The 2025 Incarnate Word Cardinals football team represented the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) as a member of the Southland Conference during the 2025 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Cardinals played their home games at Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium in San Antonio, Texas. They were led by third-year head coach Clint Killough.
Offseason Transfers Outgoing Roy AlexanderWRTexas TechZach CalzadaQBKentuckyChase CarterDLMemphisTylan FosterLBEastern IllinoisRiver GordonOLAbilene ChristianDevin GrantDLWest VirginiaTyler "TJ" HaroldDLTylerNolan HayOLSouth CarolinaSolomon JamesQBUT Permian BasinRasheed JacksonOLTCUTalon LewinQBVenturaDerrick LewisLBStephen F. AustinJosh PastranaLBKeiserIsaiah PedackDLMississippi Valley StateDekalon TaylorRBColoradoJaelon TravisWRPittsburg StateMister WilliamsLBSan Diego StateAnquan WillisRBHunter WillisLBTrinity Valley
Incoming Deyon BatisteQBWyomingJoe CadetteDEHouston ChristianPig CageDBLouisiana TechEJ ColsonQBUCFKobe DillonRBSouthernHarlan DixonRBSoutheastern LouisianaJaylen DotsonDBKent StateWill FarisKVanderbiltKai FernandesDBAppalachian StateCam FosterOLSouthernDewey GreeneDESouthern IllinoisBrayden HayLBHouston ChristianChedon JamesWRFresno StateDylan KirbyOLSouthern UtahBen McCrearyRBWest Texas A&MZach MitchellWRSouthern UtahTyler MortonDBNichollsMichael Pleas Jr.LBUT MartinDavid PowersLBWoffordJachai PulleyLBPasadena CityAustin SamahaTETexas StateJawuan SingletaryOLNew MexicoJaylon SpearsRBNichollsMike StokerOLTCUReece SylvesterDBWashington StateDanny ValenzuelaOLNorthern ArizonaTomsen VickeryDEAir ForceJeremiah YoungDEIndependence
Preseason
Preseason poll The Southland Conference released its preseason poll on July 21. The Cardinals were picked to finish first in the conference and received fifteen first-place votes.
Preseason All–American Teams The University of the Incarnate Word football team had six student-athletes named Stats Perform Preseason All-Americans ahead of the 2025 season.
Offense
1st Team Jalen Walthall – Wide receiver, RS-SR
2nd Team Chedon James – Wide receiver, RS-JR
3rd Team Traveon Newsome – Offensive lineman, RS-SR
Defense
2nd Team Tyler Morton – Defensive back, RS-SR
3rd Team Declan Williams – Defensive lineman, SR Jaylon Spears – All-purpose, RS-JR
Schedule
Personnel
Coaching staff Source: Name Position Alma materJoined staff Clint Killough Head coach Incarnate Word (2015) 2018 Jim Gush Associate head coach / defensive coordinator Bucknell (1981) 2023 Ben Olson Co-defensive coordinator / run game coordinator / defensive line Eastern Illinois (2013) 2023 Kenny Hill Co-offensive coordinator / running backs TCU (2017) 2023 Nick Young Co-offensive coordinator / offensive line Toledo (2012) 2023 Willis White Assistant head coach / wide receivers Alabama State (2018) 2023 Sam Bennett Co-defensive coordinator / Linebackers / academic coordinator Texas Tech (2010) 2023 George Sanders Pass game coordinator / defensive backs Southwest Baptist (2016) 2023 Luke Pardee Quarterbacks TCU (2023) 2024 Ryan Allgood Tight ends / recruiting coordinator Oklahoma (2011) 2025 Tre Spragg Defensive quality control / assistant defensive backs Incarnate Word (2015) 2023 John Scifers Special teams quality control / video coordinator Incarnate Word (2021) 2023 Taylor Grimes Offensive quality control Incarnate Word (2022) 2024 Cody Dunn Director of performance statistics McGill (2021) 2022 Braden Strauss Defensive graduate assistant - linebackers Baylor 2024 Dalton Meyer Offensive graduate assistant Incarnate Word (2023) 2025 Shane Creamer Offensive graduate assistant Houston (2021) 2025 Davis Conley Head strength and conditioning LaGrange (2017) 2022 Dr. Kimberly Montez Head football athletic trainer 2025 Reagan Longoria Football operations and recruiting assistant 2025
Roster Source: 2025 Incarnate Word Cardinals footballQuarterback 2 EJ Colson – Freshman (6'1, 190) 7 Deyon Batiste – Freshman (6'5, 230) 15 Richard Torres – Junior (6'4, 225) 19 Mikey Moshier – Freshman (6'2, 215)
Running back 0 Lontrell Turner – Junior (5'11, 180) 1 Jaylon Spears – Junior (5'10, 200) 4 Isaiah Robinson – Graduate Student (6'0, 212) 9 Harlan Dixon – Graduate Student (6'1, 210) 20 Timothy Carter – Junior (6'0, 215) 24 Kobe Dillon – Graduate Student (6'0, 190) 28 Ben McCreary – Sophomore (5'10, 210) 29 Traveon Green – Freshman (5'9, 195)
Wide receiver 3 Chedon James – Junior (5'9, 175) 5 Zach Mitchell – Sophomore (5'10, 200) 6 Jalen Walthall – Senior (6'2, 180) 8 Patrick Bridges – Freshman (6'1, 195) 10 Isaiah Champagne – Freshman (5'10, 170) 11 Josh Lorick – Senior (6'0, 170) 14 Matthew Ramirez – Junior (6'0, 160) 17 Jameson Garcia – Sophomore (6'1, 190) 84 Jackson Hancock – Sophomore (5'10, 160)
Tight end 18 Jackson Lowe – Graduate Student (6'5, 237) 44 Austin Samaha – Senior (6'2, 255) 47 Dane Farley – Sophomore (6'1, 230) 85 Evan Drake – Freshman (6'5, 240) 87 Aidan Cardwell – Freshman (6'3, 215) 89 Logan Compton – Graduate Student (6'4, 245)
Long snapper 22 Bryce Felt – Senior (5'9, 180) 52 Jonas Halbrook – Sophomore (6'2, 220) Offensive line 50 Jawuan Singletary – C – Graduate Student (6'2, 310) 51 Kam Newhouse – OL – Freshman (6'3, 300) 54 Shontrail Key – T – Graduate Student (6'5, 290) 55 Danny Valenzuela – G – Graduate Student (6'3, 290) 56 Mike Stoker – T – Sophomore (6'6, 305) 58 Colton Carter – OL – Freshman (6'1, 275) 63 Lamont "LD" Smith – OL – Freshman (6'3, 260) 64 Ozzy Garcia – OL – Junior (6'1, 290) 65 Matthew Lewis – C – Freshman (6'3, 290) 66 Roderick Joseph – OL – Freshman (6'2, 290) 67 Frank Riggins – OL – Sophomore (6'4, 240) 68 David Hensley – G – Junior (6'4, 315) 70 Traveon Newsome – G – Graduate Student (6'2, 320) 71 Richard Grigg – T – Freshman (6'5, 285) 72 Cameron Foster – G/T – Senior (6'4, 315) 73 Caleb Flores – G/T – Junior (6'4, 279) 74 Christian Fitchett – T – Sophomore (6'5, 270) 76 Lawson Petty – G – Sophomore (6'3, 295) 77 Dylan Kirby – T – Freshman (6'6, 290) 78 Branon Jackson – G/T – Graduate Student (6'3, 295) 79 Adam May – T – Sophomore (6'6, 295)
Defensive line 3 Michael Pleas, Jr. – Edge – Graduate Student (6'3, 240) 9 Talib Salahuddin – DE – Senior (6'5, 245) 10 John Mathis – DT – Senior (6'2, 265) 14 Joe Cadette – Edge – Graduate Student (6'4, 240) 15 Dewey Greene – DE – Graduate Student (6'3, 260) 32 Tomsen Vickery – DE – Freshman (6'5, 240) 41 Terrell Elliott – DT – Senior (6'2, 300) 43 Emiliano Fears – DL – Junior (6'1, 215) 44 Jeremiah Young – DE – Sophomore (6'0, 255) 45 Logan Granville – DE – Junior (6'3, 230) 50 Jace Bardwell – DT – Freshman (6'2, 300) 69 David Brown – DT – Sophomore (6'1, 305) 90 Myron Warren – DT – Graduate Student (6'2, 275) 91 Lloyd Johnson – DL – Junior (6'2, 280) 92 Isaac Rimada – DL – Freshman (6'1, 225) 93 Danny McKenna – DL – Freshman (6'3, 227) 94 Ryan Vasquez – DL – Freshman (6'0, 240) 99 Josh Gonzalez – DT – Senior (6'3, 310) Linebacker 0 Declan Williams – Senior (6'2, 245) 1 Dune Smith – Graduate Student (5'10, 197) 11 Caleb Lewis – Senior (6'2, 235) 20 Braden Hay – Graduate Student (6'2, 200) 21 Jachai Pulley – Junior (6'1, 210) 22 Ja'Brelle Asberry – Freshman (6'0, 210) 30 Jordan Norwood – Junior (6'1, 215) 34 David Powers – Graduate Student (6'1, 230) 35 Leo Bisesi – Sophomore (6'0, 224)
Defensive back 2 Barry Dillon – DB – Sophomore (6'1, 175) 4 Chris Pierce – CB – Senior (6'0, 170) 5 Matt Kordas – S – Senior (6'1, 190) 6 Tyler Morton – S – Senior (5'10, 170) 7 Kendrick Stone – S – Graduate Student (6'2, 190) 8 A.J. Tisdell – CB – Sophomore (5'11, 195) 12 Reece Sylvester – S – Junior (6'1, 190) 13 Rome Jeffers – DB – Freshman (6'0, 195) 16 Jaylen Dotson – CB – Senior (5'10, 180) 17 Kaden Jammer – DB – Sophomore (5'9, 160) 18 D'Arius Carmouche – CB – Junior (6'0, 165) 19 Isaiah Pruitt – DB – Freshman (5'11, 180) 23 Drew Merrill – DB – Senior (6'0, 190) 24 James Tuayemie – CB – Graduate Student (5'11, 205) 25 Patrick Batiste – CB – Sophomore (6'0, 185) 31 Quinton "Pig" Cage – S – Graduate Student (5'9, 200) 33 Kai Fernandes – S – Freshman (5'11, 195) 37 Nehemiah Lowry – DB – Sophomore (5'8, 145) 39 Ethan Chavez – DB – Freshman (5'10, 175) 83 Taye Jackson – DB – Senior (6'2, 190)
Kicker 38 Will Faris – Graduate Student (6'1, 165) 95 Nick Rigas – Sophomore (6'0, 185)
Punter 27 Ryan Shamburger – Graduate Student (6'2, 195) 49 Ethan Brumgard – Sophomore (5'11, 190)
Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible Injured Redshirt
Game summaries
At Nicholls
Uniform combinationHelmetJerseyPants
Statistics UIWNICH First downs 15 14 Total yards 204 287 Rushing yards 16 66 Passing yards 188 221 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 24–36–3 21–36–0 Time of possession 29:05 29:57 Team Category Player StatisticsIncarnate Word Passing Richard Torres 23/35, 175 yards, 3 INT Rushing Jaylon Spears 15 carries, 49 yards Receiving Chedon James 5 receptions, 59 yardsNicholls Passing Deuce Hogan 21/35, 221 yards, TD Rushing Jordan Poole 7 carries, 23 yards Receiving Karaaz Johnson 2 receptions, 58 yards, TD
Eastern Washington
Uniform combinationHelmetJerseyPants
Statistics EWU UIW First downs 15 27 Plays–yards 62–290 85–463 Rushes–yards 23–107 47–131 Passing yards 183 332 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 21–39–1 27–38–0 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 25:41 34:19 Team Category Player StatisticsEastern Washington Passing Jared Taylor 21/38, 183 yards Rushing Marceese Yetts 6 carries, 59 yards, 2 TD Receiving Marceese Yetts 7 receptions, 63 yardsIncarnate Word Passing Richard Torres 27/38, 332 yards, TD Rushing Harlan Dixon 14 carries, 75 yards, 2 TD Receiving Jameson Garcia 6 receptions, 146 yards, TD
@ UTSA (FBS)
Uniform combinationHelmetJerseyPants
Statistics UIWUTSA First downs 23 22 Plays–yards 72–357 70–442 Rushes–yards 27–33 34–199 Passing yards 324 243 Passing: comp–att–int 31–45–2 29–35–0 Turnovers 4 0 Time of possession 25:48 34:12 Team Category Player StatisticsIncarnate Word Passing EJ Colson 17/24, 213 yards, 3 TD Rushing Jaylon Spears 5 carries, 26 yards Receiving Chedon James 8 receptions, 134 yards, 3 TDUTSA Passing Owen McCown 29/35, 238 yards, 4 TD Rushing Robert Henry 14 carries, 144 yards, 2 TD Receiving AJ Wilson 4 receptions, 99 yards, TD
@ No. 17 Northern Arizona
Uniform combinationHelmetJerseyPants
Statistics UIW NAU First downs 22 19 Plays–yards 66–436 63–402 Rushes–yards 28–144 29–116 Passing yards 292 286 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 30–38–0 17–34–0 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 31:43 28:17 Team Category Player StatisticsIncarnate Word Passing EJ Colson 28/36, 292 yards, 2 TD Rushing EJ Colson 13 carries, 59 yards Receiving Jameson Garcia 9 receptions, 116 yards, 2 TDNorthern Arizona Passing Ty Pennington 17/34, 286 yards, 3 TD Rushing Seth Cromwell 16 carries, 63 yards Receiving Kolbe Katsis 4 receptions, 95 yards
No. 12 Abilene Christian
Uniform combinationHelmetJerseyPants
Statistics ACUUIW First downs 16 28 Total yards 248 423 Rushing yards 107 301 Passing yards 141 122 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 17–30–2 17–30–0 Time of possession 19:44 40:16 Team Category Player StatisticsAbilene Christian Passing Stone Earle 17/30, 141 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT Rushing Rovaughn Banks Jr. 14 carries, 110 yards Receiving Javon Gipson 5 receptions, 53 yardsIncarnate Word Passing EJ Colson 17/30, 122 yards, 1 TD Rushing Lontrell Turner 20 carries, 118 yards Receiving Chedon James 5 receptions, 43 yards
Stephen F. Austin
Uniform combinationHelmetJerseyPants
Statistics SFAUIW First downs 15 21 Total yards 335 345 Rushing yards 74 39 Passing yards 261 306 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 19–27–0 35–46–1 Time of possession 25:01 34:59 Team Category Player StatisticsStephen F. Austin Passing Sam Vidlak 19/26, 261 yards, 3 TD Rushing Jerrell Wimbley 21 carries, 69 yards, 1 TD Receiving Clayton Wayland 6 receptions, 100 yardsIncarnate Word Passing EJ Colson 35/46, 306 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Jaylon Spears 10 carries, 33 yards Receiving Jameson Garcia 4 receptions, 70 yards
East Texas A&M