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Post by johnnyutah on Jan 30, 2024 22:03:13 GMT -6
Do we have a list of who came in at semester?
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Post by mavsman53 on Jan 30, 2024 22:14:01 GMT -6
Yes, I have a list of players that I know have transferred into the program. It may not be all of them, but it will be most. I also know many of the high school commits
Here is what I know- Transfers for the Offensive side of the ball- 1 FBS QB
2 FBS WRs
Defensive side of the ball- 1 FBS DE
1 FBS LB
2 FBS DBs
Special Teams- 1 FBS Transfer
HS Commits on Offense- 2 WRs
HS Commits on Defense- 1 DB
They are after 1 HS RB, 1 HS WR, 3 HS OL, 1 HS DE, 1 HS DT, 2 HS LBs, 4 HS DBs
It is also likely that the staff will look for a few transfers over the summer
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Post by bogeyman on Jan 31, 2024 9:31:12 GMT -6
Josh Nicholson?
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Post by mavsman53 on Jan 31, 2024 9:46:57 GMT -6
Nope, he is not one of the 2 I am talking about. There are 4 transfers that have announced- QB Haggard, DE Wright, LB Myles and LS Duff. The others have not announced, and because they have yet to do so, I will wait. All of the others never announced they had an ACU offer, which is common.
Off topic, but when Caleb Downs from Alabama hit the portal, he had 102 phone calls in 8 hours. No reason to announce all of those offers.
But the 2 WRs and 2 DBs are already on campus, as is Haggard, Wright, Myles and Duff.
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Post by bogeyman on Jan 31, 2024 9:55:52 GMT -6
I had not seen Duff announced. I hope the wide receivers are good ones. Our passing game really needs to show out next year. I think Sunday and Vaughn can hold their own in the running game and if we add Hamilton (if) we will be solid at that position.
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Post by wildcatter on Jan 31, 2024 19:54:55 GMT -6
I received a write up today from “coach patterson” in an email regarding recruiting. Don’t remember that ever happening before. Was that just former letterman that received? I can copy and paste if so.
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Post by mavsman53 on Jan 31, 2024 20:16:10 GMT -6
It wasn't just to letterman. Others received it as well. If you want to copy and paste it, go for it. 2 additional transfers I did not know about. 1 is a former SEC WR and the other an FBS RB.
Love that KP sent that out. Lots of great info!
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Post by rc on Jan 31, 2024 20:23:37 GMT -6
Yes, paste it. I did not get any type of letter, but would like to know. Thanks.
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Post by wildcatter on Jan 31, 2024 20:24:04 GMT -6
The 2023 season ended three months ago at Texas A&M, but our work in the ACU football office hasn’t stopped. Our coaches have been recruiting at high schools all over the state, and, as we must do in today’s college football world, we’ve recruited some difference-makers out of the transfer portal. We’ve also lost a few players to the portal, and we’ve had to adjust the coaching staff because of a loss on the defensive side and a couple of additions on the offensive side of the ball. We are in the middle of winter workouts – we even had our guys on the field at Wildcat Stadium on Jan. 19, when it was 12 degrees – and our team is working hard. Our team wants to win and make the 2024 season memorable, and the players are doing what it takes to make that happen. I wanted to take this opportunity to update you on our recruiting efforts, highlight a few changes in our program and let you know about spring football.
Recruiting
We have added five offensive players through the transfer portal, and each has a chance to contribute in a big way for us in 2024. We were fortunate to get two players from North Texas: running back Isaiah Johnson and wide receiver Trey Cleveland. We also signed wide receivers Nehemiah Martinez from Texas Tech and J.J. Henry from Ole Miss and quarterback Carson Haggard from Tulane. During the early signing window in December, we also signed wide receiver Raydrian Baltrip from Silsbee High School. We plan to sign three more high school players on the second high school signing day – coming up next week, Feb. 7 – and we’ll continue working on the portal through the spring and summer. On the defensive side of the ball, we added defensive end Chris Wright from North Texas, safety Jay Ware from Texas State, cornerback Marvin Covington from New Mexico and former Northern Illinois linebacker R.J. Myles, son of former ACU running back Rashon Myles (’07). We plan to sign four high school defensive players next week and continue recruiting through the portal during the spring and summer to find the players who best fit ACU and our style of play. As we welcome those new faces to our team, we also say goodbye to three quality young men: running backs Jermiah Dobbins and Xavier Wishert and defensive lineman Colby Warkentin, who left us through the transfer portal. All three gave us everything they had, and we wish them nothing but the best.
Coaching Staff Changes
We announced two new additions and one change in responsibility to our offensive coaching staff in late January as we welcomed new offensive coordinator Rick Bowie and new tight ends coach Jason Smith. With Bowie joining our staff, Ryan Pugh – who was our offensive coordinator in 2023 – will concentrate solely on coaching the offensive line, where he is an absolute coaching superstar. I know his presence each day with that group will help them form the cohesion we’ll need from them this fall.
Bowie comes to us from Valdosta State in Georgia, where he was the offensive coordinator for a 12-2 team last year that reached the NCAA Division II quarterfinals. Valdosta averaged almost 37 points per game and ranked in the top 10 in passing yards per game and total touchdowns. His style – he refers to it as “Air Raid 2.0” with a little more emphasis on the running game – is the style I’m accustomed to using, and one I believe our players will enjoy playing in and our fans will enjoy watching. Smith is a former Baylor All-American offensive lineman who was the second overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Rams. He played in the NFL for six seasons and eventually spent time as an offensive line assistant with the Kansas City Chiefs. Last year, he was an offensive analyst working with the offensive line at North Texas. We are excited to have him join our staff at ACU. As players leave, coaches also leave, and we have lost a good one. Our defensive coordinator for the last two years – Skyler Cassity – left us in late January to take the job as the defensive coordinator at Sam Houston State. He did a tremendous job with our defense, and we wish him much success at Sam Houston. I’ve received a staggering amount of interest from some great coaches about the defensive coordinator job, and I’m still considering how I want to fill that role.
Spring Football
Spring football begins March 19. We will have 11 practices, one situational competition scrimmage (March 29), and scrimmages on April 5 and April 12 before closing spring ball with the Spring Game on April 19. All of our scrimmages are open to the public.
We have started a program each Friday for seven weeks that provides our players with background on where they are and who and what they represent. We call it “Pride Fridays,” and I believe in it because I want our team to know that we’re a faith-based institution and we take that seriously. We talk about the history of Abilene, ACU and ACU Athletics. The last week we meet, we will focus on the fight song and learn the words. I know I’m walking in the footprints of men like A.B. Morris, Tonto Coleman, Wally Bullington and Chris Thomsen, and I’m proud of that. I want our players and coaches to understand that we’re drinking from wells we didn’t dig. Even though it’s still the middle of winter, it won’t be long before we’re at the newly renovated Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock to take on Texas Tech in the season opener on Aug. 31. Our first home game is Sept. 7, when we host West Georgia. I truly believe the 2024 season will be memorable for the Purple and White. Our players began building a tremendous bond with each other over the last couple of weeks of the 2023 season, and that has continued through the offseason. I can’t wait to get on the field in August and have fun! Come along for the ride; you don’t want to miss it.
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Post by mavsman53 on Jan 31, 2024 20:28:46 GMT -6
I highlighted the new players. With this posted, I will add all to the recruiting page.
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Post by rc on Jan 31, 2024 20:47:59 GMT -6
Very encouraging. Thank You.
Watching the Hudl video of Carson Haggard was intriguing. He can move in the pocket but also out of the pocket to the sideline yet throw to the middle accurately. He is smallish but moves well.
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Post by bogeyman on Feb 1, 2024 9:15:43 GMT -6
Thanks wildcatter for reposting this to the board. There is lots of good info in the post and I'm excited to see what new HS athletes also sign next week. Once again, it looks like the wide receiver room is full with lots of players. It remains to be seen if the position is upgraded and who will rise above the crowd and be major contributors. Texas Tech and North Texas seem to be "feeder schools" for us thru the portal. Sure wish Stone Earle had come but I'm expecting great things from Haggard and McIvor. Lots to process right now. Looking forward to next Wednesday.
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Post by dallasalum on Feb 2, 2024 11:06:09 GMT -6
Does anyone where our guys who went INTO the portal have gone? Would really like to know. Really hated to see Jermiah leave. Love that young man and his family. Hope that he went to a good place for him and that he stays healthy and has a great year. Injuries cost him a lot of time while he was here.
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