UT Martin received votes in HERO Sports’ FCS Preseason Top 25.
The Skyhawks finished 9-5 last year, losing 49-17 to Montana State in the FCS second round.
Here’s a look at the 2025 UT Martin football squad.
New Customer Offers at BetMGM
Bonus Bets Expire in 7 Days. One New Customer Offer Only. Add’l Terms
Returning 2024 FCS All-Conference Players (2)
1st Team
DB JaMichael McGoy Jr.
2nd Team
OL Josiah Tingley
D1 Transfer Portal Movement
Transfers Coming In From The FBS (11)
Phaizon Wilson (WR), Akron
Timothy Toney (WR), Memphis
Keyshaun Pipkin (WR), Northern Illinois
Drake Tabor (K), Oklahoma State
Jase Bauer (QB), Sam Houston
John Gentry (RB), Sam Houston
Jordan Johnson (DB), Southern Miss
Ty’Quarius Perry (DL), Troy
Armoni Goodwin (RB), UAB
Cameron Powell (DB), Western Michigan
Mike Moment (OL), Western Kentucky
Transfers Coming In From The FCS (6)
Corey Yeoman (LB), Hampton
Drake Martinez (TE), Houston Christian
Tah Banda (LB), Lamar
Misan Sisk (OL), Mississippi Valley State
Kaleb Costner (TE), Stetson
Jeff Miller (OL), West Georgia
Transfers Lost To The FBS (5)
Deshawn McKnight (DL) to Arizona
Xavier McIver (DL) to East Carolina
Max Dowling (TE) to UMass
Colton Peoples (LS) to Washington State
Charles Perkins (DL) to Wisconsin
Transfers Lost To The FCS (3)
Michael Pleas (LB) to Incarnate Word
LeBron Morgan (DB) to Western Illinois
Rashad Raymond (RB) to William & Mary
For more FCS coverage, follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
Offensive Outlook
UT Martin’s quest to repeat as the leading scoring offense in the OVC-Big South Football Association starts with finding Kinkead Dent’s successor at quarterback. Sam Houston transfer Jase Bauer appears in line to start. Bauer completed 40 of 65 passes last year for 310 yards and two touchdowns in seven games with the Bearkats. He began his college career at Central Michigan (2021-2023, 10 starts).
Bauer is joined by another former SHSU player in RB John Gentry, who also looks set to get starter touches. Gentry ran 26 times for 75 yards last season for the Kats, but he had a bigger role in 2023, rushing for 391 yards on 119 carries. Gentry totaled four rushing TDs and three receiving scores in two seasons at SHSU after beginning at Utah State (2020-2022).
Continuing the transfer trend on offense for the Skyhawks, WR Phaizon Wilson of Akron returns to the FCS after starting out at Grambling. Wilson had 93 receiving yards and one TD in 2022 for Grambling.
WR Scottie Alexander may work ahead of Wilson in the rotation. Alexander should take a step forward in his second season with UTM following three seasons at Tulsa. The Collierville, Tennessee native recorded three receptions for 72 yards with one TD in 2024 (10 games played).
The Skyhawks’ offensive line welcomes back an all-conference performer in 6-2, 300-pound center Josiah Tingley. Tingley is one of all five depth-chart-listed starters coming in as a redshirt junior or older.
Defensive Outlook
UT Martin’s defense is headlined by First Team All-OVC-Big South pick JaMichael McGoy Jr. at cornerback. McGoy, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, started all 14 games a year ago on the way to 43 total tackles and three TFLs. He matched the TFLs with three interceptions and a forced fumble. LaMarion Pierce is another returning standout in the secondary, totaling 49 tackles, two interceptions, and nine pass breakups last fall.
The Skyhawks’ eldest defensive lineman among probable starters is redshirt senior Toby Camp, who also played in all 14 games last year to tally 12 total tackles at 6-3, 300.
UTM brings back 2024’s No. 4 team tackler in free safety Jacob Stevenson (68 total stops).
UT Martin won’t get much time to adjust new personnel on defense, or anywhere else for that matter, as the Skyhawks wind up opposing three FBS foes with Missouri State debuting in Conference USA. With Southern Illinois as the FCS opponent on the docket, UTM’s opening slate is a bear, but the team’s reload in the portal figures to assure that UTM should still control the OVC-Big South until proven otherwise.
2025 Preseason Preview Central
UT Martin Football Schedule
8/28 at Oklahoma State
9/6 at UTEP
9/13 vs Southern Illinois
9/20 at Missouri State
9/27 vs Southeast Missouri
10/4 at Lindenwood
10/11 vs Western Illinois
10/18 at Gardner-Webb
11/1 at Eastern Illinois
11/8 vs Tennessee State
11/15 vs Charleston Southern
11/22 at Tennessee Tech
Bold indicates OVC-Big South games
HERO Sports’ rankings
