHAWK OFFENSE AND DEFENSE –
ULM senior cornerback Adam Sparks and senior wide receiver Jared Sparks are making impacts on their respective sides of the ball. The brothers from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, reunited in Monroe for the 2021 season after Adam started his career at Missouri and Jared played at Purdue.

Adam is sixth in the Sun Belt Conference with 7.0 tackles per game. He is second on the team with 35 tackles (20 solo, 15 assists) while adding two pass break-ups, a quarterback hurry, fumble recovery and forced fumble. He totaled eight tackles (four solos, four assists) against Georgia State on Saturday. He had five tackles and a pass break-up at No. 16 Coastal Carolina on Oct. 2. He amassed a season-high 10 tackles (four solo, six assists) against Troy on Sept. 25.

Jared has 14 catches for 137 yards. For the third consecutive week he had three catches, posting 29 yards against Georgia State on Saturday. He had three grabs and a season-high 63 yards to go with his season-long reception of 37 yards on Sept. 25 vs. Troy.

WARHAWKS EXCEL ON OPENING DRIVES AND EARLY LEADS –
ULM has scored on three of its opening drives and has scored first in four of its first five games in 2021.

While unable to score on the opening drive against Georgia State on Saturday, the Warhawks scored the first points when freshman quarterback Chandler Rogers found junior tight end Zach Rasmussen for a 25-yard touchdown pass on the second drive of the game for the 7-0 lead with 9:35 left in the first quarter.

ULM scored on its opening drive for the third consecutive game to open the season in the Sun Belt Conference opener against Troy on Sept. 25. The Warhawks capped an eight-play, 83-yard drive with a 23-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Rhett Rodriguez to senior wide receiver Zach Jackson to claim a 7-0 lead with 8:03 to play in the first quarter.

In the home-opener against Jackson State on Sept. 18, ULM closed out a 10-play, 45-yard drive with a 29-yard field goal from senior placekicker Calum Sutherland to take a 3-0 lead with 9:17 remaining in the first quarter.

The Warhawks took their first lead since the 2019 season on the opening drive of the 2021 season at Kentucky on Sept. 4. After sophomore safety Jabari Johnson ended Kentucky's drive with an interception, ULM concluded a 12-play, 43-yard drive with a 3-yard touchdown run by freshman running back Kadyn Roach to go on top 7-0 with 8:53 left in the first quarter.

ROGERS TAKES OVER STARTING QB DUTIES –
ULM freshman quarterback Chandler Rogers has started the last two games following an injury to junior Rhett Rodriguez. The Mansfield, Texas, native had his first 200-yard passing game on Saturday vs. Georgia State, completing 15-of-23 passes for 208 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. He also led the Warhawks in rushing for the second consecutive game, picking up 72 yards on 14 carries, with a long of 21 yards.

In his first career start at No. 16 Coastal Carolina, Rogers completed 9-of-17 passes for 100 yards with one interception and was sacked twice. He led the team in rushing with 11 carries for 40 yards.

Rogers started his career at Southern Miss in 2019 before playing at Blinn College in 2020.

WILLIAMS SELECTED SUN BELT DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK –
ULM super senior linebacker Ja'Cquez Williams, whose fourth-quarter interception return for a touchdown iced the Sept. 25 29-16 victory over Troy in the league opener for both teams, was named Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Week as selected by a media panel on Sept. 27. It marked the Warhawks' first Sun Belt win since Nov. 23, 2019 (45-42 over Coastal Carolina), ending a nine-game losing streak.

On a first-and-goal play, Williams intercepted Taylor Powell's pass attempt and returned it 96 yards for a score as ULM opened up a 29-10 lead with 9:40 left in the game. It marked the second-longest interception return for a TD in ULM history (school record: 100 yards by Pat Dennis vs. Nicholls in 1998). It also marked ULM's first interception return for a score since Corey Straughter's 57-yard pick six at Florida State in 2019.

The 6-foot-2, 210-pound Williams is the second Warhawk to earn one of the conference's weekly awards. On Sept. 20, placekicker Calum Sutherland, who accounted for all 12 points in ULM's 12-7 victory over Jackson State in the home opener, was selected Sun Belt Special Teams Player of the Week.

Williams added four tackles on Saturday against Georgia State. He has 218 tackles in his career, ranking him 60th among active players.

HENRY BREAKS 100-YARD MARK –
ULM freshman running back Andrew Henry made the most of his second career start on Sept. 25 against Troy. The Dallas, Texas, native rushed for 108 yards on 19 carries and scored his first career touchdown, a 40-yard run on a fourth-and-1 play. It is the first 100-yard rushing game by a Warhawk since Josh Johnson ran for 109 yards at UL Lafayette on Nov. 30, 2019. He leads ULM with 214 yards rushing on 52 carries, good for a 4.0 yards per carry average.

BOOGIE ON THE BAYOU –
Junior inside receiver Boogie Knight ranks 11th in the Sun Belt Conference, averaging 4.2 receptions per game. The 5-foot-10, 191-pound Knight leads the Warhawks in receptions (21) and receiving yards (258). Ten of his 21 catches have resulted in a first down (48 percent). He also has eight receptions of 15 or more yards.

Knight had five grabs and matched a season-high with 78 yards, including a 40-yard reception to set a new season-long, against Georgia State on Saturday.

After getting targeted just once against Troy, Knight made an immediate impact at No. 16 Coastal Carolina on Oct. 2 with a team-high four receptions for 47 yards. Three of his receptions came in the first quarter.

In ULM's 12-7 win over Jackson State on Sept. 18, Knight again matched his career best with six catches for 78 yards. In his ULM debut at Kentucky on Sept. 4, he had six receptions for 58 yards. Four of his catches produced first downs against the Wildcats, including third-down grabs of 14 and 15 yards from Rhett Rodriquez on ULM's first scoring drive (12 plays for 43 yards).

Knight ranks No. 15 among active NCAA FBS leaders in combined kick (punts and kickoffs) returns with 1,372 career yards. He also has accounted for 2,408 career all-purpose yards.

Knight, a transfer from Akron, previously set career highs for receptions (6) and receiving yards (121) against Eastern Michigan in 2019.

ULM BOASTS THREE QUARTERBACKS WITH NCAA FBS STARTING EXPERIENCE –
ULM is one of 15 programs to enter the 2021 season with three or more quarterbacks who have started at least one NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision game: sophomore Colby Suits (started the first eight games in 2020), junior Jeremy Hunt (started the last two games of the 2020 season) and junior Rhett Rodriguez (transfer from Arizona started one game in 2018 and the first three games of the 2021 season).

Rodriguez has completed 35-of-62 passes for 338 yards through the first three games of the season. He was 10-for-16 through the air for 131 yards and one touchdown against Troy in the Sun Belt Conference opener. He has not played at No. 16 Coastal Carolina and vs. Georgia State due to injury.

HAWLEY ECLIPSES 200-TACKLE CAREER MILESTONE –
With three stops (2 solos, 1 assist) in the season opener at Kentucky, ULM fifth-year senior safety Austin Hawley eclipsed the 200-tackle career milestone. The 6-foot-1, 199-pound Hawley has recorded 208 total tackles (119 solos, 89 assists), ranking No. 76 among active NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision players.

In 2020, he finished second on the Warhawks with a career-best 77 tackles (49 solos, 28 assists). Hawley recorded double-figure tackles in three of his last four games, including a career-high 12 stops in the home finale against the Ragin' Cajuns. He produced 11 tackles each against Appalachian State (4-yard sack) and at Arkansas State (career-high 2 tackles for loss for 4 yards). Hawley registered his second career interception at Liberty and returned it 39 yards.

MCCORMICK EMERGES AS SPECIAL TEAMS WEAPON –
Junior punter Devyn McCormick is averaging 40.8 yards per punt over the first five contests of the 2021 season. He has placed seven punts inside the 20-yard line, including one against Georgia State on Saturday. He has five punts of 50 yards or longer.

On Oct. 2 at Coastal Carolina, McCormick launched seven punts for an average of 40.4 yards and a season long of 56 yards, putting one punt inside the 20-yard line.

In the Sun Belt Conference opener vs. Troy on Sept. 25, McCormick punted seven times for an average of 45.7 yards, including a long of 55 yards. He pinned the Trojans inside the 20-yard line twice, including a punt that was downed by Traveion Webster at the 4-yard line in the fourth quarter, setting up a safety.

Against Jackson State on Sept. 18, McCormick punted seven times for an average of 44.0 yards and a game-high kick of 54 yards.

McCormick averaged 42.1 yards on 10 punts in the 2021 season opener at Kentucky on Sept. 4, including one kick inside the Wildcats' 20-yard line. McCormick hit a game-best 49-yarder early in the second quarter.

McCormick transferred to ULM from Ave Maria (Fla.), where he was a three-time All-Sun Division selection and led the NAIA in punting in 2020 at 42.5 yards per punt while placing 11-of-29 punts inside the 20-yard line.

WEBSTER RETURNS AS HEART OF DEFENSE –
Fifth-year senior linebacker Traveion Webster is fourth in the Sun Belt Conference with 7.6 tackles per game. He leads the Warhawks with 38 tackles (12 solo, 26 assists) while adding in 1.5 tackles for loss, half a sack and a pass breakup. He hit double-digit tackles for the first time in 2021 with 10 tackles (two solo, 10 assists) on Saturday vs. Georgia State.

Webster led the team in tackles for the second time this season, posting seven tackles (three solo, four assists) with a half tackle for loss at No. 16 Coastal Carolina on Oct. 2.

Webster was second on the team with nine tackles while adding a half sack in the Sun Belt Conference opener against Troy on Sept. 25. His sack, shared with nose guard Caleb Thomas, came on Troy's fourth-and-7 play to open the second quarter at the ULM 39-yard line.

Webster led ULM with seven tackles (two solo, five assists) in the 2021 home opener against Jackson State on Sept. 18. He had a half tackle for loss in the win as well. He totaled five tackles (two solo, three assists) in the season-opening loss at Kentucky on Sept. 4.

Webster returns in 2021 after he led the Warhawks in tackles (82 total: 37 solos, 45 assists), tackles for loss (8.5 for 25 yards), sacks (2.5 for 18 yards) and quarterback hurries (5). The 5-foot-11, 209-pound Webster ranked fourth in the Sun Belt Conference in tackles, averaging 8.2 per game. He led the team in tackles in five games, including three double-digit efforts.

JAMES FOLSTON NAMED HONORARY CAPTAIN –
Former All-American and two-time first-team All-Southland Conference defensive end James Folston has been selected as honorary captain for Saturday's non-conference game against Liberty.

A four-year letterman for Hall of Fame coach Dave Roberts from 1990-93, Folston helped Northeast Louisiana to two Southland Conference Championships and three NCAA Division I-AA playoff appearances.

He led the team in sacks for three consecutive seasons from 1991-93, including a career-best 12 as a junior. In 1993, Folston produced 19 tackles for loss, including seven sacks, en route to earning first-team All-America honors from the Associated Press, Walter Camp Football Foundation and Football Gazette.

The Cocoa, Florida, native closed out his career as NLU's career leader in tackles for loss with 43, and his 27 sacks still rank second on the school's all-time list.

Folston was selected as a linebacker in the second round (No. 52 overall) of the 1994 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Raiders. He spent seven seasons in the NFL, including five with the Raiders (Los Angeles/Oakland, 1994-98) and two with the Arizona Cardinals (1999-2000).

TWENTY WARHAWKS HAVE MADE FIRST-TIME STARTS IN 2021 –
ULM's starting lineup through five games of the 2021 season has featured 20 first-time starters for the Warhawks, including 12 on the offensive side of the football, six on defense and two specialists.

ULM's starting lineup at No. 16 Coastal Carolina included two first-time starters, with both on offense. Quarterback Chandler Rogers (6-0, 188, Fr.) and wide receiver Fred Lloyd Jr. (6-4, 211, Jr.) each made their first start for the Warhawks.

The Warhawk starting lineup in the 2021 home opener vs. Jackson State featured four first-time starters, with three on offense and one on defense. The first-time starters on offense were running back Kaydn Roach (6-0, 203, Fr.), right guard Aries Davis (6-2, 320, Sr.-6) and left tackle Willie Tyler (6-7, 330, So.). The lone first-time starter on defense was safety Tavier Williams (6-2, 190, Fr.).

ULM's starting lineup for the 2021 season opener at Kentucky featured 14 first-time starters for the Warhawks, including seven on the offensive side of the football, five on defense and two specialists. The first-time starters on offense were outside receiver Jared Sparks (6-1, 212, Sr.-6), left guard Peyton Dunn (6-7, 306, R-Fr.), right tackle Keydrell Lewis (6-6, 310, Fr.), tight end Zach Rasmussen (6-4, 225, Jr.), quarterback Rhett Rodriguez (6-0, 190, Jr.), running back Andrew Henry (5-10, 196, So.) and inside receiver Boogie Knight (5-10, 191, Jr.). The first-time starters on defense included nose guard Caleb Thomas (6-0, 311, Jr.), defensive tackle Quincy Ledet (6-2, 288, Fr.), Mike linebacker Zack Woodard (6-1, 235, Jr.), nickel Nick Roberts (5-11, 175, Jr.) and field corner Adam Sparks (6-0, 169, Sr.-5). Placekicker Calum Sutherland (5-10, 176, Sr.-5) and punter Devyn McCormick (6-2, 201, Jr.) also made their starting debuts for ULM.

Ten of those 20 starters came to ULM with previous starting experience at the NCAA Football Bowl or Championship Subdivisions. The 10 true first-time starters included Dunn, Lewis, Henry, Ledet, Lloyd, McCormick, Roach, Rogers, Tyler and Williams.

DISCIPLINE MATTERS –
Since taking over the ULM program, first-year head coach Terry Bowden has emphasized the importance of playing disciplined football and his team has taken the message to heart. The Warhawks rank as the one of the least-penalized teams in the Sun Belt Conference and NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision. ULM is third in the SBC and 25th in FBS at 43.4 penalty yards per game and third in the SBC and 22nd in FBS at 5.0 penalties per game. The Warhawks were penalized a season-high nine times for 92 yards on Saturday vs. Georgia State.

QUICK HITTERS –
• ULM is one of two NCAA FBS teams (Texas A&M) that hasn't allowed a fourth-down conversion (0-for-4) in 2021.
• Super senior Ja'Cquez Williams returned the first interception of his career 96 yards for a score in the fourth quarter against Troy. It marks the fourth-longest interception return in the NCAA FBS this season, trailing only Boise State's Tyric LeBeauf (100 yards vs. UCF), UAB's Grayson Cash (100 yards vs. FAU) and Eastern Michigan's David Carter (98 yards vs. Wisconsin).
• ULM super senior cornerback Mark Williams ranks ninth among active NCAA FBS leaders with 32 career passes defended (8 interceptions, 24 pass break-ups).

SEASONED STAFF –
ULM head coach Terry Bowden (17 seasons) and associate head coach/offensive coordinator Rich Rodriguez (16) have a combined 33 years of head coaching experience at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision/Football Championship Subdivision levels. The 33 combined seasons of head coaching experience rank second among FBS staffs, trailing only Wake Forest, which boasts a combined total of 41 years (head coach Dave Clawson, 22 seasons; associate head coach/wide receivers coach Kevin Higgins, 16; and assistant head coach/defensive line coach Dave Cohen, 4).

Including all four-year programs, Bowden (25) and Rodriguez (24) have a combined 49 seasons of head coaching experience.

BOWDEN RANKS AMONG NCAA FBS/FCS WINNINGEST ACTIVE HEAD COACHES –
ULM's Terry Bowden ranks 13th among NCAA FBS/FCS winningest active head coaches with 172 career victories.

BOWDEN: WINNINGEST FAMILY IN NCAA DIVISION I FOOTBALL HISTORY –
The late Bobby Bowden (377 career victories) and his sons, Terry (177) and Tommy (90), have combined for 643 wins – the most by any family in NCAA Division I football history. Bobby and Terry became the first father-son combo to serve as head coaches at the NCAA Division I level at the same time while Bobby and Tommy became the first father-son combo ever to coach against each other as head coaches. In a feat likely never to be duplicated, all three Bowden coaches went undefeated and were named National Coach of the Year in the same decade (1990s: Terry, Auburn, 1993; Tommy, Tulane, 1998; and Bobby, Florida State, 1999).

WARHAWKS TO FACE SIX 2020 BOWL SQUADS IN 2021 –
ULM is scheduled to play six teams which played in a bowl game in the 2020 season this fall. Kentucky (5-6, Gator), Coastal Carolina (11-1, Cure), Georgia State (6-4, LendingTree), Liberty (10-1, Cure), App State (Myrtle Beach) and the Ragin' Cajuns (First Responder) all played in bowl games. Two other teams, Jackson State (4-3) and LSU (5-5), finished .500 or better but did not play in the postseason.

NCAA STAT LEADERS –
Here's a glance at how ULM ranks among the NCAA individual stat leaders:

Individual Statistics (Top 50)
Sacks: Ty Shelby (8th at 1.0 sacks per game)
Fumbles Recovered: Aries Davis (39th at 1 fumble recovery); Quae Drake (39th at 1 fumble recovery); Austin Hawley (39th at 1 fumble recovery); Ty Shelby (39th at 1 fumble recovery); Adam Sparks (39th at 1 fumble recovery); Mark Williams (39th at 1 fumble recovery)
Kickoff Returns: Boogie Knight (49th at 19.4 yards per return)
Field Goals Per Game: Calum Sutherland (13th at 1.80 field goals per game)

WARHAWK TRENDS UNDER BOWDEN –
Here's how ULM has fared under first-year head coach Terry Bowden (2021: 5 games):

Games played in Malone Stadium: 2-1
Games played on the road/neutral site: 0-2

Games played in August: 0-0
Games played in September: 2-1
Games played in October: 0-2
Games played in November: 0-0
Games played in December: 0-0

When leading at halftime: 0-0
When trailing at halftime: 2-3
When tied at halftime: 0-0

When scoring first: 2-2
When opponent scores first: 0-1

When leading after first quarter: 2-0
When trailing after first quarter: 0-2
When tied after first quarter: 0-1

When leading after three quarters: 1-0
When trailing after three quarters: 1-3
When tied after three quarters: 0-0

Overtime games: 0-0

When gaining more first downs than opponent: 1-0
When gaining fewer first downs than opponent: 1-3
When gaining same number of first downs as opponent: 0-0

When gaining 200+ yards rushing: 0-0
When opponent gains 200+ yards rushing: 0-2

When outrushing opponent: 2-0
When being outrushed by opponent: 0-3

When gaining 200+ yards passing: 0-1
When opponent gains 200+ yards passing: 2-3

When gaining more total yards than opponent: 0-0
When gaining fewer total yards than opponent: 2-3

When leading in time of possession: 1-0
When trailing in time of possession: 1-3
When splitting in time of possession: 0-0

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