Brennen Zigler/Bigg Zigg Photography
MONROE, La. – The ULM football team (3-6, 1-4 Sun Belt) fell at home on Saturday (Nov. 1) to Old Dominion (6-3, 3-2 Sun Belt) in a 31-6 game to continue conference play. The Monarchs got off to an early start, holding a 24-0 lead at the half and continued to build in the fourth quarter.
ULM was 0-for-13 on third down, unable to convert late and turning the ball over on downs five times. Penalties were also the name of the game, the Warhawks picking up 11 penalties for 77 yards to continue to push the home team back. The Monarchs, while finding some success from third down, only converted four of 13 third down attempts, 0-of-2 from fourth down. ULM did convert two of seven fourth downs in the contest and led in possession time with 33:43.
Colton Joseph threw 12-for-22 for 231 yards on the day, while Quinn Henicle also saw action at quarterback for the Monarchs. For ULM, Aidan Armenta threw a similar 12-for-20 for 150 yards, also posting a touchdown and an interception. Landon Graves also saw action on the back end of the game.
JP Coulter led the team with three receptions for 54 yards, catching a long 39-yard ball and completing three of three targets. Rylan Green notched a touchdown reception to claim his first career touchdown in a four-yard reception. Nic Trujillo collected 44 yards and Julian Nixon logged 31 in the contest.
Zach Palmer-Smith led the running backs for ULM, just four yards shy of a 100-yard game with 96 on 18 carries. He averaged 5.3 yards per rush, while Tyrell Reed Jr. averaged 3.2 in his 19 yards on six carries.
On the defense, Noah Flemmings and Jabari Tiller led ULM with seven tackles apiece. Flemmings tallied a sack and 1.5 TFL, while Tiller collected 1.5 sacks and 1.5 TFL along with a forced fumble. Marcus Ross is also credited with a forced fumble and half a sack. Kelbee Holmes captured two tackles for loss to go with his four tackles on the day.
“The effort and the toughness, you just see it,” said head coach Bryant Vincent. “There’s no quit, we just have to execute better.”
The Monarchs opened the contest receiving the ball, Tre Brown returning the kickoff 40 yards to ULM territory. A few short rushes and incompletions set up a field goal for Riley Callaghan, who missed wide, settling no score and allowing the Warhawks to have their hand at offense.
Armenta returned as the starter this week, passing the ball off to Braylon McReynolds before setting up a fourth and one. The quarterback sneak was unsuccessful on fourth down, ULM turning the ball over on downs. Old Dominion picked up on ULM’s 29-yard-line, a 12-yard rush from Ke’Travion Hargrove securing the first score of the game for the Monarchs.
The Warhawks picked up on offense, Palmer-Smith picking up a first down on a 12-yard rush. A few short gains had ULM entering Monarch territory and a potential tying score. A completed–but short–pass to Jake Godfrey on fourth down had ULM turning the ball over on downs yet again.
A 53-yard launch by Old Dominion quarterback Joseph to Ja’Cory Thomas set up the Monarchs in the red zone yet again. Joseph scored on the seven-yard keeper to make it a 14-0 score with four minutes left in the first quarter.
In the first play of the drive, Armenta’s pass was intercepted by Zion Frink for Old Dominion to take over on ULM’s 33-yard-line. A 25-yard reception by Na’eem Abdul-Rahim Gladding had the Monarchs on the three-yard-line, but offensive pass interference turned a touchdown pass into a replay of the first down. ULM’s defense shut down the Monarchs, with Flemmings and Lynard Harris preventing the additional touchdown. Old Dominion settled for the field goal for the 17-0 score as the clock ran down. Palmer-Smith rushed for a short gain to run out the clock and end the first quarter.
As the second quarter began, Palmer-Smith began to burst forward, going on a 20-yard rush to reach midfield. ULM then found themselves on fourth and short yet again, unable to gain the first down and turning the ball over.
A penalty on the Warhawks opened the drive for Old Dominion, placing them at midfield. Joseph then completed a 21-yard pass to Hargrove to further advance. A few short gains set up Joseph’s keeper up the middle for 14 yards and the touchdown, making it a 24-0 score.
The kick from Old Dominion placed ULM on the one-yard line, but two false start penalties for the offense held the Warhawks back. A career-high 44-yard reception for Trujillo got ULM to midfield to move the Warhawks ahead and push the momentum. A rush for loss for Armenta set up third and long, Armenta’s pass to Godfrey forcing fourth and four to go. Quarterback Armenta was then sacked for three yards to turn the ball over on downs for the third time.
A scramble for Joseph got the Monarchs ahead three yards, Davin Anderson and Holmes shutting down the drive for ODU. The Warhawk defense forced the first punt for the Monarchs of the game, getting back on offense on the hunt for a score.
A deep pass to Trujillo had the Warhawks moving, but a penalty pushed the offense back yet again. After a third-and-long conversion was unsuccessful, ULM punted with 2:17 left in the half. Flemmings and Billy Pullen were able to capture the tackle for loss after Old Dominion set up some solid positive plays, forcing fourth and long. A false start penalty made the fourth down even longer, Joseph unable to connect and turning it over on downs. Two sacks for Armenta had ULM unable to find the score as the clock ran to zero in the half.
The Warhawks came out swinging in the second half, defense making plays and ULM holding with the Monarchs with a second-half score of 7-6.
A penalty on the first drive of the half for ULM set up a three-and-out, Makenzie Ryan coming out to punt. Flemmings got some fire for the Warhawk defense, sacking Joseph for seven yards to set up third and long. Tiller then got in on it, forcing a fumble while Jaden Hamlin recovered it to get the ball on ODU’s 32-yard line. The Monarchs returned the favor, forcing and recovering a fumble.
Old Dominion made steady gains to enter home team territory, but the Warhawk defense shut things down. Kevontay Wells held Trequan Jones without a gain, Pullen following things up with a quarterback hurry to force fourth down and the punt.
Penalties ravaged the next drive for ULM, as the Warhawks tried to get positive yardage. While Armenta was able to pick up some receptions, three penalties pushed the home team back forced a punt. Old Dominion picked up in ULM territory, slowly marching down to hunt for another score. Ross and Tiller combined for the sack of six, Joseph then scrambling 11 yards for the fourth and short. Joseph was shut down by Wells and Flemmings on the three-yard line to turn the ball over on downs, ULM picking up at the start of the fourth quarter.
On third and five to go, another penalty for ULM set the Warhawks back to punt in the first few plays of the fourth quarter. Old Dominion was able to move downfield slowly, more Warhawk flags assisting. Joseph had a 24-yard rush to reach the one-yard line, the quarterback then entering the end zone to break the third quarter scoring drought, making it a 31-0 score with 12:29 left in the game.
Palmer-Smith and Reed Jr. traded positive gains before a holding flag pushed ULM’s offense back again. A 39-yard reception for Coulter had the Warhawks forging ahead to enemy territory and into the red zone. Back-to-back quarterback sacks held up the offense, an incomplete pass turning the ball over on downs.
After a quick three-and-out for the Monarchs, the punt by Ian Brandt was blocked by Brett Drillette and recovered by Jaeden Calender on the two-yard line. Armenta then notched the ball to tight end Green for his first career touchdown. The two-point conversion was unsuccessful to make it a 31-6 score with 4:15 left in the contest.
“I thought he did a great job,” said Vincent on Green’s touchdown. “I’m happy for him, I’m happy for the touchdown, it gave us some good momentum.”
Another three-and-out for Old Dominion had the Warhawks regaining possession for the final three minutes. Reed Jr. collected some positive plays, but the yardage was not enough for a first down, forcing the punt. A penalty on Old Dominion for running into the kicker was brought, but time expired before the Warhawks could capitalize, securing the 31-6 score.
The Monarchs move to 3-2 in conference play and clinch bowl eligibility, with ULM dropping to 1-4 in the league.
ULM Football will have a bye week next weekend. On the bye week, Coach Vincent said this: “We’ve got to get our guys as healthy as we can. We have to heal up and get focused on finishing this three-game stretch.”
**ULM PRESS RELEASE**
