Football Preview: Abilene Christian Wildcats
ACU Athletics
Abilene Christian Preview (PDF)
STORYLINES
• The Wildcats have one of the most challenging home schedules in the Southland Conference in 2015 as they will host Houston Baptist, followed by perennial Southland powerhouses Stephen F. Austin, Sam Houston State, McNeese State and Southeastern Louisiana.
• The Wildcats return 15 starters in 2015 (six on offense, seven on defense and two specialists), including second team all-conference selections in RB De’Andre Brown, OT Codey Funk, WR Cedric Gilbert and RS Jonathan Epps.
OFFENSE
• Junior QB Parker McKenzie is the league’s top returning signal-caller in six categories, including yards (3,084) and TD passes (22).
• Senior OLBs Lynn Grady (52 tackles in 2014) and Travis Tarver (23 tackles) are expected to be the leaders of the 2015 defense, along with Sam Denmark.
DEFENSE
• MLB Sam Denmark is the team’s top returning tackler after finishing 2014 with 77 stops (36 solo) to go along with 4.0 TFL, 2.0 sacks and 2 INTs.
• Senior defensive end Josh Jones led the Huskies and was tied for seventh in the Southland with 5.5 sacks.
SPECIAL TEAMS
• Junior placekicker Nik Grau was a second team all-Southland selection in 2014 after another solid season that saw him hit 14 of 17 FGs and 46 of 47 PATs to post a team-best 88 points.
• Junior punter Austin Kilcullen returns for his third season as the team’s punter after averaging 36.5 ypp and dropping 19 punts inside the opponents’ 20-yard line.