WR Mack Vincent

2002 Statistics

Coach: Charlie Weatherbie
1st year
2002 Record: 3-9
at Mississippi LOST 3-31
at Kansas State LOST 0-68
MCNEESE STATE LOST 19-24
ARKANSAS STATE LOST 21-33
TULANE LOST 9-52
IDAHO WON 34-14
at New Mexico State LOST 21-34
UTAH STATE WON 51-48 (2OT)
at North Texas LOST 2-41
at Auburn LOST 14-52
at Middle Tennessee LOST 28-44
LOUIS-LAFAYETTE WON 34-10


2002 Final Rankings
AP-UR, Coaches-UR, BCS-UR

2003 Outlook

It has been a trying year for ULM football. Bobby Keasler resigned halfway through the year, and Mike Collins courageously filled in. Then, just a month after being awarded the full-time head coaching job (in December), he was arrested and lost his spot. Now, it is Charlie Weatherbie's mission to take over a struggling program, proverbially looking up from the bottom of a decent-sized hole.

Weatherbie is a proven winner, turning around similar programs at Utah State and Navy. He is a reputable "player's coach" who shares a mutual belief and respect from them. He believes it's going to take a full effort from his team, the coaching staff, and the fans, to turn this thing around- so do we.

Offensively, he has a full garden of potential to harvest and compete with in the Sun Belt Conference. Jyles and his receivers have the talent to keep the Indians viable weekly, but they need their running game to pick it up a few notches. The problem with the 2002 offense was scoring (only 19 ppg). They could easily move the ball, but once they entered enemy territory, it was lights out. The offense must finish drives and culminate them with (some) points, if they are to be competitive.

Defensively, they must stop the ground attack. ULM gave up 195 yards per game on the ground, and 33 TDs! Teams would scorch them through the air, then once they got into the red zone, they would run right at them and over the goal-line every time. That facet must change, too, but is easier said than done. Stacking more men in the box leaves their defense vulnerable against the pass, so an improved secondary is imperative. Look for scattered coverage and varied schemes to confuse offenses and create more QB-pressure.

The schedule scatters three quality SEC opponents (LSU, Ole Miss, Auburn) but evens out (somewhat) with matches against I-AA teams Stephen F. Austin and Northwestern St. The true measure of team ability comes Oct. 25th against Sun Belt co-favorite New Mexico State (in Monroe). If they can overcome this hurdle, they will bode well against North Texas two weeks later.

Bottom line- Charlie Weatherbie inherits a young team with some good, unrealized talent. Give him a year to mold these youngsters and integrate his system and philosophy before judging his worth. Accordingly, the Indians could be a front-running favorite for the Sun Belt crown in '04. We mean it! This year, they'll have to settle for sitting on the fringe.


Projected 2003 record: 4-8
OFFENSIVE MVP
QB Steven Jyles
DEFENSIVE MVP
LB Maurice Sonnier
TOP NEWCOMER
RB Krishun Williams
LOUISIANA-MONROE
*POWER RATINGS
Offense
Defense
QB - 2 DL - 1.5
RB - 1.5 LB - 3
WR - 3 DB - 2
OL - 2 ..
RETURNING LEADERS

Passing: Steven Jyles, 368-181-9, 2318 yds., 17 TD

Rushing: Krishun Williams, 39 att., 172 yds., 1 TD

Receiving: Mack Vincent, 79 rec., 1198 yds., 7 TD

Scoring: Mack Vincent, 7 TD, 42 pts.

Punting: Tyler Kuecker, 9 punts, 37.0 avg.

Kicking: Tyler Kuecker, 4-10 FG, 13-15 PAT, 25 pts.

Tackles: Chris Harris, 96 tot., 38 solo

Sacks: Corey Conde, 4 sacks

Interceptions: Shaune Maynard, 1 for 19 yds.

Kickoff returns: H.J. Adams, 14 ret., 18.5 avg.

Punt returns: H.J. Adams, 12 ret., 6.2 avg.

 

FS Chris Harris

 

LOUISIANA-MONROE
OFFENSE - 8
----RETURNING STARTERS----
DEFENSE - 9
KEY LOSSES
OFFENSE: Bryant Jacobs-TB, Ben Wright-TE, Zack Sims-OG, Joel Stelly-K
DEFENSE: Carlos Hughes-LB, Seneca Lee-CB, Darwin Roberts-WLB, Seneca Lee-CB, Kjell Nesen-P
2003 OFFENSE

written by Tim Chapman

The strength of this team lies in the offense. Senior WR Mack Vincent may be the best wide receiver nobody knows. He finished 13th in the NCAA in receiving yards-per-game (nearly 100 per contest). He was a first-team All-Sun Belt pick who gives the Indians a legitimate game-breaker, as well as being a seasoned veteran who will help contour this young offense. Although not very big, he is a physical receiver. He will either find a way to get open or make the necessary arrangements for picking up needed yardage, both with and without the ball (i.e. blocking).

His partner-in-crime will be sophomore Drouzon Quillen. Quillen is more of the downfield threat the Indians like to utilize, taking advantage of his incredible height and Superman hops. At 6'6", Quillen is one of the tallest receivers in the conference and should stretch secondaries to their limits, accordingly. This plays favorably for the Indians in goal-line situations, especially when throwing fades against smaller corners. Jitterbug junior Floyd Smith will also provide a spark to this offense.

Throwing to these aerial arsonists is sophomore phenom Steven Jyles. Jyles emerged as the starter by the fourth game. He gives the Indians hope of great things to come, hopefully in the very near future. After struggling in the early part of his freshman campaign, he finished red hot, finishing with 11 TDs against only one INT. His play (particularly his decision-making and accuracy) must rise to the next level for ULM to achieve elevated success in '03.

The strength and performance of a seasoned offensive line will help propel this offense into a competitive motion. Four returning starters give ULM a sturdy stockade in the passing game as well as a potent push in the run game. The bell-cow is senior OG Shane Luna, who enters his fourth year as a starter. Luna and his ox-like cohorts will need to be steadfast to keep pressure off of young Jyles and alternatively make space for their callow young running backs.

Weatherbie will find that to be successful in the Sun Belt, you must be able to run the football. The Indians lose a solid back (Jacobs), and must dip into their youth to find a viable replacement. Soph Krishaun Williams was 2002's second leading rusher, but his numbers have not garnered him the 2003 starting nod. Coaches say the intense three-way battle between Williams, redshirt frosh Kevin Payne and soph Errol Hogan still leaves an opaque depth chart for the backfield heading into fall. Our money says that Payne will eventually stake his role as the top guy by around the third or fourth game.

 

C Hayden Wadsworth

 

LOUISIANA-MONROE 2003 DEPTH CHART
Returning Starters in bold
OFFENSE
QB Steven Jyles-So (6-1, 191) Daniel DaPrato-Sr (6-0, 183)
FB Jason Schule-So (6-0, 223) Joey Trappey-So (6-1, 206)
TB Krishun Williams-So (5-10, 221) Errol Hogan-So (5-9, 192)
WR Mack Vincent-Sr (5-11, 196) Jason Deml-Jr (6-4, 195)
WR Drouzon Quillen-So (6-6, 187) Floyd Smith-Jr (5-8, 180) / H.J. Adams-Sr
TE Justin Ebersole-Sr (6-4, 263) Jeremy Hammock-So (6-0, 225)
OT Bruce Hampton-Jr (6-3, 314) Desi Edwards-Fr (6-5, 260)
OG Ben Zapata-Sr (6-2, 316) Kenny Ordeneaux-Sr (6-4, 283)
C Hayden Wadsworth-Jr (6-2, 273) Dorian Beckwith-So (6-0, 317)
OG Shane Luna-Sr (6-2, 310) Don Pitt-Jr (6-3, 295)
OT Josh Wade-Sr (6-5, 280) Robert Aguirre-Sr (6-3, 313)
K Tyler Kuecker-Sr (6-1, 205) ..

 

2003 DEFENSE

written by Tim Chapman

The defensive secondary will play a more valuable role this season - they have to! The pass defense ranked unfavorably low (88th in I-A), giving up 238 yards per game. That can't happen this year, and we believe it won't. They return four (out of five) starters, the best of whom is junior FS Chris Harris. Harris (96 tackles, 5 TFL, 5 passes defended) is the scud of the group, finding nearly every play and blowing it up with authority.. He is a peer-described big-play defender, with the strength and tracking speed to shed blockers so as to efficiently hunt down offensive prey. He plays like a linebacker, as do junior strong safeties Damien Richard and A.J. Bocard. The typical eight-man front that D-coordinator Bob Trott likes to run calls for the strong safeties (and sometimes even free safety) to be near the line of scrimmage to help in run support. That's not to say these guys can't run though. Junior Cash Mouton is money on outside coverage(s). His shut down skills need to infect his comrades if the pass defense is to improve.

The linebacking corps would be listed as the strength of this defense, if they returned two healthy starters. There is no questioning the talent that lies within senior Maurice Sonnier and junior John Winchester. Both are tackling machines, demanding attention and respect from both opponents and teammates. Together, however, they played a combined 13 games last season due to injuries. Their health is a major staple to the prominence of this defense. Should they be nagged by ailments, junior LeKeith Robinson will be called. He proved a reliable contributor, and will need to step up if injuries plague once again.

The defensive line brings back only two starters from a unit that was less than impactful as it finished ranked 100th in run-stopping. Senior NT Corey Conde (42 tackles, 4 sacks, 7 TFL) brings some force to the front along with fellow senior, DE John Thompson (16 QB hurries). Thompson is the more physically opposing of the two, while Conde brings a pleasant quickness to the front. These two are gonna need help from their henchmen if this group is to pose any sort of a threat.

The defense as a whole needs to shore up on their abysmal numbers from 2002, especially against the run where opponents averaged nearly five yards per carry.

 

LB Maurice Sonnier

 

LOUISIANA-MONROE 2003 DEPTH CHART
Returning Starters in bold
DEFENSE
DE John Thompson-Sr (6-3, 271) Alnecco Shine-Jr (6-3, 255)
DT Jamond Mason-Taylor-Sr (6-1, 286) Dilandos Johnson-Jr (6-4, 285)
NT Corey Conde-Sr (6-2, 245) Chad James-So (6-2, 275)
DE Maynard Johnny-Jr (6-3, 250) Lamont Finley-Jr (6-3, 226)
SLB Maurice Sonnier-Sr (6-2, 246) LeKeith Robinson-Jr (6-0, 226)
WLB John Winchester-Jr (6-2, 230) L.B. Jeter-So (6-1, 215)
CB Cash Mouton-Jr (6-1, 193) Chaz Williams-Fr (6-0, 175)
CB Jaron James-Jr (5-10, 170) Vernard Wilkerson-Jr (5-11, 171)
SS Damien Richard-Jr (6-0, 196) Shaune Maynard-Jr (6-0, 207)
SS A.J. Bocard-Jr (5-10, 187) Travin Moore-Jr (5-11, 190)
FS Chris Harris-So (6-1, 200) Josh Jenkins-So (6-0, 180)
P Nick Bascle-So (6-0, 195) Tyler Kuecker-Sr (6-1, 205)

 

 

2003 SPECIAL TEAMS

This is an area that ULM does not look forward to fielding. Senior Tyler Kuecker was an abysmal 4-of-10 on FGAs, and 13-of-15 on PATs. Coaches say he has improved his accuracy and leg strength in the off-season, but we'll wait and see come real-game conditions. Sophomore Nick Bascle steps in as the new punter, and will look to better 2002's 36-yard average. The return game ain't pretty, either. ULM averaged only 18 yards per kick return and only 5 per punt return. Senior H.J. Adams will handle both chores, teaming with junior Travin Moore on kickoffs. Something has to give in a few of these areas to keep special teams from costing this squad a few of its precious, earned victories. Frustration, and eventually implosion, will be the result if not.