Now in his third season with the WTAMU football staff, defensive coordinator Colby Carthel has overseen the development of a Buffalo defensive unit that held two opponents scoreless and three teams to three points or less in 2007. Individually, lineman Brandon Swain earned first-team Little all-America honors, as well as being named LSC Defensive Lineman of the Year, while linebacker Jared Brock earned LSC Linebacker of the Year and second-team all-America accolades. No stranger to the LSC, Carthel joined the Buffs coaching staff after spending the previous six seasons as the defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator at LSC-rival Abilene Christian University. During his time in Abilene, Carthel enjoyed his first stint coaching alongside his father, WTAMU head coach Don Carthel, when the elder Carthel served as a volunteer coach for the Wildcats from 2000-2004. During that time, Carthel's defensive linemen earned numerous honors, including 13 All-Lone Star Conference and four All-Region selections. Clayton Farrell excelled under Carthel at ACU; he nabbed All-LSC honors three times, in addition to being selected as an All-American and LSC Defensive Lineman of the Year twice. Another player personally recruited to ACU by Carthel, Danieal Manning, was a three-time All-American at the school and was recently drafted as the Chicago Bears No. 1 pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. Prior to his coaching career at ACU, Carthel was a standout player at Angelo State University, where he started at middle linebacker. As a senior in 1999, Carthel helped lead the Rams to the Lone Star Conference South Championship by recording 59 tackles, four sacks and one fumble recovery. At ASU, Carthel earned Lone Star Conference Player of the Week honors once in addition to being selected Academic All-LSC on three occasions. He also competed in the discus as a four-year track and field letterwinner at Angelo State, finishing fourth at the LSC meet in the event as a senior. A standout in both football and track at Friona High School, Carthel helped guide Friona to its first district football title in 29 years as a senior. As a senior, Carthel finished fourth at the state meet with a school-record throw of 171-11, a record previously held by his father. He graduated from Angelo State in 2000 with his bachelor's degree in biology. Carthel married former West Texas A&M All-American volleyball player Sarah Butler in June 2002.