ULM College Football Preview 2024: Key Players, Game Schedule, Season Predictions

ULM College Football Preview 2024

There are rebuilding jobs, and there’s what Bryant Vincent is walking into.

He knows what it’s like to be a part of putting programs together. Part of all of the UAB fun under Bill Clark, he got a year as the interim head coach in 2022, was solid, and got knocked out for Trent Dilfer.

His style and attitude just might work here.

His offense was good at New Mexico last year - even in a rough season overall - and it was enough to get him this shot. It won’t be easy - the transfer portal picked the program clean - but it’s his to make into whatever he wants.

It hasn’t exactly been an easy run for ULM football in 37 years at the FBS level. Three winning seasons with the last positive year in 2012 - and that’s the one and only bowl appearance.

The Warhawks lost.

Matt Viator gave it a good run over five years, and then it all fell apart. Terry Bowden had a few moments when it looked like something could kick in, but he went 10-26 in three years. Again, you have one winning season in 31 campaigns, and there’s room for improvement.

It’s not going to happen right away. Vincent’s team will play hard, the offense will be interesting, and there will be an okay starting 22. Just get a few wins and show something on …

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ULM Football Preview 2024: Offense

- This should be better even with a ton of holes to deal with. The passing game didn’t scare anyone last season, but Vincent - he’s his own offensive coordinator - was able to get a slew of options to come in to give it a shot. 6-4 former Louisiana Ragin’ Cajun Hunter Herring will get the first look, but Oklahoma transfer General Booty will make a big push.

- The receiving corps needs players, fast. Just about anyone who caught a pass last season is gone - top receiver Tyrone Howell went to the CFL - and it’ll take all of fall camp to find any sort of rotation. Parker Hill is a smallish, dangerous option with upside, Tristan Wiley is a big target, and after that it’ll be an open audition.

- The offensive front has the potential to be okay. There’s no depth, but Elijah Fisher is a strong guard to build around, and the tackle combination of John Curtis Goodman and Sam Carson have a little experience.

Hunter Smith led the team with 507 yards and three scores averaging over five yards per carry. The entire offense will work around him and sophomore Bennett Galloway.

ULM Football Preview 2024: Defense

- The offense should be decent at times. The defense … uhhhhhh … It’s going to take a bit, but the line should be able to piece it together just enough to have something to build on.

Losing Kenard Snyder to Iowa State and Adin Huntington to Tulane stings, but Jaylan Ware is a veteran on the nose, and James Smith is a promising young pass rusher on one side.

- The linebacking corps might need the most work, but it’s coming. The program went HEAVY into the JUCO types to fill in the gaps, but it has a good one in 220-pound guided missile to start in the middle. He’ll blow past the 59 tackles of last year - he can get behind the line, too.

- Can ULM’s secondary hold up without having to do it all? There are a few more options here than other spots, and the corner situation should be a relative strength starting with Car’lin Vigers on one side. If this bunch can get any sort of a pass rush to help out, this bunch will make plays.

Key To The ULM Football Season

Establish an identity on offense.
There were some huge days from the passing game, but it wasn’t consistent. The ground game had a few nice moments, but it wasn’t enough.

It’s sort of hard to find an offensive groove when you’re behind. Vincent will want a decent balance that leans on the ground game, sort of like last year’s team - but he and the staff will have to do what they can to make anything possible work.

ULM Key Player

QB Hunter Herring, Jr.
Or General Booty, or any of the quarterback options.

The lines will take a bit, and the defense will be a work in progress, but first, ULM needs to find its main man and leader. Herring has the 6-4, 228-pound size and tools to be a dual threat problem. He only threw for 121 yards and ran for 68 in his time logged in, but he’ll get every chance to take over.

ULM Football Top Transfer, Biggest Transfer Loss

Top Transfer In: General Booty, QB Jr.
Mostly known for his name coming out a massive year at Tyler Junior College, he was supposed to be a decent option for Oklahoma. He got caught up in a numbers game, didn’t see a lot of work, and now he’ll push Hunter Herring for the gig.

Top Transfer Out: Kenard Snyder, DE Jr.
The Warhawk D had other pass rushing options last year, but Snyder was the one everyone worried about. He made 121 tackles with 6.5 sacks and 24.5 tackles for loss over the last two years, and now he’s at Iowa State.

ULM Key Game

UAB, Sept. 7
You don’t think Bryant Vincent wants this?

It would be a rough, ROUGH day for Trent Dilfer and UAB if they can get past a building ULM team with the coach that could’ve been in Year Three in Birmingham. With road games at Texas and Troy to follow, this home game will be as much fun as ULM will have for a while.

10 Best ULM Football Players

1. Elijah Fisher, OG Sr.
2. Carl Glass, LB Sr
3. Jaylan Ware, DT Sr.
4. Hunter Smith, RB Jr.
5. Car’lin Vigers, CB Sr.
6. Deuce Mayberry, CB Sr.
7. Hunter Herring, QB Jr.
8. Trevor Randle, LB Sr.
9. General Booty, QB Jr.
10. James Smith, DE Soph.

ULM 2023 Fun Stats

- 2nd Quarter Points: Opponents 129, ULM 64

- Time of Possession: Opponents 32:41, ULM 27:13

- 3rd Down Conversions: Opponents 89-of-175 (51%), ULM 9-of-26 (35%)

ULM Football 2024 Win Total Prediction: What to Expect This Season

It’ll take something special to find a few wins.

Everything will have to be pieced together on the fly, and the depth and options will be tough to find. The idea will be to keep improving and go into November with something to get excited about, but the Warhawks will likely be underdogs in every game after the opener against Jackson State.

The offense will come up with a few great performances to stay in games, but this year will be about getting off the ground under Vincent.

Set The ULM Win Total At … 2.5

Likely Wins: Jackson State

50/50 Games: at Arkansas State, Louisiana, Southern Miss, UAB

Likely Losses: at Auburn, James Madison, Marshall, at South Alabama, at Texas, Texas State, at Troy

2024 ULM Football Schedule

Aug 31 Jackson State
Sept 7 UAB
Sept 14 OPEN DATE
Sept 21 at Texas
Sept 28 at Troy
Oct 5 James Madison
Oct 12 Southern Miss
Oct 19 OPEN DATE
Oct 26 at South Alabama
Nov 2 Marshall
Nov 9 Texas State
Nov 16 at Auburn
Nov 23 at Arkansas State
Nov 30 Louisiana

Missing: Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Old Dominion