CATA M O U N T S
WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY – 2010 FOOTBALL MEDIA GUIDE CATA M O U N T S CATA M O U N T S CATA M O U N T S CATA M O U N T S CATA M O U N T S CATA M O U N T S
CATA M O U N T S
2010 SEASON OVERVIEW IN BRIEF Looking to build upon the strong finish in 2009 which saw the Catamounts play well against a pair of nationally-ranked teams – Elon and Appalachian State, both of which were ranked sixth at the time of the game – and defeat Eastern Kentucky on the road, third-year head coach Dennis Wagner returns his deepest and arguably his most talented pride of Catamounts in 2010. A combined 16 seniors including All-Southern Conference selections WR Marquel Pittman, DB Mitchell Bell and K Blake Bostic return for their final season in Cullowhee looking to leave their mark on the rebuilding program. Western Carolina also returns starting QB Zack Jaynes and the 2009 SoCon Freshman of the Year, RB Michael Johnson. All told, through the preseason depth chart, the Catamounts return 22 players which saw action in 10-or-more games a year ago including 12 total starters. OFFENSIVE OUTLOOK OVERVIEW: Coming into the 2010 season, Western Carolina’s offense has “youthful experience,” in that among its seven returning starters from ‘09, six are juniors or younger with just four seniors on the unit. WCU had two redshirt freshmen – Teddy Rhoney and Nathan Postelle – start all 11 games along the offensive front a year ago that are returning. They will be joined by senior Jacoby Hammon, who missed last season due to injury. The Catamounts will have to replace three from the offensive line from last season – C Victor Aquilina, G Steven Ray and T Matt Winter – but do have the most depth in Wagner’s tenure. Offensive playmakers for WCU include redshirt junior signal caller, Zack Jaynes, who will be pressed in the preseason by South Carolina transfer, Zac Brindise, and senior transfer Matt Wabby. Whomever wins the battle for the quarterback position will have talented wideouts in Pittman, sophomore Jacoby Mitchell and Central Michigan transfer, Deja Alexander. Running back is deep for WCU in 2010 with the returning Johnson and redshirt sophomore Dion Wilson. After being converted from receiver last year, the illusive junior Nate Harris continues to relish in the “scatback” role. New assistant coaches Jeremiah Ross (offensive line) and Pat Arthurs (tight ends) join the offensive staff under the guidance of third-year offensive coordinator, Keith Heckendorf.
2010 Western Carolina Senior Class
DEFENSIVE OUTLOOK OVERVIEW:
There were a couple of coaching changes on the defensive side of the ball for WCU as assistant coach Mark Rhea (defensive line) joined the staff thus moving Justin Roberts to the linebacking corps. Also, Michael Mayers joined the staff as a defensive assistant during the off-season.
Western Carolina’s defensive depth chart features 15 juniors and seniors including the aforementioned Bell and safety counterpart, Angelo Brown. The 2010 unit promises to continue the aggressive style of defensive coordinator, Matt Pawlowski.
SPECIAL TEAMS OUTLOOK OVERVIEW:
Up front, WCU returns a very talented group including seniors C.J. and Charles Johnson, flanked by third-year starter, junior Trey Selby and returning redshirt freshman, Brian Johnson. The depth of the defensive front will be key as Bevans Robbs, Quevalas Murray, Nate Stephenson and transfer Walt Woolwine – among others – will see ample playing time.
Western Carolina returns all three specialists that saw action a season ago, headlined by Fred Mitchell Award candidate, senior K Blake Bostic. Already ranking tied for eighth on the school’s career field goals made list with 18, Bostic is coming off a solid season where he made 8-of-10 field goals and led the team in scoring for the second-straight year.
In the secondary, Western Carolina returns talented linebackers Ricky Schwarz and Rock Williams with converted defensive back Brandon Vaught and Brett Allen also factoring in the depth chart. One of the biggest additions was the return of Adam Hearns, who switches from offense to defensive secondary after a year away from football, at the hybrid “drop” linebacker position.
Junior punter Blake Cain, who earned SoCon Special Teams Player of the Week and All-Freshman Team plaudits back on 2008, returns and is expected to handle most of the punting duties. Second-year veteran long-snapper, senior Zak Warner, also returns for his final collegiate season.
The Catamounts return senior Jideofo Okwudiri and junior Torez Jones at the corner positions with sophomore Eljer Martinez and redshirt freshman Mike Anderson also expected to figure in on playing time and to gain valuable experience.
The returning “Blakes” will be challenged by returners Leo Gamez and freshman Stephen Weiss as the season moves along.
After forcing 26 takeaways in 2008 including 14 fumbles and 12 interceptions – and finishing with a +7 in turnover margin – WCU struggled by only creating 10 turnovers a season ago with eight fumbles and only two picks. That has been an area of emphasis for the defensive unit during the off-season.
Western Carolina’s 2010 football schedule features five home dates including the 35th edition of the “Battle for the Old Mountain Jug” against Appalachian State on October 23. The 11-game schedule opens with a pre-Labor Day road meeting with North Carolina State in Raleigh on Saturday, Sept. 4 and the regular season concludes 10 weeks later with the Catamounts hosting Chattanooga on Saturday, Nov. 13 at E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field.
2010 CATAMOUNT FOOTBALL SCHEDULE:
Western Carolina and the eight additional Southern Conference football teams will show their support for those being negatively impacted along the Gulf Coast by wearing helmet decals with the initials “GC” during the 2010 football season, the 89th-consecutive in the conference. More than 170 SoCon football players come from states that share a coastline being affected by the oil spill. The nine institutions that play SoCon football agreed to display the decals to express their support and encouragement for the people living in the region.
The Catamounts are scheduled to open the 2010 season at N.C. State, rekindling a 24-year old rivalry against the in-state foe. WCU last faced the Wolfpack in 2003 season-opener for both squads, falling to the then 14th-ranked ‘Pack, 59-20, at Carter-Finley Stadium. One week later, Western Carolina will open the home portion of its 2010 season by hosting the NCAA Division II Tusculum Pioneers out of the South Atlantic Conference on Sept. 11. The Catamounts will then round out the non-conference portion of its 2010 regular season by visiting Gardner-Webb in Boiling Springs, N.C., on Saturday, Sept. 18. Western Carolina opens eight-straight weeks of Southern Conference play on the final weekend of September by hosting Chattanooga on Sept. 25. WCU opens the month of October with a trip to Charleston, S.C., and to Johnson Hagood Stadium to face The Citadel, the Catamounts’ lone conference win last season. Homecoming Weekend in Cullowhee is Oct. 9 as the Samford Bulldogs visit E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field ahead of the Wofford game in Spartanburg, S.C., on Oct. 16.
“Pete Lembo of Elon approached me with the idea while we were at our annual coaches’ meetings in June,” noted Southern Conference Commissioner John Iamarino. “I lived in Louisiana for six years and my son was born there, so when Pete mentioned it, the concept really resonated with me.
The annual gridiron grudge match, “Battle for the Old Mountain Jug” against arch-rival Appalachian State, will be played on Saturday, Oct. 23 in Cullowhee, the earliest meeting between the two mountain rivals since an Oct. 20 meeting in the 1990 season. The rivalry match-up not being at or near the end of the season isn’t a novelty, though, as the Catamounts and Mountaineers opened the season against one another in 1986, and have met mid-season a combined four times since WCU joined ASU in the Southern Conference in 1976.
“Given the number of SoCon football student-athletes who come from Gulf Coast states and our being located in the South, it seemed the right thing to do. It’s just a small way that our teams can express their support and encouragement for the thousands of families that have been negatively impacted by the oil spill.”
WCU will make a return trip to Furman’s Paladin Stadium on Nov. 6, last falling by just seven points, 28-21, to the Paladins in 2008’s meeting in Greenville, S.C. The home portion of the regular season closes by WCU hosting Georgia Southern on Nov. 13. The last time the Eagles ventured into Cullowhee, the Catamounts had them on the ropes before a feverish fourth-quarter rally saw GSU rattle off 35 unanswered points, including 28 in regulation, in a 38-31 come-from-behind, overtime victory.
Use of the decal was approved by the NCAA’s rules committee and supervisory officiating organization upon request by the conference.
9
CATAMOUNT F O O T B A L L 2010