By Joel Weckerly, Sports Editor
Despite improved play from a year ago, the ACU football team has found itself in a strangely similar situation to that date: 0-2. Saturday’s 34-17 loss to No. 5 California-Davis left the Wildcats with an empty win column and a tie for last place in the Lone Star Conference South Division.
Improvement is seen, however, when considering how ACU fared against the same two teams it opened the season with a year ago. Central Arkansas and UC-Davis outscored the Wildcats 106-44 in ’01, but this year the advantage is just 65-34.
According to Coach Gary Gaines, this difference shows an improvement to ACU’s defense.
“We’re much improved defensively from previous years,” Gaines said. “(The defense has) done a good job of going out on the field and putting out some offensive fires.”
ACU’s defense recorded five quarterback sacks on the day for 29 lost yards, but the squad also gave up some big plays on Saturday that proved to be the team’s downfall. The Wildcat defense surrendered a 39-yard touchdown pass by quarterback Ryan Flanigan to all-America receiver Michael Oliva, as well as an 89-yard TD scamper by running back Matt Massari, who killed ACU with 237 yards on the day.
“We did give up some big plays out there,” Gaines said. “We need to be able to bleed slower on defense and not give up so many big gains.”
The bright spot for ACU appeared in the passing game, where junior quarterback Colby Freeman tossed for 207 yards on 15 of 28 passing with one touchdown.
ACU all-conference junior running back Eric Polk finished with 89 yards rushing on 20 carries, well below his 122-yard average at the school. As a team, the Cats had just 49 net yards rushing.
“The running game was very anemic,” Gaines said. “We’re not a very good football team when we can’t run the ball.”
“UC-Davis is an excellent football team,” Gaines said, “but that game highlights some of the areas we need to improve upon. We wish we could have won, but I think we learned something from Saturday’s game.”
Gaines said the team would focus on improving the running game, the punting game and defensive stoppage in practice this week to prepare for its next opponent, Tarleton State. The 3-0 Texans are coming off a 38-0 stomping of Angelo State, and play host to ACU on Saturday in Stephenville.
“If we’re gonna be competitive on Saturday, we’re gonna need to get some things straightened out this week,” Gaines said.
