Preseason Previews: Game #3 - Eastern Kentucky Colonels

Throughout this preseason, Purple & Gold will preview all of Western Carolina's 2023 football opponents.

In Western's third game of the 2023 season, the Catamounts will travel to Richmond,  Kentucky to face the Colonels of Eastern Kentucky.

Western faces the Colonels for just the eighth time overall, the two teams last played in Cullowhee in 2021

       Game #3 

    Eastern Kentucky Colonels

When: Saturday, September 16 

Time:   TBA  
Where: Roy Kidd Stadium, Richmond, KY
Radio: Catamount Sports Network
TV / video:  ESPN+

Live Stats:  EKU Live Stats
EKU Conference:  United Athletic Conference 
Nickname: Colonels
Colors: Maroon and White
Enrollment:  14,980
Message Board:  Maroon Nation

The Series: In only the 8th meeting between the two teams, the Cats own a 2-5 record overall against the Colonels. Western is 1-3 against the Colonels in games played in Richmond. 

Last Game vs. EKU (September 4, 2021) - Catamounts Battle in Season-Opening 31-28 Loss to EKU - Trailing by three in the waning moments of Saturday's 2021 season-opener, Western Carolina moved into field goal range on a pair of Rogan Wells completions to Raphael Williams to set-up second-year freshman placekicker Paxton Robertson for a game-tying field goal. However, his career-long attempt of 56 yards fell just short of the crossbar as Eastern Kentucky held on for the 31-28 victory at E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field.

Head Coach:  Walt Wells - 2d Season.  Wells was hired as the 15th head coach in program history on Dec. 9, 2019. Wells most recently served as a quality control assistant at the University of Kentucky during the 2018 and 2019 seasons. The 2018 Wildcat team beat Florida for the first time in 32 years, posted the program’s best Southeastern Conference (SEC) record in 41 years and beat No. 12-ranked Penn State in the VRBO Citrus Bowl. All totaled, the 10-3 record was Kentucky's best season in 41 years and only the third 10-win season in school history.

Wells record at EKU (Years) / Career :  17-15 (3 years)  /   same  

Wells record vs. WCU:  2-0

Kerwin Bell's record vs. EKU: 0-1

Last Season's Record  (2022 - EKU): 7-5 overall, 5-2 home, 2-3 away, 3-2 OVC
EKU Offensive Formation: Multiple Spread
EKU Defensive Formation: 4-3

The Colonels are ranked #21 in the FCS preseason polls,  finished 7-5 overall last year, losing 52-41 to Gardner-Webb in the first round of the FCS playoffs. EKU returns two players off the ASUN all-conference team, QB Parker McKinney & OL Payton Collins were 1st team, and TE Lucas Raber was 3d team on the All-Pioneer at Davidson.  

Eastern Kentucky opens the season on the road, playing two FBS team prior to returning home to face the Catamounts in Richmond. The Colonels lost 4 players' to the portal after last season, but picked up a total of 12 from the portal, five from FBS teams and seven from FCS teams.  Offensively, EKU ranked No. 11 in scoring last season, averaging 36.2 points per game. The passing attack averaged 329.7 yards per game, which was No. 3 in the subdivision. Returning are their star quarterback, the No. 1 wide receiver, the No. 1 running back, and five offensive line starters from that team.  Last year, Parker McKinney went 315/459 (69%) passing for 3,956 yards, 33 touchdowns, and eight interceptions while rushing for 354 yards and eight TDs.

Defensively, EKU allowed 35.2 points per game (No. 101 in the FCS), 240.2 rushing yards per game (No. 120), and 208.8 passing yards per game (No. 44). To help shore up the defense, Wells brought in transfers in Duke DB Tony Davis and Ohio LB Kyle Kelly along with FCS transfers in Elon DL Marvion Field, ETSU's DL Rodney Wright, and Illinois State DB Franky West (DB). From last year’s squad, the Colonels lose their top three tacklers and only return four of their top 11 tacklers. EKU's defense will be severely tested in their opening two games, as they face two FBS opponents to open the season on the road, as they face Cincinnati (Big 12) and Kentucky (SEC).  

2022 Eastern Kentucky Statistics  (12 games):
Rushing Offense: 1474 yards
Yards per game: 122.8
Yards per rush: 4.1 yards
Rushing 1st downs: 71
TDs rushing: 20
Passing Offense: 3956 yards or 329.7 yards per game
Avg. per pass: 8.6 yards
Passing 1st downs: 181
Passing Comp-Att-Int: 315-459-8
TDs Passing: 33
Total Offense: 5430 yards or 452.5 yards per game
Fumbles-Lost: 8-6
3d Down Conversions: 82 of 158 (52%)
4th Down Conversions: 3 of 7 (43%)
Field goal attempts: 14 - 21
On-side kicks: 0-0
Red Zone Scores: 51 of 58 (88%)
Red Zone Touchdowns: 40 of 578 (69%)

PAT-attempts: 48 of 50