2021 Incarnate Word Cardinals football team explained

Year:2021
Team:Incarnate Word Cardinals
Sport:football
Conference:Southland Conference
Short Conf:Southland
Statsrank:12
Fcscoachrank:13
Record:10–3
Conf Record:7–1
Head Coach:Eric Morris
Hc Year:4th
Off Coach:Cody Crill
Oc Year:4th
Off Scheme:Air raid
Def Coach:Justin Deason
Dc Year:4th
Def Scheme:Multiple
Champion:Southland champion
Bowl:NCAA Division I Second Round
Bowl Result:L 42–49, vs. Sam Houston

The 2021 Incarnate Word Cardinals football team represented the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) in the 2021 NCAA Division I FCS football season as a member of the Southland Conference. The Cardinals played their home games at Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium in San Antonio, Texas. They were led by fourth-year head coach Eric Morris.

On November 12, 2021, Incarnate Word announced that this will be the last season for the team in the Southland and will then join the Western Athletic Conference on July 1, 2022. However, UIW announced they would remain in the Southland in late June and would not join the WAC.

Preseason

Preseason poll

The Southland Conference released their preseason poll in July 2021. The Cardinals were picked to finish third in the conference.[1] In addition, fifteen Cardinals were chosen to the Preseason All-Southland Team.[2]

1 Southeastern Louisiana 48 (8)
2 Nicholls 43 (4)
3 Incarnate Word 32
4 McNeese State 26
5 Northwestern State 21
6 Houston Baptist 10

Preseason All–Southland Teams

Offense

1st Team

2nd Team

Defense

1st Team

2nd Team

Schedule

[3] [4]

Personnel

Coaching staff

Source:[5]

Name Position Alma materJoined staff
Head Coach Texas Tech (2008)2018
Assistant Head Coach / Wide Receivers Texas Tech (2014) 2018
Justin Deason Defensive Coordinator Central Oklahoma (2003)2018
Cody Crill Offensive Coordinator Angelo State (2002)2018
Brandon Lechtenberg Linebackers / Special Teams Coordinator 2018
Inside Receivers / Academic Coordinator Incarnate Word (2015) 2018
Darren Garrigan Defensive Backs / Pass Game Coordinator West Texas A&M (2009) 2018
Matthew Gregg Outside Linebackers 2019
Quarterbacks UTEP (2017) 2018
Jordan Shoemaker Offensive Line / Run Game Coordinator Houston (2011) 2018
Brett Watson Interior Defensive Line / Academic Coordinator West Texas A&M (2009) 2018
Scotty Yates Quality Control / Defensive Backs Texas A&M University–Commerce (2015) 2019
Rolando Surita III Chief of Staff 2020
Bret Huth Director of Strength and Conditioning John Carroll (2010) 2018
Jimmy Fowler Director of Football Operations 2021

Roster

Source:[6]

Postseason honors

The following Cardinals received postseason honors for the 2021 season:[7]

Associated Press FCS All-American Second–Team
WR Taylor Grimes – Junior

Associated Press FCS All-American Third–Team
LB Kelechi Anyalebechi – Senior

Stats Perform FCS All-American Second–Team
QB Cameron Ward – Sophomore
WR Taylor Grimes – Junior

Stats Perform FCS All-American Third–Team
LB Kelechi Anyalebechi – Senior

HERO Sports FCS All-American Second–Team
WR Taylor Grimes – Junior

Southland Conference Offensive Player of the Year
QB Cameron Ward – Sophomore

Southland Conference Coach of the Year
Eric Morris

All–Southland Conference First–Team
RB Kevin Brown – Graduate Senior
WR Taylor Grimes – Junior
OL Nash Jones – Sophomore
DL Cameron Preston – Senior
LB Kelechi Anyalebechi – Senior
DB Kaleb Culp – Sophomore
PR Robert Ferrel – Senior

All–Southland Conference Second–Team
QB Cameron Ward – Sophomore
WR Robert Ferrel – Senior
P Keven Nguyen – Senior
DL Brandon Bowen – Graduate Senior
LB Isaiah Paul – Sophomore
DB Rashon Davis – Graduate Senior

All–Southland Conference Third–Team
RB Marcus Cooper – Graduate Senior
WR Darion Chafin – Senior
OL Reid Francis – Junior
OL Caleb Johnson – Senior
OL Dawson Kier – Senior
DL Blaine Hoover – Senior
DB Elliott Davison – Sophomore
DB Moses Reynolds – Senior
DB Brandon Richard – Junior

Game summaries

@ Youngstown State

See also: 2021 Youngstown State Penguins football team.

@ Texas State

See also: 2021 Texas State Bobcats football team.

McNeese State

See also: 2021 McNeese State Cowboys football team.

@ Northwestern State

See also: 2021 Northwestern State Demons football team.

Nicholls

See also: 2021 Nicholls Colonels football team.

@ McNeese State

See also: 2021 McNeese State Cowboys football team.

Houston Baptist

See also: 2021 Houston Baptist Huskies football team.

No. 6 Southeastern Louisiana

See also: 2021 Southeastern Louisiana Lions football team.

@ Nicholls

See also: 2021 Nicholls Colonels football team.

@ Houston Baptist

See also: 2021 Houston Baptist Huskies football team.

FCS playoffs

Stephen F. Austin – first round

See also: 2021 Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks football team.

@ Sam Houston – second round

See also: 2021 Sam Houston Bearkats football team.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Southeastern Voted to Top Spot in 2021 Football Preseason Poll . www.southland.org . 8 August 2021 . en.
  2. Web site: Southland Announces 2021 Preseason All-Conference Football Teams . www.southland.org . 8 August 2021 . en.
  3. Web site: 2021 Incarnate Word Cardinals Football Schedule.
  4. Web site: 2021 Incarnate Word Cardinals Football Schedule. FBSchedules.com.
  5. Web site: Football Coaches. University of the Incarnate Word. February 7, 2020.
  6. Web site: 2021 Football Roster. University of the Incarnate Word. August 4, 2021.
  7. Web site: Southland Announces 2021 All-Conference Football Teams. Southland Conference. December 23, 2021.