2017 Football Preseason Preview: Furman

Throughout this preseason, Purple & Gold will preview all of Western's 2017 football opponents.


For the ninth game of the season, the Cats host the Furman Paladins for this year's fourth home game.


The Cats dropped a 28 point loss to the Paladins in last season on the road after winning 48-19 at home in 2015.






Furman

When: Saturday, October 28 at 3:30 pm

Where: E.J. Whitmire Stadium, Cullowhee, NC

Radio: Catamount Sports Network

TV / video: ESPN3

The Series: The Cats have won the last two of the last three in the series, but are only 12-30-2 overall against the Paladins in the series, and 5-14-1 in games played in Cullowhee.

Last Season's Game vs. Furman (Nov. 12, 2016) Camount Football Drops Road Game at Furman, 49-21 - Greenville, S.C. - Junior tailback Detrez Newsome rushed for a pair of first half touchdowns and receiver Spearman Robinson capped a double-digit reception day with a score, but it was not enough as Furman pulled away from Western Carolina in the second half, handing the Catamounts a 49-21 loss Saturday evening at Paladin Stadium.

Last season's Record (Furman):  3-8 overall,  1-4 home,  2-4 away,  3-5 conference (conference wins over ETSU, VMI, & WCU)

Head Coach: Clay Hendrix (Furman '86) Clay Hendrix was introduced as Furman’s new head football coach by director of athletics Mike Buddie on December 19. Hendrix, a former Paladin offensive guard and assistant coach who returns to his alma mater following a decade as an assistant coach at the United States Air Force Academy, is the 23rd head coach in the history of Furman football, which dates from 1889. He succeeds Bruce Fowler, who resigned his head coaching duties on Dec. 2.



Offensive Formation: Multiple

Defensive Formation: 3-4

Starters returning/lost: 12 / 14

Offensive starters - Returning/Lost: 4  / 7

Defensive starters - Returning/Lost: 4 / 7

Specialist - Returning/Lost: 4 / 0

Key Personnel Returning: Offense - Terrell Bush (OG), Matthew Gordon (WR), Logan McCarter (WR), Matthew Schmidt (C) Defense - Aaquil Annoor (S), Joe Farrar (S), Chinedu Okonya (DE), Jaylan Reid (DT)

Furman wad the seventh place pick in the Southern Conference coaches preseason poll, and four Paladins were named to preseason all-conference teams. Furman garnered 26 points in the coaches poll to place seventh, finishing ahead of East Tennessee State (17) and VMI (12). Paladin senior center Matthew Schmidt was the Paladins' lone representative on the preseason all-conference first team. Earning second team accolades were senior fullback Antonio Wilcox, redshirt junior nose guard Jaylan Reid, and junior safety Aaquil Annoor.

2016 Furman Statistics:
Rushing Offense: 1466 yards
Yards per game: 133
Yards per rush: 4.2 yards
Rushing 1st downs: 82
TDs rushing: 19
Passing Offense: 2931 yards or 267 yards per game
Avg. per pass: 7.7 yards
Passing 1st downs: 133
Passing Comp-Att-Int: 245-382-13
TDs Passing: 21
Total Offense: 4397 yards or 347 yards per game
Fumbles-Lost: 18 - 9
3d Down Conversions: 52 of 134 (39%)
4th Down Conversions: 10 of 18 (56%)
Field goal attempts: 7 - 15
PAT-Attempts: 36 of 38 (95%)
On-side kicks: 0-3
Red Zone Scores: 37 of 43 (86%)
Red Zone Touchdowns: 31 of 43 (72%)
Punts - Yards: 47 - 1890 - Avg per punt: 40




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