Game Day in Charleston

                   Western Carolina Catamounts (1-3)
                                             at
                          The Citadel Bulldogs (2-2)

When/where:
Oct. 2, 2010  at 1 p.m. / Johnson Hagood Stadium (21,000) Charleston, SC

Last Week:
The Catamounts lost to UTC (27-21) at home, while the Bulldogs lost to Furman (14-31) on the road.

The series:
The Catamounts face the Bulldogs for the 35th time in the programs’ history.  The Citadel leads the series 19-14-1, which dates back to 1972.  Last season,  WCU claimed a Homecoming victory of 14-10, before a SportSouth televised audience. The last time The Citadel defeated WCU was in 2008 in a 34-14 victory in Charleston.

Head Coaches:
WCU - Dennis Wagner (Utah ‘82) Overall Record: 50-58-1 (12 season)
At WCU: 6-21 (3d season)

The Citadel - Kevin Higgins (West Chester ‘77) Overall Record: 82-59-1 (14th Season)
At The Citadel: 26-34 (6th Season)

The Game:
Both teams will be looking for their first SoCon win of the season. The last Citadel 's last SoCon win came in a 28-16 victory against Samford on Oct. 31, 2009 - while the Bulldogs were the last SoCon win for the Catamounts on Oct. 17, 2009.   So far this season, The Citadel has wins against Chowan (56-14) and Presbyterian (26-14), while the Catamounts have one win against Gardner-Webb (28-14). Both team have one SoCon loss for the season, The Citadel losing to Furman last Saturday (14-31) and the Catamounts to Chattanooga (21-27).

Radio:
Catamount Sport Network
CSN Affiliate Stations:
WWCU, Power 90dot5 – Cullowhee
680 AM WRGC – Sylva
920 AM WPTL – Canton
1150 AM WAVO - Charlotte / Rock Hill, S.C.
1410 AM WTIX - Concord / Kannapolis
1480 AM WPFJ, The Dove – Franklin
1600 AM WTZQ – Hendersonville

The Citadel Sports Network

ESPN 910 Charleston

Online:

Stretch Internet

Video:

Live Video at:  Bulldog Insider

Keep Climbing! Western Carolina Football

Western Carolina vs. Gardner-Webb

Pechloff to start at The Citadel

During the SoCon teleconference today, Coach Wagner made the announcement that true freshman Brandon Pechloff will start Saturday's football game at the Citadel.


When asked would Brindise share the game time, Wagner said "Pechloff's our guy right now".

Wagner's job is the one on the line, he said it was his personal decision to pull Brindise and go with Pechloff, so, like his decision on an OC, I guess we'll see how it works out.

Tickets for "Battle for the Old Mountain Jug" Now On-Sale

Western Carolina and Appalachian State will meet on the gridiron for the 75th time this year with the "Old Mountain Jug" up for grabs for the 35th time. Tickets for the October 23rd game are now on-sale to the public through the Catamount Athletics website. Ticket prices are $30 for adults and $20 for youth.

             

Game Day in Cullowhee

                    UT Chattanooga Mocs (1-2)

                                           at
             Western Carolina Catamounts (1-2)

When/where: 6 p.m.   /  Bob Waters Field / E.J. Whitmire Stadium (13,472)

Last week:  Western won over Gardner-Webb;  UT Chattanooga won over Eastern Kentucky

The series:  16-20

Head coaches:   WCU - Dennis Wagner (3rd season);  UTC -  Russ Huesman  (2d season)

The Game:

-Mocs Junior WR Joel Bradford is leading the SoCon with 138.3 receiving yards per game.  Against EKU, he broke the Mocs’ school record with 254 receiving yards is the reigning SoCon Offensive Player of the Week.  Bradford will take his SoCon Offensive Player of the Week Award and put it up against the reigning SoCon Defensive Player of the Week in WCU's Torez Jones.  Jones picked off four passes to set a school record and made 12 solo tackles for the Catamounts’ in last week's 28-14 win at Gardner-Webb.

-Junior DB Jordan Tippit, a First Team All-SoCon pick, is expected to miss his second-straight game with a high-ankle sprain he suffered in the first half at Jacksonville State on Sept. 11.

-Chattanooga currently has the SoCon’s leading passer in junior B.J. Coleman (288.0 yds/game), the leading rusher in  Erroll Wynn (110.0 yds/game) and the leading receiver in junior Joel Bradford (138.3 receiving yards/game).

 -The Catamounts have recorded 11 sacks on the year, second in the SoCon. They lead the league in rushing defense, only allowing 86.3 yards per game on the ground.
 
Go Cats.

The Dennis Wagner Show (9-24-10)

Watch The Dennis Wagner Show on WNC Television or watch here.

The Dennis Wagner Show

This Weekend in Cullowhee

Is It You?

A big thanks to "ndm2010" for this video.

Torez Jones

Following this past Saturday's Catamount win at Gardner-Webb, junior defensive back Torez Jones has been rewarded with numerious weekly honors for his career performance against the Runnin' Bulldogs.



Jones lead the team with 12 solo tackles against GWU, including his first-career sack on a corner blitz. Jones also set a new WCU school-record of four interceptions in a game, three coming in the second quarter alone. The four interceptions tied the SoCon single-game interceptions record, last accomplished in 1957.

As a reward for his exceptional play, he has earned not only Western Carolina honors, but conference, as well as national honors. In addition to the university record for most interceptions in a single game, Jones was named this week's Southern Conference's Defensive Player of the Week. On the heels of that honor, SouthernPigskin.com named him the SoCon Player of the Week. In addition to those honors, The Sports Network seleced him as FCS co-Defensive Player of the Week and a College Sporting News All-Star and also received national recognition by the College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) as its National Defensive Performer of the Week.

Torez Jones, another reason it's great to be a Catamount fan. 

Circling the Wagons

During Tuesday's weekly Southern Conference coaches call, Coach Wagner stated, “We've got to circle the wagons, get together tight as a fist and come out swinging”

Well, the Catamounts did circle the wagons.  Not only did they circle the wagons, they came out swinging in just the second time ever playing in Boiling Springs against the Gardner-Webb Bulldogs. 

The 'Dogs were flying high after their first ever,  over time win of a bowl eligible, FBS team last Saturday. When the Bulldog aerial war was over this week, the Catamounts prevailed with the assistance of four interceptions by Torez Jones, resulting in a final score of 28-14, while holding the Bulldogs scoreless in the first half. 

It's great to be a Catamount fan. 

Game Day at Gardner-Webb

Western Carolina Catamounts (0-2)
                                at
Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs (2-0)

When/where: 6 p.m.,   Norman Harris Field/Spangler Stadium

Last week: Western lost to Tusculum 54-30; GWU beat Akron 38-37 in overtime

The series: 2-2

Head coaches:  WCU - Dennis Wagner (3rd season);  GWU - Steve Patton (14th season)

Western Carolina players to watch:

- Standout receiver Marquell Pittman, will see his first action of the year for the Catamounts after serving a two-game suspension. Pittman had two touchdown catches against GWU last season,

- Quarterback Zac Brindise threw for 4 touchdowns and more than 300 yards last week

- Receivers, Jacoby Mitchell  & Josh Cockrell, both topped the 100-yard mark last week

- Running back Michael Johnson (5-11, 200) lasy year's SoCon Freshman of the Year

-Linebacker Rock Williams leads with 19 tackles this season

Gardner-Webb players to watch:

-Cornerback Bryce Nixon blocked a PAT in overtime, knocked down a pass in the end zone, and recovered a fumble inside the 10 against Akron

-Running back Juwanne Blount averaging more than 100 yards rushing

-Wideout James Perry III had 10 receptions for 125 yards and two scores versus Akron

On the air:  Catamount Sports Network

CSN Affiliate Stations:
WWCU, Power 90.5 – Cullowhee
680 AM WRGC – Sylva
920 AM WPTL – Canton;
1150 AM WAVO - Charlotte / Rock Hill, S.C.
1410 AM WTIX - Concord / Kannapolis
1480 AM WPFJ, The Dove – Franklin
1600 AM WTZQ – Hendersonville
Stretch Internet: http://www.catamountsports.com/

Video: Big South Network

The Dennis Wagner Show

WNC TELEVISION 
             presents
The Dennis Wagner Show

The Dennis Wagner Show is shown on WNC Television, Wednesday through Friday at approximately 10:40 am on Charter Channel 16.

Catamount Sports Today readers can view the Dennis Wagner Show here:  http://wnctelevision.com/

I'll try each week to bring a link to that weeks show. 


Go Catamounts!

Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs

This week's opponent is the Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs.   Located in Boiling Springs, North Carolina, the scarlet & black Running Bulldogs play in Spangler Stadium (capacity 9,000) on natural grass.  Steve Patton is the head coach of the Bulldogs in his 14th season and is currently 85-59 at G-W (115-82-1 overall). 

This will be the first trip to Boiling Springs since 2004, and only the second time the Catamounts have traveled to G-W in the 4 game series.  The series is currently tied at 2-2, with the Bulldogs winning the last two meetings, 26-20 in overtime in 2004 and and 27-20 last year in Cullowhee.

Gardner-Webb is 2-0 coming into this game, with a home win over Div II Brevard, 28-14 and a road win (in overtime) against FBS foe Akron, 38-37.  The Bulldogs received 156 votes in this week’s Sports Network poll, which ranks them five spots out of the Top 25, and were just three total votes away from the Coaches’ Poll, Top 25 Monday, ranking 26th with 69 total votes.

Players to watch Saturday -

Senior Bryce Nixon 6-0, 186, Corner Back. The Big South Defensive Player of the Week. Nixon had a total of nine hits (8 solo) and a blocked a PAT in overtime at the Akron game.

Redshirt Junior James Perry III 6-0, 182, Wide Receiver. The Big South Conference Co-Offensive Player of the Week. Perry caught 10 passes for 125 yards and two touchdowns at Akron. He is a two-time All-Big South selection, while leading the league with 61 catches in 2009

Zac Brindise

After Zack Jaynes' decision to step away from this playing days, Head Coach Dennis Wagner named junior transfer Zac Brindise as the starting quarterback for Saturday's game at Gardner-Webb.

This start will be Zac's first start of collegiate career. The 6'1" 200 pound South Carolina transfer has seen action in both of the Catamounts' first two games. He's tossed four TD passes in his first 45 attempts.

Zac graduated from South Fort Myers (Fla.) High School in 2007 where he was coached by Grant Redhead, and was a member of the National Honor Society and the German Honor Society. He threw for over 1,500 yards as a senior, with 17 touchdowns, helping his team to a 7-3 record.  His postseason honors included LCAC first team, John Carrigan All-Star game MVP, News-Press All-Area, Naples News Comeback Player and South Fort Myers Offensive MVP.

Good Luck Zac, may your successes as a Catamount be many.

Zack Jaynes

Overshadowing the Catamount's loss to Tusculum this week, was Zack Jaynes announcement today that he had made the decision to end his playing career due to health concerns surrounding the herniated disc that he suffered in May of 2009. Zack will remain with the team as a student assistant and continue to work with the WCU's quarterbacks.

Sunday afternoon, Jaynes met with Coach Wagner and his staff and officially told them that his playing career is over because of the herniated disc.

“What I would also like to see is for the fans, students and alumni to continue to support the football team." Jaynes said, "We’re struggling. But we will not and can not build a winning program without their support.”

Hey, I’m a Catamount and will always be a Catamount.” said Jaynes.

Jaynes made 19-consecutive starts since winning the job early in 2008, his redshirt freshman season. Jaynes is on track to graduate from the WCU College of Business in May with a degree in Entrepreneurship. The Catamount Nation wishes him well, and thanks him for his continued commitment to the Catamount Football team.



http://www.catamountsports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/091310aaa.html

Tusculum 54 WCU 30

Just a few game statistics that nobody on the message boards are talking about from the Tusculum game:

First Downs....................TC 19......WCU 27

Net yards Rushing.............TC 42......WCU 82

Net yards Passing..........TC 410.....WCU 396

Total Offense Yards.......TC 453.....WCU 476

Time of Possession.......TC 27:31...WCU 32:29

Another thing that I don't understand is the official attendence number. The 4,471 officially listed as the attendence just can not be correct. While the west stands were definately short on people, the larger east stands were a good 70 to 80% full, and that would certainly account for more than 4500 bodies listed on the offical gamr statistics.

While this was one of Western's more (if not the) most embarrising loss, the real test of these young men will come next Saturday, in Boiling Springs, NC. How will the react to this loss. Will they return to the old ways of just showing up and going through the motions, or do they stiffen up their spines an heap a little revenge football on G-W for not only Saturday's loss, but also the losses of the last two games played against the Runnin' Bulldogs?

This weekend in Cullowhee (9-10-10)

If you love college football and soccer, this is the weekend to visit Cullowhee.

Soccer hosts the Catamount Classic on Friday and Sunday with the Catamounts faceing Air Force (3-2-1) at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Xavier (2-3) at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday.

On Saturday, Tusculum College travels to Cullowhee for the home football opener at 6 p.m.

Good Luck to all the Catamount teams the weekend.

Read more about this weekend's activites in the Catamount Sports Forum .

WCU's Pride of the Mountains Marching Band

On Saturday, along with the first home football game of the season, Western Carolina's Sudler Trophy winner, Pride of the Mountains Marching Band will be making it's season debut as well.   This season, the band has increased in size to approximately 380 members and will be performing it's new show titled "Rock U". 

I can't wait until about an hour before game time, when you'll hear in the distance, the Pride of the Mountains marching down Centennial Drive toward the stadium, complete with police escort.  If that sounds doesn't send chills up your spine, you're probably not a Catamount fan. 

The Pride of the Mountains, one of the many reasons, it's great to be a "Catamount fan".   The Catamount Nation loves it's marching band !!!!

If you haven't visited their web site I recommend you do, it's packed full of information about the Pride.  To visit,  Click here

PurpleVision

PurpleVision makes it's debut in Cullowhee this weekend.

           

PurpleVision is the new scoreboard located on Bob Waters Field at E.J. Whitmire Stadium that features a new Daktronics video screen that is 32 feet wide and 17 feet tall.

Game day production will be undertaken by faculty and students of the WCU Communication Department. In the design of the infrastructure and with the desire to incorporate students in the project and provide them with a professional learning experience while helping the Athletics Department man the cameras and necessary video board components,  the university invested in a fiber network that connects the video board with the state of the art WCU television studio located in the Center for Applied Technology. 

This access to the TV studio will allow for the professional production of videos and materials to be shown during game day.  Videos will feature much more than game day activity, the board will also feature university and student events, as well as community information from the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce.

I can't wait to see and experience it.

A look at Tusculum College

Tusculum College (TC) is a private college affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA), with its main campus in Tusculum, Tennessee, a suburb of Greeneville. It was established in 1794, and has approx. 2500 undergraduates.  Tusculum is the oldest college in the state of Tennessee.

TC is a member the NCAA Division II,  South Atlantic Conference (SAC) which traces it's roots back to the North State Conference, which both WCU & ASU were members.

Last season TC's football record was 3-7, but the Pioneers are already 2-0 this season with wins over the University of Charleston (W.Va.) 24-12 & the University of Findlay, 16-3.  Along with TC's two wins this season, comes a  number 25 ranking in the Div II top 25 rankings.

The Pioneers returned 43 lettermen and 15 starters. The offensive unit, which boasted one of the top passing attacks in Div II, returns six starters, led by sophomore quarterback Bo Cordell, the 2009 South Atlantic Conference Offensive Freshman of the Year.  The Tusculum defense returns five starters.  The most veteran-laden group on this team is the defensive front.  All three starters return to the defensive trenches, including Preseason All-SAC Second Team pick Jermaine Jennings.  Jennings, a 6-4, 260-pound product from Duncan, S.C., tallied 33 tackles last season, including two for a loss and a team-best six quarterback hurries.

Certainly, the Catamounts can not take the Pionneers lightly, nor over look them.

SoCon Week #2

Week #2 of the season is already upon us, and all SoCon teams will be in action this Saturday, 9-11-10. Here's the line up:

Tusculum at Western Carolina - The Catamount come roaring back, with a very lopsided score.

Wofford at Charleston Southern - CSU won by 10 over N. Greenville Saturday, while Wofford was losing to Ohio.  No contest, the Terriers by 17 or more.

Colgate at Furman - Colgate won by one point over Monmouth, and Furman did not play Saturday. But a win over the Hawks is not enough to ensure a victory over Furman in Traveler's Rest, SC.   FU wins big.

Shaw at Elon - CIAA's Shaw can save the gas, and stay home. Not even close, Elon wins big, can you say blow out?

UT Chattanooga at Jacksonville State - I'd love to pick UTC after the showing against ASU Saturday, but, unfortunately, the Mocs get more of the same, it just won't be as close.  JSU by at least 14.

The Citadel at Arizona - this one could get ugly, Arizona beat Toledo by 39 points Saturday, and will top that score against the Bulldogs.

Samford at Northwestern State - Northwestern was thumped by the Air Force 65-21, while the Bulldogs were getting the same courtesy Florida State, 59-6. Samford by a field goal.

Jacksonville at ASU - How many does ASU want to score? It will be a bad as Coach Moore wants it to be.  Jacksonville plays in the non-scholarship Pioneer Football League. 

Georgia Southern at Navy - Triple Option experienced, meets triple option in-experienced. Navy plays it's first game Monday at Maryland. Expect a 21 point win over the Eagles.

You disagree ?  Let's hear about it.  Click here to the Catamount Sports Forum for this week's SoCon "Pick 'em"  thread.

WCU 7 NC State 48

The day we had waited for so patiently since last December finally arrived.  A new season, a new beginning, an opportunity to impress, a record of 0-0.  No losses, undefeated.  That feeling before the start of the game was great.  Like all new football seasons, full of optimism, full of hope, day dreams of a win over NC State. 

But it was not to be.  Not this year, once again, no win over a FBS opponent.    Did you hear about Jacksonville State of the OVC?     They won today.    They beat Ole Miss, a Southeastern Conference member.  

When does our time come?

Today is the day

Today is the day. 

The Catamounts take the field tonight at 6 pm against a FBS team.  Should we gage how far the Catamounts have come based on the final score to today's game?  or should we wait and judge the team's improvements (or lack of) against FCS teams?  Is the Wolfpack an unfair opponent to judge improvement against due to the 85 scholarships allowed vs. the 64 in the FCS?  Will the coaching staff have this team overachieving?  What about the play calling, will we see improvement? 

It's now been three three years since Coach Wagner took over the program, and he now has three recruiting classes playing on this team.  The university has provided him with what the said he needed to make the Catamounts competitive, this is evidenced by two things, he turned down a job at a higher level to remain in Cullowhee, and he's received a contract extension.   

So, what should we expect from today's game?  What if the Cats win?  What if the Cats lose by 20-30 points?

Many of these questions will be answered by the final score.  However, a blow-out will not bode well for the remainder of the season.

Cats open season at NC State

Friday morning the Catamounts departed Cullowhee for Raleigh, where Coach Wagner will coach against his first ACC opponent, NC State. Coach Wagner also announced that team captains have been named: Senior Charles Johnson (defensive lineman), senior Zak Warner long snapper) and junior Nate Harris (running back).

The Catamounts will be without the services of two highly rated seniors, wide receiver Marquel Pittman and defensive back Adam Hearns on Saturday night, Pittman to a suspension and Hearns to injury.

All four quarterbacks will be making the trip, with Zack Jaynes expected to start. The game can be seen on ESPN3.com, the ESPN's online streaming outlet. As usual, the game can be heard on the Catamount Sports Network, broadcast across seven stations in North and South Carolina, and online at CatamountSports.com.

The Carolina Ford Dealers Pre-game Show begins an hour and a half prior to kickoff, going live from Raleigh at 4:30 pm.

Go Cats.