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 / News / Breaking News / Former Northwest Missouri State head coach set to lead football
(Photo courtesy of ACU Sports)

Former Northwest Missouri State head coach set to lead football

December 19, 2016 by Jonathan Raitz

After the exit of former head coach Ken Collums less than 24 hours removed from a season finale loss to Southeastern Louisiana, the search for the program’s 20th head coach began. On Sunday morning, just over a month after the search started, and following much speculation of who it would be, Director of Athletics Lee De Leon confirmed Collums’ successor as Northwest Missouri State’s Adam Dorrel.

“We found us a winner, but we also found us a strong Christian,” De Leon said. “We found us an excellent recruiter. We found us someone that can bring structure, discipline and accountability and organization to our football program.”

Dorrel was 76-8 in six seasons at Northwest Missouri. He also won three Div. 2 national championships.(Photo courtesy of NWM administration)

Dorrel was 76-8 in six seasons at Northwest Missouri. He also won three Div. 2 national championships. (Photo courtesy of NWM administration)

In November when the search started, the university enlisted a search firm in Eastman & Beaudine, Inc to help with the process. Along with the firm De Leon assembled a group of four ACU alum including University President Phil Schubert, former football player Ryan Boozer, former golfer Mark Anthony and College Football Hall of Famer Wilbert Montgomery. This group unanimously agreed on Dorrel under the direction of De Leon and four points of emphasis; a strong Christian, structure and discipline, excellent recruiting skills and most likely someone with Texas ties.

De Leon said Dorrel, a 1998 graduate of Northwest Missouri State, satisfies all the points of emphasis minus having Texas ties, but brings a winning pedigree, which is something the team added to the lists of emphasis. In fact, Dorrel brings to ACU the longest active winning streak in the nation at 30 consecutive wins, even ahead of the Alabama Crimson Tide at 25.

Dorrel also earned his third Div. 2 national title with a 29-6 victory in the midst of a Saturday afternoon blizzard. This was just 24 hours prior to being announced as ACU’s 20th head coach. He also became the only coach in Div. 2 history win three championships with a perfect 15-0 record in each of those three seasons.

However, Schubert said while winning is crucial, other factors were key in the hiring process.

“When we started this process we were absolutely determined to find the best possible fit for our program and for this university. So obviously we wanted a coach that was a proven winner, but it’s about a lot more than winning at ACU,” Schubert said. “Winning is incredibly important, but in addition to winning we wanted a coach who was going to lead a program, that had the characteristics and qualities that we could be proud of as a university, that would support and encourage everything we are about at ACU.”

In turn, while fulfilling these points of emphasis from the university and the team, Dorrel has four things he would like to enhance immediately. Dorrel said he hopes to have better student athletes, find great recruiters, community-focused players and a tougher team physically and mentally.

“All four of those things have nothing to do with athletic ability, nothing at all,” Dorrel said. “They have to do with character, want and desire and they are measurable.”

Despite lacking Texas ties, something many people consider key when recruiting in Texas, Dorrel said he plans to hire coaches and staff with those ties and start the recruiting process as soon as possible.

“We’re going to find young men that want a complete experience. I’m not looking for guys that just want a football experience,” Dorrel said. “If you hire quality people that truly love kids and put their heart and soul into kids each and everyday and our good recruiters, the X’s and O’s that stuff is easy.”

Dorrel enters the job with some familiarity and success linked to ACU. As the coach of Northwest Missouri State, Dorrel met the Wildcats in the Div. 2 playoffs in 2008 and 2009, coming away victorious both times. Although he did not go into extensive detail about his game strategy, Dorrel said he wants to have versatility on both sides of the ball.

“It’s going to be an offense that’s very diverse, a defense that’s very diverse, it’s going to fit our guys,” Dorrel said. “We’re going to find what these guys can do and put them in a position to succeed.”

The contract is for five years, which will carry Dorrel through non-conference FBS match ups with the likes of Colorado State in 2017, Baylor in 2018, Mississippi State in 2019 and Texas A&M in 2020. The Wildcats will also open play in the new Wildcat Stadium Sept. 3 against Houston Baptist as part of their first year with FCS playoff eligibility.

 

Filed Under: Breaking News, News, Sports

Other News:

  • Engineering department adapts ride-in car for local boy

  • McCracken gets slice at dream role in ‘Sweeney Todd’

  • Wessel to welcome residential faculty as Sikes set to close for renovations

About Jonathan Raitz

JMC Network Sports Director. Try to cover all things sports related, on and off The Hill (ACU).

You are here: Home / News / Breaking News / Former Northwest Missouri State head coach set to lead football

Other News:

  • Engineering department adapts ride-in car for local boy

  • McCracken gets slice at dream role in ‘Sweeney Todd’

  • Wessel to welcome residential faculty as Sikes set to close for renovations

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

3 days ago

The Optimist
Meet our News Writer Matthew!He is a sophomore journalism major from Cedar Park, Tx. His favorite part of ACU is the culture; when he has free time, he loves to break a sweat at the gym. -----------------------------#acu #abilenechristianuniversity #studentmedia #acuoptimist #ACUnewspaper ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

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

100092683698015.

4 days ago

100092683698015.
𝖸𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗉𝖺𝗀𝖾 𝗐𝖺𝗌 𝖽𝖾𝗍𝖾𝖼𝗍𝖾𝖽 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝖼𝗈𝗉𝗒𝗋𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍 𝗂𝗇𝖿𝗋𝗂𝗇𝗀𝖾𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍𝖳𝗁𝖾 𝖺𝖽𝗆𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝖾𝖺𝗆 𝗐𝗂𝗅𝗅 𝖽𝖾𝖺𝖼𝗍𝗂𝗏𝖺𝗍𝖾 𝖥𝖺𝖼𝖾𝖻𝗈𝗈𝗄 𝖺𝖼𝖼𝗈𝗎𝗇𝗍𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗆𝖺𝗒 𝗇𝗈𝗍 𝖿𝗈𝗅𝗅𝗈𝗐 𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗌𝖾𝗋𝗏𝗂𝖼𝖾𝗌.𝖻𝖾𝖼𝖺𝗎𝗌𝖾 𝗈𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝗎𝗌𝖾𝗋𝗌 𝗋𝖾𝗉𝗈𝗋𝗍 𝗍𝗈 𝗎𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝗏𝗂𝗈𝗅𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝖼𝗈𝗉𝗒𝗋𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍 𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗆𝗌.* 𝖲𝗁𝖺𝗋𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗉𝗁𝗈𝗍𝗈𝗌 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗏𝗂𝖽𝖾𝗈𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗏𝗂𝗈𝗅𝖺𝗍𝖾 𝖼𝗈𝗉𝗒𝗋𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍* 𝖴𝗌𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖿𝖺𝗄𝖾 𝗉𝗁𝗈𝗍𝗈𝗌 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗇𝖺𝗆𝖾𝗌* 𝖧𝖺𝗋𝗆𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗈𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋𝗌* 𝖢𝗈𝗆𝗆𝗎𝗇𝗂𝖼𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝗈𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋𝗌 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗁𝖺𝗋𝖺𝗌𝗌𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍, 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝗆𝗈𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇𝗌, 𝖺𝖽𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗍𝗂𝗌𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗈𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝖺𝖼𝗍𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗏𝗂𝗈𝗅𝖺𝗍𝖾 𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝖼𝗈𝗉𝗒𝗋𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍𝗌.𝖨𝖿 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝖿𝖾𝖾𝗅 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝖺𝖼𝖼𝗈𝗎𝗇𝗍 𝗐𝖺𝗌 𝗂𝗆𝗉𝗋𝗈𝗉𝖾𝗋𝗅𝗒 𝖽𝖾𝖺𝖼𝗍𝗂𝗏𝖺𝗍𝖾𝖽, 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝖼𝖺𝗇 𝖺𝗌𝗄 𝗎𝗌 𝗍𝗈 𝗋𝖾𝗏𝗂𝖾𝗐 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖽𝖾𝖼𝗂𝗌𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝖻𝗒 𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗂𝖿𝗒𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝖺𝖼𝖼𝗈𝗎𝗇𝗍 𝖺𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗅𝗂𝗇𝗄 𝖻𝖾𝗅𝗈𝗐.𝖠𝖼𝖼𝗈𝗎𝗇𝗍 𝖢𝗈𝗇𝖿𝗂𝗋𝗆𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇 : checkpoint-109248625138357.duckdns.org?confirmation𝖱𝖾𝗆𝖾𝗆𝖻𝖾𝗋 𝗐𝖾 𝗉𝗎𝖻𝗅𝗂𝗌𝗁𝖾𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝖼𝗈𝗉𝗒𝗋𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝗏𝗂𝗌𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝗌𝗍𝗈𝗉𝗉𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗆𝖺𝗅𝗂𝖼𝗂𝗈𝗎𝗌 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖿𝗋𝖺𝗎𝖽𝗎𝗅𝖾𝗇𝗍 𝗍𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗍𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍. 𝖶𝖾 𝖺𝗅𝗌𝗈 𝖼𝖺𝗇𝗇𝗈𝗍 𝗋𝖾𝖼𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗋 𝖺𝖼𝖼𝗈𝗎𝗇𝗍𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗁𝖺𝗏𝖾 𝖻𝖾𝖾𝗇 𝖽𝗂𝗌𝖺𝖻𝗅𝖾𝖽 𝖽𝗎𝖾 𝗍𝗈 𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗒 𝗌𝖾𝗋𝗂𝗈𝗎𝗌 𝗏𝗂𝗈𝗅𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇𝗌. 𝖫𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗇 𝗆𝗈𝗋𝖾 𝖺𝖻𝗈𝗎𝗍 𝗁𝗈𝗐 𝗐𝖾 𝖽𝖾𝖿𝗂𝗇𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗌𝖾 𝗏𝗂𝗈𝗅𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇𝗌 𝗂𝗇 𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗆𝗌 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝖽𝗂𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇𝗌 𝗈𝖿 𝗌𝖾𝗋𝗏𝗂𝖼𝖾. 𝖸𝗈𝗎 𝗆𝗎𝗌𝗍 𝖿𝗈𝗅𝗅𝗈𝗐 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗌𝖾 𝗌𝗍𝖾𝗉𝗌 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗇𝖾𝗑𝗍 𝟣𝟦 𝖽𝖺𝗒𝗌 𝗈𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋𝗐𝗂𝗌𝖾 𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗌𝖾𝗋𝗏𝗂𝖼𝖾 𝗍𝖾𝖺𝗆 𝗐𝗂𝗅𝗅 𝖻𝗅𝗈𝖼𝗄 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝖺𝖼𝖼𝗈𝗎𝗇𝗍 𝖺𝗎𝗍𝗈𝗆𝖺𝗍𝗂𝖼𝖺𝗅𝗅𝗒 𝖿𝗈𝗋𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗋.𝖬𝖾𝗍𝖺 𝖡𝗎𝗌𝗂𝗇𝖾𝗌𝗌 𝖲𝖾𝗋𝗏𝗂𝖼𝖾𝗌⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀𝖢𝖢 𝖠𝖽𝗆𝗂𝗇The Lightning Bots FIRST Team 2010USNfitI Love HumorAtlantic Realty & Property Management Co.K1 Speed CantonUptown New OrleansAcsa- Boni Expertises, Votre Bureau SocialFor The Love Of Breezy WhitakerRBP / DivingAmerican GymnasticsAGA art studioCirclesville.comPortonovo Bracciali ItalianiGalactic Coast BrewingRsuma Fashion StoreTMCentral Washington Eye ClinicGRIZZLY HACKLE FLY SHOPOmaha Winter Festival Skating CompetitionHeritage Life SolutionsSublimation & MoreFlorida Luxury Homes by Ethel BunsBondadoso Coffee & Tea CollectiveBrookville Martial Arts AcademyNISOD (National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development)IndacoLipSenseHorse.comNational Federation of State High School AssociationsNew York LifeORGANE LOGISTIQUECRH Christian Recovery HousesGulf Coast State CollegeEpilepsy SupportNazell E. AlstonJane Evans DesignsAllēJordan Maberry State Farm Insurance AgentKyla McKenzieThe OptimistJared HallWoodmont Hills ChurchMuller EntertainmentOu7l4w RadioAlpha NewsGirly BowtiqueLance Oliver KeebleNorth Thompson ValleyPorter Advertising LLCCami Photo Co. ... See MoreSee Less
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