ABILENE – Abilene Christian completed its first day of fall practice Monday night – 31 days before the season opener.
Triple-digit heat sent the Wildcats into the night for the first practice but ACU also benefits from adjusting to playing four night or evening games to start the season. By the end of the practice after 9 p.m., the temperature was still in the high 90s.
The team had been conditioning before camp but things took on a different feel on Monday. Now, running football plays, the Wildcats are being evaluated as coaches determine what player fits each role.
"It's a different type of conditioning; that's what fall camp is all about," said ACU Head Coach Keith Patterson. "It will go by fast and we have to make some decisions early in the first two weeks, getting people in the right position. Right now, we're paying attention to detail and we need to clean things up."
Battling the heat and competing led to high emotions on Monday.
"I think sometimes everyone is all hyped up because it is day one," Patterson said. "I don't know if the focus or concentration is at a level that it needs to be. Everyone is excited but we have to steer them in the right direction."
The Wildcats open the season on Thursday, Aug., 31, at home against Northern Colorado at 7 p.m.
