SAN ANTONIO – After a stellar first season as the new head coach of the University of the Incarnate Word football program, Clint Killough has liked what he’s seen from the first few days of training camp while still keeping an eye on things the Cardinals can improve upon.
“A lot of competitiveness, a lot of really good energy, and guys that want to win football games,” said Coach Killough. “But we got to understand we’re not a finished product yet it’s day two we haven’t even put the pads on yet. So we’re an unfinished product, but I’m really proud of what I’m seeing.”
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Even after a 9-2 record from last season, Coach Killough knows his team isn’t satisfied with the result at the end of the season.
“We had some success. We were able to win nine ball games, but there was some humility in it too because at the end of the day, we didn’t win a championship, and we didn’t make the playoffs,” said Coach Killough. “That’s what this team wants to do. Everyone in that locker room is pretty collective in that thought process, including the coaching staff and that’s the standard we’ve created here.”
Senior wide receiver Mason Pierce, who transferred to UIW from Marshall, has already bought into the mission of this 2024-2025 team.
“They had success last year and, you know, it’s really disappointing going nine and two and don’t make the playoffs,” said Pierce. “You know, that’s surprising. I’ve never heard of that. So it was just a real something that they needed that coach said. Because it puts an extra chip on our shoulder to win it all this year, you know, we had this had this mindset of, you know, eat off the floor. You know, we just trying to get it by any means this year. And no matter what happens on the field, we just trying to be successful this year. So I think last year is a real foundation of what it was about to come this year.”
The Cardinals will open up the season at home against Northern Colorado at 6 p.m. on Aug. 31.