Thomsen staying at ACU and other notes

Those of you who have been waiting anxiously the last few days to find out whether or not the Wildcats would lose their head football coach to Northwestern State (La.) can breathe easier today. Chris Thomsen -- and the other four finalists for the job -- found out late Thursday evening that former NSU defensive coordinator and current LSU co-defensive coordinator Bradley Peveto has been named the new head coach at the school, which is a member of the Southland Conference.

Thosmen was a finalist for the job after leading ACU to an 11-1 record, Lone Star Conference championship and an appearance in the NCAA Division II quarterfinals in 2008. Coach Thomsen said late Thursday night that he's glad to be staying in Abilene and that he is looking forward to continuing the recruiting process.

* Former ACU running back Bernard Scott has signed with agent Scott Casterline of Dallas and has moved to the Metroplex to begin training and preparing for his shot at the NFL. Bernard said on Wednesday before he left for the DFW area that his agent was trying to get him into the Under Armour Senior Bowl, which will be played Jan. 24, 2009, in Mobile, Ala. The week leading up to the game is full of practices in front of owners, general managers, coaches and scouts from every team in the NFL, and leads into the NFL Combine, which is scheduled for Feb. 18-24, in Indianapolis.

Bernard will play in the Texas vs. the Nation All-Star Game, which will be played Jan. 31, at the Sun Bowl in El Paso. He was invited to play in the Cactus Bowl, but turned down the invitation.

* Former ACU wide receiver Johnny Knox will also play in the Texas vs. the Nation game. Former Texas A&M and Alabama head coach Gene Stallings -- also a former member of the ACU Board of Trustees -- will be the head coach of the Texas team, while former Miami and Oklahoma head coach and current Florida Atlantic head coach Howard Schnellenberger will coach the Nation team. The Texas vs. the Nation game will be broadcast at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 31, on CBS College Sports.

* Former Wildcat offensive lineman Joseph Thompson and former receiver Jonathan Ferguson will each play for the West team in the Valero Cactus Bowl, which is set to be played Jan. 9, in Kingsville. Former Texas A&M-Kingsville and Angelo State assistant coach Freddy Jonas will be the head coach of the West team. One of his assistants will be Larry Pullin, the former head coach at Cuero, Abilene and San Antonio John Jay high schools. Pullin is a former Kingsville standout from the 1960s.

Other Lone Star Conference standouts who will be in the game on the West team will be quarterback Keith Null (West Texas A&M), running back Daniel Thomas (Angelo State), wide receiver Charly Martin (West Texas A&M), wide receiver Jareko Taylor (Texas A&M-Kingsville), offensive lineman Devin Livingston (Tarleton State), offensive lineman Dustin Finn (Central Oklahoma), offensive lineman Darron Deroyce Sheppard (Texas A&M-Commerce), linebacker Jared Brock (West Texas A&M), linebacker K.C. Asiodu (Central Oklahoma), defensive back Tremaine Wright (Tarleton State), defensive back Gerrett Burl (East Central), defensive tackle Ronald Green (Eastern New Mexico), and safety Jabir Perkins (Texas A&M-Kingsville).