Texas Wesleyan in Fort Worth last played a football game in November, 1941. A little more than a week later, the country was at war. Football didn?t matter anymore, even in Texas.Players began to join-up and by March of 1942, Texas Wesleyan College called a halt to the college football program. {{more:Read more…}}a new start …
This week, 75 years later, the Wesleyan Rams held a football practice with over 100 reporting. They have the players, the staff and a schedule. TWU, now a university, will play its first football game on September 2, 2017 in an away game.
The following week, they will play at home against Millsaps College out of Jackson, Mississippi.
Their head coach is Joe Prud?homme. If his name sound familiar, it should if you have followed high school football. Prud?homme has a statewide reputation established with the Nolan Catholic Vikings football program. He led the Vikings to seven state TAPPS (Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools) championships while playing in eleven state finals during his 24 years as coach.
Prud?homme and his staff spent the spring recruiting this year?s history making team which will spend the first year ?reshirted? and preparing for the 2017 season.Naugle an early recruit …One of his recruits is Matt Naugle, Kennedale High School Class of 2016. Naugle was a 1st team All?District, a 2nd Team All-State player and was named to the All-State Academic team last year while playing center for Richard Barrett and the Wildcats. The Wildcats lost only one game last year, going 12-1 for the second year in a row. Naugle was also a state qualifier at the THSPA powerlift meet last year, finishing 14th in Class 4A in his weight class.
Coach Prud?homme talking with the first football recruits at TWU in 75 years (Photo: TWU)
?They?re fired up ? ready to practice,? Prud?homme told the Star Telegram. ?We?ve been doing nothing but study halls and administrative paper work. Finally, we?ve got a chance to do something. We want to do something outside. Inside gets old.?
The University is in the process of finalizing an agreement with a local facility for practice and games.
The Rams will compete in the Central States Football League (CSFL), a conference that features teams from four NAIA conferences spanning, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Arizona.
Prud?home resides in Kennedale with his wife Amanda. They have two children, Joe who is a student at Kansas State University, and Emily who is currently studying at the University of Oklahoma.Read more TWU Rams Football
About Texas Wesleyan University:
As Fort Worth’s oldest higher education institution, Texas Wesleyan University has been a staple to East Fort Worth for over 125 years. From the Great Depression to transitioning from an all-women’s school to co-ed, today, TWU has over 2500 students enrolled in over 40 undergraduate and graduate programs.
?Bigger isn?t always better. At Texas Wesleyan, there?s no getting lost in the shuffle when your classes only have a handful of students, and your professors know exactly who you are. This is a ?Smaller. Smarter.? college experience with top-tier education.?Find out more @ www.txwes.edu
