2013 ULM Spring Football Analysis

2013 ULM Warhawks ... Head Coach: Todd Berry

ULM Warhawks

2013 Schedule
8/31 at Oklahoma
9/7 Grambling State
9/14 at Wake Forest
9/21 at Baylor
9/28 Tulane
10/3 WKU
10/12 at Texas State
10/19 OPEN DATE
10/26 Georgia State
10/31 at Troy
11/9 Arkansas State
11/16 OPEN DATE
11/23 at South Alabama
11/30 at Louisiana

Why To Be Excited As good as the 2012 season was – throwing aside the clunker of a bowl loss – 2013 could be even better with 18 starters coming back including quarterback Kolton Browning and four starters off the line. The scoring could come in bunches like it did at times last season, while there should be a little bit of an improvement on the other side of the ball. The defense struggled with its consistency, but nine starters are back including the entire front three and all five starters in the secondary for nickel packages.

Why To Be Grouchy Tavarese Maye and Je’Ron Hamm are good receivers who should be able to pick up the slack, but losing a reliable safety valve like Brent Leonard will hurt. Losing a right guard usually isn’t a big deal, but Jonathan Gill was a good one for a line that needs to be a big tighter and more effective. Leading tackler R.J. Young and running mate DaCorris Ford a gone after a big year getting behind the line.

What Needs Working On The secondary has to tighten up. Usually teams with great offenses give up great pass defense numbers because teams have to bomb away to try to keep up the pace, but ULM’s secondary was just bad. A mediocre pass rush didn’t help the cause for a secondary that allowed a whopping 33 touchdown passes, giving up fewer than two scores in two games. Overall, the defense has to do a far better job of coming up with takeaways after recovering a mere four fumbles, and two of those coming early in the year against Baylor.

Non-Conference Games: at Oklahoma, Grambling State, at Wake Forest, at Baylor, Tulane
Realistic Best Case Record: 8-4
Worst Case Record: 5-7
Likely Finish: 7-5
Pre-Preseason Projected Wins: Grambling State, Tulane, WKU, at Texas State, Georgia State, Arkansas State, at South Alabama
Pre-Preseason Projected Losses: at Oklahoma, at Wake Forest, at Baylor, at Troy, at Louisiana

Schedule Analysis: Can ULM pull off a huge shocker by beating Oklahoma in Norman? No, but it wouldn’t be stunning if it came up with a victory over Wake Forest or Baylor on the road or Tulane at home. Most of the biggest Sun Belt games are at home, going against WKU and Arkansas State, but the showdown against the Red Wolves on November 9th is the last home date with a week off before going on the road to finish up at South Alabama and Louisiana. The season could come down to the rivalry showdown against the Ragin’ Cajuns, but there can’t be any big slips at home and beating Troy and Texas State in the middle of the season on the road could be a must.

Team Concerns For 2013: The secondary was a disaster, and it wasn't just because teams had to bomb away to try keeping up the pace. The offensive line could stand to be tougher and more consistent, and it would be nice to get more from the running backs so Kolton Browning doesn't have to carry all of the workload. The pass rush needs to generate more big plays, but it was a young front three that should mature into something special over the next few years. Offensively, finding a No. 1 target to replace Brent Leonard will be a focus in spring ball.

The 2013 Class Is Heavy On ... Offensive linemen. Quarterback Bivins Caraway is a smallish baller who could fit the Kolton Browning mode, and tight end Everett Anderson was a good signing for an offense that could use as many targets as possible for down the road, but the offensive line got the biggest boost with tackle Chase Regian the best option in the class and guards Trey Martin and Matt Oubre good interior blockers who could be big factors with a few years in the weight room. Defensive tackle David Elias will someday be a factor as an interior pass rusher.

2012 CFN Recruiting Ranking: 110. That Class Was Heavy On ... Defensive back. The Warhawks will be going after a huge class with a little something for everyone, but the secondary will get the most attention with a slew of safeties coming in for the 3-3-5 alignment. There’s no need to go after anyone for the offensive backfield with the shelves stocked for a few years, but a few receivers will come in to provide more options for Todd Berry’s four and five-wide sets.

2011 CFN Recruiting Ranking: 119. That Class Was Heavy On ... The passing game. Head coach Todd Berry didn’t need to do much at receiver last year after the previous regime loaded up in 2009, but he went long this year with several solid targets. Earnest Carrington is a tall, promising quarterback, but he could be pushed in a few years by Brayle Brown, a mobile passer with a little bit of upside.

2010 CFN Recruiting Ranking: 111. That Class Was Heavy On ... Linemen. The biggest instant impact should be in the secondary with JUCO transfers Montavious Hill and Dan Jackson brought in to be in the starting mix right away, but the Warhawks loaded up on the lines. Six defensive ends, two centers, two guards, and four offensive tackles make it a strength-in-numbers class, but OT Jon Fisher is a good one who should be the star of the bunch.

2009 CFN Recruiting Ranking: 80. That Class Was Heavy On ... Wide receivers. This is a huge class with the major emphasis on the offense, and most specifically, the receivers. With seven prospects coming in over various shapes and sizes. JUCO transfer Cordario Calvin will be expected to play right away, but Tristan Warren might be the best of the lot, and Otis Peterson and Tavarese Maye will battle it out for who’ll be the fastest.