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Mission Impossible – Arizona Christian University Firestorm
Football Truth, let us begin with that. Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee,
that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church.
And the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. On December 19th 2013, on a Thursday, ACU President Len Munsil announced the hiring of Donnie Yantis to be the football coach. The team did not exist yet. There is no field, no equipment and there are no coaches. By the way coach, we kick off in August. Donnie Yantis played at Paradise Valley
High School. He coached the Trojans for 14 seasons. He was very
successful and in a position most coaches would give anything to
be in. He chose to accept this impossible mission. He spent the holidays building a staff.
Made up of many other men that had earned the respect of their
high schools and colleges, they did not need to start over. The offer from President Munsil offered
many great things. A University job, being able to put it
together the way Coach Yantis wanted to. But the one thing that
jumps out is the ACU slogan, the one they had on their campus
street side sign. “Transforming Culture With Truth.” What the heaven does that even mean. Isn’t
education built on those things? Building a football team, a culture, a
family is what drives most coaches. The chance to enhance a
players opportunities on and off the field. Sharing pain,
struggle, loss and victory with them at the soul level. Coming
out other side of the battle and seeing the good people their
players have become. Donnie had that coaching high school. Now, at ACU he could share a lifetime of
faith, bible, hope and prayer with not only the players but his
staff and the school administration. With the support of his
family he set out to do the impossible. Gather the things and
people needed to take the field in half a year. His assistant head coach, that would be the
current head coach Jeff Bowen, He had a great job and much
success coaching the Westview Knights. He also shared the vision
of the school, the heart of the team goals. His passion for
sharing the gospel was as important as coaching. Together he and Donnie began a program that
would in its first three seasons became champions of the CSFL in
the NAIA. The titles were won in 2015 & 2016. Donnie Yantis was
Coach of the Year in 2015 in the CSFL and NAIA Independent
Division. Jeff Bowen led the team as HC to it’s
second CSFL title and was selected as CSFL Coach of the Year in
2016. I was lucky to be there to witness the
start of ACU Football.
Lucky to have Donnie on our Saturday night radio show,
the Arizona Sports Network 1280 AM to announce his new plans. He
and a couple football associates joined us, Northwest Christian
HS HC David Innes and Mesa Community College HC Ryan Felker. All
men of faith. They wanted to encourage him on this new venture.
That and make a little fun of such a crazy idea. In 2015 after the first title Coach Yantis
took a job working for the Devils. Be careful what you wish for,
right. He is the Assistant Athletic Director, Recruiting for the
Arizona State Sun Devils. Taking over was the man Donnie had at his
side as together they built the Firestorm from the ground up.
Many players won accolades for their playing and their grades
under Coach Bowen in this the third year of ACU Football in
2016. The 2016 campaign produced the first ever
All American for ACU. Derek Brush P/K. He is from Whitier,
California. He averages 45.6 yards and punted for 1,959 yards.
His longest was 75 yards. He had 14 that went 50 yards or more.
He pinned opponents inside their 20 yard lines 14 times. One of
only two NAIA punters to average over 43 yards per punt. He also
handled kickoffs and field goals. He was third on the team in
scoring. He was one of only two players from the CSFL to become
All Americans. The Firestorm produced seven NAIA Scholar &
CSFL Academic Athletes in 2016. They were:
SR
Brennan Bowen OL. SR Quinta Thomas RB, JR Derek Brush P/K, JR
Ryan Esslinger QB. JR Daniel Schembri WR, JR Sammy Serwa S, JR
Sam Strate. |
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Jeff Bowen and his staff work tirelessly to be a good team and
to provide the players with academic, athletic and spiritual
guidance. The results are amazing. In addition to the players
already mentioned, there were 22 All-CSFL players. Plus 35 on
the CSFL All Academic team. On the field the
team averaged 34.5 points per game, they gave up 23.7 points.
That ranked them second in that CSFL category.
Before arriving at ACU, Coach Bowens football and track
achievement were filled with great stats. 10 times as Coach of
the Year. He spent nine years as a member of the Arizona
Football Coaches Association Executive Board. In 11 years as
Head Coach of the Westview Knights they were in back to back
state title games and won their section three straight years. He
got his bachelor’s degree in biology at ASU and his masters in
educational leadership at NAU. Even with all he
has accomplished in sports and education, I believe he is most
proud of his family. His wife Heather and the kids. Son Brennan
and his wife Kristen. Daughters Morgan and her husband Jeremiah
Watson. His Daughter Hannah. Brennan played for
his dad in high school, went off college after high school, but
when ACU began he came back to play for dad again. Brennan is
among the honored mentioned above for his play and academic
achievement. He played center and was usually surrounded by
freshman or sophomore players. All this while winning two
conference titles. He is by all
accounts, an amazing teacher of the word and often led the team
in prayer and outreach on and off the field. In 2015 I talked
with him about the team that had lost the first three games,
badly. Comparing it to the team that just won its fifth in a
row. Keep in mind the other four offensive linemen were
freshmen. He said. “First off you have to recognize the team,
it’s Gods team and really, just getting them to believe in the
message we have been preaching is the key. If you can improve
unity you can do a lot with a team.”
On the 70-14 loss in New
Mexico. “It was the Friday meeting before we left for New
Mexico, I could sense in the spirit that there was still
division, still disunity. Players not bought in with the
coaches, I was checked in the spirit and gave them a warning. If
this is way we continue, things will not go the way we want them
to.” “The 70-14 loss
was pretty devastating. But God is able to work with broken
people more than people that have no need of anything. It was
probably the best thing that could have happened to us. We knew
we had the talent, it was the intangibles that had to get
fixed.” “That was really
the motivation, in that place of brokenness to look to God and
say, we need help and he has been faithful to show up.”
It was then that the vision that Mr. Munsil presented to Donnie
and Jeff made complete sense to me. “Transforming
Culture With Truth.”
I could have told this story by just pointing out the record,
from worst to first, two titles and the accolades the coaches
and players earned. That would have been enough to get ready for
the upcoming 2017 season.
To hear Brennan speak the truth that his father had been living
all his life. That Donnie Yantis and his family had lived all
their lives. Coming together so that this new venture, like a
Phoenix would rise from nothing and become this family.
All I can say is the men and women that are building this
University, this team and the entire athletic department are
laying a foundation for generations to come. If it was just
about football, they could have stayed where they were. **********************************************
I thought I was done, but first let me close with this…..
Aaaaagggghhhhh. Remember hearing the pastors say that on
Sunday….
Just some time perspective trivia as it relates to University
football teams. How Donnie Yantis and Jeff Bowen got the call in
December 2013 and launched a program in August 2014. Compared
ASU, UA, NAU and their football timelines and history.
Arizona State University Sun Devils: Began play in 1897, joined the
Pac-10 in 1978, play in the FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) with
130 teams that play in 39 bowl games. ASU is 14-14-1 in bowls,
has 17 conference titles and one division title. The new CFB
Playoff system began in 2014 & is not NCAA sanctioned. Until the
CFL Playoffs began the National Champions were determined by
polls. In 1970 they were 11-0, 1975 12-0 under Frank Kush
Various polls have them as national champs those two seasons.
University of Arizona Wildcats: Began play in 1899 are 9-10-0 in
bowls, six conference titles, one division title, the Pac-12
South Division Championship.
Northern Arizona University Lumberjacks: Began play in 1915. Play in
the Big Sky Conference. Are an FCS team (Football Championship
Subdivision – Playoffs) They, like ASU and UA are a D1 program.
They compete with 124 teams in 13 conferences to earn a spot in
a 24 team bracket. They have two Big Sky Championships 1978,
2003. Played in the playoffs in five years winning one and
losing five games.
Arizona Christian University Firestorm: Began in 2014 and are an
NAIA team that plays in the CSFL Central States Football League
since 2015. In 2014 they played an independent schedule. They
compete with 88 teams to earn a spot in the 16 team playoff
bracket. They have not been in the playoffs yet. In three
seasons they have won two conference championships. They were
unbeaten 6-0 in conference play both years. |
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