Edmond Gates walked away from football after his freshman year at Vernon High School, because he thought he was too small to play the game.
Now, after walking onto the Abilene Christian University football team four years ago, the 6-foot-1 receiver will likely hear his name called during the NFL draft, which begins today and concludes Saturday.
Even Gates marvels at the turn of events that led him back to football — and the chance to play at the game's highest level — four years ago. Gates thought he was done with the sport when he quit the game after his freshman year, because he figured he was too small. Gates was a scrawny, 5-7 teenager at the time. He chose to focus on basketball instead.
"I thought I would never play football again," he said. "I love watching it. But as far as playing, I told myself I'd never play football. I don't see how people do it."
Gates looking forward to draft - ACU Football
Neiswander Hopeful as NFL Draft Nears - ASU Football
Buffs WR Burton an NFL prospect - Dave Henry, Amarillo Globe News
West Texas A&M wide receiver Stephen Burton may be the next Buff to hear his name called in the NFL draft, which begins today.
Burton, 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, had 70 catches for 1,021 yards and 11 touchdowns last season and was named to the first-team all-Lone Star Conference South Division squad. In his WT career, Burton had 132 catches for 1,909 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Burton, from Lakewood, Calif., is projected as a sixth-round pick by www.nfldraftscout.com, while www.draftcountdown.com projects Burton as a "mid-rounder."
According to www.cbssports.com, Burton ranks No. 23 at the wide receiver position and ranks No. 196 overall.
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LSC showdown - Nathan Wright, San Angelo Standard Times
The 2011 Angelo State University baseball season has come down to three games.
When the Rams travel to Cameron for a four-game series this weekend, three of which are conference games, their postseason fate lies in the outcomes of those contests.
Because of inclement weather early in the season, none of the LSC teams have played the same number of games, so the six postseason tournament qualifiers will be determined based on winning percentage.
Five spots have been clinched. The final berth is up for grabs among ASU, Abilene Christian, West Texas A&M and Texas A&M-Kingsville.
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Cameron Softballers Drop Twinbill to USAO in Home Finale - CU Softball
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Bronchos No. 1 In Golf Poll - UCO Golf
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Tennis: Six teams selected for regional play - LSC Office
Six Lone Star Conference tennis teams were selected for the NCAA Division II Tennis South Central Regional to be played starting May 1. Four women’s teams – Abilene Christian, Cameron, Midwestern State and Tarleton - and two men’s squads – ACU and CU will compete for a trip to the championships May 11-14 in Altamonte Springs, Fla.
On the men's side, the Aggies will take on the Wildcats at 10:30 a.m. Monday for the right to advance to the national tournament. The other two South Central Region teams will play Monday in Austin as St. Edward's hosts Northwest Missouri State.
The ACU women will host Southwest Baptist and Tarleton State in a three-team regional. Tarleton will take on SBU at 2 p.m. Sunday for the right to play ACU in Monday's 11:30 a.m. championship match.
MSU faces CU at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, May 3 in Lawton, Okla. in the other South Central Region championship match.
NCAA DIVISION II TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS
Men’s South Central Region #1 (Austin, Texas)
Monday, May 2
#4 NW Missouri State (19-4) at #1 St. Edward's (12-8)
Men’s South Central #2 (Abilene, Texas)
Monday, May 2
#3 Cameron (17-8) at #2 Abilene Christian (18-9), 10:30 a.m.
Women’s South Central Region #1 (Abilene, Texas)
Sunday, May 1
#5 SW Baptist (10-9) at #4 Tarleton State (7-9), 2 p.m.
Monday, May 2
Semifinal winner at #1 Abilene Christian (20-7), 11:30 a.m.
Women’s South Central #2 (Lawton, Okla.)
Tuesday, May 3
#3 Midwestern State (17-8) at #2 Cameron (13-7), 10 a.m.
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Midwestern State announces 2011 football slate - MSU Football
WICHITA FALLS, Texas - The changing landscape of football in the Lone Star Conference contributed to a very different schedule for Midwestern State in 2011.
The slate features four home games and much heralded appearance in the LSC Football Festival on Sep. 17 at Cowboys Stadium.
The schedule was necessitated by the departure of the majority of the former LSC North Division as East Central (Okla.), Southeastern Oklahoma State and Southwestern Oklahoma State head to the newly founded Great American Conference in 2011 while Central Oklahoma and Northeastern State will serve a season an independent before entering the Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletic Association.
"Scheduling has been very difficult in this transition year with the loss of the five Oklahoma schools," MSU Athletics Director Charlie Carr said. "We would prefer another game if possible and continue to explore an possibilities for Sep. 3."
The Mustangs open the season against Missouri S&T on Sep. 10 in Rolla. It marks MSU's first meeting on the gridiron against the defending Great Lakes Valley Conference co-champion Miners.
Midwestern State kicks off LSC play the following week when it takes on Texas A&M-Commerce as part of the LSC Football Festival and Fourth Annual Harvey Martin Classic at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington. Kickoff is set for noon as the Mustangs and Lions meet for the first time since 2005.
Tickets for the festival are available in the MSU Athletics offices for $25 for adults and $10 for students with proper identification. Each admission is for each of the three games of the tripleheader which also features Abilene Christian against North Alabama at 4 p.m. and West Texas A&M versus Texas A&M-Kingsville at 8 p.m.
MSU makes its home debut the next week for Family Day against Texas A&M-Kingsville.
The Mustangs alternate home and away games the rest of the season with home dates against Tarleton State on Oct. 8, Abilene Christian for Homecoming on Oct. 22 and West Texas A&M for Military Appreciation Day on Nov. 5.
MSU hits the road for contests against Incarnate Word on Oct. 1, Angelo State on Oct. 15 and Eastern New Mexico on Oct. 29 before closing the regular season against Northeastern State (Okla.) in Tahlequah on Nov. 12.
Season tickets can be purchased through the Midwestern State Athletic Offices at 397-4779.
Midwestern State tops the Lone Star Conference with 11 consecutive winning seasons dating back to the 2000 season and is coming off consecutive postseason appearances for the first time in program history.
2011 Midwestern State Football Schedule | |||||||||||||||||||
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time | ||||||||||||||||
| Sep. 10 | at Missouri S&T | Rolla, Mo. | 6:30 p.m. | ||||||||||||||||
| Sep. 17 | vs. Texas A&M-Commerce* | Arlington, Texas | Noon | ||||||||||||||||
LSC Football Festival at Cowboys Stadium | |||||||||||||||||||
| Sep. 24 | Texas A&M-Kingsville* | Memorial Stadium | 7 p.m. | ||||||||||||||||
Family Day | |||||||||||||||||||
| Oct. 1 | at Incarnate Word* | San Antonio, Texas | 7 p.m. | ||||||||||||||||
| Oct. 8 | Tarleton State* | Memorial Stadium | 7 p.m. | ||||||||||||||||
| Oct. 15 | at Angelo State* | San Angelo, Texas | 6 p.m. | ||||||||||||||||
| Oct. 22 | Abilene Christian* | Memorial Stadium | 7 p.m. | ||||||||||||||||
Homecoming | |||||||||||||||||||
| Oct. 29 | at Eastern New Mexico* | Portales, N.M. | 3 p.m. | ||||||||||||||||
| Nov. 5 | West Texas A&M* | Memorial Stadium | TBA | ||||||||||||||||
Military Appreciation/Senior Day | |||||||||||||||||||
| Nov. 12 | at Northeastern State | Tahlequah, Okla. | TBA | ||||||||||||||||
Home Games in BOLD and played at Memorial Stadium All times are Central Time and subject to change * - Lone Star Conference Game | |||||||||||||||||||
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