Sneezy Beltran transfers

ByCLENDON ROSS Jan 18, 2002

Beltran, a redshirt freshman from Abilene, played in just four games during the '01 season, rushing 12 times for 35 yards. The future playing time outlook for Beltran did not look promising. True freshman Cedric Benson earned the starting role at tailback at midseason, gaining a UT freshman record 1,053 yards, and sophomore Ivan Williams also had a solid campaign, rushing for 519 yards. Heading into spring ball, Beltran would have been No. 4 on the tailback depth chart behind Benson, Williams and senior-to-be Victor Ike.

And the competition would have kept coming. The Horns also have verbal commitments from Albert Hardy and Selvin Young, two of the top high school running backs in the state this year, and are in the hunt for a third, North Garland's Edorian McCullough, who will visit the Forty Acres this weekend.

Beltran was the Horns' first commitment of the '00 recruiting class, pledging to Texas in June before his senior year at Abilene High.

"This was a difficult decision to make, but one I thought I had to make for my family and for the opportunity to be a featured back," Beltran said. "ACU is a great situation for me. My family will have a chance to see me play and I'll finally have the opportunity to play for (former Abilene High) Coach (Gary) Gaines. I also will be able to play right away and that's a big plus too."

Abilene Christian is a NCAA Division II institution, so Sneezy will be eligible to play for the Wildcats next season.

"Sneezy is a fine young man and someone that worked extremely hard for us," Brown said. "We are sorry he elected to transfer, but he wants a chance to see more action right away and felt he had a better opportunity to achieve that at another institution. We wish him the very best of luck and appreciate everything that he has done for The University of Texas and its football program during the past two years."

"The coaches, staff and players at Texas were good to me and I wouldn't want to take that back," Sneezy said. "I'm glad I had the opportunity to have the experience of playing at UT. It made me a better person. I will miss everyone. We were all one big family. It's good to know I will always have friends to hang out with when I'm back in Austin. But, I'm really looking forward to my next challenge. I feel like I have a lot to prove to myself and hopefully I can do that at ACU."