Wildcats to report Wednesday
8/9/2010 5:02:41 PM | Football
ABILENE – ACU head football coach Chris Thomsen and his staff were going through final preparations Monday for the arrival of more than 140 players, who are scheduled to report Wednesday for the beginning of summer practice.
Players will report for physicals, mug shots and team meetings on Wednesday before hitting the field for the first time Thursday at 4 p.m. The Wildcats won't be in full pads until Monday, Aug. 16.
The Wildcats are coming off a 9-4 campaign in 2009 and are ranked No. 7 in the country, according to the American Football Coaches' Association NCAA Division II pre-season poll, which was released Monday. ACU was also picked to finish second in the Lone Star Conference South Division this season.
The Wildcats are less than one month from getting the 2010 season underway as they take on Washburn (Kan.) in Topeka, Kan., at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 4. The next week they'll be in Tahlequah, Okla., to take on Northeastern State.
Those two road trips are part of a brutal road schedule that will see the Wildcats play games in Kingsville (against Texas A&M-Kingsville), Portales, N.M. (against Eastern New Mexico), San Antonio (against Incarnate Word) and Canyon (against West Texas A&M). ACU's home games this year are against East Central, Tarleton State, Midwestern State, Angelo State and Southwestern Oklahoma State.
In getting ready for that schedule, ACU's coaching staff has been busy the last few weeks adding the final touches to the roster. Four defensive backs have been added to the team in the last week, but because they haven't reported or been enrolled yet their names can't be released.
"We've been able to add a few transfers back there in the secondary, and now we've just got to get them enrolled in classes and ready to go," Thomsen said. "We've got a lot of veterans on this team, but we've also got an influx of new guys that will energize everyone."
A large group of players have been working out all summer, and those workouts have increased in intensity over the last couple of weeks, thanks mostly, Thomsen said, to the strong leadership already being displayed by the 2010 squad.
"The attitude of this team has been great since we got started with our off-season program in January," he said. "We've got great senior leadership on this team, and those guys have helped maintain the focus where it needs to be. We're all eager to get started and see what opportunities this season brings this team."
ACU WILDCAT FOOTBALL
2010 SUMMER SCHEDULE
Wednesday, Aug. 11
5 p.m. – Veteran players report
5:30 p.m. – First-year players report
Thursday, Aug. 12
4 p.m. – Practice (shorts and helmets)
Friday, Aug. 13
4 p.m. – Practice (shorts and helmets)
Saturday, Aug. 14
4 p.m. – Practice (shorts, helmets and pads)
Sunday, Aug. 15
4 p.m. – Practice (shorts, helmets and pads)
Monday, Aug. 16
4 p.m. – Practice (full pads)
Tuesday, Aug. 17
8:30 a.m. – Practice (full pads)
4 p.m. – Practice (full pads)
Wednesday, Aug. 18
4 p.m. – Practice (full pads)
Thursday, Aug. 19
8:30 a.m. – Practice (shorts and helmets)
8 p.m. – Scrimmage at Shotwell Stadium
Friday, Aug. 20
8:30 a.m. – Film / walk-through practice
Sunday, Aug. 22
4 p.m. – Practice (full pads)
Tuesday, Aug. 24
4 p.m. – Practice (full pads)
Wednesday, Aug. 25
4 p.m. – Practice (full pads)
Thursday, Aug. 26
4 p.m. – Practice (full pads)
Friday, Aug. 27
4 p.m. – Practice (full pads)
Saturday, Aug. 28
9 a.m. – Scrimmage at Shotwell Stadium
Sunday, Aug. 29
4 p.m. – Practice (full pads)
Tuesday, Aug. 31
4 p.m. – Practice (full pads)
Wednesday, Sept. 1
4 p.m. – Practice (full pads)
Thursday, Sept. 2
4 p.m. – Practice (full pads)
Saturday, Sept. 4
6 p.m. – Kickoff vs. Washburn (in Topeka, Kan.)
