Former Tulane QB Billy Don Malone Finds A Home

Former Tulane quarterback Billy Don Malone, whose Tulane football career was cut short by concerns that he had a life threatening vascular condition, was one of thirteen transfers in the 2005 recruiting class at Abiline Christian University. Abiline Christian, which is located in Abiline, Texas, participates in athletics at the NCAA Division II level.

Malone was a member of Tulane's 2002 Hawaii Bowl Championship team and, coming out of spring drills in 2003, was expected to challenge the Green Wave's incumbent quarterback, J.P. Losman, for the starting quarterback position that August.

At Tulane, coaches and players characterized Malone as 'the real deal.' Tulane's last three starting quarterbacks, including Losman, have been drafted in either the first or second round of the NFL draft.

Billy Don left Tulane in the spring of 2004 after the university's doctors and attorneys rejected medical advice that indicated that his condition would not be life-threatening if he continued to play football.

Malone, 6-3, 215, is expected to compete with JUCO transfer Daniel Marshall of Blinn College, and four returnees from last year's squad: Brock Pierce and three redshirt freshmen: Nick Bird, Brock Sherwood and Twaneil Spead, for the starting spot in fall drills.

Pierce, who played in 4 games last season and threw for 120 yards, was 11-for-26 passing with 2 interceptions and a quarterback efficiency rating of 65.69.

Marshall threw for more than 2,000 yards at Blinn and was named All-Southwest Junior College Conference.

After leaving Tulane Malone was variously reported to have attemped to transfer to the University of Tennessee and the University of Virginia.

Because his absence from football was caused by a health condition, Malone is listed as a sophomore and is expected to have three years of eligiblity remaining.

Just before National Signing Day. Abilene Christian announced the hiring of a new football coach, Chris Thomsen, who had most recently been an assistant coach at the University of Central Arkansas. Most of the recruiting of the transfers was carried on by the assistant coaches who remained after former head coach Gary Gaines resigned in early January to take a position as the athletic director of a West Texas school district. ACU posted a 5-5 won-loss record in 2004.