Beltran announces transfer from Texas to ACU

Former Abilene High standout leaves UT to return home

ABILENE -- One of the greatest running back in the storied history of District 4-5A football has announced that he is leaving the University of Texas and has enrolled at Abilene Christian University.

Arturo "Sneezy" Beltran is officially enrolled at ACU, making him eligible to participate with his new teammates in off-season workouts in preparation for the 2002 season. He will be with them on the field in March when the Wildcats begin spring training workouts.

Beltran is the second local athlete in as many years to transfer to ACU after beginning his career at a Big 12 school. ACU quarterback Colby Freeman transferred to ACU from Texas A&M in December 2000 and started the Wildcats' first five games last year before a broken left ankle knocked him out for the rest of the season.

Now Beltran -- who will have three years of eligibility remaining for the Wildcats -- adds his name to the list.

"Obviously we're very glad to have him," ACU head coach Gary Gaines said of Beltran. "You can never have too many good football players, and he's definitely a good one."

Beltran is the second-leading rusher in District 4-5A history after piling up 4,940 yards from 1997-99. His 698 career carries also rank second, and his 54 all-purpose touchdowns rank fourth in district history.

As a sophomore in 1997, he set the district's single-game rushing record with 347 yards in an Abilene High win over Midland High. That record was later tied and then broken twice by Midland Lee's Cedric Benson, who pushed Beltran down the depth chart at Texas when he arrived in Austin last August.

Beltran holds every significant Abilene High rushing record, including most career yards (4,940), most yards in a season (2,244 in 1999) and most yards in a game (347 vs. Midland High in 1997). He also holds school records for most touchdowns in a career (54), most touchdowns in a season (29 in 1999), and most touchdowns in a game (five vs. Midland High in 1997).

He also holds school records for most carries in a career (698), most carries in a season (350 in 1999) and most carries in a game (38 vs. Odessa Permian in 1999).

During his 33-game career at Abilene High, Beltran ran for 100 yards or more 27 times, for 200 yards or more five times and for 300 yards or more three times. In only four games did he fail to score a touchdown.

His best high school season was the 1999 campaign that saw him rush for 2,244 yards and 26 touchdowns on 350 carries as he led the Eagles to an 11-3 season and their first playoff berth since 1959. He ran for 682 yards and eight touchdowns on 104 carries in four playoff games that season.

He committed to Texas in the summer prior to the 1999 season, and then he red-shirted during the 2000 season. He followed that with a strong spring training performance in 2001. However, Benson's arrival in Austin last August pushed everyone including Beltran down the depth chart. Beltran appeared in just four games last fall for the Longhorns, rushing for 35 yards on 12 carries. His best day came on Oct. 13 when he carried the ball three times for 17 yards against Oklahoma State.

"The main reason I decided to transfer is because I felt like I had a better chance to play here," Beltran said. "I have no regrets about going to the University of Texas, but I just wanted to get on the field and play."

Gaines said Beltran will be given that opportunity, despite the fact that the Wildcats return senior running back Eric Polk, who las year ran for a new single-season school record 1,211 yards en route to earning first team all-Lone Star Conference South Division honors.

"We have a returning starter and a good player in Eric Polk, so obviously Sneezy's transfer will create some competition at that spot," Gaines said. "I don't think you can go into a season with just one good running back; you need to have two."

Beltran said he's simply looking forward to the competition.

"Eric has already established himself here; this is his team, and I'm just trying to fit in and get the guys to accept me," he said. "He's a senior, and I know I'll get my shot whether it's this season or the next two seasons. The good thing about it is that the best man for the job will be on the field."

Beltran will probably be the Wildcats' kickoff returner next season, a role he excelled in at Abilene High. He returned three kickoffs for touchdowns as an Eagle, one a 94-yarder in his 347-yard game against Midland High in 1997, one a 98-yarder against Temple in 1998 and the other a 90-yarder in the 1999 season-opening-win against Amarillo Tascosa.

"Sneezy is a multi-talented athlete who can do a lot of things for us," he said. "I think he'll flourish in this environment. He has a lot of people who care about him surrounding him now, and I think he'll enjoy that."

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