For quarterback Stone Earle, life had a funny way of coming full circle. As a freshman, Earle lived in University Park Park Apartments. Today, after stints at the University of North Texas and Marshall, he finds himself back home, married, older, and chasing records back in UP.
Football is something Earle always remembers being a part of his life.
“My dad played center in the league, so from the jump, I was playing football, doing extra drills and all that kind of stuff,” Earle said. “I found myself, for some reason, I always wanted the ball in my hands.”
That hunger carried him through high school, getting offers from ACU, the University of Incarnate Word and Missouri State. Earle eventually decided to become a Wildcat.
After starting eight games for the Wildcats following his COVID year while battling injuries, Earle decided to move on from the team. He spent time at UNT for two seasons and at Marshall for a year.
“It’s been a lot of tough trials and tribulations,” Earle said. “But I’m back here now, and got a chance to go and win it all.”
Someone who had the chance to journey with Earle has been Dallas Dudley, wide receiver from Flower Mound, who said that while sharing time with his quarterback at UNT, he learned a lot about him.
“I’ve seen it for years,” Dudley said. “He’s a special guy. He brings excitement. And when we’re excited to play, we do well.”
Head Coach Keith Patterson said that throughout everything, he had never stopped believing in him.
“I told him, ‘You’re always welcome back here,’” Patterson said. “It just worked out. The timing is perfect.”
That perfect timing has Earle on his way to the best season of his collegiate career thus far.
Through the first five games in the 2025 season, Earle has completed 68% of his passes for 1,150 passing yards and seven touchdowns, while also being named Western Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week after his performance against Austin Peay State University.
This season has been a completely different script from the last time around, as throughout the whole season, Earle only ended with 1,216 passing yards.
For Earle, the return has been bigger than just having some good numbers.
“I feel like God has blessed me with a different type of leadership and skill set to go perform,” he said. “I just want to showcase that and impact as many people as I can along the way.”
Patterson said the success of his second-time quarterback has been no surprise because of his fit for the Wildcats.
“He embodies everything this university is about,” Patterson said. “He embodies everything that our football program is about. He’s what you would think would be the quarterback at ACU.”
