ABILENE – The ACU Wildcats closed their fall camp Saturday night with an intrasquad scrimmage that served as a first-look at Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium for season-ticket holders, ACU faculty and staff and player families.
While the stadium and its amenities were the main attraction to many, the ACU coaching staff was more interested in the on-field product as the Wildcats begin preparations for the 2017 season. And while head coach
Adam Dorrel and his staff will have some things to work on this week, he certainly liked a lot of what he saw in what turned out to be a 47-7 win for the Purple team over the White team.
"I saw a lot of good things; a lot of teachable things that we'll go through when we evaluate the film," Dorrel said. "The Purple team (made up of mostly veteran players) started slowly, and I was disappointed in that. We really challenged them with that at halftime, and those guys responded really well. But we know we can't do that during the season, especially next week."
The Wildcats open the season next Saturday at 7 p.m. (Abilene time) against the New Mexico Lobos. UNM is coming off a 9-4 campaign in 2016 that saw them beat UT-San Antonio, 23-20, in the Gildan New Mexico Bowl.
STARS OF THE GAME
• Senior running back
De'Andre Brown – who appears fully recovered from the lower leg injuries that hampered his 2016 season – scored twice: first on a 14-yard run and again on a 45-yard screen pass from
Dallas Sealey.
• Senior wide receiver
Troy Grant – counted on this year to help take up the big-play ability left by
D.J. Fuller, who is ineligible in 2017 – had two catches for 81 yards and two touchdowns.
• Sealey completed 8 of 10 passes for 201 yards and three touchdowns and protected the ball, not throwing an interception and not taking a sack.
• Freshman QB
Sema'J Davis ran for 17 yards and one score and completed 5 of 8 passes for 62 yards and one TD for the White team.
•
Quincy Dunn led the Purple team with five tackles and one sack, while Clabe Holmes led the White team with seven tackles.
SCORING PLAYS
1Q –
De'Andre Brown 14 run (
Nik Grau kick), Purple 7, White 0
2Q –
Troy Grant 27 pass from
Dallas Sealey (Grau kick), Purple 14, White 0
2Q –
Nik Grau 25 field goal, Purple 17, White 0
2Q –
Troy Grant 54 pass from
Dallas Sealey (kick blocked), Purple 23, White 0
3Q –
De'Andre Brown 45 pass from
Dallas Sealey (Grau kick), Purple 30, White 0
4Q –
Nik Grau 36 field goal, Purple 33, White 0
4Q –
D.J. Fuller 23 pass from
Sema'J Davis (
Oscar Hernandez kick), Purple 33, White 7
4Q –
Kalin Sadler 7 pass from
Luke Anthony (Grau kick), Purple 40, White 7
4Q –
Chase Cokley 12 pass from
Kade Munden (Grau kick), Purple 47, White 7
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
• The two teams combined for 17 penalties, including 11 by the Purple team. Five of those were pre-snap penalties.
NEXT GAME
The Wildcats will open the 2017 season Saturday at 7 p.m. (Abilene time) against New Mexico at Dreamstyle Stadium. The game will be broadcast on 98.1 FM The Ticket with
Grant Boone (play by play) and Jim Reese (color commentator) calling the action.
