WCU Preseason Preview: Game #12 - Samford

Throughout this preseason, we have previewed all of  Western Carolina's 2024 football opponents. 

In Western Carolina's final regular season game and the  twelfth game of the season, the Cats will travel to Homewood, AL to face the Samford Bulldogs. 

Game #12 - Samford Bulldogs

The Bulldogs finished the 2023 season with an 6-5 overall record, finishing the season with a 4-4 conference record, and tied with VMI for fifth place in the standings. 

     

When: Saturday, November 23, 2024

Time: 2:30 pm (ET)
Where: Pete Hanna Stadium, Homewood, AL
Radio: Catamount Sports Network

   -Play-by-Play: Gary Ayers • Color Daniel Hooker • Producer: Jeff Bryson

TV / video:  ESPN+
Live Stats: SU Live Stats

Game Notes:  Western Carolina   -   Samford    -   SoCon Notes

Colors: Red and Blue

Bulldog Message Board: The Dog Pound 

The Series: The Cats are 4-17 overall against the Bulldogs since winning the first outing back in 1969. Samford owned an eleven-game winning streak against Western until 2015 when the Cats broke that streak in Cullowhee with a 56-36 win over the Dogs. The Cats brok another 5 game losing streak last season in Cullowhee, with a 30-7 win over the Bulldogs. The Cats are 1-10 against Samford in games played in Homewood.  

Last game played vs. Samford: Sep. 24, 2022 - Catamounts Upset No. 7/8 Samford to Open SoCon Play Catamounts Upset No. 7/8 Samford to Open SoCon Play - Sophomore QB Cole Gonzales threw for 262 yards and two touchdowns while classmate Desmond Reid rushed for 170 yards and a score as a part of a balanced offensive attack as Western Carolina outlasted and upset defending Southern Conference champion No. 7/8 Samford 30-7 on Saturday at E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field in the league opener for both squads. 

Chris Hatcher's record vs. Western Carolina: 9-3

Kerwin Bell's record vs. Samford: 1-2

Head Coach: Chris Hatcher. Chris Hatcher was named Samford’s 36th head football coach on Dec. 11, 2014. Entering his tenth season at Samford in 2024, Hatcher boasts a career record of 178-100 in 24 years as a college head coach, having previously coached at Murray State, Georgia Southern, and Valdosta State. 

Hatcher's Record at Samford (Years): 51-38 (9th season)
Hatcher's Record vs. WCU:  9 - 3

Last Season's Record - 2023 (Samford): 6-5 overall, 4-2 home, 2-3 away, 4-4 SoCon

Offensive Formation: Multiple
Defensive Formation: 4-3

Offensive Starters R/L: 5 / 6

Defensive Starters R/L: 6 / 5

Special Teams Starters R/L: 4 / 3 

Letterwinners R /L: 50 / 29

In SoCon preseason polls, the Bulldogs were picked fifth in the coaches poll.  Samford placed two players on the preseason All-SoCon squads, LB Noah Martin a senior and OL -Chris Noble, a graduate player.

Samford has a solid foundation of returning starters, with 5 starters returning on offense and 6 starters on defense. The big question is how to replace quarterback Michael Hiers. Quincy Crittendon is the favorite at the start of fall drills. The offensive line will be the strength of this offense as four starters return, and All-American linebacker Noah Martin is one of the best players at the FCS returns for the defense. 

Samford has easily become the portal transfer capital of the SoCon, with 13 FBS transfers and 7 FCS transfers this season.  Coming from the FBS are: Jonathan Bennett (RB) Alabama; Samuel Willoughby (WR) Alabama; Vance Nicklaus (TE) Florida State; Jaylon Barden (WR) Georgia Southern; Corey Warren (DL) Georgia State Samford Rayf Vinson (WR) Ole Miss Samford Micah Kelly (RB) Toledo Samford Xavier Lainer (DB) Tulsa; Teddy Davenport (WR) UAB; Damon Miller (DB) UAB; Stephen Martin (WR) UCF; Mack Howard (QB) Utah; Gumbo Gaskins (DB) Vanderbilt. Picked up from the FCS is: Malik Gaither (LB) Alcorn; Conroy Cunningham II (DL) Bethune-Cookman; Seth Parker (DB) Columbia;  Jaylin Rainey (DL) Dartmouth; Edwin Dearman Jr. (DB) Northern Iowa; Nazir Sy (DL) Northwestern State; and Ryan Skinner (RB) The Citadel.   

2023 Samford Statistics (11 games)

Rushing Offense: 1526 yards
Yards per game: 139
Yards per rush: 4.1 yards
Rushing 1st downs: 97
TDs rushing: 24
Passing Offense: 3135 yards or 285 yards per game
Passing 1st downs: 144
Passing Att-Comp-Int: 453-322-9
TDs Passing: 18
Total Offense: 4661 yards or 424 yards per game
Fumbles - Lost: 10 - 4
3d Down Conversions: 67 of  160 (42%)
4th Down Conversions: 11 of 21 (52%)
Field goal attempts: 7 - 12
PAT-Attempts: 40 of 43
Red Zone Scores:  32 of 42 
Red Zone Touchdowns: 26 of 43 
On-Side Kicks: 0 - 9
Penalties-Yards: 61 - 608