HERO Sports welcomes you to "Two-a-Days", where we will preview every single one of the 125 FCS programs, with two being released each day from June 18 to August 18 (with the final day having three in one day). Today we give you … Abilene Christian.
[divider]MORE: Compare Any Two FCS Players or Any Two FCS Teams[divider]
FCS TEAM BY TEAM PREVIEW: The countdown
FCS PRESEASON TOP 25: The poll
FCS PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA: The teams
ABILENE CHRISTIAN (2-9 IN 2017)
Southland Conference (ACU was 8th in 2017)
COACH: Adam Dorrel – 2nd year (2-9)
2017 OFFENSE: 19.0 ppg. (97th in FCS)
2017 DEFENSE: 29.2 ppg. (87th in FCS)
SUM IT UP: A couple of things are going on here that give cause for optimism. No. 1? Adam Dorrel is a proven winner in college football and had mega-success at the Division II level. No. 2? He has this program beginning to hum in terms of getting his recruits in place the past two years and making it so that the guys still here want to be here. He'll have 10 starters back – 5 on each side. The quarterback — redshirt sophomore Luke Anthony — is a real gem. Anthony did make two late season starts – and threw 5 TDs against Southland powerhouse Sam Houston State. The secondary in general looks to be a true strength, but both sides of the line will need new studs to emerge.
BEST-CASE SCENARIO: After two losses to FBS teams, the Wildcats won two games and were within 10 points of a win in five of their Southland losses. Could this program take another step forward and win 5 or maybe 6 games? Possibly.
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BEST FCS PLAYER BY NUMBER: We count down, No. 99 through No. 1[divider]
TOP RETURNEE: DB Brandon Richmond (All Southland HM – 72 tackles, 5 PD).
THE NEXT FIVE: DB Bolu Onifade (leading tackler); RB Tracy James (leading rusher); LB Jeremiah Chambers (50 tackles); WR D.J. Fuller (51 catches, 750 yards in 2016, injured in 2017); OL Dakota Laws (been a starter since 2015).
TOP NEWCOMER: RB Billy Ray McCrary (Cal transfer held 11 FBS offers in HS).
DID YOU KNOW?: Ronnie Dunn, the famed half of the country band Brooks and Dunn, is an alumni.
THE QUOTE: "The No. 1 thing I see in off-season conditioning is that we just look better. We're taller, rangier and more athletic. We look more like an NCAA Division I FCS program. Secondly, I believe we're a more cohesive team on both sides of the ball, but especially on offense. I believe the consistency we'll play with this season from the quarterback position will give us a great lift." — Head Coach Adam Dorrel said
@ACUFootball @AdamDorrel Thank u for the commitment to excellence you and your staff displayed at camp today. God bless u coach. My kids had a awesome time. #Truth
— Deion Sanders (@DeionSanders) June 8, 2018
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FCS QB TRANSFERS: Who Tops The List?
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PREVIEWS: The Rest Of The Southland
Abilene Christian | Central Arkansas | Houston Baptist
Incarnate Word | Lamar | McNeese | Nicholls
Northwestern St. | Sam Houston St. | SE Louisiana | Stephen F. Austin
