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Bowden: ULM Searching for Offensive Playmakers

Bowden: ULM Searching for Offensive Playmakers

Football Sep 05
By ULMWarhawks.com Online Columnist Paul Letlow

ULM's season-opening 45-10 loss at Kentucky made one point crystal clear to first-year coach Terry Bowden.

His team will have to identify more offensive playmakers on its roster.

"We have to look out there and see if we recognize that we have to find what playmakers that we have that are a little bit better than the rest of them," Bowden said in his postgame press conference. "We'll work hard to let them rise to the top. We're still probably trying to figure out who those people are and that's where we are right now."

ULM struggled in protection, allowing six sacks. The Warhawks tallied just 87 yards on 63 plays with 12 first downs while averaging 1.4 yards per snap.

"Offensively, we just couldn't sustain them up front, we could not beat them up front at any point in the game to run consistently or have big runs," Bowden said. "Every throw had to be a big throw because they got to our quarterback. I think if you look at the entire game, the one that just made it impossible to change, physically, they were just so much better than us at their defensive front, compared to our offensive front that it was just three-and-out or maybe one first down.

"Now, you have to hope you have a big playmaker that is going to make a big play. I don't think we have enough big playmakers on offense that they catch a ball and go the distance, or something like that."

Receiver Jeremiah "Boogie" Knight, an Akron transfer, made his debut as ULM's most productive offensive threat with six catches for 58 yards. Knight made third-down catches of 14 and 15 yards to keep the chains moving on ULM's opening drive, which resulted in a touchdown and the first lead in a game since 2019.

"Everybody talks about how Boogie works so hard," ULM quarterback Rhett Rodriguez said. "I don't know how he does it. I know I couldn't be up that early or stay up that late. I'm too old for that. He's a really good player, and I think he showed that today. He's quick, he knows what he's doing and he plays hard. That's someone I have trust in because I know he's going to give his all."

Originally an Ohio State preferred walk-on out of Jefferson (Ohio) Area High School, the 5-foot-10, 191-pound receiver made 40 catches for 568 yards in 27 career games at Akron from 2018-2020.

On the flip side: ULM was unable to contain Kentucky's big-play ability. The Wildcats amassed 564 yards of total offense, finishing with 419 yards passing and 145 yards on the ground.

"Defensively, I think knowing that we had to stop the run and just put them on so many one-on-one situations, that they have three or four one-play drives, big plays that either took them into the end zone or very close," Bowden said. "We might be able to keep the score down or play close with 10- or 12-play drives. I know that was the big thing, that we gave up too many deep balls, big plays in the passing game. I would have to watch the film because a lot of times when you are asking your safeties to stop the run, so they don't just run it down your throat, that's the way offenses work. They get you to stop the run and they throw over top and get one-on-one coverage."

ULM won the turnover battle, 3-0, with one interception (Jabari Johnson) and two fumble recoveries (Ty Shelby and Eastern Illinois transfer Mark Williams). The Warhawks also collected four sacks, with two by Shelby, one by Jacksonville State transfer Zack Woodard and one by Quincy Ledet Jr.

"Again, came out ready to play," Bowden said. "I think we could have played better because we gave up deep balls and I think we gave up another possession on a punt that we were offside or had a penalty, then they just played like a better football team and won the game. We have to learn from it and go from there."

Coming attractions: ULM's schedule offers an open date before the home opener against Jackson State on Sept. 18. ULM will then start Sun Belt Conference play with a home game against Troy on Sept. 25.

"Obviously, it's going to be tough having that 11-straight games after this, but it is nice having that bye week right now because especially after that first game normally there's a lot of corrections," quarterback Rhett Rodriguez said. "Going to practice is one thing, but having a game is a whole different aspect, so it'll be good for us to correct that film and get the timing down to see what are the little things that we can get better at."

Coached by Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, Jackson State opened its season in the Orange Blossom Classic on Sunday against Florida A&M. In the spring, Jackson State enjoyed its first winning season in seven years, going 4-3. Sanders played for Bowden's late father Bobby Bowden at Florida State.
 
 
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