Chris Thomsen Head Coach Mitchell Gale Junior, QB Alva, Oklahoma Aston Whiteside Senior, DE Vernon, Texas 20 11 ACU WILDCAT FOOTBALL 2011 ACU Schedule . 2 ACU 100-Yard Receiving Games . 29 LANCE FLEMING 2010 ACU Statistics . 9 ACU Single-Game Best . 30 Asst. Director of Athletics for Media Relations Opponents’ Single-Game Bests . 31 Abilene Christian University Year-by-Year Leaders . 32 ACU Box 27916 2010 ACU Coaching Staff Career Offensive Leaders . 34 Abilene, Texas 79699-7795 Head coach Chris Thomsen . 3 ACU Kicking Records . 36 Office Phone: 325-674-2693 Offensive Coordinator Ken Collums . 5 ACU Scoring Records . 36 Cell Phone: 325-665-3543 Defensive Coordinator Jason Johns . 6 ACU Defensive Records . 37 Email: flemingl@ acu.edu Defensive Line Coach Sam Collins . 7 ACU Award Winners . 38 Fax: 325-674-6798 ACU Captains . 38 xDefensive Backs Coach Cody Farrell . 7 Press Box: 325-671-4673 or 4675 Running Backs Coach Kendrick Holloway . 7 ACU Coaching Awards . 39 Home radio: 325-674-4906 Defensive Assistant Coach Jack Kiser . 7 Wildcats on Honor Teams . 39 Visitor radio: 325-677-0293 Offensive Line Coach Nathan Young . 7 Wildcat all-Decade Teams . 42 ACU Scores Year-by-Year . 43 2011 ACU Wildcats Homecoming Record . 46 Web site: www.acusports.com Blog site: www.acusports.blogspot.com 2011 Roster . 12 ACU in the Post-Season . 47 ACU All-Time vs. Opponents . 48 Media Guide Information LSC Record Book Press Information The ACU Athletics Department is no longer 2011 Schedule . 15 Requests for press seating, information, printing media guides in any sport. What the LSC Championship Teams . 16 interviews and pictures should be directed to media will receive for each football season will LSC Records . 16 Lance Fleming. Permission to broadcast games be a shortened version of the media guide, LSC Yearly Awards . 18 at Shotwell Stadium on the radio must be which will contain biographical information on LSC Yearly Leaders . 20 obtained from the Office of Sports Information. coaches, statistics from the previous year and an 2010 All-LSC South . 22 Permission to shoot still photographs or video 2010 Academic all-LSC South . 22 updated Lone Star Conference and ACU record must also be obtained through the Office of book. Any other information that a media 2010 LSC Final Standings . 22 Sports Information. Photographers will have Top LSC Offensive Teams . 22 member might need can be found either on the access to the field during each home game. Top LSC Defensive Teams . 23 ACU Web site ( www.acusports.com ) or by calling the ACU Sports Information office. ACU Record Book About this Media Guide ACU History . 24 ACU Championship Teams . 24 The 2011 ACU Football Record Book was ACU Coaches’ Records . 24 written and edited by Lance Fleming, who is Records (Game, Season, Career) . 25 entering his 14th year as the Assistant Director Records (Team, Individual) . 26 of Athletics for Media Relations at ACU. Longest Plays . 26 Photography is by Jeremy Enlow and Willis ACU Top Offensive Games . 27 Glasgow. The book was printed at Conley ACU 100-Yard Rushing Games . 27 Printing in Abilene. ACU 250-Yard Passing Games . 28 acusports.com 20 11 ACU WILDCAT FOOTBALL 1 20 11 ABILENE CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE Date Opponent Site Time Thursday, Sept. 1 * at Tarleton State Stephenville 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10 Open Saturday, Sept. 17 vs. North Alabama Arlington 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24 * vs. Angelo State Abilene 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1 vs. Western Oregon Abilene 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 8 * at Eastern New Mexico Portales, N.M. 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15 * ! vs. West Texas A&M Abilene 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22 * at Midwestern State Wichita Falls 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29 * vs. Texas A&M-Commerce Abilene 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5 * at Texas A&M-Kingsville Kingsville 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12 * vs. Incarnate Word Abilene 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 19 NCAA II playoffs (first round) Saturday, Nov. 26 NCAA II playoffs (second round) Saturday, Dec. 3 NCAA II playoffs (quarterfinals) Saturday, Dec. 10 NCAA II playoffs (semifinals) Saturday, Dec. 17 NCAA II Championship Florence, Ala. Noon * Lone Star Conference game ! Homecoming Home games are in bold WILDCAT FOOTBALL NAIA Division I National Champions: 1973 • 1977 NCAA Division II Playoff Appearances: 2006 • 2007 • 2008 • 2009 • 2010 Bowl Championships: 1950 Refrigerator Bowl • 1973 Champions Bowl • 1976 Shrine Bowl • 1977 Apple Bowl Texas Conference Champions: 1939 • 1940 • 1948 • 1950 • 1951 • 1952 • 1953 Gulf Coast Conference Champions: 1955 Lone Star Conference Champions: 1973 • 1977 • 2008 • 2010 Lone Star Conference South Division Champions: 2002 • 2008 • 2010 2 20 11 ACU WILDCAT FOOTBALL acusports.com CHRIS THOMSEN HEAD COACH • SEVENTH SEASON When ACU director of athletics Jared Mosley began looking for a new head football coach after the 2004 season, he knew exactly what the program needed. The Wildcats needed to find someone with a link to ACU, someone who could bring a unique offensive vision and be a great recruiter. He found all three in Chris Thomsen, a former ACU all-America at tight end and Wildcat assistant coach, who was hired Jan. 24, 2005, as the 18th head coach in Wildcat football history. Chris Thomsen is entering his seventh season as the Wildcats’ head coach, and to say it’s been a successful six-year run would be a mild understatement. From a 4-6 debut season in 2005, Thomsen has led the Wildcats to a combined 43-18 record in the last five seasons with five straight trips to the NCAA Division II national playoffs. In 2008, the Wildcats won their first Lone Star Conference championship since sharing the crown in 1977 and first outright league title since 1973. The 2010 squad did the 2008 squad one better by not only winning the LSC championship outright, but by also becoming the first team in program history to post THE THOMSEN FILE an 11-0 regular-season record. ACU finished the season 11-1 after losing to Central Missouri, which was led by Harlon Hill Trophy winner Eric Czerniewski. Born: Nov. 7, 1968 The 2010 Wildcats won four games against top-25 teams, including three on the Hometown: Vernon road, none bigger than a 41-34 win over rival West Texas A&M on Nov. 6 in Canyon. Wife: LeAnn The Wildcats rallied from 14 points down to start the fourth quarter to beat the Buffs. Degrees: TCU, 1993; ACU (M.Ed.) 2000 The Wildcats finished the season ranked seventh in the nation in total offense, ninth in Honors: passing offense, second in scoring offense, and led the nation with just eight turnovers. • 2010 LSC South Division Coach of the Year Thomsen was voted the LSC South Division Coach of the Year for the fourth time • 2008 AFCA Region IV Coach of the Year in six seasons. • 2008 LSC South Division Coach of the Year The 2008 Wildcats also became only the second team in the program’s 87-year • 2007 LSC South Division Coach of the Year history to finish unbeaten in the regular season (10-0, joining the 1950 team on the short • 2006 LSC South Division Coach of the Year list), and they also recorded at least 10 wins in back-to-back seasons for the first time in • 2006 AFCA Region IV Coach of the Year program history. ACU finished the season 11-1 after losing in the quarterfinals to Playing Experience: Northwest Missouri State. • Tight end at TCU (1988-90) However, in the second round of the playoffs, the Wildcats played the greatest offensive • Starting first baseman at TCU in 1990 when he hit .373 with 21 home runs and 70 RBI to game in school history in a 93-68 win over LSC rival West Texas A&M. The two teams earn first team all-Southwest Conference and combined to break 45 NCAA Division II, NCAA Division II, LSC and ACU single-game all-America honors. • Drafted by the Oakland Athletics and played two records, and the Wildcats set school and LSC records for points and yards in a game. seasons of minor league baseball. ACU led NCAA Division II in yards (558.8) and points (52.3) per game, and scored • Returned to football in 1993 with the ACU Wildcats at least 40 points in 11 of 13 games and scored at least 36 points in all 13 games during where he earned second team all-America honors, helping the Wildcats finish 7-3. the 2008 campaign. Thomsen was voted the LSC South Division Coach of the Year for the third straight Coaching Experience season, and for the second time in three seasons he was voted the American Football 1994 Graduate Assistant Abilene Christian Coaches’ Association Region IV Coach of the Year. While at ACU he’s coached an three 1995 Offensive Line Abilene Christian 1996 Offensive Line Abilene Christian NFL draft choices (Danieal Manning, 42nd pick, second round by the Chicago Bears in 1997 Defensive Line Abilene Christian 2006; Johnny Knox, fifth-round pick by the Bears in 2009; and Bernard Scott, sixth-round 1998 Offensive Coordinator Abilene Christian pick by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2009); an NFL Pro Bowl selection (Knox in 2009) and a 1999 Offensive Coordinator Abilene Christian Harlon Hill Award winner (Scott in 2008), the award that is the NCAA Division II 2001 Offensive Coordinator Wichita Falls HS 2002 Offensive Coordinator Wichita Falls HS equivalent of the Heisman Trophy. 2003 Offensive Line Central Arkansas In the 2007-08 seasons combined, the Wildcats have scored a whopping 1,267 points 2004 Offensive Line Central Arkansas in 25 games (50.7 ppg) and racked up 13,772 total yards (550.9 ypg).