• Passing offense -- No. 92 in the nation at 171.1 yards per game.
• Total offense -- No. 114 in the nation at 244.7 yards per game.
• Scoring offense -- No. 114 in the nation at 13.4 points per game.
No wonder the Indians have a new offensive coordinator.
Gone is Stan Humphries. In is Tommy Cordell, who joined the staff in 2001 as tight ends coach and special teams coordinator.
"The question since we’ve been here is the offense," Louisiana-Monroe coach Bobby Keasler said. "We’re coming in this year with a completely new offensive scheme, a new quarterback and I think the players are looking forward to it.
"It’s a positive change. Our coaching staff has worked awfully hard every day during spring drills to have a good plan in place for these players and I think they’ve accomplished that."
Cordell, who worked on the staff with Keasler at McNeese State, has promised an open attack, but also plans to improve the running game. Cordell calls his system a more diversified multiple offensive scheme that will open up the Indians’ offense.
Cordell’s offense was the third put in place the last three springs and he is the third coordinator. For the first time in several seasons, the Indians will have depth with 24 letter winners returning on offense.
QUARTERBACKS
ULM returns experience in all areas on the offensive side of the football with one exception -- quarterback.
Gone is three-year starter Andy Chance, who chose not to return for his senior season after missing nine games the last two seasons after suffering a series of concussions. Also gone is Chance’s backup, Andre Vige, who along with Chance ranks in the top 10 on most of the Indians’ all-time passing lists.
The Indians return sophomore Adam Gatlin (6-2, 188), who was a highly recruited high school standout out of Alexandria, Va., three years ago. He was rated one of the top 15 drop-back quarterbacks in the nation, but has not taken a snap for the Indians. Gatlin, who completed 8-of-113 passes for 102 yards in the final spring scrimmage, would have seen action last year if he had been eligible.
Junior college transfer Daniel DePrato (6-0, 217) will also be in the mix. He passed for 1,635 yards and 11 touchdowns last year at Chabot Junior College in California. DePrato is a mobile athlete.
Louisiana-Monroe added a late, but key participant to its quarterback race in May when the Indians announced the signing of Kjell Nesen (6-2, 205) out of San Francisco Community College.
Nesen originally signed with Washington State out of St. Francis High School in Pasadena, Calif. At St. Francis, he passed for more than 1,000 yards and rushed for more than 500 as a senior to share league MVP honors with USC signee Justin Fargas and future Colorado player Jashon Sykes.
At San Francisco Community College in 2001, Nesen played quarterback and punter for the 12-0 junior college national champions, which had 20 players sign Division I scholarships. He wound up second in the nation in punting average.
"We’ve been working awfully hard to get another quarterback into our program and we are fortunate to get Kjell," Keasler said. "He has the tools to come in and possibly help our program immediately. We looked long and hard to make sure we got the right player of his caliber in here and we’re excited to have him in our program. It should be very competitive in August."
RUNNING BACKS
Cordell wants a solid running game to go with his diversified offense.
It is likely that the Indians will use more two-back alignments this year. The ideal fullback in that set is senior Ivory Brown (5-11, 273), who ran for 222 yards last year. He ran for 86 of those yards against Sam Houston State, and averaged 3.5 yards per carry. He scored five touchdowns playing tailback last year, and should thrive playing fullback in the new scheme.
Brown saw limited time in the spring because of a pair of ankle injuries.
Backing up Brown will be converted receivers Jeremy Hammock (6-0, 225), a sophomore, and Kamal Broadway (6-3, 221), a red-shirt freshman. Having Hammock and Broadway in the fullback slot will allow Cordell to throw more to the fullbacks.
Returning at tailback are senior Bryant Jacobs (5-7, 187), the leading rusher from last season, and senior Keith Thomas (6-0, 202), the third-leading ball carrier.
Jacobs -- who had a 94-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, caught a pass for 40 yards and had a 23-yard run to his credit last season -- gives the Indians a breakaway threat.
Red-shirt freshmen Krishun Williams (5-10, 216) and Sylvester Cain (5-6, 164) are also working at tailback.
Several members of the recruiting class will also push for playing time in the fall.
WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS
Most of the receivers from 2001 are back, including junior Mark Vincent (5-11, 202), who ranked fifth in the Sun Belt and 89th nationally last year with 47 receptions for 619 yards. He had nine catches for 120 yards against Middle Tennessee and nine catches for 107 yards at Idaho.
Backing up Vincent at the "X" receiver are junior Brandon Hebert (5-10, 159) and red-shirt freshman Joey Trappey (6-1, 196). Hebert lettered last year but did not have a catch.
At "Z" receiver, the Indians return senior four-year starter Sean Brown (5-10, 173), who caught 27 passes for 255 yards last year. He has 86 career receptions and needs only six more to crack the ULM all-time top 10 in that category.
Backing up Brown will be junior Brooks Greer (5-10, 170), who finished third on the team last year with 20 receptions for 217 yards. He has 34 career receptions and may be used some as a starter when the Indians expand their receiver package.
Depth at the "Z" position will be provided by sophomore Floyd Smith (5-8, 176), red-shirt freshman Larry Davenport (5-10, 174), senior Sammy Swancy (6-2, 177) and red-shirt freshman Chris Holden (5-10, 171). Swancy is the only member of the foursome with a catch.
Returning starter H.J. Adams (5-10, 190), a junior, was not included on the spring depth chart. Adams, who had 14 catches for 165 yards last year, underwent surgery and did not participate in the spring drills. He will be back in the fall.
At tight end, the starter will be senior Ben Wright (6-3, 264), who moved back to tight end after playing center and offensive tackle in 2000. He caught 19 passes for 142 yards and three touchdowns last year.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Four of last season’s five starters return, and that does not include last year’s preseason All-Sun Belt first-team pick Larry Pink (6-3, 293), a senior who missed all of 2001 after injuring a knee during two-a-days. He is still recovering but did participate during spring drills on a limited basis.
Junior Robert Aguirre (6-4, 300) has been the starting center the last two opening games. He broke an ankle in the second game of 2000, but started all 11 games last year. He took reps at left tackle during spring drills.
If Aguirre is not the center, it will be sophomore Hayden Wadsworth (6-2, 272), who saw action last year as a backup and on special teams. Behind Wadsworth is red-shirt freshman Dorian Beckwith (6-0, 314).
Four players with starting experience are in the picture at guard -- senior Zack Sims (6-4, 341), junior Shane Luna (6-2, 304), junior Kenny Ordeneaux (6-4, 288) and junior Ben Zapata (6-2, 319). Sims, a junior college transfer, entered spring drills No. 1 at left guard after starting 10 games there last year. Luna, who has started 19 of the last 22 games, should be the starter on the right side.
Pink will be the starter at left tackle if he is healthy in the fall with sophomore Bruce Hampton (6-3, 322) behind him.
On the right side, senior Leo Pruneda (6-4, 306) is back for his second year as a starter. Juniors Josh Wade (6-4, 283) and red-shirt freshman Josh Creel (6-5, 292) are the backups.
DEFENSIVE LINE
On the defensive front, gone is first-team all-conference performer Donald Malveaux, who played both tackle and nose tackle for four years. He had only 18 tackles last year, but filled the middle while making opponents adjust their offenses.
Taking over for Malveaux will be junior Jamond Mason-Taylor (6-1, 286) or sophomore Jonathan Williams (6-3, 253). Mason-Taylor played in 10 games last year while Williams made nine appearances.
The nose guard will be junior Corey Conde (6-2, 251), who made the adjustment from nose tackle from defense end last year and made 40 tackles. He is a fierce competitor with an outstanding work ethic.
Behind Conde will be sophomore Lloyd Brimmer (6-2, 269) and junior Ryan Norris (5-9, 262).
One of the starting ends will be junior John Thompson (6-3, 272), while the other end features a battle between red-shirt freshman Marbrae Wilson (6-2, 213) and returning starter Maynard Johnson (6-3, 246), a sophomore.
Thompson, a South Carolina transfer, started 11 games last year. He finished second on the team with 29 tackles and recovered two fumbles.
LINEBACKERS
The ULM defense features speedy linebackers Maurice Sonnier (6-2, 231), a junior, and John Winchester (6-3, 225), a sophomore.
Sonnier is an All-America candidate who was chosen to the Butkus Award Watch List last year. He led the Indians with 76 tackles, 8.5 tackles for 39 yards in lost yardage and in sacks with five.
Winchester isn’t as flashy as Sonnier, but is a solid player who started seven games last year. He finished fifth on the team with 48 tackles. His interception on the final play of the North Texas game secured a victory.
Senior Carlos Hughes (6-1, 239) will back up Sonnier at the "Mike" position. He has started previously, but injuries have slowed him the last two seasons.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
The Indians are deep and experienced in the secondary, even though they must replaced graduated strong safety Dedrick Buckles, who made 178 tackles over the last two seasons.
The starter at right strong safety will be sophomore A.J. Bocard (5-11, 193), who started six games last year and responded with 18 tackles and an interception. Behind him are junior Shaune Maynard (5-11, 203) and senior Derrick McGill (5-9, 211).
On the right side, the heir apparent to Buckles is sophomore Damien Richard (6-1, 191). Sophomore Travin Moore (5-11, 188) made 10 tackles last year and junior Courtney Joiner (5-10, 203) was a regular in 2000.
The free safety will be sophomore Chris Harris (6-1, 192), who finished third on the team last year with 74 tackles. He made two interceptions, including one that clinched the win over Arkansas State.
Behind Harris are sophomore Calvin Hall (5-11, 195) and red-shirt freshman Josh Jenkins (6-0, 173). Hall played in 10 games last year and made 13 tackles in his one start against Middle Tennessee State.
Junior Seneca Lee (5-11, 176) will start for the third straight year at right cornerback. He moved from free safety to the corner during 2001 spring drills. He was fourth on the team last year with 62 tackles. Lee’s backups will be sophomores Jaron James (5-9, 169) and Vernard Wilkerson (5-10, 171) and red-shirt freshman Trumaine Hardman ( 6-1, 179).
At left cornerback the starter will be either sophomore Cash Mouton (6-1, 186) or junior Mikkal Henry (5-8, 166), who both started at times in 2001. Mouton had 39 tackles last year and an interception he returned 55 yards against Arkansas State. Henry returned a punt 53 yards for a touchdown against Troy State.
RECRUITING CLASS
Louisiana-Monroe went for youth and athleticism by signing 19 high school players in addition to four upperclassmen who enrolled in school at mid year.
Among the new signees are four high school quarterbacks who are projected as college defensive backs or wide receivers, four players who will play linebacker and four running backs.
"The fact that we signed four guys who played quarterback in high school that we project as wide receivers or defensive backs gives you an example of the kind of athletes we were looking for," Keasler said. "The biggest key to the guys we signed is they had to be able to run and they had to be athletes."
ULM bolstered its receiving corps with the signing of Amite’s Adrone James and Drouzon Quillen from Marion Abramson. James (6-2, 187) was a two-time all-district 9-4A selection who had 59 receptions for 908 yards his senior season. Quillen (6-6, 187), hauled in 25 receptions for 355 yards as a senior and gives the Indians the big target they have coveted.
Running backs were also a big part of the Indians’ class. Archbishop Rummel’s Erick Smith (5-11, 200) ran for more than 2,400 yards his final two years. He was an All-East Bank and all-district selection on Rummel teams that won 25 games his final two years.
Erroll Hogan (5-9, 192) from O.P. Walker High School in New Orleans, is another running back who could help right away. He ran for 1,407 yards and 16 touchdowns as a senior and tacked on three receiving scores for a 10-3 Chargers’ team. Hogan was an all-district 10-4A and All-West Bank first-team selection.
Josh Alexander (6-1, 215), a four-year letter winner at Shreveport Evangel who played on three 5-A state championship teams, was one of the four linebackers signed by the Indians. Alexander was a member of Max Emfinger’s All-American Team and led the state champion Eagles in tackles as a senior with 150. He is the son of former ULM defensive coordinator Ronnie Alexander.
Among the high school quarterbacks expected to play other positions are Bunkie’s Derrick Guillory (6-1, 168) and Lafayette Northside’s Desmon McNeil (6-0, 160). Guillory was the district 3-3A MVP at quarterback, but was an all-district defensive back as a junior. McNeil passed for more than 1,500 yards this year, but started in the secondary both his sophomore and junior seasons.
Another wide receiver, Larry Davenport (5-11, 175) from Bastrop, is one of the signees already enrolled at ULM. Davenport was an all-state selection after catching 20 passes as a senior. The others who are attending ULM are defensive tackle Dilandos Johnson (6-4, 285) from Hammond, linebacker Alnecco Shine (6-3, 255) from Jonesboro-Hodge and quarterback Daniel DaPrato from Chabot (Calif.) Junior College.
In March, Louisiana-Monroe signed defensive tackle Melvin Getwood II out of Lincoln High School in Port Arthur, Texas. Getwood, 6-2, 275, was a two-time All-District 20-4A selection and as a senior was selected to the Super Team which includes the top 27 players in Southeast Texas.
BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS
Louisiana-Monroe will play six home football games and a 12-game schedule for the first time in school history.
Another highlight of the season is the appearance of three state schools on the home schedule -- Tulane, Louisiana-Lafayette and McNeese State.
The Indians open the season at Ole Miss against quarterback Eli Manning and play Kansas State of the Big 12 the next week.
"It’s a very challenging schedule," Keasler said, "but I’m looking forward to the home games. I think they will be very interesting for our fans and boosters. I know our players are working hard in the off-season and getting ready for the fall."
The key to Cordell’s new offense could be junior college quarterback Nesen, who didn’t sign with the Indians until May. He will compete for a starting job, and could give ULM a chance to push its victory total to a respectful number.
