Incarnate Word Cardinals football explained

Currentseason:	2024 Incarnate Word Cardinals football team
Teamname:	Incarnate Word Cardinals football
Headcoach:	Clint Killough
Headcoachyear:	2nd
Hcwins:	8
Hclosses:	2
Stadium:	Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium
Stadcapacity:	6,000
Stadiumbuilt:	2008
Stadsurface:	FieldTurf Classic HD
Location:	San Antonio, Texas
Ncaadivision:	I FCS
Conference:	Southland Conference
Pastaffiliations:	Division II Independent (2009) Lone Star Conference (2010–2012) FCS Independent (2013)
Firstyear:	2009
Athleticdirector:	Richard Duran
Websitename:	UIWCardinals.com
Websiteurl:	http://www.uiwcardinals.com/index.aspx?path=football&tab=football
Atwins:	74
Atlosses:	89
Playoffapps:	3
Playoffs:	3–3
Conftitles:	3 (2018, 2021, 2022)
Fightsong:	"Cardinal Fight"
Mascotdisplay:	Red Cardinal
Marchingband:	Marching Cardinals
Pagfreelabel2:	Outfitter
Pagfreevalue2:	Adidas

The Incarnate Word Cardinals football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) located in San Antonio, Texas. The program began in 2009 and originally competed in NCAA Division II as members of the Lone Star Conference. In 2013, the school moved to Division I. For the 2013 season, UIW competed as a member of the Southland Conference for all sports except football. Football competed with an 11-game schedule as an Independent. UIW began playing Southland football in the 2014 season. The team plays its home games at the 6,000 seat Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium.

History

UIW held its first team practice on August 27, 2008, and began competing as an NCAA Division II independent on August 29, 2009.

Conference Affiliations

• 2009: Division II Independent
• 2010–2012: Lone Star Conference
• 2013: FCS Independent
• 2014–present: Southland Conference

Coaches

Name	Seasons	Record	Pct.
Mike Santiago	2009–2011	10–18
Todd Ivicic	2011*	0–3
Larry Kennan	2012–2017	20–46
Eric Morris	2018–2021	24–18
G. J. Kinne	2022	12–2
Clint Killough	2023–present	8–2

• Ivicic served as interim head coach for the final three games of 2011, completing Santiago's third season as coach^[1]

Conference Championships

UIW has won 3 Southland Conference championships, two shared and one outright.

Year	Conference	Coach	Overall Record	Conference Record
2018†			6–5	6–2
		10–3	7–1
2022†			12–2	5–1
Total Conference Championships			3

† Co-champions

Playoff appearances

NCAA Division I-AA/FCS

The Cardinals have participated in the NCAA Division I FCS playoffs three times. Their combined record is 3–3.

	First Round		L, 14–35
2021	First Round Second Round	Stephen F. Austin Sam Houston	W, 35–28 L, 42–49
2022	Second round Quarterfinals Semifinals	Furman Sacramento State North Dakota State	W, 41–38 W, 66–63 L, 32–35

Year-by-year results

List of Incarnate Word Cardinals football seasons

Season	Team	Head coach	Conference	Division	Regular season results							Postseason results	Final ranking
					Overall			Conference				Playoff result	STATS Poll	Coaches' Poll
					Win	Loss	Pct.	Win	Loss	Pct.	Finish
Incarnate Word Cardinals
2009	2009	Mike Santiago	Division II Independent	—	5	5	.500	0	0	—	N/A	—	—	—
2010	2010		Lone Star	South	3	8	.273	3	7	.300	12th	—	—	—
2011	2011	Mike Santiago / Todd Ivicic (Interim)		—	2	8	.200	2	5	.286	6th	—	—	—
2012	2012	Larry Kennan			2	9	.182	1	7	.125	9th	—	—	—
2013	2013		FCS Independent		6	5	.545	0	0	—	N/A	—	—	—
2014	2014		Southland		2	9	.182	2	6	.250	9th	—	—	—
2015	2015				6	5	.545	5	4	.556	4th	—	—	—
2016	2016				3	8	.273	3	6	.333	8th	—	—	—
2017	2017				1	10	.091	1	7	.125	9th	—	—	—
2018	2018 ^†	Eric Morris			6	5	.545	6	2	.750	T–1st	NCAA Division I FCS playoffs – first round	—	—
2019	2019				5	7	.417	4	5	.444	T–6th	—	—	—
2020	2020				3	3	.500	3	3	.500	T–3rd	—	—	—
2021	2021 ^†				10	3	.769	6	1	.857	1st	NCAA Division I FCS playoffs – second round	12	13
2022	2022 ^†	G. J. Kinne			12	2	.857	5	1	.833	T–1st	NCAA Division I FCS playoffs – semifinals	3	3
2023	2023	Clint Killough			8	2	.800	6	1	.857	2nd	—	22	14
2024	2024				—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Totals					All-time: 74–89			Conference: 49–54			—	Postseason: 3–3	—	—

^[2]

Stadium

See main article: Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium. UIW home football games are played on campus at Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium. Benson Stadium was dedicated on September 1, 2008 and currently seats 6,000 people. It is named after Tom Benson and his wife Gayle, whose generous monetary donations helped start up the UIW football program. Record stadium attendance of 6,498 was recorded in a game against Houston Baptist on November 17, 2016.^[3] UIW currently has an overall home record at the stadium of 42–35.

All-time record vs. Southland teams

Official record (including any NCAA imposed vacates and forfeits) against all current Southland opponents:

Opponent Won Lost Percentage Streak First Last 9 0 Won 9 2013 2023 6 4 Won 4 2011 2023 5 5 Won 2 2014 2023 5 6 Lost 1 2014 2023 5 3 Won 3 2014 2023 6 5 Won 1 2013 2023 2 5 Won 1 2014 2021 5 0 Won 5 2010 2023 Totals 43 28

Record against FBS competition

Overall (2–8)

Season	Opponent	Division	Result	Score	Record
2015		Conference USA	C-USA	L	17–27	0–1
2016		Sun Belt Conference	Sun Belt	L	17–48	0–2
2017		Mountain West Conference	Mountain West	L	0–66	0–3
2018		Mountain West Conference	Mountain West	L	30–62	0–4
2018		Conference USA	C-USA	L	16–58	0–5
2019		Conference USA	C-USA	L	7–35	0–6
2019		NCAA Division I FBS independent schools	FBS Independent	L	28–41	0–7
2021	Texas State	Sun Belt Conference	Sun Belt	W	42–34	1–7
2022		Mountain West Conference	Mountain West	W	55–41	2–7
2023	UTEP	Conference USA	C-USA	L	14–28	2–8
2025	UTSA	American
2026	Texas State	Sun Belt
2027		Big 12
2029		Big 12
Total				2–8

Individual awards

Walter Payton Award winners

See main article: Walter Payton Award. The Walter Payton Award is awarded annually to the most outstanding college offensive player in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) as chosen by a nationwide panel of media and college sports information directors.

• 2022 – Lindsey Scott Jr.^[4]

Jerry Rice Award winners

See main article: Jerry Rice Award. The Jerry Rice Award is awarded annually to the most outstanding freshman player in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) of college football as chosen by a nationwide panel of media and college sports information directors.

• 2020–21 – Cameron Ward^[5]

Southland Conference Award winners

• Player of the Year

2022 – Lindsey Scott Jr., Quarterback

• Offensive Player of the Year

2021 – Cameron Ward, Quarterback

2023 – Brandon Porter, Wide receiver^[6]

• Defensive Player of the Year

2022 – Kelechi Anyalebechi, Linebacker

• Newcomer of the Year

2015 – Myke Tavarres, Linebacker

2021 – Taylor Grimes, Wide receiver

2023 – Zach Calzada, Quarterback

• Freshman of the Year

2018 – Jon Copeland, Quarterback

2020–21 – Cameron Ward, Quarterback

• Coach of the Year

2018 – Eric Morris

2021 – Eric Morris

• Football Student-Athlete of the Year

2022 – Kelechi Anyalebechi, Linebacker^[7]

FCS All-Americans

Year	Player	Position	First team	Second team	Third team
2015		LB	align=center	STATS, AFCA	align=center	AP	align=center	—
2017		P	align=center	AP, STATS, HERO	align=center	AFCA	align=center	—
2017	Desmond Hite	KR	align=center	—	align=center	STATS, HERO	align=center	—
2018	Ra’Quanne Dickens	RB	align=center	—	align=center	—	align=center	STATS, HERO
2020		RB / AP	align=center	—	align=center	STATS, AFCA	align=center	—
2021		QB	align=center	—	align=center	STATS	align=center	—
2021	Taylor Grimes	WR	align=center	—	align=center	AP, STATS, HERO	align=center	—
2021	Kelechi Anyalebechi	LB	align=center	—	align=center	—	align=center	AP, STATS
2022		QB	align=center	AP, STATS, HERO, AFCA	align=center	—	align=center	—
2022	Darion Chafin	WR	align=center	—	align=center	—	align=center	AP, STATS
2022	Taylor Grimes	WR	align=center	—	align=center	AP, STATS	align=center	—
2022	Caleb Johnson	OL	align=center	—	align=center	—	align=center	AP
2022	Kelechi Anyalebechi	LB	align=center	—	align=center	AP, STATS	align=center	—
2023	Brandon Porter	WR	align=center	—	align=center	AP, STATS, FCS Football Central	align=center	—
2023	Steven Parker	DL	align=center		align=center	AFCA	align=center	STATS, FCS Football Central

^{[8] [9] [10] [11] [12]}

Players in the NFL

Player name	Position	Years at UIW	Years in NFL	NFL Team
Justin Alexandre		2017–2018	2019	Jets
Kelechi Anyalebechi		2018–2022	2023	Rams
Taylor Grimes		2021–2022	2023	Broncos
Alex Jenkins		2013–2016	2017–2019	Saints, Giants
Silas Stewart		2017–2018	2019	Ravens
Myke Tavarres		2014–2015	2016	Eagles
Cole Wick		2012–2015	2016–2020	Lions, 49ers, Titans, Raiders, Saints
National Football League (NFL)

^{[13] [14] [15]}

Players in the CFL

Player name	Position	Years at UIW	Years in CFL	CFL Team
Kevin Brown		2019–2021	2022–present	Edmonton Elks
Trevor Begue		2021	2023	Edmonton Elks
Olivier Charles–Pierre		2022	2023	Edmonton Elks
Robert Hayes, Jr.		2016	2022	Montreal Alouettes
Jamari Gilbert		2013–2017	2019	Calgary Stampeders
Silas Stewart		2017–2018	2021–present	Calgary Stampeders, Ottawa Redblacks
Myke Tavarres		2014–2015	2017	Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Joseph Zema		2017	2021–present	Montreal Alouettes
Canadian Football League (CFL)

^{[16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21]}

Future non-conference opponents

Announced non-conference opponents as of August 19, 2024.^[22]

Eastern Washington	Samford	Northern Arizona	Montana	at Texas Tech
at UTSA	at Northern Arizona	at Eastern Washington		at Montana
at Northern Arizona	at Texas State
Abilene Christian

See also

• List of NCAA Division I FCS football programs

Notes and References

1. News: Santiago out as UIW football coach; defensive coordinator to replace him. KENS 5. October 25, 2011. March 9, 2022.
2. News: Incarnate Word Cardinals Football Statistics. University of the Incarnate Word. 2016. October 11, 2017.
3. Web site: Football vs Houston Baptist on 11/17/2016 - Box Score.
4. Web site: UIW QB Lindsey Scott Jr. Receives 2022 Walter Payton Award as FCS Offensive Player of the Year. theanalyst.com. 8 January 2023 . January 8, 2023.
5. Web site: UIW's Cameron Ward Wins 10th Jerry Rice Award as FCS Freshman of the Year. theanalyst.com. 3 May 2021 . January 8, 2023.
6. Web site: Southland Announces 2023 All-Conference Football Team and Superlatives .
7. Web site: UIW's Anyalebechi is Southland Football Student-Athlete of the Year, leading all-academic team .
8. Web site: UIW Football's Zema Selected to AP All-America First Team . uiwcardinals.com . University of the Incarnate Word. 2017-12-13 .
9. Web site: Two Cardinals Named to AP FCS All-America Team . uiwcardinals.com . University of the Incarnate Word. 2021-12-22 .
10. Web site: Veteran QB Lindsey Scott of UIW leads FCS All-America team. 13 December 2022 . Associated Press. December 14, 2022.
11. Web site: 2023 FCS Football Central All-American Team. 11 December 2023 . Associated Press. December 12, 2023.
12. Web site: Widespread Talent Fills 2023 Stats Perform FCS All-America, Freshman Teams. 19 December 2023 . Associated Press. December 19, 2023.
13. News: Momentous Day for UIW Football. UIW Athletics. April 30, 2016 . May 2, 2016.
14. News: Jenkins Promoted from UIW Cardinal to New Orleans Saint. UIW Athletics. May 25, 2017 . June 12, 2017.
15. News: Going Pro: Five Cardinals Get Closer to NFL Dreams. UIW Athletics. May 1, 2023 . May 10, 2023.
16. Web site: Jamari Gilbert.
17. Web site: Silas Stewart.
18. Web site: Joseph Zema.
19. Web site: Kevin Brown.
20. Web site: Trevor Begue.
21. Web site: Olivier Charles-Pierre.
22. Web site: Incarnate Word Cardinals Football Future Schedules . FBSchedules.com . August 19, 2024.