Game #1 - Newberry

In the 2018 season kickoff game for the Cats, former Carolinas Conference mate, the Newberry College Wolves visits E.J. Whitmire Stadium.

In the season-opening game, the Cats will sport an all-white look with white Adidas jerseys over white pants for this year's "White Out" game.

For the fourth-straight year, a postgame fireworks extravaganza follows the home-opener.

Newberry Wolves

When: Saturday, September 1, 2018 - Time:  6:00 pm
Where: Bob Waters Field, Whitmire Stadium - Cullowhee, NC
TV/video:   ESPN+
Live Stats:  liveStats
Conference:  South Atlantic Conference (SAC)  Division II
Message Board:  D2 Football
Game Notes:  WCU     -     Newberry
Radio: Catamount Sports Network  -  coverage begins at 5:00 pm with the Pepsi Tailgate Show as the "Voice of the Catamounts," Gary Ayers will be joined by Greg McLamb and Jeff Bryson on the call.
 - Fans can listen to the CSN broadcast on WWCU-FM Power 90dot5 in Cullowhee; 105.7 FM and 540 AM WRGC in Sylva; 104.9 FM & 1050 AM WFSC in Franklin; WISE Sports Radio 97.3 FM and 1310 / 970 AM in Asheville/Canton; and with live streaming audio available online at CatamountSports.com.

The Series: Newbery and Western Carolina have not met on the football field since a 1993 meeting in Cullowhee. The two schools met nine times in the 1960s and the Cats are 10-4 overall against the Wolves, having won the last 8 games. The series started back in 1948, as most of the games were played when both teams were members of the Carolina's Conference in the 1960s.

Last year’s record (Newberry):  5-6 overall,  3-4 conference,  2-4 away

In the offseason, the Wolves named a new offensive coordinator, Todd Varn, who joined their staff in February. Varn sent the last 8 seasons at  Presbyterian where he served as offensive coordinator and assistant head coach for six seasons. No stranger to Newberry, he coached the Wolves in various assistant roles on two separate occasions. The Wolves also added a new offensive line coach, Taylor Cornett, and a new tight ends coach, Zach Edmond.

Newberry had 51 signees to mark National Signing Day. The Wolves signed one Shrine Bowler, 14 North-South All-Stars, and six Border Bowl participants, including the game's Most Valuable Player. The signing class also includes two Region Players of the Year and the 2A Offensive Player of the Year in Chesterfield quarterback Savion Watson.

Notable returning players:
-Jamarcus Henderson (DL)Henderson finished second on the team with 59 tackles, including 47 solo stops
-Keito Jordon (DL) finished the season with 30 tackles, including 24 unassisted, and had a team-high nine quarterback hurries.
-Joe Blue (LB) totaled 11 tackles for loss, five quarterback hurries, two pass breakups, two fumble recoveries, and a forced fumble
-Jawanza Adams (DB) six tackles on five occasions, had 2.5 tackles for loss, and had one quarterback hurry.
-Tyler Anderson (OL) made nine starts at left tackle and two at right tackle this season. The sophomore from Anderson has graded out at 92 percent or higher in six of 11 games
-Markell Castle (WR) – third in school history in 100-yard games (9), fourth in touchdowns (17), seventh in yardage (1,757), and 10th in receptions (110)

The Newberry Wolves had nine players named preseason all-South Atlantic Conference. Four of the nine garnered first team honors. Receiver Markell Castle was named to the first team offense, while Jamarcus Henderson and Keito Jordan make up half of the first team defensive line. Joe Blue also earned honors at linebacker. Running back Austin Barnes, lineman Tyler Anderson and the placekicker, Shea Rodgers was honored with second-team offense selections. Anfernee Moffett and defensive back Jawanza Adams finished out the selections named to the second team defense. The Wolves were picked to finish fourth in yesterday's preseason coaches' poll.

2016 All-American defensive end Jamarcus Henderson, currently ranked third among active Division II players in career tackles for loss is within range of several all-time Newberry records. Henderson and fellow defensive end Keito Jordon give the Wolves tremendous production (89 tackles, 26.5 tackles for loss, and 14.5 sacks accounting for 116 yards in 2017) and half of the preseason first team all-SAC defensive line.  Converted tight end Austin Barnes, at running back, figures to be a key part of the offense. Only seven of his 112 carries went for negative yardage a season ago as he racked up 494 yards and seven scores. This season, the Wolves hope to take pressure off the quarterbacks and play ball control, using the running game to open up lanes to throw to Markell Castle, Bobby Irby, and the rest of the Wolves' wide receiver corps. 


2017 Wolves Statistics:
Rushing Offense: 1839 yds
Yards per game: 167.2
Yards per rush: 4.2 yards
TDs rushing: 15
Passing Offense: 1953 yards or 177.5 yards per game
Passing Comp-Att-Int: 139-269-10
TDs passing: 20
Total Offense: 3792 yards or 344.7 yards per game
Passing 1st downs: 75
Rushing 1st downs: 103
Fumbles-Lost: 17-7
3d Down Conversions: 65/153 or 42%
4th Down Conversions: 5/12 or 42%
Field Goals - Attempts: 11-16
Red-Zone Scores: 26-33 - 79%
Red-Zone Touchdowns: 21-33 - 64%
Punts (No. Yards): 56-2210 Avg. per punt: 39.5 yds
PAT-Attempts: 34-35 - 97%
Field Goals-Attempts: 11-16
On-Side Kicks: 0 of 0

Game prediction:  Per the Massey Ratings, the Cats have a 95% probability of winning (37-14)

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