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Photo by: Jeremy Enlow
Wildcats begin 2016 season looking for return to winning ways
7/27/2016 8:10:00 AM | Football
LAKE CHARLES, La. – The ACU Wildcats learned a lot of lessons on the football field in 2015 and begin the 2016 season seeking to learn from those and return to the program's winning ways.
The Wildcats – who finished 3-8 in 2015 for the program's first losing season since 2005 – were picked to finish eighth in the Southland Conference in the coaches' poll and ninth in the sports information directors' poll, both of which were released Wednesday at the league's annual media day at the L'Auberge Casino and Resort.
Sam Houston State, which finished second in the league last season and reached the FCS semifinals, was the overwhelming favorite in both polls to capture the league championship. The Bearkats got nine of 11 first-place votes and 99 points in the coaches' poll, while defending league champion McNeese finished with two first-place votes and 92 points.
In the sports information directors' poll, Sam Houston State pulled in 10 first-place votes and 100 points, while the Cowboys were second with one first-place vote and 86 points.
ACU was eighth in the coaches' poll with 40 points, finishing just behind Northwestern State (45 points) and ahead of Incarnate Word (ninth with 29 points), Nicholls (10th with 26 points) and Houston Baptist (11th with 11 points).
In the sports information directors' poll, the Wildcats were ninth with 37 points, just behind Southeastern Louisiana (seventh with 42 points) and Incarnate Word (eighth with 39 points) and just ahead of Nicholls (10th with 26 points) and Houston Baptist (11th with 10 points).
ACU head coach Ken Collums admitted he didn't like seeing the Wildcats ranked so low in the pre-season poll, but knows that, ultimately, a poll based on the previous year's results doesn't carry much weight.
"We didn't have the kind of year we anticipated or wanted in 2015, so, consequently, you don't get picked very high the next year in the pre-season poll, and we all understand that," said Collums, who is 22-23 in his four seasons as the Wildcats' head coach. "Ultimately, these pre-season polls don't play into any part of our season. The only thing that matters is what happens on those 11 Saturdays between Sept. 3 and Nov. 12."
The Wildcats were 3-8 last season, but return 15 starters, including reigning Freshman of the Year Jabari Butler, as well as junior middle linebacker Sam Denmark and junior running back De'Andre Brown. Butler led the league with six interceptions on his way to first team all-conference honors, while Denmark led FCS football in solo tackles (90) on his way to a league-best 138 tackles and first team all-conference honors.
Both Butler and Denmark are pre-season first tea all-conference selections. Brown, meanwhile, was an honorable mention all-conference selection in 2015 and enters 2016 with a chance to break into ACU's top 10 all-time rushing list. He's already fifth in ACU history with eight 100-yard rushing games behind only Bernard Scott (23 from 2007-08), Wilbert Montgomery (13 rom 1973-76), Eric Polk (12 from 2001-02), and Anthony Thomas (11 from 1981-84).
The Wildcats also return pre-season all-conference performers in redshirt sophomore offensive tackle Riley Mayfield and true sophomore tackle Dakota Laws. Mayfield missed the entire 2015 season after suffering an off-season knee injury that required surgery to repair, and Laws played in eight games with six starts on the ACU offensive line.
ACU also returns defensive tackle standout LaMarcus Allen as well as junior outside linebacker Bryson Gates, who has the kind of athleticism and playmaking ability the Wildcats desperately need from that position.
The Wildcats will kick off the 2016 season on Saturday, Sept. 3, when they take on the Air Force Falcons in Colorado Springs, Colo. ACU's first home game in their 58th and final season at Shotwell Stadium is Saturday, Sept. 10, when it hosts Northern Colorado in a non-conference game at 6 p.m.
The 2016 season will get started on Sunday, Aug. 7, when the Wildcats report for the start of summer workouts. The first practice of the summer two-a-days will be Monday at 4 p.m. at the Wally Bullington Practice Facility just north of the Taague Special Events Center.
The Wildcats – who finished 3-8 in 2015 for the program's first losing season since 2005 – were picked to finish eighth in the Southland Conference in the coaches' poll and ninth in the sports information directors' poll, both of which were released Wednesday at the league's annual media day at the L'Auberge Casino and Resort.
Sam Houston State, which finished second in the league last season and reached the FCS semifinals, was the overwhelming favorite in both polls to capture the league championship. The Bearkats got nine of 11 first-place votes and 99 points in the coaches' poll, while defending league champion McNeese finished with two first-place votes and 92 points.
In the sports information directors' poll, Sam Houston State pulled in 10 first-place votes and 100 points, while the Cowboys were second with one first-place vote and 86 points.
ACU was eighth in the coaches' poll with 40 points, finishing just behind Northwestern State (45 points) and ahead of Incarnate Word (ninth with 29 points), Nicholls (10th with 26 points) and Houston Baptist (11th with 11 points).
In the sports information directors' poll, the Wildcats were ninth with 37 points, just behind Southeastern Louisiana (seventh with 42 points) and Incarnate Word (eighth with 39 points) and just ahead of Nicholls (10th with 26 points) and Houston Baptist (11th with 10 points).
ACU head coach Ken Collums admitted he didn't like seeing the Wildcats ranked so low in the pre-season poll, but knows that, ultimately, a poll based on the previous year's results doesn't carry much weight.
"We didn't have the kind of year we anticipated or wanted in 2015, so, consequently, you don't get picked very high the next year in the pre-season poll, and we all understand that," said Collums, who is 22-23 in his four seasons as the Wildcats' head coach. "Ultimately, these pre-season polls don't play into any part of our season. The only thing that matters is what happens on those 11 Saturdays between Sept. 3 and Nov. 12."
The Wildcats were 3-8 last season, but return 15 starters, including reigning Freshman of the Year Jabari Butler, as well as junior middle linebacker Sam Denmark and junior running back De'Andre Brown. Butler led the league with six interceptions on his way to first team all-conference honors, while Denmark led FCS football in solo tackles (90) on his way to a league-best 138 tackles and first team all-conference honors.
Both Butler and Denmark are pre-season first tea all-conference selections. Brown, meanwhile, was an honorable mention all-conference selection in 2015 and enters 2016 with a chance to break into ACU's top 10 all-time rushing list. He's already fifth in ACU history with eight 100-yard rushing games behind only Bernard Scott (23 from 2007-08), Wilbert Montgomery (13 rom 1973-76), Eric Polk (12 from 2001-02), and Anthony Thomas (11 from 1981-84).
The Wildcats also return pre-season all-conference performers in redshirt sophomore offensive tackle Riley Mayfield and true sophomore tackle Dakota Laws. Mayfield missed the entire 2015 season after suffering an off-season knee injury that required surgery to repair, and Laws played in eight games with six starts on the ACU offensive line.
ACU also returns defensive tackle standout LaMarcus Allen as well as junior outside linebacker Bryson Gates, who has the kind of athleticism and playmaking ability the Wildcats desperately need from that position.
The Wildcats will kick off the 2016 season on Saturday, Sept. 3, when they take on the Air Force Falcons in Colorado Springs, Colo. ACU's first home game in their 58th and final season at Shotwell Stadium is Saturday, Sept. 10, when it hosts Northern Colorado in a non-conference game at 6 p.m.
The 2016 season will get started on Sunday, Aug. 7, when the Wildcats report for the start of summer workouts. The first practice of the summer two-a-days will be Monday at 4 p.m. at the Wally Bullington Practice Facility just north of the Taague Special Events Center.
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