Louisiana-Monroe had the first winning season in school history in 2012 when they went 8-5. The Warhawks had high hopes and were considered one of the favorites in the Sun Belt last year, but injuries held them back and they finished 6-6. <\/p>\n
Todd Berry\u2019s team returns 15 starters overall, but they do have to replace star quarterback Kolton Browning.<\/p>\n
\nULM<\/h3>\n
Sun Belt Conference 2014-2015 College Football Preview- Louisiana Monroe Warhawks<\/strong>
\nHead Coach: Todd Berry<\/strong>
\n2013 Record: 6-6<\/strong>
\nLouisiana Monroe Odds to win the Sun Belt: +750<\/strong>
\n [dfads params=’groups=63740&limit=1&return_javascript=0′]<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\nLouisiana-Monroe put themselves as well as the entire Sun Belt on the map in 2012 with their overtime win at Arkansas to start the season.<\/p>\n
They then lost in overtime the next week at Auburn. The Warhawks haven\u2019t been shy about playing major conference teams in their first few games, and that has helped them and the conference as a whole.<\/p>\n
What are the team\u2019s strengths and weaknesses heading into 2014?<\/p>\n
Team Strengths:<\/h3>\n
Pete Thomas transferred in from North Carolina State. Thomas has started for both Colorado State and NC State, and now he will slide right into the starting job at Louisiana-Monroe in his senior year.<\/p>\n
\nCLICK to GRAB OUR BEST Expert Sports & Football Picks for 2014 GAMBLING!<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Thomas isn\u2019t an excellent quarterback, but he\u2019s a good one and I expect him to have a lot of success against the Sun Belt\u2019s poor defenses. He\u2019s taking a large step down in class, and he should star for the Warhawks.<\/p>\n
The Warhawks have one of the best defensive lines in the Sun Belt. Louisiana-Monroe returns their top five guys on the defensive line, and I fully expect them to have much improved numbers against the run. They should also be good at pressuring the quarterback without blitzing a lot of guys.
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\nMonroe has a good history of playing good pass defense. This year\u2019s defense should be no different. Look for this unit to make it tough to throw against this team. There is high quality talent and plenty of depth.<\/p>\nTeam Weaknesses:<\/h3>\n
The number one reason that Monroe finished only 6-6 last year was a poor offensive line. The offensive front was breaking down consistently late in the year, and it was tough for this team to even be competitive. While the line may stay healthier this season, I still see the offensive front being a major weakness for the Warhawks.<\/p>\n
The Warhawks have almost no running game. Browning was their best runner the last few years, and he is now gone. While Thomas is a quality quarterback, he isn\u2019t the runner that Browning was.<\/p>\n
The tailback spot is extremely weak for Louisiana-Monroe. With a bad offensive line, putting so much pressure on the passing game is dangerous.<\/p>\n
Cameron Blakes was the leader for the Warhawks defense last year. Losing him really hurts the defense as a whole, and I don\u2019t see any linebackers stepping up to fill that void this year.<\/p>\n
Look for Louisiana-Monroe\u2019s linebackers to take a step backward this year.<\/p>\n
2014-2015 Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks Prediction: 7-6<\/h3>\n
Louisiana-Monroe plays a much easier schedule this year than they have in the past. The Warhawks start off with Wake Forest at home, and that is certainly a winnable game for them. That game will tell us a lot about how their season as a whole will go.<\/p>\n
They won\u2019t compete for the Sun Belt crown, but they should qualify for a bowl game.<\/p>\n
2014 Warhawks\u00a0Schedule<\/h3>\n
\n
- 8\/28\/14 7:00 PM ET WAKE<\/li>\n
- 9\/6\/14 7:00 PM ET IDHO<\/li>\n
- 9\/13\/14 7:00 PM ET @LSU<\/li>\n
- 9\/27\/14 7:00 PM ET TROY<\/li>\n
- 10\/4\/14 TBD @ARST<\/li>\n
- 10\/11\/14 TBD @UK<\/li>\n
- 10\/25\/14 7:00 PM ET TXST<\/li>\n
- 11\/1\/14 TBD @TAM<\/li>\n
- 11\/8\/14 TBD @APP<\/li>\n
- 11\/15\/14 7:00 PM ET ULL<\/li>\n
- 11\/22\/14 8:00 PM ET @NMSU<\/li>\n
- 11\/29\/14 6:00 PM ET @GASO<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n