Photo by: Colin Martinek
Defending UAC Champs Start 2025 Fall Camp
7/30/2025 11:22:00 PM | Football
The number of the day was 114. That's the amount of plays ACU ran during the team portion of the first practice of fall camp on Wednesday -- significantly surpassing last year's first-day total of 82 plays.
"It was a good day," ACU head coach Keith Patterson said. "We ran a lot more plays than what we did a year ago. I really liked the way the practice went."
During the team meeting the day before the first practice -- which is traditionally called 'report day' -- Patterson acknowledged that term doesn't mean much considering these players have been working out on campus nearly all summer. But, there are still 43 new players on the roster -- including 26 transferring from FBS programs -- so it is necessary to start with the basics.
"Last year's team we had so many guys who had been involved with the team for three, four, and five years. They knew the way things worked," said Patterson. "With the fluidity in college football there is a lot of change on staff and people's rosters. You have to go back to square one and teach your players about the history of your program, what we believe and the values of our program."
The Wildcats went 9-5 in 2024 with a United Athletic Conference championship and an appearance in the second round of the FCS Playoffs.
Fifty-one players return from that team, including nine total starters. Those returners have an important responsibility.
"They've got to help onboard the newcomers. They've got to be able to help those guys acclimate. The faster they can do that, the faster we begin to become a winning football team."
Six of those returning starters are on defense with three in the secondary: Jordan Mukes, Dorian Plumley, and Tyson Williams. Mukes said more guys will step up.
"It started with summer workouts. We bought in together," said Mukes, a senior cornerback who started all 14 games last season. "Everybody understood the standard and the goal we're trying to reach. Seeing the first practice and the intensity, I think they understand it."
"I think we've turned what was, I'm not going to say a weak spot but we gave up some explosive plays last year in some of our key games," said Patterson. "I think we've addressed that not only with the players we have coming back led by Dorian Plumley, Jordan Mukes, and Tyson Williams. We have to build around them, and I think we've brought in the talent to do that."
In 2024, people outside of the program did not expect much out of ACU. The Wildcats were picked sixth in the Preseason UAC Coaches Poll. But after winning the league, ACU was voted second in this year's preseason poll.
"[Coach Patterson] tells us all the time that was last year," said Mukes. "We're still the conference champions, but we still have to show everybody what we can do, and play championship defense from the beginning to the end."
One thing the Wildcats' fourth-year head coach mentioned when addressing the full team after the first practice was establishing this team's identity. Patterson is fine not knowing right now exactly what identity will be. By the end of fall camp, though, he should have a clear picture.
"Anytime you have a quarterback competition and trying to find out who's going to step up to replace the production we had at receiver, you really don't know. We probably won't know for a couple of weeks. That's the beautiful thing about it – the unknown," said Patterson.
"We can come out here every day, focus on getting better, and if we'll do that every day, by the end of the season we'll be a good football team."
ACU continues fall camp through the late August with the first game on Saturday, Aug. 30, at the Tulsa Golden Hurricane.
"It was a good day," ACU head coach Keith Patterson said. "We ran a lot more plays than what we did a year ago. I really liked the way the practice went."
During the team meeting the day before the first practice -- which is traditionally called 'report day' -- Patterson acknowledged that term doesn't mean much considering these players have been working out on campus nearly all summer. But, there are still 43 new players on the roster -- including 26 transferring from FBS programs -- so it is necessary to start with the basics.
"Last year's team we had so many guys who had been involved with the team for three, four, and five years. They knew the way things worked," said Patterson. "With the fluidity in college football there is a lot of change on staff and people's rosters. You have to go back to square one and teach your players about the history of your program, what we believe and the values of our program."
The Wildcats went 9-5 in 2024 with a United Athletic Conference championship and an appearance in the second round of the FCS Playoffs.
Fifty-one players return from that team, including nine total starters. Those returners have an important responsibility.
"They've got to help onboard the newcomers. They've got to be able to help those guys acclimate. The faster they can do that, the faster we begin to become a winning football team."
Six of those returning starters are on defense with three in the secondary: Jordan Mukes, Dorian Plumley, and Tyson Williams. Mukes said more guys will step up.
"It started with summer workouts. We bought in together," said Mukes, a senior cornerback who started all 14 games last season. "Everybody understood the standard and the goal we're trying to reach. Seeing the first practice and the intensity, I think they understand it."
"I think we've turned what was, I'm not going to say a weak spot but we gave up some explosive plays last year in some of our key games," said Patterson. "I think we've addressed that not only with the players we have coming back led by Dorian Plumley, Jordan Mukes, and Tyson Williams. We have to build around them, and I think we've brought in the talent to do that."
In 2024, people outside of the program did not expect much out of ACU. The Wildcats were picked sixth in the Preseason UAC Coaches Poll. But after winning the league, ACU was voted second in this year's preseason poll.
"[Coach Patterson] tells us all the time that was last year," said Mukes. "We're still the conference champions, but we still have to show everybody what we can do, and play championship defense from the beginning to the end."
One thing the Wildcats' fourth-year head coach mentioned when addressing the full team after the first practice was establishing this team's identity. Patterson is fine not knowing right now exactly what identity will be. By the end of fall camp, though, he should have a clear picture.
"Anytime you have a quarterback competition and trying to find out who's going to step up to replace the production we had at receiver, you really don't know. We probably won't know for a couple of weeks. That's the beautiful thing about it – the unknown," said Patterson.
"We can come out here every day, focus on getting better, and if we'll do that every day, by the end of the season we'll be a good football team."
ACU continues fall camp through the late August with the first game on Saturday, Aug. 30, at the Tulsa Golden Hurricane.
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