By Daniel Johnson, Sports Editor
The program’s first NCAA Division II playoff appearance and the success of former Wildcat Danieal Manning made this recruiting season a little easier on the ACU football coaching staff.
“All that helps a lot,” said head coach Chris Thomsen. “Those are big factors in guys wanting to look at ACU.”
Those influences helped the Wildcats’ sign twenty-five high school seniors and ten transfers Wednesday on National Signing Day.
“It was a real good group,” Thomsen said. “Our coaches worked hard in finding guys that not only could play at this level but were academically capable of doing their school work.”
Out of the group of soon to be Wildcats, Thomsen said he expects two high school recruits to have the biggest chance of making a direct impact in the ’07 season: defensive back Richard Havins and linebacker Fred Thompson.
Thomsen said that Havins, who is from Westwood High School in Round Rock, and Thompson, who is from Houston St. Pius High School, both show strengths and starting potential in their respective position.
“Fred is just an extremely gifted player, and Haven is a strong good tackler; he may come out and start as safety,” Thomsen said.
Thompson, a first-team all-Greater Houston selection by the Houston Chronicle, had 119 tackles, 36 tackles for loss, 29 sacks and three blocked kicks at Westwood. Havins, who was voted first team all-Centex by the Austin American-Statesman as a junior and senior, recorded 110 tackles, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries at Round Rock Westwood.
Also headlining the high school recruits is local Cooper High School quarterback Zach Stewart. Stewart broke the school and District 3-5A regular-season passing record with 3,136 yards with 21 touchdown passes.
Although two-year starting quarterback Billy Malone still has two years of eligibility, Thomsen said he hopes Stewart can eventually find his role at the quarterback position for ACU.
“Ideally you would hope Zach could redshirt and learn the system,” Thomsen said. “He’ll take the understudy role and hopefully be able to compete next year.”
Other recruits from the Big Country were former Abilene High School defensive back Brian Johnston and Stephenville high school linebacker Eric Edwards.
Although ACU has had recruiting classes full of Big Country athletes, Thomsen said that this year it just didn’t work out that way.
“Sometimes it just shakes out that way,” Thomsen said.
