NOTE: Fans can see two different free video interviews on the ACU Web site detailing head coach Chris Thomsen's thoughts on the 2009 ACU signing class. Fans will have to sign up to be a Wildcat Insider, but you don't have to purchase a plan in order to see the videos. Once you've signed up, simply click on the "On Demand" button to find the archived informaton. Thomsen's interview with the local media is the first video listed, followed by Thomsen's interview with ACU radio play-by-play voice Grant Boone.
ABILENE ? ACU head football coach Chris Thomsen and his staff hit the recruiting trail in early December knowing they would have huge holes to fill in the offensive backfield and the wide receiver position going into the 2009 season.
That was their priority for national signing day, and on Wednesday they brought in a load of receivers, one junior college running back, one junior college receiver and two high school running backs to help fill the void left by several players who exhausted their eligibility in 2008.
On the first day that high school players can sign players to binding national letters-of-intent, the Wildcats added 22 high school players and four junior college transfers as they begin preparations for a 2009 season that will see them enter the season as the defending Lone Star Conference champion for the first time since 1978.
“Obviously we lost a lot of very talented, productive players at both the running back and wide receiver positions, so finding guys to fill those roles was our main concern entering the recruiting process,” Thomsen said. “We were able to sign five high school wide receivers and one high school running back and add one very good junior college transfer at wide receiver.
“Overall, this is an outstanding group of players we'll have coming in to help us,” Thomsen said. “There's some really solid people in the group, as well as very solid players and students. This is a group that will have a lot of guys make contributions to our program over the long haul.”
The headliner of the transfer class is running back Reggie Brown of Blinn College. Brown ? who hails from the same junior college as 2008 Harlon Hill Award winner Bernard Scott ? led the Southwest Junior College Football Conference in rushing in 2008 and averaged more than 7.5 yards per carry.
“Reggie is the total package, and he'll really help us,” Thomsen said. “He can run, catch the ball out of the backfield and he's a very good blocker. He's a workhorse, and we're going to use him in a lot of different ways.”
Kilgore College wide receiver Kendrick Johnson is a 5-9, 180-pound speedster who should make an immediate impact on the Wildcats in 2009.
“Kendrick is a fast, explosive player who will give us a great athlete with explosive ability at both the wide receiver and kick-return positions,” Thomsen said.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Wildcats brought in Laney College defensive tackle Marvin Jones, a 6-3, 290-pound run-stuffer who will line up at nose tackle in ACU's 3-4 defense.
The Wildcats added five high school wide receivers led by Taylor Gabriel of Mesquite Horn High School. Gabriel was a three-year letterwinner at Horn where in 2008 he was a first team Class 5A all-state selection by the Texas Sports Writers Association and a second team all-state pick by the Associated Press Sports Editors. He finished the 2008 season with 90 catches for 1,354 yards and 13 touchdowns and was the District 11-5A MVP.
Abilene Cooper running back Amon Pimpton headlines four Cougars who signed with the Wildcats on Wednesday. He'll be joined at ACU by Cougar teammates Demetric Lee (defensive back), Blake Spears (offensive line) and Stefphun Haslett (defensive back).
As a senior in 2008, Pimpton carried the ball 185 times for 1,289 yards and 15 touchdowns and was the District 4-4A Offensive MVP. He led Cooper to its first playoff berth since 2003 and was a unanimous first team all-District 4-4A selection.
Lee was probably the most sought-after high school player on the Wildcats' board after posting a sensational senior season for the Cougars. As a senior in 2008, Lee recorded 80 tackles, including 45 solo stops. He also had six tackles for loss, four sacks, one interception and five pass breakups. Lee was a first team all-District 4-4A selection and was named to Abilene Reporter-News' Class 4A-5A all-Big Country Team.
“Demetric is a guy we really liked all year, and we had to beat some people out for him,” Thomsen said. “He's a very explosive player in the secondary, and we're looking forward to getting him here and seeing what he can do.”
Overall, Thomsen ? who said the Wildcats still aren't finished adding players, especially in the two main need areas ? is happy with what the Wildcats were able to do on Wednesday.
“We still have some recruiting to do this spring and summer at the junior college level and working on some other transfer players, but I like where we are right now,” he said. “Our coaches did a great job again this season going out all over the state and talking to hundreds of kids. They did a great job identifying our needs and going out and getting kids that we believe will fill those spots on our team.”
