THE BASICS
The ULM football team (2-1) will open Sun Belt Conference play on the road as the Warhawks travel to Troy (1-3) on Saturday (Sept. 28) night at 6 p.m. on ESPN+. It marks the 22nd meeting all-time between the two conference divisional foes and the 10th meeting all time at Veterans Memorial Stadium.


Saturday night's game will be broadcast on ESPN+ with Will Kollmeyer (play-by-play) and Ben Stanfield (analyst) with the call joined by sideline reporter Junior Louissaint. The game also will air on KLIP 105.3 FM with the Voice of the Warhawks, Mike Hammett on the call alongside analyst Mike McGee and sideline reporter Chase Regian.
 

FIRST-AND-10 –

•ULM is looking to bounce back after falling at No. 1/2 Texas in game three of the season, 51-3. ULM began the Bryant Vincent era with a 2-0 start after the Warhawks defeated Jackson State 30-14 in week one and scored the final 16 points of the game to seal the win. The Warhawks dominated UAB in week two and shut out the Blazers in the second half while scoring 19 second-half points in a 32-6 home win, which was the largest margin of victory over an FBS opponent since the 2018 season.

• ULM completely overhauled its roster during the offseason and added 73 new players to its 2024 roster. After Bryant Vincent was hired in early December, he and his staff signed 35 new Warhawks in less than two weeks during the early signing period on December 20, including 17 junior college transfers and 13 four-year transfers. ULM's recruiting continued with 11 new additions on National Signing Day in February and wrapped up with 27 new faces during the spring signing period. The Warhawks lost nine starters on offense and seven on defense from the 2023 squad.

• ULM's 12-game football schedule features six home games for the fourth time in the last six seasons (previously in 2019, 2021 and 2023). Overall, it marks the seventh time that the Warhawks have played a six-game home schedule in Malone Stadium since joining the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly known as Division I-A).

According to Phil Steele, the Warhawks have the toughest schedule in the Sun Belt and Group of Five, with the 64th toughest schedule in the nation. ULM's opponents carried a winning percentage of .565 last season, which is the highest opponent winning percentage in the Sun Belt and No. 34 in the country.

The Warhawks' 2024 opponents went a combined 87-67 (.565) last season, with six opponents posting .500 or better records, including three teams that posted double-digit win totals, in Texas (12-2) Troy (11-3) and James Madison (11-2). In addition, nine foes also participated in postseason bowl games a year ago: Texas (CFP Semifinal/Allstate Sugar Bowl), Marshall (Scooter's Coffee Frisco Bowl), Troy (76 Birmingham Bowl), Arkansas State (Camellia Bowl), James Madison (Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl), South Alabama (68 Ventures Bowl), Texas State (SERVPRO First Responder Bowl), Auburn (Music City Bowl) and the Ragin' Cajuns (R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl).

• Redshirt Junior General Booty was named ULM's starting quarterback prior to the start of the 2024 season. Booty has completed 27 passes on 49 attempts for 233 yards, including an 11-yard touchdown pass to Davon Wells. Booty arrived in Monroe after spending the last two seasons at Oklahoma, making two appearances for the Sooners. 


Before his time in Norman, Booty started his collegiate career at Tyler Junior College in 2021, starting in all 12 games and leading his team to a 7-5 season and a victory in the TIPS-CHAMPS Heart of Texas Bowl. Booty led the NJCAA in completions (266), attempts (436) and passing yards (3,410), throwing for 27 touchdowns (11 interceptions) and an average of 284.2 yards per game to rank second nationally. He also scored a pair of touchdowns on the ground and racked up 250 rushing yards. 

The Shreveport, La., native was a three-star recruit according to 247Sports out of high school and played his senior season at Allen (Texas) High School, where he passed for 2,235 yards and 26 touchdowns while rushing for 401 yards and nine touchdowns. Booty spent time at four different high schools in his career including JSerra Catholic (Calif.), Cornerstone Christian (Texas) and Corona del Mar (Calif.). 

Several of Booty's relatives are well-known for being standouts in athletics. Booty's father, Abram, played wide receiver at LSU and had a brief stint with the Cleveland Browns. His uncle, John David won a pair of Rose Bowls at USC and was named All-Pac 10 in 2006 before playing in the NFL for four seasons. His uncle Josh was a quarterback for LSU and played in Major League Baseball as a third baseman and also in the NFL. Booty's grandfather, Johnny, played quarterback at Arkansas and Mississippi State.

• ULM defensive back Wydett Williams Jr. intercepted his second pass of the season in ULM's game at Texas and registered a game-high 10 tackles. Williams Jr. was voted Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Week after a media member panel vote on Monday (Sept. 2). Williams became the first ULM football player to earn SBC Player of the Week recognition since 2021.

Williams, a native of Lake Providence, La. and graduate of General Trass High School, was a standout for the Warhawk defense in the team's week one win over Jackson State. Williams tallied a game-high 10 tackles and an interception in his ULM debut. The Delta State transfer added 0.5 sacks and 0.5 TFLs on opening night. He was an All-Louisiana First Team and All-NELA First Team selection at General Trass High School. In 23 games at Delta State, he racked up 72 total tackles, six pass breakups, 3.5 TFLs and one sack.

• First-team junior college All-American edge rusher and MACCC Defensive Player of the Year Billy Pullen has made an immediate impact on the ULM defense and made a pair of game-changing plays versus UAB including a strip sack and a safety. Pullen's 1.17 sacks per game is the seventh-highest in the country and the second-highest in the SBC. ULM's top edge rusher arrives in Monroe after recording 13 sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss at Co-Lin in 2023.

• The Warhawks controlled the ground game in its first two games of the season, outrushing both Jackson State and UAB. Leading the rushing attack for the Warhawks is true freshman tailback Ahmad Hardy. Hardy averaged 80.5 rushing yards per game and has scored one touchdown in each of his first two collegiate contests. Baltimore, Maryland native James Jones has tallied 110 rushing yards on 20 carries and crossed the goal line on a 22-yard rushing touchdown to put ULM back in the lead in the third quarter versus Jackson State. Taven Curry led ULM with 64 yards on the ground versus UAB.

• Davon Wells padded ULM's wide receiver unit and was added to Warhawks' roster during the spring signing period. Wells was a two-time All-NEC Second Team wide receiver and kick returner at Long Island University. He was voted First Team All-NEC at All Purpose and Punt Returner by FCS Football Central. He leads ULM with seven receptions in his first two games.

Dodge City Community College transfer Javon Campbell led the Warhawks in receiving versus Jackson State with four receptions for 83 yards. He brought down Aidan Armenta's first collegiate pass in the end zone for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, giving ULM a 30-14 cushion. Armenta is a redshirt freshman quarterback from New Mexico.

Tyler Griffin (UCF transfer), Amir McGruder (Snow College transfer), and Artis Cole (Fresno State transfer) add depth to the wide receiver room. At tight end, Wesley Campbell VI arrives from Dodge City CC along with Nate Sullivan Jr. from Iowa Western CC.

• A two-year starter on the Warhawk offensive line, Elijah Fisher racked up multiple preseason accolades including Athlon Sports All-SBC Second Team offense and Phil Steele All-SBC Team honors. The offensive guard picked up Honorable Mention All-SBC recognition following the 2023 season. Fisher was one of ULM's representatives at 2024 Sun Belt Media Days and is set to begin his fifth season at ULM. JMU transfer Carter Miller highlights ULM's additions on the offensive line after appearing in 15 games throughout two seasons for the Dukes. New Mexico transfer Devon Smith arrives after appearing in four games and starting in three during the 2023 season and was an NJCAA Academic Scholar All-American offensive lineman at Jones College.
 

• On the defensive side, ULM has four starters returning including defensive lineman Jaylan Ware. Ware made 54 total tackles, including six tackles for loss and one fumble recovery, in his first season at ULM after transferring from Hinds Community College, earning Athlon Sports Preseason All-Sun Belt honors. Dylan Howell also returns to the defensive line for the Warhawks after making 35 total tackles, four TFLs and three sacks, including two pass breakups and one fumble recovery last season. 

Jaden Hamlin, the No. 1 junior college defensive tackle prospect and NJCCA Second-Team All-American at Southwest Mississippi Community College, made 30.0 total tackles, two fumble recoveries and one sack last season. Hamlin registered his first tackle of his ULM career at Texas.

• A Monroe native, Carl Glass Jr. is the anchor of the ULM defense and has made 25.0 total tackles. Glass Jr. made nine stops and forced a fumble in the season opener. The senior linebacker landed on Athlon Sports' Preseason All-SBC Third Team defense and Phil Steele Preseason defense. Glass tallied 59.0 total tackles last season to go along with 7.0 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and a pair of forced fumbles. 

Travor Randle led the Warhawks with 1.5 TFLs in week one. Randle is back for ULM after making 40 tackles and 1.5 TFLs last season. Transfer Tyrese Hopkins recorded 65.0 tackles and a pair of sacks in 2023 at East Mississippi Community College. ULM also added JUCO transfers Daniel Knudsen (NJCAA Honorable Mention All-American at Iowa Central Community College).

• Car'lin Vigers, who was named to the Reese's Senior Bowl Watch List and Athlon Sports Preseason All-SBC Third Team, recorded a pick six to seal ULM's 32-6 win over UAB in week two. Vigers , a three-year starter for the Warhawks, has made two interceptions in his ULM career. David Godsey Jr. recorded an interception in three consecutive games last season and returns as a Phil Steele Preseason All- SBC honoree. Transfers Wydett Williams Jr. (Delta State) and Carl Fauntroy (UAB) were added to ULM's roster during the offseason.

• Florida State transfer kicker Max Larson is 5-for-6 on field goal attempts this season. The Davie, Fla., native split the uprights three times versus UAB, including a 40-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. 25-year old true freshman Kyabram, Australia punter Makenzie Ryan has downed six punts inside the 20-yard line and averages 38.8 yards on 17 punts. Ryan, a former rugby player, was added to ULM's roster during the spring signing period to round out the special teams unit.

• ULM has blocked a punt in each game to start the 2024 season, and is one of four FBS teams (Colorado, Louisiville, Eastern Michigan) that has recorded multiple blocked punts. Brett Drillette blocked a punt in the third quarter versus Jackson State while Hunter Herring blocked a punt in the first quarter versus UAB.

• Broderick Fobbs, returns to the ULM coaching staff as the running backs coach. Fobbs previously served as Grambling State's head coach for eight seasons. Fobbs' brother, Jamaal Fobbs, joins the Warhawks' coaching staff this season as the team's wide receivers coach. 

Family connections on the ULM football coaching staff also include Bryant Vincent's son, Brady Vincent, as the team's Tight Ends Coach. Brady most recently served as the senior offensive analyst at New Mexico during the 2023 season and helped the Lobos achieve national top-20 rankings in red zone offense (14th) and rushing offense (19th). He was an offensive coordinator at Spanish Fort High School (Ala.) in 2022 and Orange Beach High School (Ala.) in 2021. Vincent spent three seasons at UAB both as a student assistant (2018-19) and a graduate assistant (2020). During his time at UAB, the Blazers won a pair of Conference USA Championships, a trio of division titles and won the first bowl game in school history. Vincent began his coaching journey as a student assistant at South Alabama, where he helped the Jaguars appear in their second bowl game in program history. Bret Vincent makes it three Vincents featured in the ULM football program, with Bret playing wide receiver for the Warhawks.

ULM's coaching staff features nine new assistant coaches including Earnest Hill (Defensive Coordinator/Safties), Cameron Blankenship (Offensive Line), Taylor Dupuis (Quarterbacks), Sammy Joseph (Cornerbacks), Alec Osborne (Inside Linebackers), Troy Reffett (Outside Linebackers), Brady Vincent (Tight Ends) and Davern Williams (Defensive Line).