ACU Football Celebrates 42 Baptisms at Christ-Centered Boot Camp
8/5/2026 11:29:00 AM | Football
Not many people outside of Abilene Christian head football coach Keith Patterson knew what to expect for the program's Christ-centered, identity-focused boot camp right before the beginning of fall camp. Even if the players did, it would have been hard to imagine the results.
Forty-two members of the team – 40 current players, one former player and one assistant coach – were baptized in public profession of their faith in Jesus Christ during the intensive gathering on July 24-25.
"It will be two days that I'll never forget," said quarterback Marcos Davila, who was one of the players baptized on campus at Jacob's Dream. "Probably my best two days I've ever had in my life, and it was very impactful for me."
The ACU football staff partnered with Beltway Park Church's men's ministry to lead players in worship, lessons and small group discussions. Those breakout groups – called Fire Teams – were comprised of 5-8 players and one or two volunteer mentors from Beltway and the community. Several players said the talks that happened in those groups made it a life-changing weekend.
"I had two great leaders for my Fire Team – Mr. Zellner and Nick Anthony, our team chiropractor," linebacker Bryce Morton said. "They really allowed me to be comfortable and vulnerable around those guys. That's what made the difference for me."
"I thought we were just going to have regular conversations, but my group really got to me, and really opened my eyes," running back Makenzie McGill said. "I've been holding onto a lot of hatred, and it was holding me back. I don't have to feel that way. I can always go to Him if I do feel that way and trust in Him. The guys from [Beltway Park] really helped me, and I feel really blessed by them."
Speakers touched on topics such as your purpose for being here, what to look for in a Godly wife, and confronting the instinct to be one person in public, and another in private.
"We all go through the same struggles. We're all sinners," said Morton. "But, at the end of the day Jesus Christ is here to forgive us of our sins."
Patterson spent over a year planning and designing the camp, saying he felt God put it on his heart.
"Football is a tough game for tough people, and these young men are sometimes taught to mask what's going on inside," said Patterson. "It's really a false sense of what it looks like to become a man. We poured into them and spoke to the heart of a man."
"There's a lot of help [at ACU]. All you have to do is accept it," added McGill. "Coach KP is the biggest helper. He cares about me as a person more than anything."
At a worship service in Moody Coliseum on Saturday night, the question was asked if anyone wanted to get baptized. Many arms shot up.
"I heard like a million yeses in my head, and that was really cool for me," said Davila. "I raised my hand instantly."
The group walked to the Jacob's Dream sculpture where 41 men were baptized with one more at Beltway Park's Sunday service the following morning.
"At first I wasn't going to do it. Then I just felt the presence of each one of my brothers getting baptized and giving their life to the Lord," said Morton, who is starting his fourth season with the Wildcats. "I started tearing up a little bit seeing everyone getting baptized. It made me say, 'I'll give my life to Christ.' He deserves it. He blessed me in this position. He's changed my life, and I can say the same thing for my brothers on this team."
Of the 40 current players baptized, 21 are in their first year at ACU and 12 have only been on campus since early June. The boot camp was started by former ACU head football coach Chris Thomsen and is named Camp T in his honor. The weekends have involved purposeful team-bonding discussions and activities, but adding mentors from Beltway Park brought a new level of spiritual intentionality to this year's Camp T.
"I was getting super close with Him, going to Bible studies and I kind of fell off. I wasn't fully trusting in Him. This weekend I just literally flipped the switch on my whole mindset on everything," said Davila.
Camp mentors have been encouraged to stay in touch and continue discipling players and coaches during the upcoming season.
Forty-two members of the team – 40 current players, one former player and one assistant coach – were baptized in public profession of their faith in Jesus Christ during the intensive gathering on July 24-25.
"It will be two days that I'll never forget," said quarterback Marcos Davila, who was one of the players baptized on campus at Jacob's Dream. "Probably my best two days I've ever had in my life, and it was very impactful for me."
The ACU football staff partnered with Beltway Park Church's men's ministry to lead players in worship, lessons and small group discussions. Those breakout groups – called Fire Teams – were comprised of 5-8 players and one or two volunteer mentors from Beltway and the community. Several players said the talks that happened in those groups made it a life-changing weekend.
"I had two great leaders for my Fire Team – Mr. Zellner and Nick Anthony, our team chiropractor," linebacker Bryce Morton said. "They really allowed me to be comfortable and vulnerable around those guys. That's what made the difference for me."
"I thought we were just going to have regular conversations, but my group really got to me, and really opened my eyes," running back Makenzie McGill said. "I've been holding onto a lot of hatred, and it was holding me back. I don't have to feel that way. I can always go to Him if I do feel that way and trust in Him. The guys from [Beltway Park] really helped me, and I feel really blessed by them."
Speakers touched on topics such as your purpose for being here, what to look for in a Godly wife, and confronting the instinct to be one person in public, and another in private.
"We all go through the same struggles. We're all sinners," said Morton. "But, at the end of the day Jesus Christ is here to forgive us of our sins."
Patterson spent over a year planning and designing the camp, saying he felt God put it on his heart.
"Football is a tough game for tough people, and these young men are sometimes taught to mask what's going on inside," said Patterson. "It's really a false sense of what it looks like to become a man. We poured into them and spoke to the heart of a man."
"There's a lot of help [at ACU]. All you have to do is accept it," added McGill. "Coach KP is the biggest helper. He cares about me as a person more than anything."
At a worship service in Moody Coliseum on Saturday night, the question was asked if anyone wanted to get baptized. Many arms shot up.
"I heard like a million yeses in my head, and that was really cool for me," said Davila. "I raised my hand instantly."
The group walked to the Jacob's Dream sculpture where 41 men were baptized with one more at Beltway Park's Sunday service the following morning.
"At first I wasn't going to do it. Then I just felt the presence of each one of my brothers getting baptized and giving their life to the Lord," said Morton, who is starting his fourth season with the Wildcats. "I started tearing up a little bit seeing everyone getting baptized. It made me say, 'I'll give my life to Christ.' He deserves it. He blessed me in this position. He's changed my life, and I can say the same thing for my brothers on this team."
Of the 40 current players baptized, 21 are in their first year at ACU and 12 have only been on campus since early June. The boot camp was started by former ACU head football coach Chris Thomsen and is named Camp T in his honor. The weekends have involved purposeful team-bonding discussions and activities, but adding mentors from Beltway Park brought a new level of spiritual intentionality to this year's Camp T.
"I was getting super close with Him, going to Bible studies and I kind of fell off. I wasn't fully trusting in Him. This weekend I just literally flipped the switch on my whole mindset on everything," said Davila.
Camp mentors have been encouraged to stay in touch and continue discipling players and coaches during the upcoming season.
Players Mentioned
Tuesday, August 04
Thursday, July 30
Wednesday, July 29
Wednesday, July 22
