Photo by: Josh Beam
Wildcats Head to UAC Media Day in Nashville on Wednesday
7/14/2025 4:00:00 PM | Football
The defending United Athletic Conference champion ACU Wildcats travel to UAC Media Day on Wednesday in Nashville.
Head coach Keith Patterson, and three players -- tight end Jed Castles, linebacker Will Shaffer, and defensive lineman Kaghen Roach -- will represent ACU at the annual event which serves as a ceremonial kickoff for the coming season.
UAC Media Day will be streamed live on ESPN+ starting at 11 a.m. CT with the release of the preseason coaches poll, and the preseason all-conference awards.
The Wildcats take the ESPN+ interview stage from 11:20-11:35 a.m.
ACU stormed through the league in 2024, defeating each of the five teams picked ahead of them in the preseason poll en route to the program's first Division I conference title. The Wildcats earned the automatic qualifier into the FCS Playoffs and shut out Northern Arizona, 24-0, in the first round at Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium.
Of the players returning in the UAC, three of the top four tacklers wear ACU uniforms -- Shaffer, Chris Wright, and Dorian Plumley.
After the 15-minute interview on ESPN+, Patterson and his players will visit with other media members and take part in a social media station for the UAC's channels. On Tuesday night, ACU will take promotional pictures for the conference at Vanderbilt's FirstBank Stadium, which is the site of the FCS National Championship on Jan. 5, 2026.
All nine members of the UAC return to the conference this season — ACU, Austin Peay, Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky, North Alabama, Southern Utah, Tarleton State, Utah Tech and West Georgia.
2025 UAC MEDIA DAY SCHEDULE
ESPN+ Stream (All Times Central)
11:00-11:15 AM - Welcome | Preseason Poll and All-Conference Awards Announced
11:20-11:35 AM - ABILENE CHRISTIAN (HC Keith Patterson | Jed Castles | Kaghen Roach | Will Shaffer)
11:40-11:55 PM - UTAH TECH (HC Lance Anderson | Nolan Reynolds | Laytan Tanuvasa)
12:00-12:15 PM - EKU (HC Walt Wells | Jeremiah Bailey | Gabe Fletcher)
12:20-12:35 PM - CENTRAL ARKANSAS (HC Nathan Brown | Bradley Clark | Jamal Mull)
12:40-12:55 PM - WEST GEORGIA (HC Joel Taylor | Davin Wydner | Kyearue Magloire)
1:00 - 1:15 PM - SOUTHERN UTAH (HC DeLane Fitzgerald | Josh Dunn | Bronson Barron)
1:20 - 1:35 PM - Video Interview with Jeff Bacon (ASUN Commissioner)
1:40 - 1:55 PM - TARLETON STATE (HC Todd Whitten | Victor Gabalis | Brandon Tolvert)
2:00 - 2:15 PM - NORTH ALABAMA (HC Brent Dearmon | Kaleb Heatherly | Jyheam Ingram)
2:20 - 2:35 PM - AUSTIN PEAY (HC Jeff Farris | Chris Parson | Davion Hood)
2:40 - 3:00 PM - Comments from Rebekah Ray (WAC Commissioner)
Head coach Keith Patterson, and three players -- tight end Jed Castles, linebacker Will Shaffer, and defensive lineman Kaghen Roach -- will represent ACU at the annual event which serves as a ceremonial kickoff for the coming season.
UAC Media Day will be streamed live on ESPN+ starting at 11 a.m. CT with the release of the preseason coaches poll, and the preseason all-conference awards.
The Wildcats take the ESPN+ interview stage from 11:20-11:35 a.m.
ACU stormed through the league in 2024, defeating each of the five teams picked ahead of them in the preseason poll en route to the program's first Division I conference title. The Wildcats earned the automatic qualifier into the FCS Playoffs and shut out Northern Arizona, 24-0, in the first round at Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium.
Of the players returning in the UAC, three of the top four tacklers wear ACU uniforms -- Shaffer, Chris Wright, and Dorian Plumley.
After the 15-minute interview on ESPN+, Patterson and his players will visit with other media members and take part in a social media station for the UAC's channels. On Tuesday night, ACU will take promotional pictures for the conference at Vanderbilt's FirstBank Stadium, which is the site of the FCS National Championship on Jan. 5, 2026.
All nine members of the UAC return to the conference this season — ACU, Austin Peay, Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky, North Alabama, Southern Utah, Tarleton State, Utah Tech and West Georgia.
𝐔𝐀𝐂 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲
— ACU Football (@ACUFootball) July 14, 2025
Catch your Wildcats on July 16th in Nashville, TN for the 2025 UAC Media Day!!
Tune into ESPN at 11:20 a.m. to listen to your head coach and athletes talk about the upcoming year!#CDT | #GoWildcats pic.twitter.com/6F17psIohn
2025 UAC MEDIA DAY SCHEDULE
ESPN+ Stream (All Times Central)
11:00-11:15 AM - Welcome | Preseason Poll and All-Conference Awards Announced
11:20-11:35 AM - ABILENE CHRISTIAN (HC Keith Patterson | Jed Castles | Kaghen Roach | Will Shaffer)
11:40-11:55 PM - UTAH TECH (HC Lance Anderson | Nolan Reynolds | Laytan Tanuvasa)
12:00-12:15 PM - EKU (HC Walt Wells | Jeremiah Bailey | Gabe Fletcher)
12:20-12:35 PM - CENTRAL ARKANSAS (HC Nathan Brown | Bradley Clark | Jamal Mull)
12:40-12:55 PM - WEST GEORGIA (HC Joel Taylor | Davin Wydner | Kyearue Magloire)
1:00 - 1:15 PM - SOUTHERN UTAH (HC DeLane Fitzgerald | Josh Dunn | Bronson Barron)
1:20 - 1:35 PM - Video Interview with Jeff Bacon (ASUN Commissioner)
1:40 - 1:55 PM - TARLETON STATE (HC Todd Whitten | Victor Gabalis | Brandon Tolvert)
2:00 - 2:15 PM - NORTH ALABAMA (HC Brent Dearmon | Kaleb Heatherly | Jyheam Ingram)
2:20 - 2:35 PM - AUSTIN PEAY (HC Jeff Farris | Chris Parson | Davion Hood)
2:40 - 3:00 PM - Comments from Rebekah Ray (WAC Commissioner)
Players Mentioned
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