ACU Football Learns the History of the Wildcats and Abilene
8/4/2026 2:49:00 PM | Football
During the month of June, when dozens of new Abilene Christian football players come on campus, head football coach Keith Patterson talks to his team -- not about strategy or X's and O's, but about the history of the city of Abilene, the university and Wildcat football.
It's about trying to instill pride in who you represent, Patterson told his players, most of whom did not grow up near Abilene or know much about the city or school.
It was definitely a lot [to soak in], said defensive back Jocelyn Malaska. He is entering his second season with the program, so this was a chance to hear Patterson's lectures again.
I didn't know much about ACU coming out of high school. It was nice to hear it again and keep learning about the school.
It's the pride, that's the biggest thing, said fourth-year center Colter Lynch. [Coach Patterson] is big on knowing who came before you, where you're from and what it stands for and what it means to you. Especially knowing who came before you.
One of my favorite stories is Chuck Sitton, and this tower we're sitting in doing this interview. Knowing the story behind some of those people. It makes me realize I'm a part of something bigger than myself.
Dozens of ACU's players transferred in from a different college. Hearing their head coach teach them about their city and university is a new concept.
In my previous schools they did not really do that, said Malaska, who played at Utah and Oklahoma before transferring to ACU. It was football, football, football nonstop. It's nice to hear about the school and what it represents.
it is team meetings like they've never had before, said Lynch of his teammate. I think that speaks a lot about coach Patterson and the things he's trying to do. He's always talking about how we want to be different than what college football is.
I'm representing this university and the people of Abilene and their values and beliefs. That makes the sense of pride grow immensely.
