The 2012 Lone Star Conference football began on August 30 when West Texas A&M lost to CSU-Pueblo and ended with West Texas A&M loss against Winston-Salem in the NCAA D2 Semi Final on December 8. It was Abilene Christian and Incarnated Word last season before they moved to NCAA D1 Southland Conference.
Stadiums
School Stadium Capacity Abilene Christian Shotwell Stadium 15,057 Angelo State LeGrand Sports Complex 5,670 Eastern New Mexico Greyhound Stadium 5,200 Incarnate Word Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium 6,000 Midwestern State Memorial Stadium 14,500 Tarleton State Memorial Stadium 7,000 Texas A&M–Commerce Memorial Stadium 11,582 Texas A&M–Kingsville Javelina Stadium 15,000 West Texas A&M Kimbrough Memorial Stadium 25,000
Preseason
Abilene Christian
Last season Abilene Christian finished 16th in nation with a record of 8-3 and 7-1 in conference. ACU reach the playoff for sixth time in a row before being eliminated by Washburn in the first round.
Abilene Christian announced that the Offensive coordinator Ken Collums would take over the head coach position after Chris Thomsen left to take over the running back coach position at Arizona State. Collums hired former Coffeyville Community College head coach Darian Dulin as the defensive coach and former head coach of East New Mexico Grayhounds Mark Ribaudo as the line backer coach
ACU were ranked No. 13 in the Lindy's magazine pre-season poll. The Wildcats were picked to finish second in the conference. The American Football Coaches' Association ranked Abilene Christian 10th in their pre-season poll while usacollegefootball.com ranked the wildcats 16th in their pre-season poll.
Mitchell Gale was named NCAA Division II pre-season Offensive Player of the Year by Lindy's magazine. He threw for 3.823 and 28 touchdowns last season. He was also place on the pre-season All-American first team along with Lone Star Conference's Offensive Preseason Player of the Year. The placekicker Morgan Lineberry was also select for the pre-season All-American first team while wide receiver Taylor Gabriel was selected on the pre-season All-American third team.
Abilene Christian got couple of transfers, defensive backs Jeremy Rivers from Elmhurst University and tight end Noah Cheshier from Louisiana Tech University.
Angelo State
Angelo State finished 5-6, 2-6 in conference last season, making it sixth year in a row that ASU missed the playoffs.
The Rams brought in couple of transfers, running back Jermie Calhoun from University of Oklahoma and linebacker T.J. Jackson from Southeastern Louisiana University
Last year offensive coordinator Russell Gaskamp left to take over the Oklahoma Panhandle State University program. Angelo State promoted the assistant coach Theron Aych to the offensive coordinator. Jay Eilers arrived from Marshall High School to take the offensive line coach position. Gary Salgado was named the new defensive end coach and special team coordinator after spending last season as a graduate assistant. Drew Dallas was promoted from offensive graduate assistant to recruiting coordinator and offensive assistant.
ASU was picked to finish sixth in the pre-season Lone Star Conference pool.
Eastern New Mexico
The Greyhounds ended last season with a record of 2-9 and 1-7 in conference play.
Eastern New Mexico hired Josh Lynn to replace Mark Ribaudo who resigned at the end of the season.
Incarnate Word
The Cardinals finish last season with 2-8 record and 2-6 in conference with wins against Eastern New Mexico and Texas A&M - Commerce.
Larry Kennan was hired to replace Mike Santiago who resign last season.
Midwestern State
The Mustangs last year season came to end in heartbreaking fashion when they lost to Northwest Missouri State University in overtime, in the second round of the NCAA DII playoff, ending their season with a 10-1 record and 8-0 in conference. The Lone Star Conference champions finished the season ranked 7th in the country.
Midwestern State are ranked in top 5 in two pre-season polls, 4th in the Lindy's Sports College Football Preview and 5th in USA Today 2012 College Football.
The offensive tackle Ken Van Huele was picked on Lindy's first team All-American list while the Quarter Back Brandon Kelsey and running back Keidrick Jackson named to the second team.
Preseason votes
Ranked School Points First place votes 1 Midwestern State 215 19 2 Abilene Christian 187 5 3 West Texas A&M 179 0 4 Texas A&M–Kingsville 158 1 5 Tarleton State 131 0 6 Angelo State 99 0 7 Incarnate Word 74 0 8 Eastern New Mexico 43 0 9 Texas A&M–Commerce 39 0
Preseason All American
+ Pre-Season All-American 1-3 Team Name Position School 1st Team Mitchell Gale QB ACU 1st Team Morgan Lineberry PK ACU 2nd Team Marquis Wadley LB TSU 3rd Team Trent Rios RB UIW 3rd Team Taylor Gabriel WR ACU 3rd Team Marquis Wadley LB TSU 3rd Team Jeremy Aguilar LB TAMUK 3rd Team Chaz Pavliska S UIW
Watch List
Texas A&M-Kingsville junior place kicker Matt Stoll on the Mitchell Award Watch List.
Transfers
Several players transferred to schools in the Lone Star Conference + Players Name Position Old School New School Zach Rodes QB ULM Incarnate Word Jermie Calhoun RB Oklahoma Angelo State Garret Williams WR Stephen F. Austin Incarnate Word Terrence Smith WR Southern Nazarene Midwestern State T.J. Jackson LB Southeastern Louisiana Angelo State Dravannti Johnson LB Texas Incarnate Word Vernon Brook LB Kansas Midwestern State Robert Wheeler CB Central Arkansas Texas A&M–Commerce Garret Rhodes P Baylor Midwestern State Andy Alkhazshvilly PK Central Oklahoma Midwestern State
Regular season Index to colors and formattingNon-conference matchup; LSC member wonNon-conference matchup; LSC member lostConference matchup All times Central time. LSC teams in bold.
Week one
Top Performers
Passing Rushing Receiving Player (s) Team (s) Stats (yards) Player (s) Team (s) Stats (yards) Player (s) Team (s) Stats (yards) Dustin Vaughan West Texas A&M 398 J. Woodson Texas A&M–Kingsville 93 Torrence Allen West Texas A&M 164 Blake Hamblin Angelo State 320 Marcel Threat Abilene Christian 88 Lance Ratliff West Texas A&M 153 Mitchell Gale Abilene Christian 290 Jermie Calhoun Angelo State 71 Joey Knight Angelo State 111
Week two
Top Performers
Passing Rushing Receiving Player (s) Team (s) Stats (yards) Player (s) Team (s) Stats (yards) Player (s) Team (s) Stats (yards) Dustin Vaughan West Texas A&M 409 Jerome Regal Tarleton State 152 N. Slaughter West Texas A&M 132 Nate Poppell Texas A&M–Kingsville 372 Geremy Alridge West Texas A&M 102 Sherman Batiste Texas A&M–Kingsville 128 Deric Davis Texas A&M–Commerce 175 Jermie Calhoun Angelo State 96 Torrence Allen West Texas A&M 122
Week three
Top Performers
Passing Rushing Receiving Player (s) Team (s) Stats (yards) Player (s) Team (s) Stats (yards) Player (s) Team (s) Stats (yards) Aaron Doyle Tarleton State 377 Chauncey Harris Midwestern State 148 C.J. Akins Angelo State 114 Mitchell Gale Abilene Christian 279 Zach Rhodes Incarnate Word 128 Clifton Rhodes III Tarleton State 106 Dustin Vaughan West Texas A&M 250 Trent Rios Incarnate Word 121 Jeken Frye Tarleton State 92
Week four
Top Performers
Passing Rushing Receiving Player (s) Team (s) Stats (yards) Player (s) Team (s) Stats (yards) Player (s) Team (s) Stats (yards) Bryan Ehrlich Texas A&M–Kingsville 415 Vaughn Smith Tarleton State 168 Demarcus Thompson Abilene Christian 131 Mitchell Gale Abilene Christian 308 Keidrick Jackson Midwestern State 156 Dillon Metzger Tarleton State 131 Blake Hamblin Angelo State 277 Jimmy Pipkin Midwestern State 113 Clifton Rhodes III Eastern New Mexico 111
Week five
Top Performers
Passing Rushing Receiving Player (s) Team (s) Stats (yards) Player (s) Team (s) Stats (yards) Player (s) Team (s) Stats (yards) Dustin Vaughan West Texas A&M 331 Keidrick Jackson Midwestern State 173 C.J. Akins Angelo State 160 Mitchell Gale Abilene Christian 246 Vaughn Smith Tarleton State 134 Torrence Allen West Texas A&M 104 Deric Davis Texas A&M–Commerce 214 Khiry Robinson West Texas A&M 125 Khiry Robinson West Texas A&M 90
Week six
Top Performers
Passing Rushing Receiving Player (s) Team (s) Stats (yards) Player (s) Team (s) Stats (yards) Player (s) Team (s) Stats (yards) Aaron Doyle Tarleton State 293 Keidrick Jackson Midwestern State 193 Taylor Gabrie Abilene Christian 112 Nate Poppell Texas A&M–Kingsville 287 Khiry Robinson West Texas A&M 144 Darr. Cantu-Harkless Abilene Christian 80 Blake Hamblin Angelo State 264 Wesley Wood Eastern New Mexico 138 A. Coleman West Texas A&M 75
Week seven
Top Performers
Passing Rushing Receiving Player (s) Team (s) Stats (yards) Player (s) Team (s) Stats (yards) Player (s) Team (s) Stats (yards) Dustin Vaughan West Texas A&M 359 Brandon Kelsey Midwestern State 156 Jeken Frye Tarleton State 103 Aaron Doyle Tarleton State 224 Anthony Johnson Texas A&M–Kingsville 127 Jarrian Rhone West Texas A&M 103 Mitchell Gale Abilene Christian 207 Zach Henshaw Tarleton State 119 C.J. Akins Angelo State 90
Week eight
Top Performers
Passing Rushing Receiving Player (s) Team (s) Stats (yards) Player (s) Team (s) Stats (yards) Player (s) Team (s) Stats (yards) Mitchell Gale Abilene Christian 335 Keidrick Jackson Midwestern State 205 N. Slaughter West Texas A&M 133 Dustin Vaughan West Texas A&M 321 Brandon Kelsey Midwestern State 142 Clifton Rhodes III Tarleton State 117 Jake Fenske Tarleton State 234 Anthony Johnson Texas A&M–Kingsville 135 Taylor Gabriel Abilene Christian 116
Week nine
Top Performers
Passing Rushing Receiving Player (s) Team (s) Stats (yards) Player (s) Team (s) Stats (yards) Player (s) Team (s) Stats (yards) Dustin Vaughan West Texas A&M 331 Chauncey Harris Midwestern State 155 C.J. Akins Angelo State 128 Kevin Vye Texas A&M–Commerce 313 Keidrick Jackson Midwestern State 125 Darian Hogg Abilene Christian 117 Jake Fenske Tarleton State 280 Khiry Robinson West Texas A&M 89 Jeken Frye Tarleton State 114
Week ten
Top Performers
Passing Rushing Receiving Player (s) Team (s) Stats (yards) Player (s) Team (s) Stats (yards) Player (s) Team (s) Stats (yards) Dustin Vaughan West Texas A&M 391 Khiry Robinson West Texas A&M 147 Lance Ratliff West Texas A&M 180 Jake Fenske Tarleton State 311 Keidrick Jackson Midwestern State 133 R. Armstrong Texas A&M–Kingsville 137 Mitchell Gale Abilene Christian 284 Vaughn Smith Tarleton State 126 Darr. Cantu-Harkless Abilene Christian 113
Week eleven
Top Performers
Passing Rushing Receiving Player (s) Team (s) Stats (yards) Player (s) Team (s) Stats (yards) Player (s) Team (s) Stats (yards) Jake Fenske Tarleton State 460 Chauncey Harris Midwestern State 232 Jeken Frye Tarleton State 180 Mitchell Gale Abilene Christian 408 Khiry Robinson West Texas A&M 110 R. Armstrong Texas A&M–Kingsville 144 Dustin Vaughan West Texas A&M 278 Keidrick Jackson Midwestern State 104 Jacob Johnson Eastern New Mexico 120
Postseason
Weekly awards Following each week of games, Lone Star conference officials select the players of the week from the conference's teams.