2016 Football Preseason Preview: Gardner-Webb

Throughout this preseason, Purple & Gold will preview all of Western's 2016 football opponents. Today we look at the Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs.

In the second game of the 2016 season, the 'Dogs travel to Cullowhee to meet the Cats for the first time since the 2010 football season.  The Cats won that game, 28-14 in Boiling Springs.






Gardner-Webb

When: Saturday, September 10th at 6:00 pm

Where: E. J. Whitmire Stadium, Cullowhee, NC

Radio: Catamount Sports Network 

TV / video: The SoCon Digital Network

The Series:  The series stretches back to 1932, and is currently tied at 3-3. The Cats are 2-1 in Cullowhee against the Runnin' Bulldogs.

Last game played: Defense, Pittman Lead Western Carolina over Gardner-Webb, 28-14
Western Carolina converted two of its six defensive takeaways into 14 points, while senior Marquel Pittman and Michael Johnson both added offensive scores as the Catamounts rebounded Saturday night to upend the Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs, 28-14, at Spangler Stadium.

Head Coach: Gardner-Webb head coach Carroll McCray (Class of ‘83) enters his forth season in charge of his alma mater’s football program in 2016. McCray is in the midst of a rebuilding effort that he embarked upon in 2013, adjusting the culture quickly in his first season and instilling pride into the program for which he once played.






Last Year's Record: 4-7 overall (home 3-3, road 1-4), 2-4 Big South Conference

Offensive starters - Returning/Lost: 8 / 3

Defensive starters - Returning/Lost: 5 / 6

Specialist - Returning/Lost: 5 / 0

Offensive Formation: Spread

Defensive Formation:  3-4


2015 Bulldog Statistics:
Rushing Offense: 1739 yards
Yards per game: 158
Yards per rush: 3.6 yards
TDs rushing: 9
Passing Offense: 1086 yards or 99 yards per game
Passing Comp-Att-Int: 115-250-11
Total Offense: 2825 yards or 257 yards per game
Passing 1st downs: 51
Rushing 1st downs: 99
Fumbles-Lost: 19 - 9
Penalties-Yards: 57 - 540 yards
3d Down Conversions: 42 of 167  - 25%
4th Down Conversions: 10 of 21 - 48%
Red-Zone Scores: 16 of 23 (70%)
Red-Zone Touchdowns: 11 of 23  (48%)
Punts : 81 -  Avg. per punt: 38 yds
Sacks: 18
PAT-Attempts: 16 of 17 - 94%
Field Goals-Attempts: 7 of 12
Time of possession per game: 30:34

Join the conversation and leave a comment below

                                                         

2016 Football Preseason Preview: East Carolina

Throughout this preseason, Purple & Gold will preview all of Western's 2016 football opponents. Today we look at the East Carolina Pirates.

In the opening game of the 2016 season, the Catamounts travel to Greenville, NC to meet former Southern Conference member, East Carolina. 

The all-time series between the Catamounts and Pirates dates back to 1936. The first game was played in Greenville, NC with a 7-6 WCU victory, in the first of back-to-back wins by the Cats. However, of the 30 overall meetings, 19 have been played in Greenville - including all seven during ECU's current 7 game win streak.




East Carolina

When: Saturday, September 3d at 6:00 pm

Where: Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium  (50,000), Greenville, NC

Radio: Catamount Sports Network

TV / video: ESPN3

The Series:  The two teams met regularly until the outbreak of World War II with the Catamounts claiming four of the first six meetings. Following the 1941 meeting, the series lay dormant until 1946. The two schools then met regularly until 1963 before a second break between games, renewing the series in 1975 with six games over a seven-year period, all won by East Carolina. Though both schools have been members of the Southern Conference, the two never crossed paths in SoCon play, as the Pirates left the league in 1976 - the same year WCU accepted an invitation to join. In all, the Pirates have claimed seven-straight in the head-to-head series as WCU trails, 13-17.

Head Coach:  Scottie Montogomery
Montogomery is in his first season as head coach at ECU and was formally introduced as the Pirates' 21st head coach on December 14, 2015. His acceptance of the ECU position ended a two-year tenure as the Duke Blue Devils' associate head coach, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Overall, Montgomery served on the Duke staff for seven seasons under head coaches Ted Roof (2006-07) and David Cutcliffe (2008-09, 2013-15) - five as receivers coach. He helped guide Duke to three-straight bowl appearances.




Last Year's Record: 5-7 overall (home 3-3, road 2-4), 3-5 American Athletic Conference

Offensive starters - Returning/Lost: 5 / 7
- Returning - J.T. Boyd (OG), Davon Grayson (WR), Isaiah Jones (WR), Brandon Smith (OT), Jimmy Williams (WR)

Defensive starters - Returning/Lost: 6  / 5
-Returning - Joe Allely (OLB), DaShawn Benton (SS), Demetri McGill (NT), Fred Presley (DE), Travon Simmons (FS), Jordan Williams (ILB)

Specialist - Returning/Lost: 5 / 0
- Returning - Worth Gregory (P), Quay Johnson (PR/KOR), Colton Oliver (DS), Davis Plowman (PK), Caleb Pratt (KOS)

Offensive Formation: Multiple

Defensive Formation: Multiple 3-4

2015 Pirate Statistics:
Rushing Offense: 1600 yards
Yards per game: 133
Yards per rush: 4.0 yards
TDs rushing: 19
Passing Offense: 3375 yards or 281 yards per game
Passing Comp-Att-Int: 321-473-12
Total Offense: 4975 yards or 415 yards per game
Passing 1st downs: 158
Rushing 1st downs: 86
Fumbles-Lost: 18 - 7
Penalties-Yards: 89 - 825 yards
3d Down Conversions: 80 of 186  - 43%
4th Down Conversions:  11of 17 - 65%
Red-Zone Scores: 49 of 44  (89%)
Red-Zone Touchdowns: 30 of 44 (68%)
Punts : 64
Avg. per punt: 41 yds
Sacks: 25
PAT-Attempts: 41 of 43 - 95%
Field Goals-Attempts: 10 of 13
Time of possession per game: 28:03

The offense:  For the third year in a row, ECU will be working with a new offensive coordinator, and with the departures of Blake Kemp and Kurt Benkert, the quarterback job falls to senior transfer Philip Nelson, who arrived at ECU after making stops at Minnesota and Rutgers (where he was booted following an assault arrest). Nelson hasn't hasn’t thrown a pass in a game since 2013, but he has a solid group of receivers that’s led by Isaiah Jones, Trevon Brown and do-everything James Summers, who threw for five scores and ran for eight more in 2015.

In the the race to replace last year's leading rusher Chris Hairston, Anthony Scott and a pair of transfers, Derrell Scott (Tennessee) and Jeffrey Coprich (Cal) will compete for the starting job. The offensive line will have a new look as well, with sophomores Messiah Rice and Garrett McGhin favored to start at left tackle and left guard, respectively.

Join the conversation and leave a comment below

                                                         

2015-16 Tennis Highlights

Courtesy WCU Athletics Media Relations             

Celebrate America's Independence Day

Four named to the 2016 NCCSIA All-State Baseball Team

Western Carolina put four players on the 2016 University Division All-State Baseball teams released on Wednesday.

Matt Smith collected first team honors,  while Danny Bermudez,  Bryson Bowman, and Bryan Sammons were picked for second team honors.

Courtesy WCU Athletic Media Relations      

Five named to the 2016 NCCSIA All-State Softball Team

Five Western Carolina Softball players were named to the 2016 NCCSIA All-State Softball Team.

Seniors Taylor Sigmon, Crystal Cyr and Karley Harkey were named to the first team while freshman Madison Armstrong and junior Courtney Price were named to the second team.

   Courtesy WCU Athletic Media Relations     

2016 Catamount Football Preseason Depth Chart

(click on image to enlarge) 

Courtesy WCU Athletic Media Relations

Who's Next ?

Courtesy WCU Athletic Media Relations    

COMMITTED TO WESTERN CAROLINA
QB        Will Jones   -   Greensboro, NC   -   Paige HS   -   6'4"   200 lbs
OG        Nick Campbell   -   Hoschton, GA   -   Mill Creek HS   -   6'2"  275 lbs

LB         Trevor Childers   -   Denver, NC   -   East Lincoln HS   -   6'0"  181 lbs (verbal)

Korrie Bennett - Academic All American

Courtesy WCU Athletic Media Relations

Taylor Sigmon's NCAA record

Taylor Sigmon ends career holding NCAA softball record for saves in a career with 20.

Courtesy WCU Athletics Media Relations       

Join the conversation and leave a comment below

                                                         

ECU game start time announced

Football Season Tickets

3 Baseball Cats drafted

Garrett Brown was the 705th overall pick, taken in the 23rd round by the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Asheville, N.C., product was a 43rd round pick by the Colorado Rockies out of high school in 2011. He is the first WCU outfielder drafted since 2013 when Julian Ridings was taken in the 18th round by the Tampa Bay Rays.

Brown, a former two-sport standout at WCU, saved his best for last on the diamond as he hit a career-best .321 with 84 hits to rank second on the team and sixth overall in the SoCon. Brown started each of the 58 games in which he saw action in 2016. Including his career best and SoCon-leading 34 stolen bases -- the third-best single-season in program history -- Brown concluded his WCU career with 45 career thefts, 14th in the school record books.

****

Colton Davis, the 753rd overall selection, concluded his Catamount career ranked fifth in program history with 90 appearances on the mound that included 81 out of the bullpen. The Commerce, Ga., native set individual single-season highs in 2016 with a record of 7-3 and a team-high tying 89 strikeouts.

Davis finished his career with a 10.89 strikeout per nine-inning average. His 31 appearances led the Catamount pitching staff in 2016 while ranking eighth in the SoCon.

****

Bryson Bowman, the 998th overall selection taken in the 33rd round, still has the option to return to Cullowhee for his redshirt senior season in 2017.

In his first season playing for the Purple & Gold, Bowman left his mark in helping the Catamounts to the SoCon Tournament title for the first time since 2003, and a return to NCAA post-season play for the first time since 2007. The Baton, N.C., native hit .326 (74-for-227) with 35 extra base hits including 13 doubles, three triples, and 19 home runs to rank tied for third in the SoCon and among the top 10 nationally. Amidst a battle for the team RBI lead much of the year -- finishing second with 60 -- Bowman was a second team All-Southern Conference selection by both the league's head coaches and voting media, securing SoCon Player of the Week plaudits in late March.

All pictures and information courtesy WCU Media Relations

Join the conversation and leave a comment below

                                                         

the 2016 Soccer Schedule

Matt Smith and Brett Pope! - Named to the Clemson All-Regional Team

Catamount junior first baseman Matt Smith and sophomore shortstop Brett Pope were selected All-Tournament for their performances at the Clemson Regional held at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.

Join the conversation and leave a comment below

                                                         

Today we remember D-Day

Join the conversation and leave a comment below

                                                         

Cat's season ends with loss to Clemson

Saturday's press conference after the Nebraska win

Cats play at Clemson - 12 noon

Cats play Clemson for the 4th time this season, game now will be televised on ESPNU @ 12 noon

Courtesy WCU Athletics Media Relations         

Cats beat Nebraska to remain in the Regional

Courtesy WCU Athletic Media Relations          

                   

WCU 4, Nebraska 1 - #RoadToOmaha

Cats play Clemson today at 7 pm

WCU Baseball Tournament Central

Courtesy WCU Athletic Media Relations          

93 days until Catamount football kicks off in 2016

Courtesy WCU Athletics Media Relations       

Friday's starter at Clemson

Courtesy WCU Athletic Media Relations    

The Clemson Regional Bracket

The Cats are headed to Clemson

Courtesy WCU Athletics Media Relations               

This looks real nice in Cullowhee !!!!!!!

CWS Regionals

96 Days until Catamount Football

It's on to the Clemson NCAA regional for the Cats

On to the Clemson NCAA regional for #WCUBaseball...! Doug Kingsmore, here come the Catamounts! #RoadToOmaha pic.twitter.com/jTARoxfJAO

— Catamount Sports (@Catamounts) May 30, 2016