What is ULM Head Coach Matt Viator Saying about Auburn?

ULM Head Football Coach, Matt Viator (Photo: ULMWarhawks.com)

After an astonishing win last Saturday, Auburn football has shifted their focus to ULM.

The Warhawks enter the weekend with a 1-2 record, following a bye week. ULM is also in year one of the Matt Viator era. Viator joined the ULM staff following a successful ten year run at McNeese State, where he led the Cowboys to five FCS Playoff appearances.

Viator has already faced a tough, Power-5 team this season in Oklahoma, and is gearing up for another tough test with Auburn.

Viator met with the media earlier this week, and shared his thoughts about Auburn, as well as Head Coach, Gus Malzahn.

Viator mentioned in his opening statement, that his team is preparing to play in front of another large crowd. The Warhawks played in front of just over 87,000 people three weeks ago against Oklahoma, and will play in another hostile crowd.

As far as Auburn is concerned, the first thing that Viator mentioned, was the experience of the defensive line. “Their defensive line is phenomenal. (Carl) Lawson is a big time player coming off the edge, we certainly have to be conscious of that.” This will be the third game in a row that ULM has face a tough defensive line. In the losses to Oklahoma and Georgia Southern, Viator said that the opposing team’s defensive line are “the marquee guys”, and Auburn is no exception. Viator feels that playing tough defensive lines will help his team’s offensive line in the long run, as they will resume Sun Belt play next week.

Moving on to offense, Viator pointed out that Auburn appears to have figured out their quarterback situation, and that the running backs are big. He has seen film on the schemes that Defensive Coordinator Kevin Steele uses, due to coaching against him during his McNeese State days, while Steele was at LSU. Viator also says that he has watched film of Auburn and Gus Malzahn for years, as a model for how he wanted to run his offense at McNeese State. Viator has respect for Coach Gus Malzahn, because of their similar coaching backgrounds. Viator was also a respected name in the High School ranks, before making the jump to College Football.

Viator also mentioned Daniel Carlson, and the weapon that he is.