(RB Hunter Smith – USA Today Sports)
Key Players Returning:
RB Hunter Smith, DE James Smith, DT Dylan Howell, NT Jaylan Ware, LB Carl Glass Jr., and CB Car’lin Vigers
Key Players Departing:
QB Jiya Wright, RB Isaiah Woullard, WR NyNy Davis, WR Tyrone Howell, WR Dariyan Wiley, OC Zarian McGill, OG Tellek Lockette (Texas State transfer), OG Markell Smith, OT Keydrell Lewis (Memphis transfer), OT Stacey Wilkins (Western Kentucky transfer), DE Adin Huntington (Tulane transfer), DE Kenard Snyder (Iowa State transfer), LB Michael Batton (Houston transfer), LB Tristan Driggers, LB Ja’Terious Evans, LB Max Harris (Texas State transfer), CB Lu Tillery (Tulane transfer), DS AJ Watts (Memphis transfer), KR Alred Luke, PR Bugs Mortimer (Western Michigan transfer), PK Derek McCormick (Indiana transfer), and PT Braxton Guilbeau.
(WR Caleb Groce – Vasha Hunt Photo)
Top 10 Recruits:
3 Star Recruits: DT Jaden Hamlin (Summit, Mississippi), OT Nate Green (West Monroe, Louisiana), WR Caleb Groce (Pell City, Alabama), QB Jim Ogle (Jacksonville, Alabama), LB JD Stewart (Ellisville, Mississippi), WR Jonathan Bibbs (Birmingham, Alabama), DS Ameyr Adams (Fairhope, Alabama), TE Julian Nixon (El Dorado, Kansas), WR Tyler Griffin (UCF transfer), and RB Ahmad Hardy (Monticello, Mississippi).
2023 Results:
G01 ARMY W 17-13
G02 LAMAR W 24-14
G03 @ Texas A&M L 7-43
G04 APPALACHIAN STATE L 40-41
G05 SOUTH ALABAMA L 7-55
G06 @ Texas State L 20-21
G07 @ Georgia Southern L 28-38
G08 ARKANSAS STATE L 24-34
G09 @ Southern Miss L 7-24
G10 TROY L 14-45
G11 @ #13 Ole Miss L 3-35
G12 @ Louisiana L 21-52
Team Info:
2023 Overall: 2-10 (7th in Sun Belt West)
Home: 2-4
Away: 0-6
Neutral: 0-0
SBC: 0-8
Non-SBC: 2-2
Head Coach: Matt Viator
UL-Monroe: 19-39
Career: 97-72
Bowls: 0-0
(NT Jaylan Ware – @_Jaylanware)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Hunter Herring (16-30, 121 yards, 53.3%, 4.0 avg., 1 TD, 0 INT)
Rushing: Hunter Smith (94 car., 507 yards, 5.4 avg., 3 TD)
Receiving: Dariyan Wiley (24 rec., 400 yards, 16.7 avg., 7 TD)
TD’s Scored: Hunter Smith (3)
Sacks: Dylan Howell (3)
Tackles: Carl Glass Jr. (59)
Interceptions: David Godsey Jr. (3)
Pass Deflections: Car’lin Vigers (3)
Tackles For Loss: Carl Glass Jr. (7)
Forced Fumbles: Carl Glass Jr. (2)
Kick Returns: Hunter Smith (4 ret., 47 yards, 11.8 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: None
Kicking: Luke Stagg (0-0 fg/fga., 0%, 1-1 xp/xpa., 1 point)
Punting: None
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 14 General Booty (RS JR/TR
RB: 21 Hunter Smith (RS JR)
WR: 12 Javon Campbell (JR/TR)
WR: 5 Artis Cole (RS JR/TR)
WR: 3 Davon Wells (SR/TR)
TE: 82 Si Stovall (RS FR)
LT: 60 Sam Carson (SR/TR)
LG: 58 Elijah Fisher (RS SR)
OC: 50 Carter Miller (SR/TR)
RG: 64 Drew Hutchinson (RS SO)
RT: 65 Devon Smith (JR/TR)
KR: 3 Davon Wells (SR/TR)
PK: 99 Max Larson (RS JR/TR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 18 Kevontay Wells (JR/TR)
NT: 14 Jaylan Ware (SR/TR)
DE: 97 Earl Barquet Jr. (RS SR/TR)
LB: 5 Billy Pullen (JR/TR)
LB: 35 Carl Glass Jr. (SR/TR)
LB: 6 Tyrese Hopkins (RS JR/TR)
NB: 4 Travor Randle (SR/TR)
CB: 13 David Godsey Jr. (RS JR)
CB: 1 Car’lin Vigers (SR/TR)
FS: 13 David Godsey Jr. (RS JR)
SS: 12 Wydett Williams Jr. (JR/TR)
PR: 3 Devon Wells (SR/TR)
PT: 47 Makenzie Ryan (FR)
(CB David Godsey Jr. – ULM Athletics)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: C
Running Backs: C
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: C
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: C
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: C
Punters: C
Schedule:
08/29 JACKSON STATE TIGERS | ULM won (12-7) the only prior meeting between schools in 2021.
09/07 UAB BLAZERS | The series is tied 1-1. The Warhawks lost (0-47) the last meeting between schools in 1999, and they won (20-14) the inaugural meeting in 1998.
09/21 @ Texas Longhorns | ULM trails the series 0-2. The Warhawks lost (10-52) the last meeting between schools in 2022, and they lost (20-59) the inaugural meeting in 2009.
09/28 @ Troy Trojans | ULM trails the series 8-12-1. The Warhawks are 2-4 since 2014, and their last series win (29-16) was in 2021.
10/05 JAMES MADISON DUKES | First meeting between schools.
10/12 SOUTHERN MISS GOLDEN EAGLES | ULM trails the series 2-6. The Warhawks are 1-3 since restarting the series in 2017, and their last series win (21-20) was in 2018.
10/26 @ South Alabama Jaguars | The series is tied 5-5. The Warhawks are 4-4 since restarting the series in 2016, and their last series win (41-31) was in 2021.
11/02 @ Marshall Thundering Herd | ULM won (43-42) the only prior meeting between schools in 1987.
11/09 TEXAS STATE BOBCATS | ULM leads the series 13-7. The Warhawks are 5-5 since 2014, and their last series win (31-30) was in 2022.
11/16 @ Auburn Tigers | ULM trails the series 0-11. The Warhawks lost (14-42) the last meeting between schools in 2017.
11/23 LOUISIANA RAGIN” CAJUNS | ULM trails the series 26-32. The Warhawks are 2-8 since 2014, and their last series win (21-17) was in 2022.
11/30 @ Arkansas State Red Wolves | ULM trails the series 14-30. The Warhawks are 0-10 since 2014, and their last series win (16-10) dates back to 2009.
Predictions:
Home: 1-5
Away: 0-6
Neutral: 0-0
SBC: 0-8
Non-SBC: 1-3
Overall: 1-11 (7th in SBC West).
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