2021 Football Preseason Preview: Wofford Terriers

Throughout this preseason, Purple & Gold will preview all of Western's 2021 football opponents.

For the eighth game of the season, the Cats travel to Spartanburg, SC to face the Wofford Terriers. This will be the second straight time facing the Terriers in Sparkle City, as Wofford, like Chattanooga, opted out of their final games in the Spring. The ankle bitters opted of their remaining games the week they were scheduled to travel to Cullowhee, thus earning them the moniker, Woffraud.  The Cats missed two scheduled home games due to conference schools opting out just prior to their scheduled WCU game.

Western faces the Terriers for the forty-third time since 1952.

Game #8 - Wofford Terriers

When: Saturday, October 30, 2021

Time:  1:30 pm
Where:  Woffraud's Gibbs Stadium, Spartanburg, SC 

Radio: Catamount Sports Network
TV/video:  ESPN+

Mascot:  Terrier

Colors: Old Gold & Black

Message Board:  Wofford Fans

The Series: The Cats are 15-27 overall against the Terriers in a series that started in 1952, The Cats & Terriers have played a total of 42 times, and Western has lost three in a row to the Terriers.

Games that will be played by the Bulldogs this season prior to the WCU contest:  (7 games)  The Terriers open the season at Elon, followed by a home game versus Kennesaw State, then visits VMI and ETSU before returning home to face Furman and Samford.  The Terriers then travel to Macon to face the Bears before meeting the Catamounts in Gibbs Stadium.  

The last game played vs. Wofford:  October 19, 2019 - WCU Unable to Capitalize on Quick Strike in Loss at Wofford - Spartanburg, S.C. – Quarterback Tyrie Adams threw a career-long 69-yard touchdown pass on a toss-back reverse flea-flicker on the game's first play Saturday afternoon, connecting with freshman WR Jaylin Young for the early 7-0 lead for Western Carolina. However, Adams was lost to a game-ending foot injury on the second offensive series and Wofford took advantage, stymieing the Catamounts on offense in limiting WCU to just 172 total yards of offense and four first downs – only one of which came after halftime – in handing the Catamounts a 59-7 setback in Southern Conference action from Gibbs Stadium.  

Head Coach:  Josh Conklin - Josh Conklin is entering his third season as head coach of the Wofford College football team. In his first season at the helm, the Terriers won the Southern Conference Championship and reached the second round of the NCAA FCS Playoffs. Wofford announced on Tuesday, January 2, 2018, the hiring of Josh Conklin as the head football coach. Conklin, who spent the previous three seasons as the defensive coordinator at the University of Pittsburgh, was an assistant coach at Wofford from 2007-09 working with the secondary. Conklin has additional experience at Florida International, Tennessee, The Citadel and South Dakota State University, serving as the defensive coordinator at Pitt, Florida International, and The Citadel.

Josh Conklin's record vs. WCU:  0 - 1

Kerwin Bells' record vs. Wofford:  0 - 0

Last Season's Record (2019 Wofford):  1-4 overall, 1-2  home, 0-2 away, 1-41  in the SoCon.  

Offensive Formation:  Triple Option
Defensive Formation:   Multiple 50
Starters returning/lost:    19  /  6
Offensive starters - Returning/Lost:  7  /  4
Defensive starters - Returning/Lost:  9  /  2
Specialist - Returning/Lost:  3  /  0
Lettermen - Returning/Lost:  56  /  7

Wofford returns 3 players receiving post-season awards from the spring. Wofford players honored include defensive lineman Micheal Mason (first-team coaches and media), defensive back Tahir Annoor (second-team coaches), and running back Irvin Mulligan (All-Freshman team). Mulligan, a second-year freshman, led the Terriers with 342 rushing yards on 51 carries. He had a pair of touchdowns and also had two receptions for 23 yards. Wofford fullback Nathan Walker was named a Stats Perform FCS Second Team All-American. All return for the fall season.  

During the offseason (between spring & fall), the Terriers added six additional student-athlete transfers – Okachi Emmanwori, Anthony Garcia, Romello Gray, Anthonie Lattany, Devin Mathews, Jason Swann – who join the Terriers as transfers for the fall of 2021. Wofford added nearly 20 walk-ons to the roster.  

Also in the offseason, Wofford football offensive coordinator Wade Lang has announced his retirement effective last June 30, 2021. A 1983 graduate of Wofford, he has spent 33 seasons as an assistant coach, including the last 31 as offensive coordinator at his alma mater.  Head coach Josh Conklin hired former WCU assistant (who was relieved of duties) Tyler Carlton as the quarterback coach and co-offensive coordinator. He will share offensive coordinator duties with running backs coach Dane Romero.

The 1-4 Wofford team was picked to finish eighth in the coach's fall preseason poll and seventh by the media. Leading the Terriers on the first team was defensive lineman Micheal Mason. He was named first-team All-Southern Conference by the coaches and media. Three players were named on offense. Senior offensive lineman Zak Kurz earned first-team honors. Second team honors went to offensive lineman Al Hogan and running back Nathan Walker. 

 

2020-21 Woffraud Statistics (Spring  5 games)
Rushing Offense: 1171 yards
Yards per game: 234.2
Yards per rush: 5.0 yards
Rushing 1st downs: 58
TDs rushing: 11
Passing Offense: 684 yards or 136.8 yards per game
Avg. per pass: 7.4 yards
Passing 1st downs: 28
Passing Comp-Att-Int: 52-92-4
TDs Passing: 4
Total Offense: 1855 yards or 371
3d Down Conversions: 34 of 71 (48%)
4th Down Conversions: 6 of 9  (67%)
Field Goal: 6 of  6
On-side kicks: 0-0
Red Zone Scores: 17 of 18 for  94%
Red Zone Touchdowns: 12 of 18 for 67%
PAT: 16 of 16

Punts: 20

Avg per punt:  45 yards

35 days to WCU Football Kickoff - #35 Glenn Young

 

Welcome to the eleventh annual Catamount Football "100 days to Football Kickoff Countdown".

During the countdown, we'll highlight the player whose number corresponds to that day in the countdown. To help pass those long summer days, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season, and knowledgeable of the team members, we'll continue the football countdown each day until kickoff Saturday.

Since the official 2021 Catamount Football Roster has not yet been published, we'll use the 2021 Catamount Football Preseason Roster for jersey numbers until the new roster is posted, at which point we'll switch to the official roster for the remainder of the countdown.

It's now 35 days until the kickoff of Catamount football on Saturday, September 4th, 2021, against the Eastern Kentucky Colonels, in E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field, Cullowhee, NC.

Today we will highlight a running back:  

#35 Glenn Young

POSITION Running Back
HEIGHT 5-9
WEIGHT 200
CLASS Freshman
HOMETOWN Fayetteville, N.C.
HIGH SCHOOL Trinity Christian HS









2020-21 (Freshman): Played in one game, making his WCU debut at Samford (Feb. 27) … Did not record any official statistics ... Named to the 2020-21 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll.

Prior to Western Carolina: His prep career included playing at Jack Britt High in Fayetteville before finishing at Trinity Christian … Started high school in Germany where he did not play football … Two-way player who played running back and linebacker … Rushed for 1,080 yards and 11 touchdowns at Jack Britt High as a junior … Listed as a two-star recruit by both 247Sports.com and Rivals.com … Also participated in track & field as a prep.

 

36 days to WCU Football Kickoff - #36 Skylin Thomas

 

Welcome to the eleventh annual Catamount Football "100 days to Football Kickoff Countdown".

During the countdown, we'll highlight the player whose number corresponds to that day in the countdown. To help pass those long summer days, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season, and knowledgeable of the team members, we'll continue the football countdown each day until kickoff Saturday.

Since the official 2021 Catamount Football Roster has not yet been published, we'll use the 2021 Catamount Football Preseason Roster for jersey numbers until the new roster is posted, at which point we'll switch to the official roster for the remainder of the countdown.

It's now 36 days until the kickoff of Catamount football on Saturday, September 4th, 2021, against the Eastern Kentucky Colonels, in E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field, Cullowhee, NC.

Today we will highlight a Nickleback:  

#36 Skylin Thomas

POSITION  Nickelback
HEIGHT  5-10
WEIGHT  195
CLASS  Redshirt Freshman
HOMETOWN  Lenoir, N.C.
HIGH SCHOOL  Hibriten HS

2020-21 (Redshirt Freshman): Played in all nine seasonal games on special teams and as a defensive reserve … Recorded one tackle on the season at Furman (Feb. 20) … Made his WCU debut at Liberty (Nov. 14) … Credited with a quarterback hurry at Samford (Feb. 27).

Prior to Western Carolina: Helped lead Hibriten High to a 14-1 record as a senior in 2018 ... As a defensive back, finished with 46 solo tackles and 13 tackles for loss with a sack as a senior ... Added an interception and a blocked field goal on special teams ... Rushed for 330 on 24 carries with three touchdowns, adding 13 receptions for 273 yards and four scores ... Tallied 511 return yards in 2018 coming on five kickoff returns and eight punt returns, earning 2018 All-State plaudits as a returner ... Was a part of the North Carolina state 2AA championship squad in 2017 ... Played for head coach Clay Lewis.

Personal: Is the son of Ledra and Monty Scott.

37 days to WCU Football Kickoff - #37 Ty Harris

 

Welcome to the eleventh annual Catamount Football "100 days to Football Kickoff Countdown".

During the countdown, we'll highlight the player whose number corresponds to that day in the countdown. To help pass those long summer days, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season, and knowledgeable of the team members, we'll continue the football countdown each day until kickoff Saturday.

Since the official 2021 Catamount Football Roster has not yet been published, we'll use the 2021 Catamount Football Preseason Roster for jersey numbers until the new roster is posted, at which point we'll switch to the official roster for the remainder of the countdown.

It's now 37 days until the kickoff of Catamount football on Saturday, September 4th, 2021, against the Eastern Kentucky Colonels, in E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field, Cullowhee, NC.

Today we will highlight a linebacker:

#37 Ty Harris

POSITION Linebacker
HEIGHT 6-1
WEIGHT 235
CLASS Fifth Year
HOMETOWN Dacula, Ga.
HIGH SCHOOL Dacula HS

2020-21 (Senior): Started all nine games at linebacker … Led the team with 90 tackles including 50 solo stops and a career-best 8.5 tackles for loss with four sacks … Finished fourth in the Southern Conference with a 9.9 tackle per game average … His 8.5 TFLs ranked him fifth in the league … Posted double-digit tackles in six games and recorded nine-or-more stops in all seven of the SoCon games … Named second-team All-Southern Conference at linebacker by the voting members of the media … Opened the season with 11 tackles at nationally-ranked Liberty (Nov. 14) … Forced a fumble to accompany five tackles at North Carolina (Dec. 5) … Posted a season-high 14 tackles twice including an 11 solo stops, 14 tackle outing against VMI (March 6) and 14 stops against The Citadel (March 13) … Was a preseason second-team All-SoCon selection from the league’s coaches ... Named to the 2020-21 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll.

2019 (Junior): Started all 12 seasonal games at linebacker … Led the Catamounts in tackles in 2019 finishing with a career-best 109 total hits including 45 solo hits and 7.0 tackles for loss ... Ranked fourth in the SoCon with 106 tackles and an average of 8.8 tackles per game … Credited with two quarterback hurries … Posted four double-digit tackle games including a career-high 17 at home against Samford (Nov. 16) ... Claimed SoCon Defensive Player of the Week honors after posting 11 tackles including 4.0 TFLs in the overtime victory over ETSU (Nov. 9) … Recovered a fumble to accompany eight tackles against nationally-ranked Alabama (Nov. 23) in the season finale … Named second-team All-Southern Conference by the league’s voting media.

2018 (Sophomore): Started 10 of WCU’s 11 games on the year, missing the season-opener against Newberry … Finished the year ranked fourth on the Catamount defense with 87 total tackles including 46 solo stops and five tackles for loss with a pair of sacks … His 8.7 tackle per game average ranked him fourth in the Southern Conference … Tallied double-digit tackles four times on the season, credited with a single-game career-high 14 on the road at Samford (Oct. 6) … Had 11 stops against Chattanooga (Oct. 13), The Citadel (Nov. 3), and at North Carolina (Nov. 17) … Credited with three QB hurries … Also recorded a pair of interceptions coming in the road games at Furman (Sept. 29) and Samford (Oct. 6), returning both nine yards for a total of 18 yards on the year … Named to the Sophomore All-America team by HERO Sports.

2017 (Freshman): Saw action in all 12 of the team's games on the season on special teams and as a defensive substitution ... Recorded 18 tackles on the season including 12 solo stops with half a tackle for loss ... Made his collegiate debut on the road at Hawai'i (Sept. 2) with his first career tackle coming in the home-opener against Davidson (Sept. 9) ... Posted a career-best three tackles twice - in the road win at Chattanooga (Sept. 30) and in the season-finale against FBS-foe, North Carolina (Nov. 18) ... Made two tackles including half a tackle for loss in the home win over nationally-ranked Samford (Sept. 23).

Prior to Western Carolina: Was highly recruited, originally committed and signed with Army West Point ... Was a running back and outside linebacker as a prep ... Named Honorable Mention All-State in Georgia's Class AAAAAA as a senior ... Rushed for over 1,000 yards with eight touchdowns as a senior ... Also finished with 70 tackles including 43 solo stops as a senior with five tackles for loss including three sacks ... Was a two-star recruit by both Rivals.com and 247Sports.

Personal: Full name is Paul Tyreon Harris ... Is the son of Kisemee and Paul Harris.

Career: Has 301 career tackles including 153 solo stops, 21.0 tackles for loss, and six sacks … Is just 13 tackles shy of WCU’s all-time career top 10.

Career-Highs:
Tackles: 17, SAMFORD (11/16/19)
Tackles for Loss: 4.0, ETSU (11/9/19)
Sacks: 1, twice (MR: VMI, 9/22/18)
Interceptions: 1, twice (MR: at Samford, 10/6/18)

 

38 days to WCU Football Kickoff - #38 Brandon Dickerson

 

Welcome to the eleventh annual Catamount Football "100 days to Football Kickoff Countdown".

During the countdown, we'll highlight the player whose number corresponds to that day in the countdown. To help pass those long summer days, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season, and knowledgeable of the team members, we'll continue the football countdown each day until kickoff Saturday.

Since the official 2021 Catamount Football Roster has not yet been published, we'll use the 2021 Catamount Football Preseason Roster for jersey numbers until the new roster is posted, at which point we'll switch to the official roster for the remainder of the countdown.

It's now 38 days until the kickoff of Catamount football on Saturday, September 4th, 2021, against the Eastern Kentucky Colonels, in E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field, Cullowhee, NC.

Today we will highlight a punter:

#38 Brandon Dickerson

POSITION Punter
HEIGHT 5-11
WEIGHT 195
CLASS Sophomore
HOMETOWN Fort Mill, S.C.
HIGH SCHOOL Indian Land HS

2020-21 (Sophomore): Saw action in each of the team’s three games in the fall as the starting punter before missing the spring semester games due to injury … Punted 20 times for 770 yards, averaging 38.5 yards per punt including a season-long punt of 52 yards at Eastern Kentucky (Nov. 21) … Downed 10 of his 20 punts inside the opponent’s 20-yard line including seven at EKU … Credited with a solo tackle at North Carolina (Dec. 5) ... Named to the 2020-21 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll.

2019 (Freshman): Played in eight games as a true freshman handling the bulk of the team’s punting duties … Punted a combined 42 times for 1,533 yards, averaging 36.5 yards per punt one kick sailing 50+ yards and seven downed inside the opposition’s 20-yard line … Made his collegiate debut in the season-opener against Mercer (Aug. 31), punting seven times with a 36.3 average … Punted a career-high 10 times at N.C. State (Sept. 7) including his career-long 59-yard punt and twice downing the football inside the Wolfpack 20-yard line … Punted three-or-more times in seven of his eight games on the year … Credited with two solo tackles ... Named to the 2019-20 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll.

Prior to Western Carolina: Three-time all-region selection and a three-time Special Teams Player of the Year for his squad … Averaged 41 yards per punt as a senior including a long of 68 yards … Connected on 6-of-8 (75%) of his field goals including a long of 49 yards, while hitting all 21 of his PAT attempts … Added 17 touchbacks on kickoffs … Selected to represent North Carolina in the International Bowl – US vs. Canada – for four-consecutive seasons … High school coach was Horatio “HB” Blades.

Personal: Is the son of Shanna and Lyn Dickerson and an older sister, Brenna.

 

39 days to WCU Football Kickoff - #39 Brayden Blackmon

 

Welcome to the eleventh annual Catamount Football "100 days to Football Kickoff Countdown".

During the countdown, we'll highlight the player whose number corresponds to that day in the countdown. To help pass those long summer days, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season, and knowledgeable of the team members, we'll continue the football countdown each day until kickoff Saturday.

Since the official 2021 Catamount Football Roster has not yet been published, we'll use the 2021 Catamount Football Preseason Roster for jersey numbers until the new roster is posted, at which point we'll switch to the official roster for the remainder of the countdown.

It's now 39 days until the kickoff of Catamount football on Saturday, September 4th, 2021, against the Eastern Kentucky Colonels, in E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field, Cullowhee, NC.

Today we will highlight a tight end:

#39 Brayden Blackmon

POSITION Tight End
HEIGHT 6-3
WEIGHT 215
CLASS  True Freshman
HOMETOWN Duncan, S.C.
HIGH SCHOOL Byrnes HS










Prior to Western Carolina: Three-year varsity letter winner, played in 22 career games … Versatile athlete that played running back, wildcat, wide receiver, tight end and quarterback … Rushed 134 times for 908 career yards averaging 6.8 yards per rush with 18 rushing touchdowns … Added 13 career receptions for 182 yards and one score … Completed 34-of-62 passes for 334 yards and a touchdown at quarterback.

2021 Football Preseason Preview: The Citadel Bulldogs

Throughout this preseason, Purple & Gold will preview all of Western Carolina's 2021 football opponents.

For the seventh game of the season, the Cats travel to South Carolina's low country to face the Bulldogs of The Citadel.

Western faces the Bulldogs for the forty-sixth time since 1972.




Game #7 - The Citadel

When: Saturday, October 23

Time:  2:00 pm
Where: Johnson Hagood Stadium (11,332), Charleson, SC
Radio:  Catamount Sports Network

TV/video: ESPN+

Live Stats:  Citadel live stats

Citadel Message Board:  Citadel Fan Message Board

Nickname:  Bulldogs

Mascot:  Spike

The Series: Western is currently 18-26-1 vs. the Bulldogs overall. The Cats and Dogs first played on the gridiron in 1972. The Cats own a 7-14 record vs. the Citadel in games played in Charleston. 

Games that will be played by the Bulldogs this season before the WCU contest: (6 games)  The Bulldogs open the season on the road at Coastal Carolina, before returning to Charleston for three home games, facing Charleston Southern, North Greenville, and defending SoCon champion VMI.  The Dogs then travel to ETSU and Furman before meeting the Cats in Charleston. 

Last Season's Game vs. The Citadel (3-13-21) - Spencer, Defense Key Catamount Victory over The Citadel, 21-14 - Cullowhee, N.C. – Donnavan Spencer rushed for a career-high 220 yards and two touchdowns, with Mikai Stanley adding a third score on the ground as Western Carolina built a 21-6 halftime lead and held off The Citadel to earn a 21-14 victory in Southern Conference football action on Saturday afternoon at E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field.

Last season's Record (The Citadel): 2-10 overall, 1-4 home, 1-6 away, 2-6 SoCon

Head Coach: Brent Thompson -  Brent Thompson was named The Citadel's 25th head football coach on January 19, 2016. In his first year, he led the Bulldogs to unprecedented heights while authoring one of the best seasons in Southern Conference history. Thompson’s first season in charge featured a program-record 10-game winning streak, a single-season school-record six road victories, only the seventh 8-0 conference record in 84 years of SoCon football, a second consecutive conference championship, a No. 6 national seed in the FCS Playoffs and the first home playoff game in 24 years. He was named Southern Conference Coach of the Year for the 10-2 campaign that resulted in the first time in program history with back-to-back playoff appearances.

Offensive Formation: Triple Option
Defensive Formation: Multiple
Starters returning/lost:  25  /  1
Offensive starters - Returning/Lost: 13 / 1
Defensive starters - Returning/Lost: 12 / 0
Lettermen - Returning:  42

Thompson's Record at The Citadel: 28-30 (.483) 

Overall Record: Same

Tompson's Record vs. WCU:  3-2

Bell's record vs. The Citadel: 0-0

Picked to finish seventh in the league in a preseason vote by the head coaches, and the media tabbed the Bulldogs eighth, although they return almost their entire team from last season, minus, quarterback Brandon Rainey. 

The Citadel has four football players that earned preseason SoCon coaches honors, punter Matt Campbell and linebacker Willie Eubanks III were selected to the first team, while linebacker Anthony Britton Jr. and offensive lineman Haden Haas were selected for second-team accolades. Jaylan Adams returns and is expected to get the starting nod at QB. Adams also led the team in rushing, averaging 69 yards per game. 

In the spring season, the Bulldogs led the league in rushing yardage, averaging 242 yards on the ground per game and 6th in rushing defense giving up 172 yards per game. 

2021 The Citadel Statistics (Spring 12 games):
Rushing Offense: 2903 yards
Yards per game: 242
Yards per rush: 4.0 yards
Rushing 1st downs: 159
TDs rushing: 19
Passing Offense: 593 yards or 49.4 yards per game
Avg. per pass: 5.1 yards
Passing 1st downs: 26
Passing Comp-Att-Int: 40-116-8
TDs Passing: 5
Total Offense: 3496 yards or 291.3 yards per game
Fumbles-Lost: 31 - 18
3d Down Conversions: 76 of 192 (40%)
4th Down Conversions: 26 of 42 (62%)
Field goal attempts: 5 - 14
PAT-Attempts: 19 of 22 (96%)
On-side kicks: 1 of 2
Red Zone Scores: 20 of 26 (77%)
Red Zone Touchdowns: 17 of 26 (65%)
Punts - Yards: 57 - 2376 - Avg per punt: 41.7

40 days to WCU Football Kickoff - Chaz Scales

 

Welcome to the eleventh annual Catamount Football "100 days to Football Kickoff Countdown".

During the countdown, we'll highlight the player whose number corresponds to that day in the countdown. To help pass those long summer days, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season, and knowledgeable of the team members, we'll continue the football countdown each day until kickoff Saturday.

Since the official 2021 Catamount Football Roster has not yet been published, we'll use the 2021 Catamount Football Preseason Roster for jersey numbers until the new roster is posted, at which point we'll switch to the official roster for the remainder of the countdown.

It's now 40 days until the kickoff of Catamount football on Saturday, September 4th, 2021, against the Eastern Kentucky Colonels, in E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field, Cullowhee, NC.

No player is assigned to #40 on the preseason roster, so we will highlight another assistant coach:

Chaz Scales

TITLE Assistant Coach / co-Defensive Coordinator / Safeties

Chaz Scales joined the Catamount football coaching staff in early July 2021 as the co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach. Scales, a former football student-athlete at Arkansas State comes to Cullowhee after serving two seasons on staff at Central Arkansas in the same capacity.

Scales helped Central Arkansas to the 2019 Southland Conference Championship and competing in the fall of 2020, to a 5-4 overall in his second season. Scales guided Cameron Godfrey to Fall All-Southland Conference honors after leading the Bears with 51 tackles including 31 solo stops, adding a pair of interceptions, two pass breakups and a fumble recovery. He also worked with first-team All-America selection Robert Rochelle, who was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams, and second-team All-Southland honoree Juan Jackson.

While at Central Arkansas, Scales was selected as a participant in the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship. He interned with the New York Giants through mini-camp and team training camp where he assisted with the defensive backs.

Prior to accepting the position at UCA, Scales was an assistant coach at Tusculum for the 2017 and 2018 seasons where coached the cornerbacks and was the pass game coordinator while also serving as the co-special teams coordinator. ScaleS mentored All-South Atlantic Conference and All-Region cornerback Martez Thompson, All-SAC selection Malik Goodman, and two-time All-South Atlantic performer Dee Alford who went on to sign with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League.

With Scales on staff, the Pioneer defense led the conference in turnovers with 13 interceptions and a league-best 12 fumbles recovered, while also pacing the SAC in pass defense in limiting opponents to just 170 yards per game through the air.

Scales earned his coaching start in 2014 as a defensive graduate assistant at the University of West Georgia where he was a part of a 12-3 season that included a semifinal appearance in the NCAA Division II playoffs. The Wolves finished tied for third in the Gulf South Conference (GSC) and finished the year ranked sixth in the nation according to the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA).

Scales instructed West Georgia safety Carlos Hutton, who led the GSC with 13 passes defended and was second with four interceptions, garnering USA College Football All-America plaudits. In addition to Hutton, cornerback Laronji Vason earned All-GSC honors as Vason notched 72 stops, two interceptions and a pair of fumble recoveries under Scales.

In 2015, Scales served as a quality control assistant working with the cornerbacks and special teams at Valdosta State helping the Blazers to nine victories and a NCAA Division II playoff berth, finishing the year ranked 14th in the final AFCA poll. Defensive back Kenny Moore thrived under Scales, tallying three interceptions including two returned for touchdowns in earning USA College Football All-America and All-GSC plaudits.

In 2016, he served as running backs coach at Northeast Mississippi Community College.

As a player, Scales was a four-year contributor on defense at Arkansas State where he was a part of two consecutive Sun Belt Conference championship teams as a junior and senior, earning berths in the GoDaddy.com Bowl in Mobile, Ala. He helped the Red Wolves win nine-straight games in 2011 and seven-consecutive to end his senior season. Scales was a standout player at Centennial High School where he was selected to the Tennessee Sports Writers Association (TSWA) Class 5A All-State team following a senior season in which he accounted for 2,400 yards and 29 touchdowns as the quarterback for the Cougars.

Originally from Franklin, Tenn., Scales is a 2012 graduate of Arkansas State with a bachelor of science in interdisciplinary studies.

41 days to WCU Football Kickoff - #41 Caleb Scott

 

Welcome to the eleventh annual Catamount Football "100 days to Football Kickoff Countdown".

During the countdown, we'll highlight the player whose number corresponds to that day in the countdown. To help pass those long summer days, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season, and knowledgeable of the team members, we'll continue the football countdown each day until kickoff Saturday.

Since the official 2021 Catamount Football Roster has not yet been published, we'll use the 2021 Catamount Football Preseason Roster for jersey numbers until the new roster is posted, at which point we'll switch to the official roster for the remainder of the countdown.

It's now 41 days until the kickoff of Catamount football on Saturday, September 4th, 2021, against the Eastern Kentucky Colonels, in E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field, Cullowhee, NC.

Today, we will highlight a tight end:

#41 Caleb Scott

POSITION  Tight End
HEIGHT  6-2
WEIGHT  225
CLASS  Freshman
HOMETOWN  Black Mountain, N.C.
HIGH SCHOOL  Owen HS







Prior to Western Carolina: Played as a dual-threat quarterback as a prep as a four-year varsity letter winner … Over 33 career games, passed for 2,592 yards on 161-of-327 (49.2%) with 30 TD passes, adding 989 rushing yards and 13 scores … Finished his career with 3,592 total yards, adding 118 total tackles including 77 solo stops with 16.0 tackles for loss and five sacks … In seven games as a senior, passed for 1,225 yards and 13 touchdowns … Threw for over 1,300 yards with 16 touchdowns as a junior, adding seven rushing scores and 627 yards on the ground in 12 games … Also played basketball and baseball as a prep.

42 days to WCU Football Kickoff - #42 Jontavious Shotwell

 

Welcome to the eleventh annual Catamount Football "100 days to Football Kickoff Countdown".

During the countdown, we'll highlight the player whose number corresponds to that day in the countdown. To help pass those long summer days, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season, and knowledgeable of the team members, we'll continue the football countdown each day until kickoff Saturday.

Since the official 2021 Catamount Football Roster has not yet been published, we'll use the 2021 Catamount Football Preseason Roster for jersey numbers until the new roster is posted, at which point we'll switch to the official roster for the remainder of the countdown.

It's now 42 days until the kickoff of Catamount football on Saturday, September 4th, 2021, against the Eastern Kentucky Colonels, in E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field, Cullowhee, NC.

Today, we will highlight a safety

#42 Jontavious Shotwell

 

POSITION Safety
HEIGHT 5-11
WEIGHT 185
CLASS Redshirt Sophomore
HOMETOWN Hoschton, Ga.
HIGH SCHOOL Mill Creek HS









2020-21 (Redshirt Sophomore): Played in six games on the season, each as a defensive substitution and on special teams … Credited with two tackles including a solo stop at Mercer (March 20) and an assisted stop at ETSU (March 27).

2019 (Redshirt Freshman): Appeared in three games on the season, each on special teams and as a defensive substitution … Credited with his first career tackle with an assist in the season finale at Alabama (Nov. 23).

2018 (Freshman): Only credited with playing in one game, making his collegiate debut at Samford (Oct. 6) but did not record any statistics … Remains eligible for a redshirt.

Prior to Western Carolina: Three-year varsity letter winner in football ... Recorded 36 tackles as a senior, breaking up 11 passes with one interception ... Also forced a fumble ... Also ran track as a prep, competing in the 100 and 200-meter individual races, as well as on the 4x100-meter relay, while also competing in the high jump.

43 days to WCU Football Kickoff - #43 Luke Hoggard

 

Welcome to the eleventh annual Catamount Football "100 days to Football Kickoff Countdown".

During the countdown, we'll highlight the player whose number corresponds to that day in the countdown. To help pass those long summer days, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season, and knowledgeable of the team members, we'll continue the football countdown each day until kickoff Saturday.

Since the official 2021 Catamount Football Roster has not yet been published, we'll use the 2021 Catamount Football Preseason Roster for jersey numbers until the new roster is posted, at which point we'll switch to the official roster for the remainder of the countdown.

It's now 43 days until the kickoff of Catamount football on Saturday, September 4th, 2021, against the Eastern Kentucky Colonels, in E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field, Cullowhee, NC.

Today, we will highlight a tight end: 

#43 Luke Hoggard

POSITION  Tight End
HEIGHT  6-0
WEIGHT  230
CLASS  Redshirt Junior
HOMETOWN  Edenton, N.C.
HIGH SCHOOL  John A. Holmes HS






2020-21 (Redshirt Junior): Saw action in four of the team’s nine games on the season between offense and special teams … Returned a kickoff six yards as an up-back against The Citadel (March 13) ... Named to the 2020-21 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll.

2019 (Redshirt Sophomore): Played in seven games on the season as a reserve on offense and on special teams … Appeared in four straight games to conclude the season … Did not record any official statistics.

2018 (Redshirt Freshman): Only played in one game on special teams, suiting up against his former team at North Carolina (Nov. 17) in his WCU debut ... Named to the 2018-19 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll.

Prior to Western Carolina: Transferred to WCU from North Carolina after attending UNC as a walk-on ... Did not see game action ... High School: Recorded 2,341 career passing yards and 26 touchdowns through the air as a two-year starter ... Helped guide his high school team to the state championship game as a senior ... Named all-conference and all-area as a senior ... Threw for 667 yards and eight TDs while rushing for 484 yards and six TDs as a senior ... Played for the winning East All-Stars in the 2017 North Carolina Coaches Association (NCCA) East-West All-Star game, completing 4-of-7 passes for 70 yards ... Also played baseball and basketball as a prep, helping Holmes High to a baseball state championship.

2021 Football Preseason Preview: Mercer Bears

This preseason, Purple & Gold will preview all of Western Carolina's 2021 football opponents. This will be Homecoming Weekend in Cullowhee. 

In the Catamounts' sixth game of the 2021 fall season, the Cats host the Mercer Bears for the third conference game of the season. Western faces the Bears for just the eight-time since Mercer joined the Southern Conference.

 





Game #6 - The Mercer Bears

When: Saturday, October 9, 2021

Time:  3:30 pm
Where: EJ Whitmire Stadium, Cullowhee, NC
Radio: Catamount Sports Network
TV/video:  ESPN+
Live Stats:  WCU Live Stats

Fan Message Board:  MU Bear Down

The Series: In only the 8th meeting between the two teams, the Cats own a 2-5 record against the Bears, having dropped the last five games played. The Cats are 1-2 against the Bears in games played in Cullowhee. After winning the first two games against Mercer, the Cats have dropped 5 straight against the Bears overall.  

Games that will be played by the Bears this season, before the WCU contest:  The Bears open the season at home against NAIA's Point University, followed by a trip to Alabama.  Then following a bye week, they visit Furman on the road, before hosting Samford in Macon.

Last Season's Game vs. Mercer (Mar. 20, 2021) - Catamount Football Falls at Mercer, 45-28 - Macon, Ga. – Donnavan Spencer rushed for 78 yards and three touchdowns for Western Carolina, but Mercer used a downhill running attack that chewed up 308 yards as the Bears held possession for over 40 minutes on Saturday afternoon in a 45-28 victory over the Catamounts in Southern Conference action at Five Star Stadium.

Last Season's Record (Mercer): 5-6 overall, 2-4 home, 1-5 away, 5-3 SoCon  (SoCon wins: WCU, VMI, Samford)

Head Coach: Drew Cronic was named the 20th head football coach in Mercer University history on December 10, 2019. He spent the previous two seasons as the head coach at Division II Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, N.C. A native of Sharpsburg, Ga., Cronic is considered one of the more innovative offensive minds across all levels of college football. Driven by the motto “Raise the Bar”, he has posted a 47-6 record in four years as a head coach. He has also helped lead his teams to four straight conference titles – Reinhardt (2016), Furman (2017) and Lenoir-Rhyne (2018, 2019). 

Cronic's Collegiate Record: 52-12 (.813) 

Mercer Record:  5-6 (.455)

Kerwin Bell's record vs. Mercer:  0 - 0

Drew Cronic's record vs. WCU:  1 - 0

Mercer Offensive Formation:  Multiple (Spread Wing)
Defensive Formation:  Multiple

Mercer Starters Returning/Lost 

Offense:  8 / 3
Defense: 9  /2
Total:  17 / 5

Key departures: OL Connor Krieger, RB Nakendrick Clark, LB Alvin Ward, Jr., LB Jordan Williams, DB Harrison Poole

Newcomberd

Offense: 14
Defense: 16
Total:  30

Last season's "SoCon Freshman of the Year" quarterback Carter Peevy returns. He finished second in the conference in passing yards with 1,318 and third in completion percentage (54.3 percent), passing efficiency (133.0), and touchdowns (8). Peevy also tied with running back Deondre Johnson for the team-lead in rushing touchdowns with four. However, junior QB transfer Fred Payton from Coastal Carolina may successfully challenge the freshman Peevy for the starting quarterback job.  

Wide receivers Ty James and Ethan Dirrim, both sophomores in 2021 and were named by the coaches of the SoCon to the All-Freshman Team return. James led the team in both receptions (30) and receiving yards (518) while Dirrim led the Bears in receiving touchdowns with four. 

On defense, Mercer returns several key players highlighted by junior safety Lance Wise. Wise picked up 86 tackles in 2020, including 43 solo tackles. He also led the SoCon in pass breakups with nine and made one interception. He was named First-Team SoCon by both the media and the league's coaches.  In the trenches, then-sophomore defensive lineman Solomon Zubairu was a leader on the Bears' defense. Zubairu led the SoCon in tackles for loss with 10.5 — the second-most in a single season in Mercer program history. He was also third in the conference in sacks with 5.5 and recovered two fumbles.

2021 Mercer Statistics (Spring 11 games):
Rushing Offense: 1844 yards
Yards per game: 167.6
Yards per rush: 3.8 yards
Rushing 1st downs: 104
TDs rushing: 20
Passing Offense: 1819 yards or 165.4 yards per game
Avg. per pass: 7.5 yards
Passing 1st downs: 74
Passing: Comp-Att-Int: 136-244-8
TDs Passing: 12
Total Offense: 3663 yards or 333 yards per game
Fumbles-Lost: 18-9
3d Down Conversions: 65 of 161 (40%)
4th Down Conversions: 5 of 13 (38%)
Field goal attempts: 5 of 10
On-side kicks: 0-0
Red Zone Scores: 28 of 35  (80%
Red Zone Touchdowns: 25 of 35  (71%)

PAT:  34 of 35  (97%)

44 days to WCU Football Kickoff - #44 Nigel Manns

 

Welcome to the eleventh annual Catamount Football "100 days to Football Kickoff Countdown".

During the countdown, we'll highlight the player whose number corresponds to that day in the countdown. To help pass those long summer days, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season, and knowledgeable of the team members, we'll continue the football countdown each day until kickoff Saturday.

Since the official 2021 Catamount Football Roster has not yet been published, we'll use the 2021 Catamount Football Preseason Roster for jersey numbers until the new roster is posted, at which point we'll switch to the official roster for the remainder of the countdown.

It's now 44 days until the kickoff of Catamount football on Saturday, September 4th, 2021, against the Eastern Kentucky Colonels, in E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field, Cullowhee, NC.

Today, we will highlight a linebacker: 

#44 Nigel Manns

POSITION Linebacker
HEIGHT 6-1
WEIGHT 225
CLASS Freshman
HOMETOWN Byron, Ga.
HIGH SCHOOL Peach County HS

2020-21 (Freshman): Played in five of the team’s nine games on the season with one start … Missed the first four games of the spring semester due to injury … Finished with five total tackles including three solo stops … Made his collegiate debut and recorded a career-best three tackles at Liberty (Nov. 14) … Credited with a solo tackle and a pass break-up at North Carolina (Dec. 5), while also scooping a fumble and scoring on a 42-yard return for a touchdown … Returned to the line-up for the final two games of the spring at Mercer (March 20) and at ETSU (March 27).

Prior to Western Carolina: Two-way player as a prep as a linebacker and a running back … Listed among the top 130 high school prospects in Georgia by SouthernPigskin.com … Was a Region 4-AAA honorable mention all-region selection in 2018 … High school coach was Chad Campbell … Also ran track as a prep.

Personal: Full name is Nigel Isaiah Manns … Is the son of Chandra and Emmerson Manns … His brother, Ethan, plays football at Shorter College.

45 days to WCU Football Kickoff - #45 Ethan Harris

 

Welcome to the eleventh annual Catamount Football "100 days to Football Kickoff Countdown".

During the countdown, we'll highlight the player whose number corresponds to that day in the countdown. To help pass those long summer days, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season, and knowledgeable of the team members, we'll continue the football countdown each day until kickoff Saturday.

Since the official 2021 Catamount Football Roster has not yet been published, we'll use the 2021 Catamount Football Preseason Roster for jersey numbers until the new roster is posted, at which point we'll switch to the official roster for the remainder of the countdown.

It's now 45 days until the kickoff of Catamount football on Saturday, September 4th, 2021, against the Eastern Kentucky Colonels, in E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field, Cullowhee, NC.

Today, we will highlight a defensive back: 

#45 Ethan Harris

POSITION Defensive Back
HEIGHT 5-8
WEIGHT 165
CLASS Freshman
HOMETOWN Duncan, S.C.
HIGH SCHOOL Byrnes HS

2020-21 (Freshman): Saw action in two games on the year, making his WCU debut at North Carolina (Dec. 5) … Also played at Samford (Feb. 27) … Did not record any official statistics ... Named to the 2020-21 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll.

46 days to WCU Football Kickoff - #46 Paxton Robinson

 

Welcome to the eleventh annual Catamount Football "100 days to Football Kickoff Countdown".

During the countdown, we'll highlight the player whose number corresponds to that day in the countdown. To help pass those long summer days, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season, and knowledgeable of the team members, we'll continue the football countdown each day until kickoff Saturday.

Since the official 2021 Catamount Football Roster has not yet been published, we'll use the 2021 Catamount Football Preseason Roster for jersey numbers until the new roster is posted, at which point we'll switch to the official roster for the remainder of the countdown.

It's now 47 days until the kickoff of Catamount football on Saturday, September 4th, 2021, against the Eastern Kentucky Colonels, in E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field, Cullowhee, NC.

Today, we will highlight a kicker: 

#46 Paxton Robinson

POSITION Kicker
HEIGHT 6-0
WEIGHT 200
CLASS Freshman
HOMETOWN Knoxville, Tenn.
HIGH SCHOOL Knoxville Catholic HS









2020-21 (Freshman): Played in all nine games on the year on special teams, assuming the duties of first-team punter in the spring semester … Named to the Southern Conference All-Freshman team … Connected on both of his field goal attempts (2-for-2) including a career-long 52-yarder at Eastern Kentucky (Nov. 21) and a 40-yarder at North Carolina (Dec. 5) … Punted 34 times for an average of 39.5 yards per kick … Had four punts of 50+ yards including a career-long 58-yard punt against VMI (March 6) … Named Southern Conference Special Teams Player of the Week and STATS Perform FCS Special Teams Player of the Week after punting a career-high eight times with a 43.0 average at Furman (Feb. 20) … Downed 12 of his 34 punts inside the opponents’ 20-yard line … Kicked off 29 times for an average of 59.7 yards per kick with a pair of touchbacks ... Named to the 2020-21 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll.

Prior to Western Carolina: Four-year varsity letter winner as a kicker and a punter … Was a two-time All-State selection … Averaged over 39.5 yards per punt and pinned opposing teams inside the 20-yard line four times as a senior … Connected on 45-of-47 PATs and 5-of-9 field goals in 2019 … Named first-team defense on the 2019 All-PrepXtra football team … As a sophomore, set a Tennessee state record for most consecutive extra points in a season (59) … Attended Chris Sailer Kicking where he received a four-and-a-half-star ranking.

Personal: Is the son of Beth and Owen Robertson.