WCU Game #7 - Furman

For the Catamounts' seventh game of the season, Western Carolina heads down the mountain to Traveler's Rest, SC to face the Furman Paladins for the 2024 football edition of The Battle for Purple Supremacy.  Furman, unfortunately for them scheduled this game as their "Homecoming" showing their disrespect of the Cats who enter the game having lost two in a row to the Paladins.

Game #7  Furman Paladins

The Paladins are coming off a 10-3 season and a 7-1 SoCon record in 2023, as well as, a SoCon Championship, and the Cats have dropped the last two games to Furman. But, this year,  the Paladins are coming off a 41-10 lossby Chattanooga over the Paladin in their hometown of Travelers Rest, SC

When: Saturday, October 19, 2024

Time:  2:00 pm EST
Where: Paladin Stadium, Traveler's Rest, SC
Radio: Catamount Sports Network

     -announcers:  Gary Ayers, Daniel Hooker, Jeff Bryson
TV/video: ESPN+ 

Furman Message Board:  GoPaladins

Game Notes:    Western Carolina    -    Furman

2-Deep Rosters:   WCU     -     Furman

The Series:  The Cats are 13-36-2 overall against the Paladins in the series that started back in 1972. The Cats had lost 5 in a row to the Paladins, a string that was broken in the 2021 season with a 43-42 win in Whitmire Stadium.  The Cats are 6-19-1 in games played in Travelers' Rest. 

The last game played vs. Furman:  Oct. 21, 2023 - Catamounts Drop a 29-17 Decision in Battle of SoCon Unbeatens - Cole Gonzales tossed a pair of touchdown passes and Richard McCollum connected on a season-long 43-yard field goal, but #3/4 Furman posted a pair of passing scores and tallied two rushing scores including the second inside the game's final minute in dealing #14/8 Western Carolina a 29-17 setback in Saturday's battle of Southern Conference unbeatens at E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field.

Head Coach: Clay Hendrix - Introduced as Furman’s new head football coach on December 19, 2016, Clay Hendrix in seven seasons has reinvigorated a Paladin football program accustomed to success. Hendrix, a former standout Paladin offensive guard and assistant coach who returned to his alma mater following a decade as an assistant coach at the US Air Force Academy, directed Furman to an 8-5 campaign and Football Championship (FCS) playoff appearance in 2017.

Hendrix vs. Western Carolina: 6-1

Bell vs. Furman:  1-2

Last Season's Record (Furman 2023): 10-3 overall, 6-0 home, 4-3 away, 7-1 in the SoCon 

This Season's Record (Furman 2024): 2-4 overall, 1-2 home, 1-2 away, 1-1 in the SoCon

Offensive Formation:  Multiple 

Starters: Returning: 3

  (Ben Ferguson (WR/8), Joshua Harris (WR/35), Luke Petit (OG/6))

Defensive Formation:   3-4

Starters: Returning: 3

  (Luke Clark (BAN/26), Evan DiMaggio (ILB/7), Xavier Stephens (NG/13)

The Paladins were picked to finish second in the SoCon preseason polls, behind Chattanooga, and just ahead of the Cats, and 8 total Paladins picked up preseason all-conference honors (coaches).

Offense - The Paladins return 3 starters from last year’s championship squad that went two rounds into the playoff. 

Defense - The Furman defense return 3 starters from last season team.  

On the offensive side of the ball, the Paladins lost starting QB Tyler Huff, their top running back and four starting offensive linemen. While the Paladins lost a lot to transfers and graduation, they picked up a lot in the transfer portal. Most notable are, Joshua Burrell a TE from Florida State, Jalen Tate a DB from Georgia State, and Isaac Ward a QB from USC.  Carson Jones,  the SoCon’s Co-Freshman of the Year Award returns at quarterback. Jones played in six games last season and filled in for injured Huff, starting two games.  Furman’s top three receivers also all returned, Colton Hinton, Joshua Harris, and Ben Ferguson. The Paladins will have to replace 4 offensive linemen.

The Paladins fielded 10 first-time starters in its 2024 season opener against Ole Miss, five each of offense and defense. The first-time starters on offense included center Chris Luna (R-Fr.), offensive tackle Eli Brasher (R-Fr.), wide receiver John Holbrook (R-Fr.), running back Myion Hicks (R-Jr.), and tight end Joshua Burrell (Gr.). Defenders making their career starting debuts against the Rebels included tackle Malachi Harrison (R-Fr.), cornerback Jaylon Moson (R-Fr.), cornerback Charles Ingram V (R-Fr.), spur Maurice Perkins (Gr.), and free safety Tre’ McLeod (R-So.).

The list of first-time starters grew to 11 against CSU when linebacker Raleigh Herbert (R-Fr.) made his collegiate starting debut against the Buccaneers, and three Paladins — tight end Brock Chappell (So.), quarterback Trey Hedden (Fr.), and spur Brandt Babin (R-Jr.) — made it 14 first time starters this year when they joined the lineup for the first time against Stetson. The latest and 15th Paladin newcomer to make his career starting debut this year is wide receiver Devin Hester, Jr. (Fr.), who got the nod versus William & Mary.

Lots of injuries reported this season for the Paladins:  WR Josh Harris (starter) - out for year,  TE Josh Burrell (starter),  DB AK Burrell (starter),  WR Santino Varvel,  DB Jalen Tate (2 deep),  Spur Justin Hartwell (starter),  Ban Alex Maier (2 deep),  RB Jayquan Smith (2 deep),  LB Raleigh Herbert (2 deep),  DE David Alabi, & DT Bryce Stanfield (starter)

2024 Furman Statistics  (6 games) 

Yards per game: 90
Yards per rush: 2.8 yards
Rushing 1st downs: 39
TDs rushing: 6
Passing Offense: 1333 yards or 222 yards per game
Avg. per pass: 7.3 yards
Passing 1st downs: 48
Passing Att-Comp-Int: 184-112-9
Total Offense: 1873 yards or 312 ypg
3d Down Conversions: 21 of 77  (27%)
4th Down Conversions: 3  of  6  (50%)
Field Goal-Attempts 7 of 10
On-side kicks: 0 of 0
Red Zone Scores: 15 of 19 
Red Zone Touchdowns: 10 of 19
Avg per punt 41 yards
Fumbles-Lost: 11-5