SAN ANTONIO -- An offseason of heavy contemplation began for University of the Incarnate Word head football coach Clint Killough as soon as a disappointing 2025 campaign drew to a close.

After putting together a 42-10 record with three Southland Conference titles and four FCS playoff wins in the previous four seasons, expectations were understandably high for the Cardinals going into last year.

And following an 11-3 finish in 2024, pollsters expected big things from the 2025 team, ranking it at No. 4 in the AFCA Coaches Poll and No. 5 in the Stats Perform FCS Poll.

But things just didn't click as they had in recent years. The offense mustered just six points in a season-opening loss to Nicholls, and despite a pair of impressive wins against top-15 teams, inconsistency doomed the squad to a 5-7 finish.

"There was a ton of hype, there was a ton of talk and distractions and things that come with success in this industry," Killough said. "I don't think we handled those appropriately and I don't think I handled those well to be totally honest.

"Entitlement and complacency, they're very sneaky things," he continued. "They creep up when you least expect it. I think we needed a reset."

A reset is exactly what the Cardinals got. 

Killough started with several changes to his staff. This included bringing in new offensive coordinator Justin Bane, who oversaw the No. 1, Division-II passing offense a season ago (357.4 yards per-game) at West Texas A&M, and promoting Ben Olson to defensive coordinator.

The roster will also look vastly different, with the Cardinals looking to replace their entire quarterback room, 91 percent of their production in the run game and 77 percent of their receiving yards and will also be without their top-five tacklers from 2025 on Saturday.

The new-look team has adopted a very simple moniker for 2026: Restore The Order.

"It's really a mantra of being where your feet are," Killough said. "Being present in what we're doing and restoring that order and how we go about day-to-day actions."

Killough has had plenty of help selling his philosophy in the locker room, with the return of one of his top players from 2024.

After spending last season at Texas Tech, wide receiver Roy Alexander is back at UIW after catching 100 passes for 1,108 yards and 13 touchdowns with the program two seasons ago. He was second in the FCS in receptions and touchdown catches in 2024, with his 100 catches being a single-season program record.

Having been a key piece on a team that won a Southland Conference championship, Alexander says restoring the order involves working to recapturing the program's standing in the league, following a seventh-place finish last season and a fifth-place projected finish in the 2026 preseason poll.

"You can't cry about losing something or not having something you wanted if you're not putting in the work to get it back," said Alexander, the preseason SLC Offensive Player of the Year. "You see what you did last year that was wrong. What are you going to do to improve?"

 With the new season set to begin, players have one thing on their mind.

"Domination," said senior defensive tackle Terrell Elliott, who's in his third year with the program. "We need to get back to owing this league. It runs through us, I'm a firm believer in that."

The Cardinals open the year with a week zero home game against Oklahoma Panhandle State on Saturday. The game at Gayle & Tom Benson Stadium will kick off at 6 p.m.

TICKETING INFO

Tickets for UIW Football are available now at tickets.uiwcardinals.com. Fans can purchase season tickets, single-game tickets, and group experiences today and join Cardinal Nation at Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium.