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. In addition, fifteen Cardinals were chosen to the Preseason All-Southland Team.
Preseason All–Southland Teams
Offense
1st Team Kevin Brown – Running Back, SR Robert Ferrel – Wide Receiver, SR
2nd Team Cam Ward – Quarterback, SO Caleb Johnson – Offensive Lineman, SR Nash Jones – Offensive Lineman, SO Reid Francis – Offensive Lineman, RS-FR Carson Mohr – Kicker, JR
Defense
1st Team Cameron Preston – Defensive Lineman, SR Kelechi Anyalebechi – Linebacker, SR Ce'Cori Tolds – Kick Returner, SR Robert Ferrel – Punt Returner, SR
2nd Team Blaine Hoover – Defensive Lineman, RS-SR Isaiah Paul – Linebacker, RS-SO Shawn Holton – Defensive Back, JR Elliott Davison – Defensive Back, SO
Schedule
Personnel Coaching staff Source: Name Position Alma materJoined staff Eric Morris Head coach Texas Tech (2008) 2018 Jordan Davis 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 Nebraska 2018 Clint Killough 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 Southern Nazarene 2019 Mack Leftwich 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 Sean Brophy Quality Control / Quarterbacks Incarnate Word (2019) 2021 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: 2021 Incarnate Word Cardinals footballQuarterback 7 Cam Ward (C) – sophomore (6'3, 220) 8 Kevin Yeager – junior (6'1, 195) 9 Kannon Williams – freshman (6'2, 220)
Running back 4 Kevin Brown – senior (5'9, 205) 5 Marcus Cooper – senior (5'8, 185) 22 Jarrell Wiley – freshman (5'10, 190) 26 Kaleb Ducros – junior (5'11, 190) 38 Tyrese Brown – sophomore (5'10, 185)
Wide receiver 0 Darion Chafin – senior (6'2, 195) 1 Ce'Cori Tolds – senior (5'10, 155) 2 CJ Hardy – junior (5'11, 195) 6 Jayden Jones – sophomore (6'2, 200) 10 Kailan Noseff – senior (6'3, 195) 11 Jaelin Campbell – senior (6'1, 195) 12 Robert Ferrel – senior (5'9, 170) 13 Marquez Perez – sophomore (5'11, 190) 14 Emerson Haywood – sophomore (6'1, 165) 16 Taylor Grimes – junior (5'11, 190) 19 Baron Bradley – sophomore (6'1, 195) 80 Devin Morrison – junior (6'1, 205) 83 Trevor Begue – senior (5'11, 195) 84 Jalen Smothers – sophomore (5'10, 190) 86 Stayton Ankrom – freshman (6'2, 205) 88 Liam Capobianco – junior (6'3, 180) 89 Marcus Harmon – junior (5'10, 170)
Tight end 3 Roger McCuller – senior (6'1, 210) 40 Coby Walker – sophomore (6'2, 255) 44 Brandon Zapata – junior (5'11, 210) 81 Parker Floyd – junior (6'4, 240) 85 Christian Smith – freshman (6'4, 220) Offensive line 55 Aaron Martinez – sophomore (6'2, 295) 61 Jimeto Obigbo – freshman (6'4, 325) 62 Dawson Kier (C) – senior (6'3, 285) 63 Stanley Mark – junior (6'3, 285) 64 Dorion Strawn – freshman (6'5, 320) 65 Dayton Robinson – freshman (6'5, 325) 68 Jhase Edwards – junior (6'3, 290) 70 Cesar Moreno – senior (6'3, 310) 72 Reid Francis – junior (6'4, 300) 73 Jeremiah Williams – senior (6'1, 295) 74 Caleb Johnson – senior (6'6, 330) 75 Michael Vargas – sophomore (6'5, 295) 76 Nash Jones – sophomore (6'3, 300) 77 Jayden Borjas – junior (6'5, 300) 78 Uzoma Okere – senior (6'2, 290) 79 Joseph Kimmey – junior (6'6, 310)
Defensive line 10 Terrell Lucas – DL – senior (6'3, 250) 11 Blaine Hoover – DE – senior (6'5, 265) 14 Brandon Bowen – DL – senior (6'4, 275) 41 Darius Richmond – DT – junior (6'2, 270) 43 Mason Meyer – DE – junior (6'3, 270) 45 Jared Soyring – DT – senior (6'2, 290) 47 Seth Jaquess – DE – junior (6'4, 250) 90 Sam Latham – DE – junior (6'4, 265) 92 Darien Townsend – DE – senior (6'3, 260) 93 Cameron Preston (C) – DT – senior (6'1, 325) 96 Josh Gonzalez – DL – freshman (6'3, 305) 97 Josh Jackson – DT – senior (6'0, 310) 99 Royce Wellington – DT – senior (6'1, 330)
Kicker 37 John Scifers – sophomore (6'0, 180) 50 Carson Mohr – junior (5'8, 150)
Punter 30 Keven Nguyen – senior (5'10, 185) Linebacker 8 Kelechi Anyalebechi (C) – senior (6'0, 240) 9 Gerald Bowie III (C) – senior (6'1, 235) 21 Isaiah Paul – sophomore (6'2, 235) 27 Akil Jones – senior (6'0, 240) 32 Darius Sanders – freshman (6'2, 205) 33 Tylan George – sophomore (5'10, 215) 42 Tah Mac Bright – sophomore (6'2, 225) 46 Ricky Rich – junior (6'1, 210) 52 Gage Maples – freshman (6'0, 220)
Defensive back 2 Micahh Smith – DB – senior (6'0, 205) 4 Kylan Thomas – DB – sophomore (5'11, 195) 5 Tiji Paul – CB – junior (5'10, 195) 6 Shawn Holton – S – junior (5'10, 165) 7 Rashon Davis – DB – senior (6'0, 175) 13 Tre Richardson – CB – junior (6'1, 175) 16 Dante Heaggans – ATH – junior (6'0, 185) 17 Brandon Richard – CB – junior (5'11, 185) 18 Reese Watson – DB – junior (6'0, 185) 19 Reggie Branch – DB – freshman (6'1, 185) 20 Kaleb Culp – DB – sophomore (5'10, 185) 23 Moses Reynolds – DB – senior (6'2, 190) 24 Elliott Davison – DB – sophomore (6'0, 180) 25 Donovan Dreighton – S – freshman (6'2, 200) 28 Jalen Mann – DB – freshman (6'1, 180) 29 Brian Mayes – DB – freshman (6'1, 180) 31 Christian Jackson – DB – freshman (6'0, 180) 34 Rayden Campbell – DB – freshman (5'11, 180)
Long snapper 35 Chance Trentman–Rosas – junior (6'2, 215) 56 Joe Giordano – senior (5'11, 225)
Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible Injured Redshirt
Depth chart
Postseason honors The following Cardinals received postseason honors for the 2021 season:
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 Cam 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
Prairie View A&M
@ Texas State
McNeese State
@ Northwestern State
Nicholls
@ McNeese State
Houston Baptist
No. 6 Southeastern Louisiana
@ Nicholls
@ Houston Baptist
FCS playoffs
Stephen F. Austin – first round
@ Sam Houston – second round
Rankings
References