ULM Warhawks Look to a Freshman QB

(This is the ninth in a series of 14 articles previewing the Sun Belt Conference and the 2015 Opponents of the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns.  Today:  UL Monroe.  The Cajuns and Warhawks meet in the Cajuns' homecoming game on Halloween afternoon.)

ULM was the only school in the nation last year to play an non conference schedule made up of solely teams from Power 5 leagues.  The Warhawks won only one of those contests (Wake Forest) but gave Texas A&M all they wanted before falling 16-21.  ULM started the season 3-1 but then lost six in a row, four by a touchdown or less and staggered home to a 4-8 record.

OFFENSE---Head Coach Todd Berry has named redshirt freshman Garrett Smith as his starting quarterback, outdueling senior Brayle Brown.  Smith will be considerably more mobile than his predecessor Pete Thomas.  Berry says Smith is more knowledgeable than Thomas was last season in picking up the Warhawks offense.  RB Centarius Donald has moved on and there's a battle at running back with mostly unproven talent.  Watch redshirt freshman Ben Luckett.  Smith will have plenty of talent at the receiver spots with Rashon Ceaser (77-872-3), a first team all-SBC performer last year and Ajalen Holley (57-863-7) a second team pick, both returning.  Tyler Cain, who was the second leading rusher last year, moves to the slot.  Alec Osborne, the starting TE is back.  There's not much experience behind these guys.  Up front, three starters return from an offensive line that was just God-awful last year.  ULM couldn't run the football and toward the end, didn't even try to run it all that much.  Thomas wasn't the most mobile QB in the world but the line allowed a ridiculous 44 sacks.  Obviously this unit needs to get a lot better.  The Warhawks scored over 30 points only two times last season, against lowly Idaho and New Mexico State.

DEFENSE---There's a lot to like in this bunch.  Former Missouri transfer Gerrand Johnson had 97 tackles and six sacks from the nose tackle position.  That's pretty salty stuff.  He could wind up being the defensive POY if he stays healthy.  And, Lorenzo Jackson returns at one of the ends in the Warhawks 3-3-5 defense.  MLB Hunter Kissinger was a second team all-SBC pick last year and was third on the team in tackles.  And, four of their five starters return in the back of the defense, which might be the best unit in the SBC.  Hybrid DB/LB Mitch Lane had 91 tackles, three interceptions and four tackles for loss last season.  ULM only allowed 35 or more points one time and that was to Kentucky.  This unit returns six of their top seven tacklers and 28 of their 36 sacks and should be the best overall defense in the league this year.

SPECIAL TEAMS---The Warhawks lost a dual weapon in Justin Manton, who was as good in the kicking game as ULM has had in recent history.  That's a pretty big blow.  It looks as though redshirt freshman Craig Ford is going to get a shot at doing both.  The return game is in good hands with Caesar and the coverage team should be solid.  But make no mistake, Manton is a big loss for this team.

SCHEDULE--The good news is, six of ULM's 13 opponents combined for a 12-60 record last year.  They get three of the favorites (Georgia Southern, App State and Arkansas State) all at Malone Stadium.  And, three of their five non conference games (Nicholls State, at Tulsa and at Hawai'i) are all winnable.  The bad news?  As always ULM has just five home games and this year, eight on the road, including three in a row at Idaho,   Louisiana and Troy.  Their bye week is after week two which means they'll play eleven straight games.  They do not play South Alabama or Georgia State.

OUTLOOK---If it were always true that defense wins championships, ULM would probably be the favorite to win the Sun Belt this year.  They have four legitimate first team all league candidates in that unit.  As a result, ULM will be in most games they play.  How much success they have will be determined by the other side of the football.  Smith has got some playmakers on the outside and his mobility should get him away from a pass rush that is sure to be coming.  But teams that win are teams that can run the football with some consistency.  The offensive line has to show great improvement to improve on the paltry 70 yards per game rushing this team had a year ago.  This team is picked in the middle of the pack.  The kicking game is untested.  But if Smith plays like an upperclassman and some holes open for Luckett and company, their defense makes them a contender.

(Information from Phil Steele's College Football Preview contributed to this report)