Abilene’s Christian football team has played a match since their 55-23 defeat to the army on 3 October.
Since then, the Wildcats have had a game cancelled due to COVID-19 testing through ACU players and have had a beloved teammate seriously injured in a car accident.
So it’s no surprise that the Wildcats are ahead of returning to the football field.
ACU (0-2) takes on Southland Conference rival Stephen F. Austin (2-3) at 12:30 p. m. On Saturday at a non-conference at Globe Life Park in Arlington.
ACU coach Adam Dorrel said the game canceled former Division II rival West Texas A
“The football game, not so much,” Dorrel said of the cancelled match. “Sema’J, yes, because it is evident the seriousness of the stage and the scenario involved. A guy’s just beaten up by someone who does something wrong. The hardest part for us. Football is football».
Davis, a junior quarterback, had to be flown to Fort Worth after worrying about a three-car accident around 11 p. m. October 8. A 19-year-old driving force lit a red light at the intersection of Ambler Avenue and Treadaway Boulevard at full speed, hitting a car before also hitting Davis’ car.
Kaylee Nunez, a friend of Davis’ family, updated Davis’ condition on a GoFundMe page created to help with medical bills.
While Davis remains in critical condition at John Peter Smith Hospital, his message Wednesday said Davis continued to make progress every day.
Davis, who tested positive for COVID-19 when he entered the hospital, underwent successful surgery to repair a damaged femur, Núñez wrote in an October 16 article. She said in an October 13 article that she also had a damaged collarbone, but that the bleeding in her brain had stopped.
Davis’ condition was the first thing Dorrel spoke about at his weekly press convention on Tuesday.
“I wanted to thank everyone for our football program,” Dorrel said. “Many others sent their prayers and emails, simply telling us that they were thinking about Sema’J and his family, and we searched for everyone. know that weArray appreciate you being other people in the community, our brothers and sisters here at the ACU, many teachers and staff”.
Dorrel needed to move on to the main points about injuries or Davis’ condition, but said everyone can track Davis’ progress on the GoFundMe page.
“It’s a lot of positive things, and we’re praying for him and thinking about him every day,” Dorrel said. “Clearly it’s very vital for our football team and our players love it very much. So is our personal training. We continue to make our most productive desires for your family bigger. He’s fighting really hard right now. “
The team’s No. 2 quarterback in the last two seasons has been Davis’ No. 2 quarterback, the runner and the team’s most productive pin, but had little playing time following the move by Peyton Mansell of Iowa. However, he called Davis the team’s flexible and athletic player, and had tried to locate other tactics to use Midland Lee’s graduate before the accident.
The Wildcats will now have to face the stage as they prepare to play football.
“It’s very complicated for your team, especially for a guy who’s known as Sema’J (and) has been here so long,” Dorrel said. “Not only is it enjoyed in our football program, but also on campus. , as always, we only seek to get up and do the most productive thing every day, think about it and look to be in a position for a football match. I know that’s what you’d like us to do.
“I appreciate your family. They did a wonderful task in helping us because they know how much it means to us and have given us data that has helped our players, I think, move. Advance mentally. Just to get that security” from them, it’s good.
The Black Knights of the Army also showed their support to Davis by sending him a signed football through the team. He has been sent to the ACU and Dorrel will deliver him to Sema’J when he gets the chance.
“It meant a ton,” Dorrel said, “Again, I said before programming this game, I’ve been a big fan of the army, I love what they do. I love what they stand for. I love their young men and the way they play football, so yes, I was very surprised when I saw that, they didn’t have to do that. I texted him (army coach Jeff Monken) to let him know we really appreciate it. “
Dorrel said Monken had followed Davis’ progress.
“He called last week and was recording at Sema’J,” Dorrel said. “It’s just about who he is. He has a great reputation in the world of training. That’s why he’s the head coach of the army. We’re going to pass this on (football) to Sema’J’s family. “
ACU controlled to play two games before COVID-19 even though it all raised its head. The school announced on October 9, a day after Davis’ accident, that it would eliminate the WT game: it is the first game in the house and the house returns. Programmed.
“Obviously we were disappointed, because we spent so much time and had such a good time,” Dorrel said of the good fortune of his teams in the COVID-19 tests before that. “We boarded a plane (October 2) to move into the army. “, and we had no coVID cases. Then we played, and we came back on Sunday (October 4), and we had a lot of guys with symptoms. It’s strange, but we’ve been fighting and we’re moving forward right now. “
Dorrel said his team will be in a pretty smart way for the SFA game.
“We’ll be fine on Saturday, ” said Dorrel. They gave us back the others. We’re about to be full gas on Saturday, some of those things are yet to be seen. We have to get the boys to adhere to protocol and make sure they’re healthy. But for now, trends are moving in a very smart direction. “
The ACU can sometimes recent not only through the football game, but also through the game in an exclusive position for football.
“Our team is excited,” Dorrel said. ” This is the only convention team we bet on this year. He’s in an impartial place. Some of our workers went there a week ago and saw it, and said it would be a wonderful place. So we’re expecting a big crowd. “
Globe Life Park is the former home of the Texas Rangers and the baseball box has been renovated to accommodate football. It hosts the Dallas Renegades of the XFL for one season, and the best school groups used the site, as did the North Texas Soccer Club. .
But this will be the first school football game to be played in the stadium.
“I’ve played in unbiased places before,” Dorrel said. ” It’s pretty good. But the most important thing is to go back to the football area and play. I am very satisfied with our boys and their preparation for training. But they have,” they’ve had enough practice. They are in a position to continue betting those football matches. “
ACU has played several games at neutral sites at Fort Worth-Dallas since 2009. The Wildcats played at the Cotton Bowl in 2009 (defeated Texas A
“I think the concept is that schools have so many alumni there, and we’re looking for them to find it less difficult to get into the game and not find an excuse not to come,” Dorrel said of Saturday’s game. that’s a component of it. “
Dorrel said it was a smart and giant enough room, despite the limited number of seats due to COVID-19 protocols, so more parents could watch their children play.
“Many of those boys, their parents couldn’t see them play live this year,” Dorrel said. “Then they will be there. Yes, our boys are very excited about football betting on Saturday. We are all very excited to be components of the competition. “