SAN ANTONIO – Ask anyone associated with UIW Football about the program's turnaround, and they'll quickly point to the weight room.
Tucked just off the playing surface at Benson Stadium, it's the place that receives much of the credit for transforming a once-moribund program into a conference champion.
"I attribute much of our success to our players having big gains in the weight room," said second-year Cardinals head coach Eric Morris. "They got stronger, faster. Coach Huth does a phenomenal job of getting them ready and keeping them accountable to one another."
The Coach Huth that Morris glows about? Bret Huth, an experienced, passionate coach that is the brains behind the Cardinals' newfound brawn.
"During the times of the year when the football coaches are on the road recruiting and finding the future classes of UIW Football, I'm in here training the current one," Huth said.
Huth essentially serves as the head coach of the strength and conditioning program, wearing many hats in the process. Since the program is small, it's on Huth and his staff to have the Cardinals in the right shape physically and mentally.
"A huge piece is the psychology piece and just knowing your kids. If you know your kids and if they know that you have their best interests at heart, then they'll work hard for you," Huth said. "You can coach them hard. You can push them, and in turn, get the best out of them."
With sights set on another conference championship, the Cardinals hope their sweat equity pays off in the end.
"For us, co-conference champs was awesome but obviously this year we'd like to be outright conference champs and make a little deeper playoff push," Huth said. "It's all about taking it one step further and getting better."