Quarterback Mitchell Gale has been a fixture of ACU football for the past four seasons, shattering Lone Star Conference records and building relationships along the way. Now Gale’s college career is over, but it will not be soon forgotten in the Big Country.

“I have grown so much in my five years here,” Gale said. “Not all of the lessons I learned were comfortable, but Coach Thompson when he was here and Coach Collums have helped me grow so much in my athletic maturity.”

Gale became the LSC’s all-time leading passer Saturday, taking down a record that was set by his mentor Billy Malone. Of course, the record was special for Gale, but not as important as finishing off the season with a win.

“The ACU football program is built with a team first attitude,” Gale said. “The record was a testament to all the teammates who have helped me get where I am, and it was a great blessing and honor. But we had a goal as a team to finish the season 3-0, and it wouldn’t feel right if the game was about me, so finishing the season with three wins was highly satisfying and highly rewarding in itself.”

Gale quickly became a leader on the football team. In his four years as a Wildcat, Gale helped ACU win 30 games as the starting quarterback.

“The best thing about Mitchell’s leadership is the accountability he has for himself and others around him,” junior John David Baker said. “He is one of those guys that never takes a day off, a play off or a rep off. The ability he has to hold himself and others to a high standard is a rare quality that few guys have.”

But Gale matured off the field as well, where he is a good student and head coach Ken Collums believes he has developed as a person as well.

“Mitchell wants so bad to be a quality husband and a quality father,” Collums said. “I don’t know how many hours we have talked just about life things. He is a guy that’s easy to love because of his heart. I even had a bus driver the other day tell me he was so impressed with Mitchell because he takes treating people special very seriously.”

Although Gale’s days in the purple and white are over, his football career may not be. Gale will be pursuing a chance to play at the highest level next season.

“It is an exciting time because I have a chance to get to the ultimate goal of my craft,” Gale said. “I am blessed to have the God-given gifts and tools to have a chance. I am not sure what the next few months will look like, so right now I am just trying to seek wise council, but it is exciting to have an opportunity.”