90 Days Until WCU Football Kickoff - Cody Edwards

It's now 90 days until the kickoff of Catamount Football on Thursday, August 29, 2024, against the North Carolina State Wolfpack in Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, NC

To help pass those long summer days, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful a little more excited about the upcoming season, and knowledgeable of the team members, we'll continue the football countdown each day until kickoff day.

No player is currently assigned the number 90, so we will highlight another assistant coach.

Cody Edwards

TITLE Assistant Coach / Special Teams Coordinator / Linebackers


Cody Edwards joined the Western Carolina football staff as a quality control coach working primarily with the defensive unit. Ahead of the 2022 season, he was promoted to an assistant coach working with the linebackers. In February 2024, Edwards was additionally named WCU's Special Teams Coordinator.

Edwards came to Cullowhee after working at Tusculum University from 2018 through 2021, progressing to associate head coach and defensive coordinator. He served as the Tusculum safeties coach and was also the running game coordinator during the 2018 campaign. He took over coaching the TU linebackers and was promoted to defensive coordinator in March 2019.

The 2020-21 Pioneers posted a 4-1 record during the COVID shortened spring campaign where TU won the SAC's Mountain Division and followed with a 28-23 win at defending league champion Lenoir-Rhyne to win the program its first SAC Championship since 2008. The Tusculum defense limited the opposition to 17.6 points per contest while holding teams to 311.2 yards per game including a SAC-best 84 rushing yards per outing.

In his first year as defensive coordinator, the 2019 Pioneers led the SAC in defensive touchdowns scored (3 – 23rd in NCAA II), first down defense (175 – 21st in NCAA II), and fourth down percentage defense (.286 - 10th in NCAA II). Tusculum was also 28th in the country in total defense (309 ypg). He coached two All-South Atlantic Conference linebackers in Ivan Hogans and Jackson Cauthen, who was also recognized for his work off the field where he was an honors student and a two-time member of the CoSIDA Academic All-District Football first team.

A Haysi, Va., native Edwards earned his start in the coaching profession at Eastside High in Coeburn, Va., as the wide receivers and defensive backs coach, while also serving as the junior varsity head coach. He also has high school coaching experience at Pinecrest High in Southern Pines, N.C., in 2012.

Prior to going to Tusculum, Edwards served as the co-defensive coordinator at Keiser University and was defensive coordinator at The John Cooper School in 2016. He was the run game and defensive coordinator at Royal Palm Beach High School for two seasons and coached safeties and was the assistant secondary coach at John Carroll University in 2013, helping the team to a 9-2 record and a berth to the NCAA Playoffs. He mentored three all-conference players including one All-American.

Edwards served as an intern on the football staff at Tennessee during the 2012 season where duties included being a liaison for all NFL and professional scouts and the "Vol for Life" Program. He also aided the football operations staff and worked with the university’s summer football camps.

Edwards is a 2010 graduate of the University of Virginia's College at Wise with a BS in business administration while also lettering on the football team. He earned his Master's degree from Tusculum in May 2021.

91 Days Until WCU Football Kickoff - #91Jaquarius Guinn

It's now 91 days until the kickoff of Catamount Football on Thursday, August 29, 2024, against the North Carolina State Wolfpack in Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, NC

To help pass those long summer days, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful a little more excited about the upcoming season, and knowledgeable of the team members, we'll continue the football countdown each day until kickoff day.

Today we will highlight a defensive lineman.

#91 Jaquarius Guinn

Position Defensive Line
Height 6-2
Weight 290
Class Senior
Hometown Clover, S.C.
High School Clover HS











PRONUNCIATION: Jaquarius (juh-QUAIR-e us) Guinn (GIHN, like win) - goes by JQ

2023 (Junior): Saw action in all 11 games on the year with nine starts along the defensive line … Credited with 26 total tackles including eight solo stops … Recorded 2.5 total for loss with two sacks on the year … Charted one quarterback hurry … Posted tackles in all but one of the games on the year … Recorded three tackles twice including a half a sack against Samford (Sept. 9) and a full sack at The Citadel (Sept. 30) … Finished with four tackles three times with four assists including a half sack against Charleston Southern (Sept. 23) and at Wofford (Nov. 4) with four tackle assists against Mercer (Oct. 28).

2022 (Sophomore): Played in all 11 of the team’s games with 10 starts along the defensive front … Recorded 21 tackles on the year with seven solo stops with three tackles for loss including a pair of quarterback sacks … Posted tackles in nine of the 11 games on the season … Recovered a fumble and returned it 18 yards in the season-opener at Charleston Southern (Sept. 3) … Recorded sacks at Samford (Sept. 24) and at home against VMI (Oct. 1) … Matched his career-high with five tackles twice, at Furman (Oct. 15) and in the home win over nationally-ranked Chattanooga (Nov. 19).>

2021 (Freshman*): Played in nine games with seven starts on the defensive line ... Credited with 14 total tackles including seven solo stops and one tackle for loss ... Had at least one tackle in each game he played ... Posted two tackles including one for a three-yard loss in the season-opener against Eastern Kentucky (Sept. 4) ... Recorded a season-high three tackles at the road win at Wofford (Oct. 30), adding a second-quarter fumble recovery that led to a WCU offensive touchdown.>

2020-21 (Freshman): Played in all nine of the team’s seasonal games with four starts along the defensive line … Finished the year with 21 tackles including 19 coming in Southern Conference play in the spring semester with half a tackle for loss … Credited with a pair of quarterback hurries … Made his WCU debut in the season-opener at Liberty (Nov. 14), recording a solo tackle … Posted two tackles including half a tackle for loss at Samford (Feb. 27) … Recorded a career-best five tackles at Mercer (March 20) … Named to the Southern Conference All-Freshman team.>

Prior to Western Carolina: Named South Carolina (SCFCA) 5-A All-State along the defensive line and was selected to the North team in the South Carolina 2019 North-South game … Garnered Defensive Lineman of the Week honors from the The Herald in Rock Hill after tallying six tackles, a sack, and a pass deflection on the game-sealing interception … Listed as a three-star recruit by 247Sports.com and a two-star recruit by Rivals.com … High school coach was Brian Lane.>

Personal: Full name is Jaquarius Jerome Guinn ... Goes by "JQ" … Is the son of David Guinn and Gracie Kirkpatrick.

92 Days Until WCU Football Kickoff - #92 Edwin Moore Jr.

It's now 92 days until the kickoff of Catamount Football on Thursday, August 29, 2024, against the North Carolina State Wolfpack in Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, NC

To help pass those long summer days, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful a little more excited about the upcoming season, and knowledgeable of the team members, we'll continue the football countdown each day until kickoff day.

Today we will highlight a defensive lineman.

#92 Edwin Moore Jr

Position Defensive Line
Height 6-3
Weight 265
Class Freshman
Hometown Decatur, Ga.
High School Columbia HS

Prior to Western Carolina: Finished the 2023 regular season with 63 total tackles including 24.5 tackles for loss with six sacks in helping Columbia High go 7-3 and make Georgia’s AA playoffs … Added a PBU, a fumble forced and a fumble recovery … As a junior in 2022, totaled 37 tackles with 14.5 TFLs with a sack … High school head coach was Greg Barnett … Is listed as a three-start recruit by 247Sports … Expected to enroll early in the spring 2024.

Personal: Is the son of Latoya Moore and his grandmother is Pamela Martin.

93 Days Until WCU Football Kickoff - #93 Chris Morgan

It's now 93 days until the kickoff of Catamount Football on Thursday, August 29, 2024, against the North Carolina State Wolfpack in Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, NC

To help pass those long summer days, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful a little more excited about the upcoming season, and knowledgeable of the team members, we'll continue the football countdown each day until kickoff day.

Today we will highlight a defensive lineman.

#93 Chris Morgan

Position Defensive Line
Height 6-0
Weight 285
Class Senior
Hometown Maiden, N.C.
High School Maiden HS








2023 (Junior): Played in all 11 games on the season with two starts along the defensive line … Credited with 30 total tackles including 12 solo stops … Had 4.0 tackles for a combined seven yards of losses including a sack … Posted tackles in all but one of the 11 games … Had three solo stops against nationally-ranked Samford (Sept. 9) including a sack … Credited with five tackles against Mercer (Oct. 28) and a season-high six stops at VMI (Nov. 18).

2022 (Sophomore): Played in 10 of the team’s 11 games with three straight starts at defensive tackle to end the regular season … Credited with 28 total tackles including 12 solo stops and 5.5 tackles for loss with five sacks to rank second on the team … Posted at least one tackle in eight of the 10 games in which he played … Matched his previous career-high with five tackles including a career-best 3.5 tackles for loss on sacks in the win over Presbyterian (Sept. 17), forcing a fumble in the win … Set a career-high with seven tackles against Samford (Sept. 24) … Finished with five tackles with a sack in the home win over nationally-ranked Chattanooga (Nov. 19).

2021 (Freshman*): Played in 10 of the team's 11 games on the season with three starts along the defensive line ... Recorded 26 total tackles with 11 solo stops and 2.5 tackles for loss with two sacks ... Posted a tackle in each of his 10 games including a career-high five at Chattanooga (Oct. 2) ... Had three tackles including a sack against Furman (Nov. 6) ... Credited with one quarterback hurry.

2020-21 (Freshman): Converted from tight end to defensive line, seeing action in each of the team’s six games in the spring semester as a reserve on defense … Credited with six total tackles including half a tackle for loss … Made his collegiate debut at Furman (Feb. 20) … Tallied his first career tackle against VMI (March 6) … Posted a season-best three tackles including half a tackle for loss at Mercer (March 20).

Prior to Western Carolina: Three-year varsity letter winner and a three-time All-South Fork 2A Conference selection ... Played as a middle linebacker and tight end as a prep ... Caught three TD passes as a tight end as a senior coming on nine total receptions for 133 yards, according to MaxPreps ... Selected to the 83rd annual Shrine Bowl of the Carolina's, just the 12th from his high school all-time ... As a sophomore linebacker, recorded 118 tackles in helping Maiden go undefeated in the regular season, winning the South Fork 2A conference championship.

Personal: Is the son of Cheron Russell.

2024 Memorial Day - Remember and Honor

 

94 Days Until WCU Football Kickoff - Rylan Wells

It's now 94 days until the kickoff of Catamount Football on Thursday, August 29, 2024, against the North Carolina State Wolfpack in Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, NC

To help pass those long summer days, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful a little more excited about the upcoming season, and knowledgeable of the team members, we'll continue the football countdown each day until kickoff day.

No player is currently assigned to #94, so we will highlight another assistant coach.

Rylan Wells

TITLE Assistant Coach / Offensive Coordinator / Recruiting Coordinator

Rylan Wells joined the Western Carolina football coaching staff in the spring of 2021, working with the Catamount tight ends and fullbacks. He was later named the program's recruiting coordinator. In January 2024, Wells was promoted to the position of Offensive Coordinator by WCU head coach Kerwin Bell.

A former college quarterback under Bell, Wells has experience coaching across the field having worked with nearly every position group during his career. Wells came to Cullowhee initially after a year at Tusculum University.

Over the past three seasons at WCU, Wells has been a part of the Catamount offensive coaching staff that has broken the school record for total offense twice with 5,339 yards in 2022 eclipsed by a record 5,545 yards last fall. WCU has scored an average of 33.9 points per game on an average of 486.8 yards of total offense since 2021. Wells has been an integral part of the staff as one of the coaches in the press box each week. His younger brother, Rogan, finished his collegiate career at WCU in 2021 with the sixth-most passing yards in a single season at 2,595 yards, capping a career that included stops at Valdosta State and Tusculum.

While coaching at Tusculum University with Kade, Wells mentored the Pioneers’ running backs. He was a part of claiming the 2021 spring South Atlantic Conference championship. He also served as the video coordinator while at Tusculum.

In the five-game 2021 spring schedule, Tusculum averaged 37.6 points per game and over 530 yards of offense per game including 139.2 yards per game on the ground. Under Wells’ tutelage, the junior running back tandem of TJ Jones and Maurice Gomillion accounted for 501 rushing yards and nine of the team’s 12 scores on the ground. The duo also recorded 26 receptions for 368 yards in five games, an average of 73.6 receiving yards per game, and amassed 173.8 yards of total offense per game.

Wells earned his coaching start on staff at his alma mater Jacksonville University for two seasons (2018-2019) where he was an offensive graduate assistant. With the Dolphins, he coached the offensive tackles in 2018 and the wide receivers in 2019. The 2018 Jacksonville offense ranked third in the nation in rushing, averaging 345.3 yards per game while boasting the nation’s fifth-ranked individual rusher in Calvin Turner, who ran for 1,431 yards in 10 games and posted the nation’s third-best average per game (143.1). Wells additionally served as the film coordinator for JU during the 2019 campaign.

Originally from Tega Cay, S.C., Wells was a member of the Jacksonville football team from 2013-2017 where he started at quarterback for 34 games. He finished his collegiate career ranked among the top five in Jacksonville history in rushing touchdowns (20), pass completions (257), passing attempts (444), completion percentage, and total offense (5,519 yds).

A 2017 team captain at Jacksonville, Wells started in all 11 games under center, passing for 1,480 yards and 11 touchdowns while also rushing for 472 yards and eight scores. A three-time Pioneer Football League Offensive Player of the Week honoree, he was recognized as an Honorable Mention for the STATS FCS Offensive Player of the Week following a performance against Davidson College that included five combined touchdowns and a Dolphins win.

In 2016, he became the first Jacksonville player to lead the Dolphins in both rushing and passing yards in the same season, accumulating 1,744 passing yards and 614 yards on the ground in 10 games. He scored 11 touchdowns and fell one score shy of the program single-game record against Marist, rushing for four scores in one game.

Wells earned a bachelor's degree in business management from Jacksonville in 2018 and completed his master’s degree in sport management in 2020.

95 Days Until WCU Football Kickoff - #95 Stephen Brantley

It's now 95 days until the kickoff of Catamount Football on Thursday, August 29, 2024, against the North Carolina State Wolfpack in Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, NC

To help pass those long summer days, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful a little more excited about the upcoming season, and knowledgeable of the team members, we'll continue the football countdown each day until kickoff day.

Today we will highlight a Punter

#95 Stephen Brantley

Position Punter
Height 6-2
Weight 230
Class Sophomore
Hometown Pilot Mountain, N.C.
High School East Surry HS








2023 (Freshman): Played in all 11 games handling the punting and placekick holding duties on special teams … Punted 31 times for a combined 1,248 yards with four touchbacks … Ranked sixth in the SoCon with a 40.3 yard per punt average … Posted a single-game career-high of five punts three times … Recorded seven punts of 50+ yards with nine kicks downed inside the opponent 20-yard line on the season … Also kicked off eight times for 430 total yards with a touchback, recording a career-high seven kickoffs against ETSU (Nov. 11) … Averaged 53.8 yards per kickoff … Made his collegiate debut in the season-opener at SEC-foe Arkansas (Sept. 2) in Little Rock, punting a career-high five times … Matched his career-best with five punts at Eastern Kentucky (Sept. 16) and at Chattanooga (Oct. 7) ... Named to the Coaches 2023 SoCon All-Freshman team … Punted seven times in WCU’s annual Spring Game, averaging 42 yards per boot including a long of nearly 60 yards, while also handling the placekick holding duties for both squads.

Prior to Western Carolina: Joined the Catamount football team as a preferred walk-on … Played defensive end, tight end, H-back, and kicker/punter as a prep ... Was a third-team HighSchoolOT.com All-State special teams selection and a first-team 2-A All-State… As a senior, recorded 18 punts for a 41.2 yard per kick average with eight downed inside the opponent 20-yard line ... Had touchbacks on 14 of his 19 kickoffs while also hitting a 45-yard field goal … Also added 24 receptions for 299 yards and four touchdowns … As a junior, punted 17 times for a 40.1 yard per kick average with six downed inside the opponent 20-yard line … Over three seasons, recorded 50 kickoffs with a 54.5 yard per kick average and 21 touchbacks ... Credited with 6.5 tackles as a kicker/punter ... Named the Foothills 2-A Specialist of the Year and a Kohl's National Top Performer of the Week in 2022 ... Won the Kohl's Eastern Showcase Punting competition in May 2022, earning a 5-start punter rating with Kohl's kicking ... 10th-ranked punter in the nation by Kohl's in 2023, earning Kohl's Blue-Grey All-America selection in 2022-23 ... Finalist for the Under Armour All-America selection at the Kohl's National Scholarship Camp ... Named 2022 MaxPreps Small Town All-American football second-team defense as a punter. 

Personal: Is the son of Deborah and Bryant Brantley ... Is one of six children ... Has a cousin and her husband who attended WCU ... Intends to major in construction management at WCU.

96 Days Until WCU Football Kickoff - #96 Isaac McLellan

It's now 96 days until the kickoff of Catamount Football on Thursday, August 29, 2024, against the North Carolina State Wolfpack in Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, NC

To help pass those long summer days, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful a little more excited about the upcoming season, and knowledgeable of the team members, we'll continue the football countdown each day until kickoff day.

Today we will highlight a Defensive Lineman

#96 Isaac McLellan

  Position Defensive End
  Height 6-2
  Weight 245
  Class Redshirt Sophomore
  Hometown Rock Hill, S.C.
  High School Northwestern HS










2023 (Redshirt Freshman): Played in all 11 games, mostly on special teams … Credited with two total tackles, recording his first official statistics on a tackle assist against Charleston Southern (Sept. 23) … Tallied a solo stop at nationally-ranked Chattanooga (Oct. 7) … Made the transition to tight end during WCU’s annual spring drills.

2022 (Freshman): Played in four games, each as a defensive reserve during the season, remaining eligible for a redshirt … Did not record any official statistics … Made his collegiate debut in the home win over VMI (Oct. 1).

Prior to Western Carolina: Three-year varsity letter winner for head coach Page Wofford at Northwestern High ... Finished his prep career with 185 career tackles including 117 total hits with 46 solo stops as a senior, earnin all-region and all-state honors ... Recorded 10 sacks in his senior season in collecting top annual defensive lineman honors ... Finalist for the Carolina Bowl ... Was a five-time Player of the Game and a four-time Player of the Week selection in 2021 ... Earned Academic Honors all four years of high school ... Was also a two-time South Carolina state champion in wrestling as a prep.

Personal: Full name is Malcolm Isaac McLellan ... Is the son of Saron and Matt Silver ... Has a younger sister, Gabby ... Is the first person from his family to play in college.

97 Days Until WCU Football Kickoff - #97 Caleb Bradford

It's now 97 days until the kickoff of Catamount football on Thursday, August 29, 2024, against the North Carolina State Wolfpack in Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, NC

To help pass those long summer days, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful a little more excited about the upcoming season, and knowledgeable of the team members, we'll continue the football countdown each day until kickoff day.

Today we will highlight a Defensive Lineman

Caleb Bradford

Position Defensive Line
Height 6-1
Weight 270
Class Redshirt Junior
Hometown Canton, N.C.
High School Pisgah HS

2023 (Redshirt Sophomore): Did not see game action during the season … In WCU’s annual Spring Game, recorded an interception and a touchdown for a second consecutive season, jumping underneath a route and then followed a caravan of blockers to rumble 80 yards for a score.

2022 (Redshirt Freshman): Did not see game action during the season … Deflected a pass at the line of scrimmage and returned the interception for a touchdown early in WCU’s annual Spring Game, adding two tackles in the final intrasquad scrimmage of the spring.

2021 (Freshman): Did not see game action, taking a redshirt.

Prior to Western Carolina: Played offensive guard and defensive tackle as a prep at Pisgah High for head coach and former Catamount Brett Chappell ... Was selected first-team 2AA All-State as a senior while also collecting the Mountain Six Conference Lineman of the Year award.

Personal: Full name is William Caleb Bradford ... Is the son of Vicki and Dean Bradford ... Has an older sister, Taylor Watkins.

98 Days Until WCU Football Kickoff - #98 Jackson Hensley

It's now 98 days until the kickoff of Catamount football on Thursday, August 29, 2024, against the North Carolina State Wolfpack in Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, NC

To help pass those long summer days, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful a little more excited about the upcoming season, and knowledgeable of the team members, we'll continue the football countdown each day until kickoff day.

Today we will highlight a Defensive Lineman

Jackson Hensley

Position Defensive Line
Height 6-4
Weight 220
Class Sophomore
Hometown Maiden, N.C.
High School Maiden HS

Prior to Western Carolina: Joined the Catamount football team as a preferred walk-on … Played defensive end and offensive tackle as a prep where he was a three-year varsity letter winner … Recorded 95 career tackles with 52 solo stops including seven tackles for loss with five sacks … Tallied a pass deflection, a blocked field goal, and a fumble recovery for a touchdown … Also played basketball as a prep.

Personal: Is the son of Candy and Stephen Hensley.

99 Days Until Catamount Football Kickoff

It's now 99 days until the kickoff of Catamount football on Thursday, August 29, 2024, against the North Carolina State Wolfpack in Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, NC

To help pass those long summer days, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful a little more excited about the upcoming season, and knowledgeable of the team members, we'll continue the football countdown each day until kickoff day.

No player is currently assigned to #99, so today we will highlight an assistant coach:

Jerry Odom

TITLE 

Assistant Coach / Defensive Coordinator

Jerry Odom, a veteran collegiate football coach who spent eight seasons as the head coach at Tusculum University, joined the Catamount football coaching staff as the defensive coordinator in mid-December 2023.

A college teammate at the University of Florida and an assistant coach for Bell, Odom brings nearly 30 years of coaching experience at both the college and professional ranks to the Catamount program. He has mentored 16 NFL players and coached in five postseason bowl games including the Orange Bowl, Sugar Bowl, and the Outback Bowl.

Odom’s career includes nine seasons as the defensive coordinator including three years at East Carolina and six at Jacksonville University.

“I’m extremely excited about the hire of Jerry Odom as our defensive coordinator,” said Bell. “We feel that adding Coach Odom to our defensive coaching staff will elevate us to a championship level on the defensive side of the football and ultimately help us bring a championship to Cullowhee.”

Over the past eight seasons at Tusculum, Odom guided the Pioneers football team to 42 victories, the third-most in the 75-year history of the program. He led Tusculum to the 2020 South Atlantic Conference (SAC) Championship as well as a pair of SAC Mountain Division titles in 2020 and again in 2023. He compiled six winning seasons with numerous victories over NCAA Division II nationally-ranked programs including two a season ago with wins over No. 24 Wingate and No. 25 Mars Hill that captured the SAC divisional crown and led Tusculum to a berth in the SAC Championship game this past season.

Odom’s Pioneer defense led the league with 17 interceptions in 2023, a mark that ranked 13th nationally in the NCAA Division II ranks, while TU's 22 turnovers gained were second in the SAC and 40th in the nation. Defensively, Tusculum averaged 3.36 sacks per game which was sixth most in the country while on special teams, the Pioneers recorded four blocked punts (1st in SAC / 8th in NCAA II).

All told, Odom mentored 55 All-South Atlantic Conference standouts, 11 All-Region performers and two All-Americans. A combined 26 of his players garnered Academic All-District accolades including Academic All-Americans Andrew Cantrell, Jackson Cauthen, and Evan Altizer.

Before taking the head coaching position at Tusculum, Odom was reunited with his former college teammate, Bell, at Jacksonville University in a return to the college coaching ranks. Odom served six seasons as the associate head coach at NCAA FCS Jacksonville University from 2010-2015 where he was the chief architect of some of the best defensive units in JU football history. The Merritt Island, Fla., product helped guide the Dolphins to a 47-19 overall record including a pair of 9-2 campaigns in his last two seasons.

In 2015, his defense led the nation for a second consecutive year with 20 interceptions, while also forcing 10 fumbles resulting in 30 turnovers gained, the third-best tally in the country. The Dolphins finished 2015 ranked 11th in team tackles for loss, 11th in team sacks (33), 12th in passing efficiency defense (104.7), 15th in scoring defense (19.1 ppg), 17th in red zone defense (68.4%), 23rd in total defense (326.2 ypg) and 23rd in rushing defense (127.4 ypg).

In 2014, Odom’s defense led the country with 24 interceptions and was the Pioneer League statistical champion for scoring defense (17.5 ppg – 6th in NCAA-FCS), passing efficiency defense (98.9 – 3rd in NCAA-FCS) and turnovers gained (33 – 2nd in NCAA-FCS). The Dolphins were also nationally ranked in total defense (334.5 ypg – 23rd in NCAA-FCS) and rushing defense (135.9 ypg – 19th in NCAA-FCS). During his tenure at Jacksonville, 47 defensive players earned All-Conference recognition, including a Pioneer League-best 10 honorees in 2015.

Prior to joining the JU staff, Odom – a seven-year veteran as a player in the Arena Football League (AFL) – was the associate head coach and special teams coordinator with the AFL’s Philadelphia Soul from 2008-2009. The Soul tied the AFL single-season wins record with 17 victories while capturing the world championship in 2008.

Odom was also the head coach at Coffee County High School in Douglas, Ga. from 2005-2007. His teams posted a 22-12 record for the best three-year run in school history. After going 4-6 in his first season, the Trojans put together back-to-back nine-win campaigns for the first time. For his efforts, he was named the 2006 Region 1-5A Coach of the Year, which has been recognized as the toughest high school football region in the country by USA Today.

From 2003-2005, Odom was the defensive coordinator/special teams coordinator at East Carolina. While in Greenville, ECU led Conference USA in kickoff returns, punt returns, and kickoff coverage. While

served as a graduate assistant at Texas Christian University under Auburn legend, 1971 Heisman Trophy winner, and former Samford head coach, Pat Sullivan.

Originally from Merritt Island, Fla., Odom played collegiately at Florida where he was a four-year letterman at inside linebacker for the Gators from 1987-1990. He started in every game in his junior and senior campaigns on a defense that was among the nation's top five in total defense in 1988, 1989, and 1990. He was an All-SEC Freshman Team selection in 1987 and was tabbed to the SEC Academic Honor Roll in 1990 while also serving as the Gators' team captain. He graduated from Florida in 1991 where he majored in health and human performance with a minor in education.

From 1992-1998, Odom played professionally with the AFL’s Orlando Predators for seven seasons as a linebacker/running back. He helped the Predators to four Arena Bowl appearances (1992, 1994, 1995, 1998) and won the title in 1998. He retired as Orlando’s career rushing yardage leader and ranked fifth in AFL history.

Odom is married to the former Donna Carter of Charleston, S.C. The couple have two sons, Reid and Clay.

College:
University of Florida – 1987-90

Professional Football:
Orlando Predators (Arena Football League) – 1992-98

Coaching Career:
University of Florida, Graduate Assistant – 1991
University of Florida, LB & Special teams – 2000-02
East Carolina University, defensive coordinator/special teams – 2003-05
Coffee County High School, head coach – 2005-07
Philadelphia Soul, associate head coach/special teams – 2008-09
Jacksonville University, associate head coach/defensive coordinator – 2010-15
Tusculum University, head coach – 2016-22
Western Carolina University, defensive coordinator – 2023-

The 100 Day Countdown to WCU Football Kickoff

Welcome to the fourteenth annual Catamount Football "100 days to Football Kickoff Countdown"

We hope you have enjoyed the countdown in past years as much as we do bring it to you. During the countdown, we'll highlight the player whose number corresponds to that day in the countdown. Since the official 2024 Catamount Football Roster has not yet been published, we'll use the 2024 Catamount Spring Football 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.

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It's now 100 days until the kickoff of Catamount football on Thursday, August 29, 2024, against the North Carolina State Wolfpack in Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, NC

To help pass those long summer days, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful a little more excited about the upcoming season, and knowledgeable of the team members, we'll continue the football countdown each day until kickoff day.

As is our custom, we'll kick off day #100 with the Catamount Head Football Coach Kerwin Bell.

Kerwin Bell
                                                    

Title: Head Football Coach

Hometown: Mayo, Fla
Alma Mater: University of Florida
Graduated: 1987

An accomplished player who worked his way from walk-on to All-American to the National Football League, and a 12-year veteran head coach who won a combined four conference championships and the 2018 NCAA Division II National Championship, Kerwin Bell was named the 14th head football coach at Western Carolina University by Director of Athletics Alex Gary on April 27, 2021.

“We talk every day about Catamount Athletics having a winning mentality and the confidence to believe we can bring championships to our university,” said Gary. “Kerwin is a proven winner and has shown the ability to build successful programs. We are thrilled to welcome him and his family to Cullowhee.”

Bell comes to Cullowhee having served as the offensive coordinator at the University of South Florida under head coach Charlie Strong in 2019. He most recently walked off the field as a head coach following the 2018 NCAA Division II national championship, leading the Valdosta State Blazers where he coached for three seasons, twice making playoff appearances.

“I am excited and honored to be named the new head football coach at Western Carolina University,” said Bell. “We are coming here to win championships on the field and help mentor the young men who are in our program. I am ready to get started building this into a championship program that the Catamount Nation can be proud of.”

Over a 12-year head coaching career, Bell led the football programs at Valdosta State (2016-18) and Jacksonville University (2007-15). He did this coming on the heels of a 13-year playing career in professional football that included several stops in the NFL and the Canadian Football League.

Bell served three seasons as the head coach at Valdosta State where he also guided the offense. He led the Blazers to a 27-7 record during his tenure including a school-record 15 straight victories, two Division II playoff appearances, and won both a conference and a national championship in 2018. He was named the 2018 Don Hansen NCAA Division II Co-Coach of the Year and the Gulf South Conference Co-Coach of the Year after leading VSU to a 14-0 record – the first unbeaten season in program history that included a thrilling 49-47 victory over Ferris State in the D-II National Championship game. Picked fifth in their conference in the preseason and the No. 3 seed entering the playoffs, the Blazers finished No. 1 nationally in the final AFCA Division II poll.

Bell’s 2018 offense led the nation in scoring (52.0 ppg), ranked second in first downs (341), and was fourth in total offense (523.9 ypg), red-zone offense (.901), and pass efficiency (167.37). The Blazers scored 728 points on the year, the most in NCAA Division II history, as they posted 7,334 yards (3,676 rushing/3,658 passing) and 7.9 yards per play on the year.

Within Bell’s system, VSU sophomore quarterback Rogan Wells finished as the runner-up for the Harlon Hill Trophy, presented to the Division II Player of the Year, and was named both the Region Two and Gulf South Conference Offensive Player of the Year. Wells accounted for 50 touchdowns on the year (including one receiving), led the nation in points responsible for (300), was second in passing touchdowns (38) and points responsible for per game (21.4 ppg), 10th in passing yards (3,075), 12th in passing efficiency (160.6) and 25th in total offense (271.9 ypg). He finished second on the team with 732 yards rushing and led the team with 11 rushing touchdowns.

Additionally, senior offensive linemen Jeremy King was the runner-up for the Gene Upshaw Award presented to the most outstanding Division II lineman.

Bell led VSU to runner-up conference finishes in his first two years guiding the program and went 8-3 with a playoff appearance in his first season at the helm in 2016 as the Blazers led the nation with 27 interceptions on defense.

Prior to Valdosta, Bell led Jacksonville University for nine seasons, guiding the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) program to a 66-35 record and three Pioneer Football League (PFL) championships. Serving as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach as well as head coach, Bell was named the 2008 PFL Coach of the Year and was a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award after leading the Dolphins to a 9-4 seasonal record and conference title.

He also led Jacksonville to a school-best 10-1 record and conference championship in 2010 as the Dolphins led the nation in total (486 ypg) and scoring (42.2 ppg) offense. JU also posted a 9-2 overall mark and won a conference title in 2014.

Before taking over the Jacksonville program, Bell led Trinity Catholic High School in Ocala, Fla., for six seasons (2001-06), earning a Florida 2B state title in 2005 and runner-up finish in 2006. His coaching career began in earnest at the end of his professional playing career as he served as the offensive coordinator for two seasons while still a player for the Toronto Argonauts (2000-01).

Originally from Mayo, Fla., Bell was a quarterback at the University of Florida from 1983-87 where he completed over 57 percent of his 953 pass attempts for 7,585 yards and 56 touchdowns. A former walk-on, Bell concluded his collegiate career as the SEC Player of the Year in 1984 after leading Florida to a 9-1-1 record and a conference championship, and both a first-team All-SEC selection and All-America honorable mention in 1985, a season that saw the Gators earn the programs first-ever No. 1 national ranking in the Associated Press poll. Garnering a second honorable mention All-America honor in 1986, Bell was a 1987 team captain and earned the program’s Fergie Ferguson Award.

Bell was ranked the No. 26 Greatest Gator of all-time from the first 100 years of football at Florida in 2006 by The Gainesville Sun. Bell later served as a graduate assistant for the 1990 season under Steve Spurrier at Florida after earning a degree in psychology in 1987.

He was selected in the seventh round of the 1988 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins, beginning his 13-year professional career that saw stops with the NFL teams in Miami, Atlanta, Tampa Bay, and Indianapolis as well as stops in the Canadian Football League, where he passed for 19,538 yards and 101 touchdowns in nine seasons, and the World League of American Football (WLAF).

Married in 1986 while both students at UF, Bell and his wife, Cosette, have three children: Kade, Kolton, and Kenzley.

WCU Baseball at VMI Keydets

 

Who: VMI Keydets
When: Thursday, May 16 thru Saturday, May 18, 2024
Time: Thursday 6:00 pm; Friday 2 pm & Saturday 1:00 pm
Where: Gray-Minor Stadium, Lexington, Va. 
Radio: Catamount Sports Network
TV/video: ESPN+
Live Stats: VMI Live Stats
Colors: Red, Gold, and White

Head Coach: Sam Roberts enters his second season at the helm of the VMI baseball program. The former VMI star and Oakland A's minor leaguer Sam Roberts was promoted to head coach of the VMI baseball program on August 5, 2022 after serving as an assistant coach since 2017. Following the team’s success in his first year, Roberts earned VMI’s Distinguished Coaching Award. VMI finished the season fifth in the nation with a .322 batting average, tied for 44th in hits and tied for 49th in runs. The Keydets ranked 16th in slugging percentage (.529) and 25th in on base percentage (.409). VMI's SoCon winning percentage was the best for the team since 2018 and 26 total wins ties the 2018 squad. VMI tied the school record for the seventh-most wins in a single season in school history.

The Series: The Cats own a 70-25 overall record vs. VMI, in a series that started in 1971. The Cats are 25-12 in games played in Lexington, but are on a 2 game slide to the Keydets. The Cats are 6-4 in the last 10 games played.

Current record:  25-26 overall, 15-6 home, 9-19 away, 1-1 neutral, 6-12 SoCon

This is the finals weekend series for both teams before the conference tournament starts on Wednesday, May 22.  The Keydets are coming off a series sweep by ETSU

Baseball: MPC comes to Cullowhee

 

GAMEDAY CENTRAL

WHAT: Presbyterian Blue Hose 
WHERE: Childress Field, Cullowhee, NC
WHEN: Tuesday, May 14  @ 5:00 p.m.
THE SERIES  Western Carolina Leads 8-4
PC Record:  26-25 overall, 17-11 home, 8-12 away, 1-2 neutral, 15-6 Big South

FOLLOW THE ACTION
WATCH: ESPN+
LIVE STATS: WCU Live Stats