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ULM Football Media Day Offers Sneak Peek at Preseason Progress

ULM Football Media Day Offers Sneak Peek at Preseason Progress

Football Aug 22
2021 ULM Football Media Day: Terry Bowden Press Conference

2021 ULM Football Media Day: Rich Rodriguez Press Conference

2021 ULM Football Media Day: Zac Alley Press Conference

2021 ULM Football Media Day: Blake Lodes & Evan Henry Press Conference

2021 ULM Football Media Day: Traveion Webster & Jabari Johnson Press Conference

By ULMWarhawks.com Online Columnist Paul Letlow

MONROE, La. – As first-year coach Terry Bowden prepares his first ULM football team, it's clear he favors a cloak of secrecy over unlimited access.

With closed practices and no roster available for public dissection, detailed tidbits about ULM's progress have been hard to come by. Don't expect much concrete information to leak out before ULM's 11 a.m. kickoff at Kentucky on Sept. 4.

"I really don't have any reason to do any more," Bowden said. "One, we're going to be evaluating up until the last minute. And I'm not really going to want to publicize that any sooner than I have to on the roster because there are some unknowns there."

With that said, ULM Football Media Day on Sunday offered local media members their opportunity to quiz selected coaches and players to gain some insight into how things are coming along.

"I think it's completely different," offensive lineman Blake Lodes said. "It's a total 360 flip of changing culture. The coaches bring a very good energy and professionalism. Everything they've brought from all the winning programs they've been around, Clemson for example, they're bringing it here and they're making us better through their coaching and their teachings."

Defensive back Jabari Johnson said players don't mind flying below the radar while they get in their preseason work.

"It's been good just to have the privacy," he said. "We've come a long way behind closed doors."

ULM scrimmaged Saturday night, another step in determining roles heading into the season.

"The defense played very aggressive," Bowden said. "They've had to play to the tempo of the offense, which everybody now is having to do. I thought they got after it pretty well. We had a couple of turnovers that we have to get corrected."

Beyond the rosters, depth charts also remain fluid.

"We need to find guys that are coachable," Bowden said, "that we can teach them and they can know what they have to do. That's critical but that can be corrected. If we see guys that don't know what to do, they're still not lining up correctly every time, we can correct that. But what we can't correct is if they still can't go full speed or if they don't make plays, those are the two things that you just have to do."

Asked about specific players who are making plays so far in camp, Bowden hesitantly mentioned two transfers: quarterback Rhett Rodriguez and wide receiver Boogie Knight.

"Rodriguez at quarterback runs our offense," Bowden said. "I think we clearly have a number one position there.

"I think we're still evaluating most positions. I'm reluctant to say which ones stand out the most. Boogie Knight, who transferred from Akron, is such a hard worker and he's such a pacesetter when it comes to work ethic. It's hard not to mention Boogie. He has stood out throughout the entire preseason as someone that sets the standard for everybody else to work at that pace because it's a different pace."

Bowden added he's also been pleased with the linebacker corps overall.

"I don't want to say which one or the other, but I think we've got a chance," Bowden said. "The competition alone will create some strength at the linebacker position, so I'm pleased with that."

Offensive coordinator Rich Rodriguez said Saturday's scrimmage featured about 100 plays.

"I thought the effort was pretty good but we've got a lot of work to do offensively," Rodriguez said. "Really everybody is a freshman in the scheme, so we can't really progress to where we want to be for a game until we get the basics down."

Defensive coordinator Zac Alley liked what he saw on his side of the ball.

"I thought we played really well yesterday," Alley said. "We're a long way from being ready to play in two weeks, but we've definitely seen improvement over the last two weeks of practice. Getting everybody in, getting everything installed and getting a chance to rep it again since spring was big."

Alley's unit includes veterans like linebacker Traveion Webster, who continues to distinguish himself.

"It's good to have guys who have been here," Alley said. "No one cares more about this program than Traveion Webster. There ain't no question. Having a guy that's an impactful player like that who's a great leader as well definitely helps."

From the ULM offensive side, Alley said running back Kayden Roach has been impactful so far.

"A downhill, physical back, he's going to run hard," Alley said. "You like to see all that."
 
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