55 Days to WCU Football Kickoff - #55 Secrea Algie

                                                                                                       

It's now 55 days until the kickoff of Catamount football on Saturday, August 29, 2026, against the  Eastern Kentucky Colonels in EJ Whitmire Stadium, Cullowhee, NC

To help pass those long summer days and get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season and more knowledgeable of the team members, we'll continue the football countdown each day until kickoff day. 

Today we highlight the Catamount player currently assigned to #55 on the WCU Preseason Roster:

#55  Secrea Algie

Position Offensive Line
Height 6-5
Height 310
Class Redshirt Sophomore
Hometown Snellville, Ga.
High School Brookwood HS

2025 (Redshirt Freshman): Saw action in five of the team’s 12 games as a reserve along the offensive line and on special teams … Did not record any official statistics … Part of an offensive line that helped guide the Catamounts to record numbers in 2025, finishing with a school-record 5,920 total yards, including 4,268 passing yards and 1,652 yards on the ground.

2024 (Freshman): Did not see game action, expected to take a redshirt.

Prior to Western Carolina: Played offensive and defensive line as a prep … Named to the second-team AJC All-Region team on offense for Region 4-7A and an honorable mention for All-Gwinnett County … High school coach was Philip Jones, and his offensive line coach was Zach Underwood … Will enroll at WCU in the Fall 2024.

Personal: Is the son of Sonya Smith.

Happy Birthday, America!!!

 

56 Days to WCU Football Kickoff - #56 Aaron McIver

                                                                                                       

It's now 56 days until the kickoff of Catamount football on Saturday, August 29, 2026, against the  Eastern Kentucky Colonels in EJ Whitmire Stadium, Cullowhee, NC

To help pass those long summer days and get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season and more knowledgeable of the team members, we'll continue the football countdown each day until kickoff day. 

Today we highlight the Catamount player currently assigned to #56 on the WCU Preseason Roster:

#56  Aaron McIver

Position: Offensive Line
Height: 6-2
Weight: 290
Class: Fifth Year
Hometown: Charlotte, N.C.
High School: Butler HS

College: Gardner-Webb

Prior to Western Carolina: Mid-year graduate transfer from Gardner-Webb … Made 24 career starts along the offensive line for the Runnin' Bulldogs and earned second-team 2025 Big South-OVC All-Conference honors. 

At Butler HS: An Academic All-State choice following senior season in 2021 … An All-Southwestern 4A Conference selection on the offensive line … Chosen to play in the 2021 Queen City Senior Bowl … Played for Coach Brian Hales.

Personal: Is the son of Janette and Jack McIver ... His brother, Brayson McIver, is also a current Western Carolina offensive lineman.

57 Days to WCU Football Kickoff - #57 Kaden Powell

                                                                                                       

It's now 57 days until the kickoff of Catamount football on Saturday, August 29, 2026, against the  Eastern Kentucky Colonels in EJ Whitmire Stadium, Cullowhee, NC

To help pass those long summer days and get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season and more knowledgeable of the team members, we'll continue the football countdown each day until kickoff day. 

Today we highlight the Catamount player currently assigned to #57 on the WCU Preseason Roster:

#57  Kaden Powell

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Position Long Snapper

Height 6-8
Weight 255
Class Sophomore
Hometown Woodstock, Ga.
High School Etowah HS
College Brevard

Prior to Western Carolina: Mid-year transfer from Brevard College … Saw action in all 10 games at Brevard in 2025 … Prepped at Etowah HS where he played football and basketball … Was listed as a 4-star long-snapper.

Personal: From Woodstock, Georgia and attended Etowah High School.

58 Days to WCU Football Kickoff - #58 Isaac Boulger

                                                                                                       

It's now 58 days until the kickoff of Catamount football on Saturday, August 29, 2026, against the  Eastern Kentucky Colonels in EJ Whitmire Stadium, Cullowhee, NC

To help pass those long summer days and get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season and more knowledgeable of the team members, we'll continue the football countdown each day until kickoff day. 

Today we highlight the Catamount player currently assigned to #58 on the WCU Preseason Roster:

#58  Isaac Boulger

Position Offensive Line
Height 6-2
Weight 290
Class Junior
Hometown Northport, Ala.
College  Auburn  








Prior to Western Carolina: Mid-year transfer from Auburn … Spent two seasons with the Tigers program as a walk-on but did not see game action; 

At Tuscaloosa County HS: Was an all-region selection as a junior and senior … Earned honorable mention Class 7A all-state honors… member of the National Honor Society.

Personal: Is the son of Valerie and Joshua Boulger … Has a sister, Hannah

59 Days to WCU Football Kickoff - #59 Nicholas Foster

                                                                                                       

It's now 59 days until the kickoff of Catamount football on Saturday, August 29, 2026, against the  Eastern Kentucky Colonels in EJ Whitmire Stadium, Cullowhee, NC

To help pass those long summer days and get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season and more knowledgeable of the team members, we'll continue the football countdown each day until kickoff day. 

Today we highlight the Catamount player currently assigned to #59 on the WCU Preseason Roster:

#59 Nicholas Foster

Position Offensive Line

Height 6-1
Weight 290
Class Redshirt Freshman
Hometown Charlotte, N.C.
High School Indian Land HS

2025 (Freshman): Did not see game action, remaining eligible for a redshirt.

Prior to Western Carolina: Joined the Catamount football team as a walk-on … Started his prep career at Julius Chambers High before finishing at Indian Land High … Played multiple positions along the offensive and defensive line as a prep ... Played alongside his brother, Mike.

60 Days to WCU Football Kickoff - #60 Bryan McCollum

                                                                                                       

It's now 60 days until the kickoff of Catamount football on Saturday, August 29, 2026, against the  Eastern Kentucky Colonels in EJ Whitmire Stadium, Cullowhee, NC

To help pass those long summer days and get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season and more knowledgeable of the team members, we'll continue the football countdown each day until kickoff day. 

Today we highlight the Catamount player currently assigned to #60 on the WCU Preseason Roster:

#60 Bryan McCollum

Position Kicker
Height 5-8
Weight 165
Class Redshirt Freshman
Hometown Sanford, N.C.
High School Southern Lee HS









2025 (Freshman): Played in just one game as a true freshman, making his collegiate debut in the regular-season finale at VMI (Nov. 22) … Scored 12 points in his first college game, connecting on all six PAT attempts and connecting on a pair of field goals of 24 and 29 yards in the winning effort … Earned Southern Conference Special Teams Player of the Week accolades following the VMI win … Had one kickoff for 55 yards.

Prior to Western Carolina: Four-year varsity letter winner … Named special teams MVP … According to MaxPreps, over 35 career games, scored 94 points kicking – 67 made PATs and nine field goals, including a career-long of 56 yards as a junior … Had 16 kickoffs with nine touchbacks … Named to the 5th annual Academic All-America team in North Carolina by High School Football America … Also played baseball as a prep where he was an All-Sandhills Athletic Conference selection.

Personal: Is the son of Carolina and Fredy McCollum … Is the younger brother of former Catamount kicker Richard McCollum, who finished his career at WCU ranked second in the program for career points scored.  Older brother, Freddy, kicked collegiately at Wingate.

61 Days to WCU Football Kickoff - #61 Marcus Trout

                                                                                                       

It's now 61 days until the kickoff of Catamount football on Saturday, August 29, 2026, against the  Eastern Kentucky Colonels in EJ Whitmire Stadium, Cullowhee, NC

To help pass those long summer days and get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season and more knowledgeable of the team members, we'll continue the football countdown each day until kickoff day. 

Today we highlight the Catamount player currently assigned to #61 on the WCU Preseason Roster:

#61 Marcus Trout

Position Kicker
Height 5-11
Weight 180
Class Redshirt Freshman
Hometown Cocoa, Fla.
High School Cocoa HS









2025 (Freshman): Saw action in 10 of the team’s 12 games, pressed into the lineup after an injury to starter Christian Lowery at Wake Forest … Finished second on the Catamount squad with 59 total points scored ... Connected on 47 point-after-touchdown attempts to rank third in the SoCon … His 47 straight successful PATs included going 6-for-6 in three separate games – Samford (Sept. 20), at Campbell (Sept. 27), and at The Citadel (Oct. 18) … Connected on a single-game career-best seven PATs in the 52-7 rout of Furman (Oct. 11) ... Split the uprights on four field goals, nailing his first attempt on a 28-yarder against Elon (Sept. 13) … Kicked the game-winning, 34-yard field goal in the road victory at Wofford (Oct. 4) … Hit a career-long 44-yard boot to put the Catamounts on the board in the win over Furman (Oct. 11) … Named to the Southern Conference All-Freshman team on special teams by the league’s head coaches.

Prior to Western Carolina: Played for the Florida Class 2-A State Championship team … Named to the 2024 All-District 12 and District 12 All-Senior teams … Named the Brevard Sports Network co-Special Teams Player of the Year in 2023 … According to MaxPreps, had 83 kickoffs as a senior with 44 touchbacks, averaging 55.3 yards per kick … Punted just 12 times with an average of 41.2 yards including a 60 yarder and two downed inside the opponent 20 yard line … Finished 62-of-68 on PATs and hit 8-of-14 field goals including a long of 40 yards, accounting for 86 seasonal points … Credited with 78 combined touchbacks over his final two seasons as a prep … Scored 142 career points with 99 made PATs and 14 field goals.

Personal: His father, Nate Trout, was a kicker at Syracuse where he served as a team captain … Spent 10 years living in Waynesville, N.C., when he was younger.

62 Days to WCU Football Kickoff - #62 Brian Wheat

                                                                                                       

It's now 62 days until the kickoff of Catamount football on Saturday, August 29, 2026, against the  Eastern Kentucky Colonels in EJ Whitmire Stadium, Cullowhee, NC

To help pass those long summer days and get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season and more knowledgeable of the team members, we'll continue the football countdown each day until kickoff day. 

Today we highlight the Catamount player currently assigned to #62 on the WCU Preseason Roster:

#62 Brian Wheat

Position  Offensive Line

Height 6-3
Weight 310
Class Freshman
Hometown Jacksonville, Fla.
High School West Nassau HS

Prior to Western Carolina: Signed during the early period in December and enrolled at WCU mid-year … Helped lead West Nassau High to the state championship after a 9-1 regular season as a senior ... Originally committed to Mercer ... Also played basketball as a prep.

A Look at the Campbell Fighting Camesl

The 2026 Campbell University football team enters the 2026 season with high intrigue under a re-tooled coaching staff. 

Campbell finished the 2025 football season with an overall record of 2–10 and a 2–6 record in Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) conference play. While it was a challenging season, the team was highly competitive in conference play, suffering four heartbreaking losses by a touchdown or less. The Cats are 1-3 overall all verses the Camels, but are 1-0 in Buies Creek, N.C.

thanks to a 42-35 win last season.

Following the 2025 season, head coach Braxton Harris initiated a complete overhaul of the defensive coaching staff. This decisive change came after a 2–10 campaign heavily defined by late-game collapses, where the Fighting Camels dropped seven separate games in which they held a fourth-quarter lead.

 
Roster & Coaching Outlook

Quarterback Stability: Rising sophomore Kamden Sixkiller returns to build on his strong 2025 performance, where he notably logged 258 passing yards in the season finale.

Skill Positions: Key offensive pieces like receiver Randall King (who posted 121 receiving yards in late 2025) and running back Ethan Lawrence provide established firepower.

Staff Reinforcements: The defense gets a strategic boost with the hiring of Blaine Miller as the Defensive Run Game Coordinator and Defensive Line Coach.

Season Keys to Success

Surviving the Gauntlet: The early three-game stretch against ETSU, Western Carolina and Florida will test the roster's depth and resilience.

Defensive Identity: Coach Blaine Miller must rapidly develop the interior defensive line to stop CAA rushing attacks.

Offense: The Sixkiller Era Takes Flight
Offensive Coordinator Matt Kubik heads into the fall with a clear vision: a balanced, high-tempo attack built around sophomore quarterback Kamden Sixkiller.

Quarterback Room: After securing the starting job as a freshman, Kamden Sixkiller (#6) enters 2026 with high expectations. He showed elite poise in the 2025 finale against Towson, throwing for 258 yards and a touchdown. 

The Ground Game: Running backs Ethan Lawrence (#23) is a prototypical dual-threat back, logging 66 rushing yards, 2 touchdowns, and 15 receiving yards in late-season action last year. 

Offensive Line: Veterans Andrew Guthrie (#78) and Mason Merriwether (#55) anchor the left side of the line. The focal point of Fall Camp will be replacing departed talent at guard to ensure Sixkiller remains clean in the pocket.

Defense: Rebuilding the Front

Defensive Coordinator Brandon Butcher is tasked with making the Fighting Camels stouter at the point of attack. To aid this, Campbell hired Blaine Miller as the Defensive Run Game Coordinator and Defensive Line Coach.

Defensive Line: The interior will lean heavily on 305-pound space-eater Jordan Jones (#98) and Logan Wright (#99) to plug rushing lanes.

Linebackers: DaVonyae Pettis (#37) givesCampbell exceptional speed in the second tier. He excels at scraping sideline-to-sideline, which will be vital against the CAA's heavily favored spread-option elements..
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Secondary: The secondary should be the strength of the defense. Safeties Evan Spivey (#0) and Chase Arrington (#4) are physical ball-hawks who limit explosive plays. Cornerback Javian Drake (#22) is expected to shadow opposing wideout threats on an island.👟

Special Teams: Consistent & Battle-Tested

Special Teams Coordinator Koy McFarland brings back a highly dependable kicking game that relieves immense pressure on the offense.

Kicking: Placekicker Alex Crabb (#38) is exceptionally accurate from inside 40 yards, boasting a clean 100% field goal rate in high-stakes pressure situations late last year.

Return Game: Randall King handles both punt and kickoff return duties, giving Campbell an explosive field-position generator on every change of possession.

63 Days to WCU Football Kickoff - #63 Thomas Guerrero

                                                                                                       

It's now 63 days until the kickoff of Catamount football on Saturday, August 29, 2026, against the  Eastern Kentucky Colonels in EJ Whitmire Stadium, Cullowhee, NC

To help pass those long summer days and get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season and more knowledgeable of the team members, we'll continue the football countdown each day until kickoff day. 

Today we highlight the Catamount player currently assigned to #63 on the WCU Preseason Roster:

#63 Thomas Guerrero

Position  Punter

Height  5-9
Weight  160
Class  Redshirt Freshman
Hometown  Greenville, S.C.
High School  Greenville HS

2025 (Freshman): Did not see game action, remaining eligible for a redshirt.

Prior to Western Carolina: Three-year varsity letterwinner … Punted 53 times in 32 games over his final two seasons at Greenville High, amassing 2,018 yards for an average of 38.1 as a junior and senior … Credited with 13 punts dropped inside the opponent's 20-yard line by MaxPreps … As a placekicker over his sophomore and junior seasons, finished 120-of-124 on PATs and was 7-of-12 on field goals for a two-year total of 141 points.

64 Days to WCU Football Kickoff - #64 Konrad Henderson

                                                                                                       

It's now 64 days until the kickoff of Catamount football on Saturday, August 29, 2026, against the  Eastern Kentucky Colonels in EJ Whitmire Stadium, Cullowhee, NC

To help pass those long summer days and get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season and more knowledgeable of the team members, we'll continue the football countdown each day until kickoff day. 

Today we highlight the Catamount player currently assigned to #64 on the WCU Preseason Roster:

#64 Konrad Henderson  

Position Offensive Line

Height 6-3
Weight 320
Class Redshirt Sophomore
Hometown Alpharetta, Ga.
High School Chattahoochee HS

College:  Guilford College

2025 (Redshirt Freshman): Did not see game action.

Prior to Western Carolina: Played in three games along the offensive line at Guilford College in 2023;

High School: Was a Region 6 AAAAA honorable mention at Chattahoochee High..

65 Days to WCU Football Kickoff - Rudi Small

                                                                                                       

It's now 65 days until the kickoff of Catamount football on Saturday, August 29, 2026, against the  Eastern Kentucky Colonels in EJ Whitmire Stadium, Cullowhee, NC

To help pass those long summer days and get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season and more knowledgeable of the team members, we'll continue the football countdown will highlight another member of the coaching staff:

No player is currently assigned to #65, so we will highlight another member of the WCU coaching staff:

Rudi Small

Title   Assistant Coach / Running Backs / Recruiting Coordinator

Rudi Small, the all-time leading rusher in Jacksonville University football history, was tabbed to coach the Catamount running backs, joining the Western Carolina coaching staff in the spring of 2021.

Over his first three years, Small mentored 2022 SoCon Freshman of the Year, Freshman All-America, and two-time All-Southern Conference selection in tailback Desmond Reid. Reid was a finalist for the Jerry Rice Award.

Small earned his coaching start as a graduate assistant at his alma mater in 2014, parlaying that experience into an assistant coaching position at Valdosta State in 2016. Working alongside his former position coach at Jacksonville – current WCU assistant coach Kerry Webb – Small helped coach the Blazers’ running backs at Valdosta State and was on staff during the 2018 undefeated season and national championship run.

Small led the Dolphins in rushing from 2007-2010 with three-consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons in 2008 (1,364), 2009 (1,074), and 2010 (1,145) – six of the top 10 individual season records in program history. A Walter Payton Award candidate in 2010, Small finished his career with 4,073 career rushing yards and 43 rushing touchdowns. He continues to hold the Jacksonville record for all-purpose yards in a career with 5,765, career touchdowns with 49, and career points with 294 scored over his four-year career.

A former Trinity Catholic High product, Small matched a Jacksonville record with five rushing touchdowns against UNC Pembroke on Sept. 22, 2007, a 55-10 home victory for the Dolphins.

Small is a two-time graduate of Jacksonville University, earning his Bachelor of Arts degree in Sports Management in 2012 and his Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree in Organizational Leadership Learning in 2016.

He and his wife, Evelyn, were married on August 3, 2014.

66 Days to WCU Football Kickoff - Ty Phillips

                                                                                                       

It's now 66 days until the kickoff of Catamount football on Saturday, August 29, 2026, against the  Eastern Kentucky Colonels in EJ Whitmire Stadium, Cullowhee, NC

To help pass those long summer days and get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season and more knowledgeable of the team members, we'll continue the football countdown will highlight another member of the coaching staff:

No player is currently assigned to #66, so we will highlight another member of the WCU coaching staff:

Ty Phillips

Title  Assistant Coach/Bandits

Ty Phillips serves as an assistant football coach/bandit coach at Western Carolina.

Prior to WCU, he was the defensive line coach at Georgia Military College. 

A former nose tackle for Georgia Southern University, he was on the coaching staff at the junior college level until 2024.  

His coaching background and professional journey include his current role at Western Carolina; Assistant Coach/Defensive Line at Georgia Military College (Milledgeville, GA). 

Prior Experience: Assistant Football Coach at McDonough High School

Playing Career: Standout nose tackle and collegiate athlete at Georgia Southern University.