SAN ANTONIO – The University of the Incarnate Word football team ended its 2023-24 season last Saturday night with a 9-2 (6-1 SLC) overall record, marking the third-most wins in program history behind 2022 (12) and 2021 (10). First-year Head Coach Clint Killough took over a program that saw 66 total departures from the 2022 roster. Those departures included Walter Payton Award Winner Lindsey Scott Jr., Buck Buchanan Award Finalist Kelechi Anyalebechi, and All-Americans Taylor Grimes, Darion Chafin, Caleb Johnson and Kole Wilson.  In 2023, Killough rebuilt the Cardinals into a conference championship-contending team with only one returning defensive starter and three returning offensive starters.
  
Killough's coaching staff was another dynamic of the program that required replenishing, where 10 new faces stepped into full-time coaching roles. Killough and company were able to unite the 2023 Cardinals to become the top statistical offense (Total Offense and Scoring Offense) and statistical defense (Total Defense and Scoring Defense) in the Southland Conference in 2023.  
  
Nationally, the Cardinals reached rankings in five different defensive categories and four offensive categories.   
  
Defensively, UIW finished:  

• First for team passing efficiency defense  
• Tied for fourth for defensive touchdowns  
• Fifth in third down conversion percentage  
• Eighth for first downs defense  
• Tenth for total defense.   

  
Offensively, UIW ended the season ranked:

• Second in the nation for passing offense  
• Second in total offense  
• Eleventh for team passing efficiency 
• Twelfth for scoring offense

  
The Cardinals appeared in the Coaches Poll Top 25 and FCS Stats Perform Top 25 Rankings every week during the 2023 season, coming in as high as No. 4 in weeks eight and nine. UIW has been active in the rankings for 37 straight weeks, the fifth-longest streak in the nation behind North Dakota State, South Dakota State, Montana, and Montana State.  
  
Final Poll Rankings: Week 12
NCAA Coaches Poll – 11th 
FCS Stats Perform Top 25 – 19th 
  
Returners Steven Parker and Brandon Porter excelled under Killough with each receiving national recognition. Parker was named a Buck Buchanan Award finalist, while Porter earned a spot as a Walter Payton Award finalist.   
  
The Southland All-Conference superlative winners listed Porter as Offensive Player of the Year, while Zach Calzada earned Newcomer of the Year. UIW placed five student-athletes on first team all-conference offense, the most of any SLC school. Calzada, Porter, Caleb Chapman, Silas Robinson, and Stanley Mark rounded out the first team all-conference. Defensively, three student-athletes in Steven Parker, Ayodele Adeoye, and Tylan Foster earned first-team status. Joe Bryson was selected to second team offense, while Brandon Richard, Ronald Wilson and Dekalon Taylor were named to the second team defense/specialist.   
  
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