SAN MARCOS, Texas — In preparation for this weekend's football game against the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW), below are five talking points to preview the Cardinals:

GUESS WHO'S BACK, BACK AGAIN

UIW's returning experience is nearly unprecedented. The Cardinals return 10 of their 11 starters on both the offensive and defensive sides of the line of scrimmage. Including the special teams unit, UIW brings back 88.9 percent (24-27) of its starters from a team that played a conference-only schedule in the spring of 2021 after the Southland Conference canceled the fall 2020 football season. 

THE DIRECTOR'S CUT

No freshman at the FCS level was more meaningful to his team during the fall 2020/spring 2021 season(s) than Incarnate Word quarterback Cameron Ward. Ward, now a sophomore, set the program's single-season touchdown pass record with 24 scoring throws in just six games in the spring. He completed 183-of-303 passes for 2,260 yards, 24 touchdowns and just four interceptions en route to being named the STATS FCS Jerry Rice Award winner, which is awarded to the best freshman at the FCS level, according to the organization. 

KICKER'S KICK

Incarnate Word has two place kickers who have connected on multiple point after touchdowns this season. John Scifers, a graduate student from Carterville, Ga., by way of Woodland High School has connected on 6-of-7 PATs and both his field goal attempts: 45 and a season-long 49 against Prairie View A&M. Carson Mohr, a junior out of The Woodlands, Texas, has made three of his four point after touchdown attempts this season. The Cardinals have not attempted a field goal or forced a field goal attempt on the road this season. 

THE HIGHEST LEVEL

San Antonio, Texas — the home of UIW — is notorious for being a football hot bed. So much so that six student-athletes have joined the Cardinals from the FBS: Akil Jones (Colorado), Moses Reynolds (Texas A&M), Brandon Bowen (TCU), Marquez Perez (Tulsa) and Micahh Smith (Arkansas). Additionally, Marcus Cooper (Southeastern Louisiana), Rashon Davis (Austin Peay), Terrell Lucas (Austin Peay), Taylor Grimes (Illinois State), Cesar Moreno (Coastal Carolina) and Trevor Begue (McNeese State) have arrived at UIW from the FCS ranks. 

ALWAYS SCORING

In both games this season, Incarnate Word has scored 40-or-more points: 41 at Youngstown State and 40 against Prairie View A&M. But scoring points isn't out of the norm for the Cardinals. In its six games during the spring, UIW scored 40-or-more points in the first five before being held to only 14 against eventual FCS National Champions Sam Houston State on April 17, 2021. The Cardinals haven't been held to single digits since Sam Houston State beat UIW, 45-6, on Sept. 21, 2019.