By Daniel Johnson, Sports Editor
The nationally ranked ACU football team already has more wins in its first half of the season than they did during its entire 2005 season. But head coach Chris Thomsen is not ready to call this season a success just yet.
“We will take the same approach we always have,” Thomsen said. “Each week, we focus on what we have to do.”
The Wildcats’ “approach” thus far has brought them to a 5-0 record for the first time since 1969, a No. 5 ranking in the NCAA Division II Southwest Region and a No. 21 national ranking that will all be on the line in the Homecoming game Saturday against conference rival, Angelo State.
The 2-3 Rams are coming off of a 17-7 Oct. 7 win over Eastern New Mexico, but their bottom of the conference offense will face the top defense Saturday. The Rams are 11th in the LSC in rushing, passing and total offense and face the most dominant defense in the conference. ACU leads the league in total defense and turnover margin, is second in pass defense and third in rushing defense. The Wildcats have only allowed 10.4 points-per-game, 250.4 total yards- per-game and are tied for first in conference with 12 sacks.
But no matter how bad the Rams’ offense is or how well the Wildcat defense performs, ACU’s offense will be challenged by the more than consistent pass defense of Angelo State.
ACU’s pass defense is second only to Angelo, who has only allowed 160.2 yards per game in the air, two passing touchdowns and recorded three interceptions. Against the run, though, the Rams are 11th in the league and have allowed 929 yards and 11 touchdowns in their two division games.
But despite the Ram’s weakness against the run, Thomsen said his offense will still run the same balanced offensive attack it has all season.
The attacking scheme of the Wildcats passing offense is second behind Midwestern State and is coming off of a 45-20 win over Northeastern Oklahoma State on Oct. 14. Quarterback Billy Malone has thrown for 1297 yards and 9 touchdowns and is second in conference and 15th in the nation in total offense. Malone threw for 310 yards and two touchdowns in the Wildcats victory over NE Oklahoma and is less than 500 yards away from last season’s total passing yards.
Malone’s favorite target is wide receiver Jarale Badon, who despite having only one touchdown is first in the LSC and 23rd in the nation in receptions-per-game and second in conference and 15th in the nation in receiving yards-per-game.
On the ground, the Wildcats average 155.6 yards-per-game in their two back system. Running backs Taber Minner and Chancy Campbell have combined for 11 of the Wildcats’ 23 touchdowns and rushed for a combined 778 yards.
“I am a firm believer that you have to have two good running backs,” Thomsen said. “They are both unselfish and don’t worry about the spot light so we don’t have any problems with that.”
The last time the Wildcats and Rams met, Angelo State came back from a 10-point deficit to beat ACU 27-24, but Thomsen said he expects the homecoming crowd will get behind the defense and help it remain consistent throughout the game.
The Wildcats and Rams will kick off at 2 p.m. at Shotwell Stadium Saturday.
