ABILENE – Following last Saturday's second scrimmage and the end of fall camp, offensive coordinator
Josh Lamberson stated that the success of the 2021 ACU offense will largely depend on the offensive line. With a healthy mix of returners and newcomers, O-Line coach
Drew Liddle is optimistic that his group will rise to the challenge.
"There were times in the spring where we only had six or seven offensive linemen available at practice, so to be able to have this much depth and this much quality is a nice luxury," Liddle said. "It's been great to see the competitive nature in the O-Line room, and nobody feels entitled to anything. Our guys really appreciate how balanced our offense is, and we are looking forward to seeing what these guys can do."
RETURNERS
Peyten Girty | Rosalia, Kan. | 6-3 | 280 pounds
"He's finally starting to come into his own and figure out how to play O-Line. He's grown a lot and it's not quite as foreign to him now. He has improved his athleticism, strength and abilities." -
Drew Liddle
Dylan Howerton | Katy, Texas | 6-5 | 273 pounds
"He's a really tough guy and a great athlete who brings excellent leadership qualities to our room. He fights every day to be as physical as he needs to be, and he has a lot of potential for us." -
Drew Liddle
Truett Knox | Fort Worth, Texas | 6-2 | 287 pounds
"Truett is a dude who is great for our room and brings a lot of knowledge and leadership into it. He is great in the roles we ask him to be great in. He's not our biggest guy, but he knows how to overcome that challenge." -
Drew Liddle
Jacob Thielen | Broomfield, Colo. | 6-4 | 292 pounds
"Jacob moved over from the D-Line in the spring, and we really like where he is right now. He had a little bit of a learning curve, but he's embraced the role and made some huge strides. He has the opportunity to be a force for us on the inside." -
Drew Liddle
Mitchell Melrose | Whitehouse, Texas | 6-6 | 286 pounds
"He was a little bit limited in the spring, but he's been able to get going again. He's been doing some good things, and we think he will compete for a spot at one of our tackle positions." -
Drew Liddle
Wyatt Tate | Seguin, Texas | 6-6 | 290 pounds
"He is another guy who brings leadership and some experience into the room. He's battling for a spot right now. He has a lot of room to grow, but we are pleased with what he's been doing." -
Drew Liddle
NEWCOMERS
Jackson Andrews | Schertz, Texas | 6-2 | 300 pounds
"He's a young pup, but I'm really excited about how much he has progressed in a short time. We never have to question his effort, and he is being looked as a guy that help us." -
Drew Liddle
Kaleb Chester | Grayson, Ga. | 6-0 | 271 pounds
"He does everything right. He's going to give you everything he's got every time, and he is great for our room. He has good knowledge and is always wanting to do more." -
Drew Liddle
Alan Hatten | Great Meadows, N.J. | 6-3 | 300 pounds
"He got to us a little bit later in the summer so he had a bit of a learning curve, but he tries hard to be as physical as anyone, and we think he can help us out." -
Drew Liddle
Collin James | Springfield, Mass. | 6-4 | 273 pounds
"We really like what Collin has been doing. He's a physical guy and a good athlete, and he brings a certain mentality to our room that we really need. He wants to make his presence known on the field." -
Drew Liddle
Reese Moore | Seminole, Texas | 6-6 | 273 pounds
"Reese really brings a lot of athleticism to the tackle spot after coming to us from a Power 5 school. He's a smart dude that understands the game, and he's really getting comfortable in our offense." -
Drew Liddle
Derek Simmons | Jacksonville, Fla. | 6-5 | 311 pounds
"Derek is a sneaky athletic guy, and he's super competitive in everything he does. He's really come a long way over the summer, and we expect that he will compete for a tackle spot." -
Drew Liddle
Bronson Warner | Chaska, Minn. | 6-3 | 310 pounds
"He's a very physical guy who we are excited about. He's a wide body, but he's not afraid of anything, and he will compete for a guard spot for us." -
Drew Liddle
More ACU Football Insight
Linebackers – August 18
Defensive Backs – August 19
Defensive Line – August 20
Special Teams – August 21
OC Josh Lamberson after Scrimmage #2
DC Clint Brown after Scrimmage #2
Running Backs – August 23
#GoWildcats
