| 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.
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 |
Offense
1st Team
2nd Team
Defense
1st Team
2nd Team
Source:[5]
| Name | Position | Alma mater | Joined 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 | |
Source:[6]
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
See also: 2021 Youngstown State Penguins football team.
See also: 2021 Texas State Bobcats football team.
See also: 2021 McNeese State Cowboys football team.
See also: 2021 Northwestern State Demons football team.
See also: 2021 Nicholls Colonels football team.
See also: 2021 McNeese State Cowboys football team.
See also: 2021 Houston Baptist Huskies football team.
See also: 2021 Southeastern Louisiana Lions football team.
See also: 2021 Nicholls Colonels football team.
See also: 2021 Houston Baptist Huskies football team.
See also: 2021 Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks football team.
See also: 2021 Sam Houston Bearkats football team.