Year: | 2023 |
Team: | Incarnate Word Cardinals |
Sport: | football |
Conference: | Southland Conference |
Short Conf: | Southland |
Statsrank: | 22 |
Fcscoachrank: | 14 |
Record: | 8–2 |
Conf Record: | 6–1 |
Head Coach: | Clint Killough |
Hc Year: | 1st |
Off Coach: | Conner McQueen |
Oc Year: | 1st |
Off Scheme: | Spread |
Def Coach: | Jim Gush |
Dc Year: | 1st |
Def Scheme: | 4–2–5 |
Captain: | Jayden Borjas |
Captain2: | Darren Brown |
Captain3: | Stanley Mark |
Captain4: | Brandon Richard |
Captain5: | Chance Trentman-Rosas |
Stadium: | Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium |
The 2023 Incarnate Word Cardinals football team represented the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) as a member of the Southland Conference during the 2023 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Cardinals played their home games at Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium in San Antonio, Texas. They were led by first-year head coach Clint Killough.
The Southland Conference released their preseason poll on July 24, 2023. The Cardinals were picked to finish second in the conference and received seven first-place votes.[1]
1 | Southeastern Louisiana | 93 (9) | |
2 | Incarnate Word | 91 (7) | |
3 | McNeese | 65 | |
4 | Nicholls | 62 | |
5 | Northwestern State | 52 | |
6 | Texas A&M–Commerce | 33 | |
7 | Lamar | 28 | |
8 | Houston Christian | 24 |
The Southland Conference announced the 2023 preseason all-conference football team selections on July 21, 2023. UIW had a total of 7 players selected.[2]
Offense
1st Team
2nd Team
Defense
1st Team
2nd Team
Source: [5]
Name | Position | Alma mater | Joined staff |
Head coach | Incarnate Word (2015) | 2018 | |
Associate head coach / running backs | TCU (2017) | 2023 | |
Connor McQueen | Offensive coordinator / quarterbacks | Texas A&M (2017) | 2023 |
Jim Gush | Defensive coordinator | Bucknell (1981) | 2023 |
Blair Cavanaugh | Special teams coordinator | Portland State (2016) | 2022 |
Sam Bennett | Linebackers / academic coordinator | Texas Tech (2010) | 2023 |
Tight ends / director of high school relations | Oklahoma (2016) | 2023 | |
Ben Olson | Defensive line / defensive run game coordinator | Eastern Illinois (2013) | 2023 |
George Sanders | Defensive backs / defensive pass game coordinator | Southwest Baptist (2016) | 2023 |
Willis White | Wide receivers / pass game coordinator | Alabama State (2018) | 2023 |
Austin Woods | Offensive line / run game coordinator | Oklahoma (2013) | 2023 |
Tre Spragg | Defensive quality control | Incarnate Word (2015) | 2023 |
Richard Johnson | Defensive quality control | Kansas (2011) | 2023 |
Nick Young | Recruiting coordinator / senior analyst | Toledo (2012) | 2023 |
Zack Lucas | Director of football operations / NFL liaison | Oklahoma State (2010) | 2022 |
Lauren Mancha | Director of player personnel / campus relations / assistant to the head coach | Incarnate Word (2022) | 2022 |
Cody Dunn | Assistant tight ends | McGill (2021) | 2022 |
John Scifers | Specialists coach / video coordinator | Incarnate Word (2021) | 2023 |
Cameron Venzant | Offensive graduate assistant | Central Arkansas (2022) | 2022 |
Mauricio De La Garza | Offensive graduate assistant | 2023 | |
Lamont Johnson | Offensive graduate assistant | Incarnate Word (2019) | 2023 |
Davis Conley | Director of strength and conditioning | LaGrange (2017) | 2022 |
Augie Melendez, Jr. | Head football athletic trainer | Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi (2017) | 2017 |
Source: [6]
See also: 2023 UTEP Miners football team.
Uniform combination | |||
Helmet | Jersey | Pants |
See also: 2023 Northern Colorado Bears football team.
Uniform combination | |||
Helmet | Jersey | Pants |
See also: 2023 Abilene Christian Wildcats football team.
Uniform combination | |||
Helmet | Jersey | Pants |
See also: North American University.
Uniform combination | |||
Helmet | Jersey | Pants |
See also: 2023 Southeastern Louisiana Lions football team.
Uniform combination | |||
Helmet | Jersey | Pants |
Uniform combination | |||
Helmet | Jersey | Pants |
See also: 2023 McNeese Cowboys football team.
Uniform combination | |||
Helmet | Jersey | Pants |
See also: 2023 Lamar Cardinals football team.
Uniform combination | |||
Helmet | Jersey | Pants |
See also: 2023 Nicholls Colonels football team.
Uniform combination | |||
Helmet | Jersey | Pants |
See also: 2023 Northwestern State Demons football team.
See also: 2023 Houston Christian Huskies football team.
Uniform combination | |||
Helmet | Jersey | Pants |
One Southland Conference team and conference players received national recognition over the course of the season. One of the players, Incarnate Word's Richard Torres, was recognized on October 23 as National freshman player of the week.
Honors | Player | Position | Date Awarded | Ref. | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
FedEx Ground FCS National Freshman Player of the Week | Richard Torres | QB | October 23, 2023 | [7] |
Two Cardinals were named as player of the year for their respective positions. Brandon Porter was named Wide Receiver of the Year. Steven Parker was named Defensive Lineman of the Year. In addition, Zack Calzada was named to the 2023 All-Texas Non-FBS Offense team.[8]
Cardinal players received player of the week recognition six times during the season.
Honors | Player | Position | Date Awarded | Ref. | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
SLC Offensive Player of the Week | Zach Calzada | QB | September 11, 2023 | [9] | |
SLC Offensive Player of the Week | Brandon Porter | WR | September 18, 2023 | [10] | |
SLC Defensive Player of the Week | Tre Richardson | DB | September 18, 2023 | ||
SLC Defensive Player of the Week | Tylan Foster | LB | October 16, 2023 | [11] | |
SLC Offensive Player of the Week | Richard Torres | QB | October 23, 2023 | [12] | |
SLC Offensive Player of the Week | Brandon Porter | WR | October 30, 2023 | [13] |
Two Incarnate Word players were individual superlative award winners.[14]
2023 Southland Conference Football Individual Superlative Winners
Offensive Player of the Year: Brandon Porter, UIW
Newcomer of the Year: Zach Calzada, UIW
The Southland Conference announced the 2023 all-conference football team selections on November 22, 2023. Incarnate Word had a total of 13 players selected.[14]
Offense
1st Team
2nd Team
Defense
1st Team
2nd Team