Optimist
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
    • Letters to the Editor
  • Features
    • Book Review
  • Multimedia
    • Photo Galleries
    • Videos
  • Police Log
  • Print Edition
  • Projects
  • Classifieds
  • About
    • Advertise
    • Policies
    • Staff Contacts
    • Jobs
You are here: Home / Sports / Seniors look to end on high note: Football team ends season in Canyon against WTAMU

Seniors look to end on high note: Football team ends season in Canyon against WTAMU

November 14, 2003 by Joel Weckerly

By Joel Weckerly, Sports Editor

The ACU football team attempts to salvage a winning season when it faces Lone Star Conference South Division opponent West Texas A&M (3-7, 2-3 LSC South) in a 2 p.m. showdown Saturday at Kimbrough Stadium in Canyon.

Although the Wildcats’ playoff hopes dissolved last week after a 10-7 loss to division leader Texas A&M-Kingsville, head coach Gary Gaines said his players remain in good spirits.

“The attitudes seem good,” he said. “We’d like to send our 17 seniors out with a win; we hope that serves as motivation for them and for our younger guys also.”

Senior quarterback Colby Freeman, who played with a broken arm in last week’s game and will start again this week, said the team’s motivation also comes from a desire to be a winning team.

“Coach Gaines really challenged us to either lay down or fight back,” Freeman said. “We want to finish 6-4, not 5-5. That’s a big difference.

“Everybody’s ready to move on from last week,” he said. “There’s no way to remove the bitter taste from our mouths, but we want to come back and end the year on a good note.”

Doing so requires taking out West Texas A&M, a team that has struggled this season. ACU holds a 21-13 edge in the series against the Buffaloes, which dates back to 1921. However, 11 of the last 18 meetings between the teams have been decided by seven points or less. Last season, the Cats were able to salvage a winning season when they edged WTAM 35-31 in the season finale at Shotwell Stadium.

West Texas A&M relies heavily upon its passing game, which ranks second in the LSC with 260.6 yards per game. Junior quarterback Derek Maupin ranks second in the conference in passing yards per game (249.8) and third in total offense per game (275.8). He has thrown for 14 touchdowns and 2,498 total yards.

Maupin tends to throw to a variety of receivers. In last week’s 49-23 win over Eastern New Mexico, he hit seven different targets for 324 yards. Junior wideout Anthony Armstrong leads the team with 43 catches for 596 yards and three touchdowns. Redshirt freshman wideout Cheyenne Smith ranks second with 40 receptions, 459 yards and two scores.

“They have an offense similar to Texas Tech,” Gaines said. “They average about 50 passes a game, but the most amazing statistic is they’ve only been sacked 10 times. We’re going to have to mix things up and change up our rushes and coverages to some degree.”

The Buffaloes’ pass-oriented offense will have to take on a Wildcat defense that ranks first in the conference in pass defense, allowing just 157.6 yards per game and nine touchdowns. ACU’s defense is second in total defense with 285.6 yards allowed per game and first in scoring defense, surrendering only 18.1 points per game.

Junior linebacker Randall Webb anchors ACU’s defense with 90 tackles and 3.5 sacks, while senior linebacker Cliff Compton is second in tackles with 69.

ACU’s offense, meanwhile, needs to buck up if the Cats plan on winning Saturday. Since Freeman was injured Oct. 18 against Angelo State, the offense has managed just 41 points on 47 possessions and has dropped from third to 10th in total offense with 293.4 yards per game.

However, Freeman affirmed, the team’s spark will return for the final game with motivation turning the team’s gears.

“We’re gonna finish this year like we have nothing to lose,” Freeman said. “For a lot of us, it’s our last game at ACU, and that’s a pretty meaningful thing.”

Filed Under: Sports Tagged With: Football

Other Sports:

  • Wildcats welcome back Salas to campus as new soccer head coach

  • Wildcats face tough competition during spring break play

  • Wildcats grab sweep to open up conference play

About Joel Weckerly

You are here: Home / Sports / Seniors look to end on high note: Football team ends season in Canyon against WTAMU

Other Sports:

  • Wildcats welcome back Salas to campus as new soccer head coach

  • Wildcats face tough competition during spring break play

  • Wildcats grab sweep to open up conference play

Follow us online

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Optimist on Twitter

acuoptimist The Optimist @acuoptimist ·
16 Feb

Black Student Union, the Office of Multicultural Affairs and the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion have joined together to plan events that educate others and provide celebrations during Black History Month. Read more:
https://acuoptimist.com/2023/02/black-history-month-events-educate-celebrate-acu-community/

Reply on Twitter 1626340622872285184 Retweet on Twitter 1626340622872285184 Like on Twitter 1626340622872285184 2 Twitter 1626340622872285184
acuoptimist The Optimist @acuoptimist ·
11 Feb

BREAKING: Robert D. “Bob” Hunter, vice president emeritus, passed away Saturday. Hunter served as a representative of the 71st district of Texas and worked part time with ACU until 2013.

Reply on Twitter 1624540404690436097 Retweet on Twitter 1624540404690436097 4 Like on Twitter 1624540404690436097 23 Twitter 1624540404690436097

Optimist on Facebook

The Optimist

23 hours ago

The Optimist
nvm BREAKING NEWS: Dr. Charles Wadlington, associate professor of psychology, was arrested Wednesday on allegations of sexual abuse of a child. Read more: ... See MoreSee Less

Professor arrested on allegations of sexual abuse of a child - Optimist

acuoptimist.com

Dr. Charles Wadlington, associate professor of psychology, was arrested Wednesday on allegations of sexual abuse of a child. Wadlington has been charged with continuous sexual abuse of a child, appare...
View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

The Optimist

2 days ago

The Optimist
FilmFest, a student short film festival designed to give students who are interested in film production access to a creative outlet, will host its 19th annual FilmFest Gala April 14 at the Paramount Theatre. Read more: ... See MoreSee Less

FilmFest prepares to take the big screen - Optimist

acuoptimist.com

FilmFest, a student short film festival designed to give students who are interested in film production access to a creative outlet, will host it’s 19th annual FilmFest Gala April 14 at the Paramoun...
View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Videos

Optimist Newscast Feb. 22, 2023

Our top stories this week include the passing of Dr. Bob Hunter, a new endowment ... [Read More…]

  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 8, 2023
  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 1, 2023
  • Optimist Newscast Jan. 25, 2023

Latest Photos

  • Home
  • Podcasts

© 2023 ACU Optimist · All Rights Reserved