ULM Warhawks 2024 College Football Preview
Posted June 18, 2024
2023 Recap
Record – 2-10
ATS – 5-7
Spirits were high after the opening week upset win over Army, and after the Warhawks defeated Lamar the very next week, there was at least a glimmer of hope that ULM could be somewhat competitive in Sun Belt play. Well they gave Appalachian St and Texas St all they could handle (one-point losses), but any way you slice it, they still lost their final TEN games in a row.
Let’s see what new HC Bryant Vincent has to work with in his first season in Monroe.
ULM Warhawks 2024 Outlook
OFFENSE
The Warhawks had trouble doing much of anything on offense LY (#110 total offense, #80 rush, #112 pass) so we’re not sure if only having two (!) returning starters on offense is a ‘good’ thing, or a ‘bad’ thing. ULM did the impossible and scooped up a former Oklahoma (!) QB recruit in GENERAL BOOTY ** and he’ll compete with a few others for the starting gig. We like the RB situation as there appears to be decent depth with the addition of some talented transfers, and recall that #1 RB Hunter Smith did some good work for the Warhawks LY (507, 3 TD, 5.4 YPC). There’s a complete reload at WR/TE and it’s unclear what kind of talent lies on the depth chart. We’ll have to monitor fall camp to get some clues. Only one starter returns up front, and once again, we’ll note that ULM is relying heavily on transfers to get the job done.
** not the same General Booty that starred in the underappreciated Lunch Wagon Women trilogy
DEFENSE
It was a disgusting mess for the most part last season (#126 total D, #101 run D, #123 pass efficiency D) and it’s rebuilding time for the Warhawks’ stop unit. They lose their top-six (!) tacklers including star DL Adin Huntington (8.5 sacks,16 TFL), leading tackler LB Michael Batton, and DE Kenard Snyder (14.5 TFL). It stings BIGLY to lose a pair of studs up front but keep your eye on JUCO transfer Jaden Hamlin whom the great Phil Steele refers to as a “powerful, athletic freak.” The LB unit returns some experience and adds a bunch of transfers to the mix so ULM might be ok at this position. ULM has a pair of experienced starting CBs in Car’lin Vigers and David Godsey so that’ll give the Warhawks a fighting chance to defend the pass. We’re not sure where the pass rush is going to come from (24 sacks LY, #82) after losing a pair of PENETRATING defensive linemen but we’ll see how it goes.
SPECIAL TEAMS
ULM struggled on special teams last year and they’ll be underdoing complete reconstructive surgery (P, PK, PR, KR).
Schedule Analysis
Overall – The Warhawks will almost certainly start the season with a “W” but there’s not much hope after the opening bell. They’ll get massacred at Texas and Auburn and note the brutal draw from the East (James Madison, at Marshall).
Potential ATS Trouble Spot – at Arkansas St (Nov 23)
This will be the Warhawks’ 4th road game since October 26th and they’ve got their SUPER BOWL on deck (Louisiana).
Season Win Total
Market consensus June 18
Over 1.5 -200
Under 1.5 +160
MEGALOCKS says:
No leanage.
We’d be tempted to take ‘under 2’ if one becomes available but the current number is a ‘pass’. They’ll almost certainly get past Jackson St and then it’s anyone’s guess if they can pull off an upset before the season concludes.
MEGAmazing Tidbits
ULM is a horrifying 47-68-3 ATS (41%) over the L10Y and they’re just 4-17-2 as a home favorite over that time period. We almost certainly won’t have to worry about them being a home favorite this year but they do face Southern Mississippi in Monroe on October 12th. Not saying, just saying.
As hard as it is to believe, ULM were co-champs of the Sun Belt back in 2005, along with Arkansas St and Louisiana. That’s some unexpected THREE-WAY ACTION, yo.
Monroe was the founding city of Delta Air Lines back in the 1920s. Delta is now based in Atlanta and they’re working very hard to ensure that their planes stop falling apart after takeoff, or whilst just sitting on the runway.
MEGALOCKS Forecast:
It’s gonna be a long year for the rebuilding Warhawks but the fans are very accustomed to that scenario. However, there’s reason for optimism given the new head coach, a highly-touted QB prospect, and some intriguing transfer portal pieces. Who knows, maybe some of them will turn out to be extremely productive? We’ll be realistic and call for two wins and hope that THIS TIME, the Warhawks are headed on an upward trajectory.