49 Days Until Catamount Football Kickoff - #49 Bryce Hart

 

It's now 49 days until the kickoff of Catamount football on Saturday, August 30, 2025, against the Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs in E.J. Whitmire Stadium, Cullowhee, NC. 

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

Today, we will highlight a linebacker: 

#49 Bryce Hart

Position Linebacker
Height 6-2
Weight 220
Class Freshman
Hometown Ringgold, Ga.
High School Ringgold HS










Prior to Western Carolina: Was named the GHSA Region 7-AA Defensive Player of the Year after recording 162 tackles with eight stops for loss and 12 quarterback hits … Named to the first team “Best of Preps” in northern Georgia and Chattanooga area by the Times Free-Press … Finished his prep career with 407 tackles, was twice named All-State and was a three-time recipient of first-team All-Region honors … Twice dubbed his team’s defensive MVP … Was a three-time class president and a two-time theater state champion while in high school.

50 Days Until Catamount Football - #50 Jarvis Adams Jr

 

It's now 50 days until the kickoff of Catamount football on Saturday, August 30, 2025, against the Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs in E.J. Whitmire Stadium, Cullowhee, NC. 

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

Today, we will highlight an offensive lineman: 

#50 Jarvis Adams Jr

Position Offensive Line
Height 6-2
Weight 290
Class Redshirt Freshman
Hometown Rome, Ga.
High School Rome HS











Prior to Western Carolina: Transferred from Kennesaw State with four years of eligibility remaining … Did not see action as a true freshman in 2024… Listed as a three-star prospect by 247Sports and a two-star recruit by Rivals.com … High School: Played for head coach John Reid at Rome HS … Team went undefeated in the 6AAAAAA region during his senior season … Part of back-to-back 11-or-more win seasons … Was a three-time first-team all-region and first-team all-county selection… Also competed in track & field as a prep, qualifying for sectionals as a high school junior with a personal-best throw of 49.15 in the shot put.

Personal: Grandson of George and Wanda Adams … Has four brothers and six sisters.

51 Days Until Catamount Football - #51 Aaron Sanez

 

It's now 51 days until the kickoff of Catamount football on Saturday, August 30, 2025, against the Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs in E.J. Whitmire Stadium, Cullowhee, NC. 

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

Today, we will highlight an offensive lineman: 

#51 Aaron Sanez

Position Offensive Line
Height 6-2
Weight 300
Class Redshirt Sophomore
Hometown Clearwater, Fla.
High School Clearwater HS










2024 (Redshirt Sophomore): Missed the season due to injury, returning to limited action during the squad's spring drills.

2023 (Redshirt Freshman): Played in six games on the season with three starts along the offensive line and on special teams … Did not record official statistics … Played at Arkansas (Sept. 2), at home against Charleston Southern (Sept. 23) and in the road win at The Citadel (Sept. 30) … Made his first career start against Mercer (Oct. 28), adding starts against ETSU (Nov. 11) and at VMI (Nov. 18).

2022 (Freshman): Played in three games as a true freshman, remaining eligible for a redshirt … Saw action as a reserve along the offensive line and on special teams … Made his collegiate debut in the season opener on the road at Charleston Southern (Sept. 3) … Also played in the home win over Presbyterian (Sept. 17) and on the road at Samford (Sept. 24).

Prior to Western Carolina: Named to the first-team All-Pinellas County football team compiled by Suncoast News and the Tampa Beacon as both a junior and senior ... Earned second-team All-State honors as a senior … Credited with 60 pancake blocks in 13 games by MaxPreps ... Served as a team manager for the high school baseball team.

Personal: Full name is Aaron Jordan Sanez ... Is the son of Lisa and Gus Sanez ... Is one of five children: AJ, Ashley, Anthony, and Andrew.

52 Days Until Catamount Football - #52 Manasseh Ripert

 

It's now 52 days until the kickoff of Catamount football on Saturday, August 30, 2025, against the Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs in E.J. Whitmire Stadium, Cullowhee, NC. 

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

Today, we will highlight an offensive lineman: 

#52 Manasseh Ripert

Position Offensive Line
Height 6-4
Weight 310
Class Redshirt Junior
Hometown Lakeland, Fla.
High School Lakeland HS










2024 (Junior): Played in three games with one start along the offensive line, making his WCU debut and first start at ETSU (Nov. 9) … Also saw time on special teams and along the offensive front against VMI (Nov. 16) and the regular-season finale at Samford (Nov. 23) … Did not record any official statistics.

Prior to Western Carolina: Two-time transfer after beginning his career at Kentucky Christian and Dodge City Community College ... Played in seven games at Dodge City and in six games at Kentucky Christian in Grayson, Ky., as a true freshman.

53 Days Until Catamount Football - #53 Zach Watson

 

It's now 53 days until the kickoff of Catamount football on Saturday, August 30, 2025, against the Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs in E.J. Whitmire Stadium, Cullowhee, NC. 

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

Today, we will highlight an offensive lineman: 

#53 Zach Watson

Position Offensive Line 

Height 6-1 Weight 300
Class Redshirt Sophomore
Hometown Waycross, Ga.
High School Ware County HS









2024 (Redshirt Freshman): Played in 11 of the team’s 12 games, including three starts along the offensive line … Only missed the Wofford game at home … Started three of the final four games, making his first seasonal start against Chattanooga (Nov. 2) … Credited with one tackle at Mercer (Oct. 26) … Did not record any additional official statistics … Named to the Southern Conference All-Freshman team … Was a third-team Freshman All-America selection by Phil Steele.

2023 (Freshman): Played in three games, twice entering as a reserve along the offensive line and special teams with one start … Remained eligible for a redshirt … Made his collegiate debut in the season-opener at Arkansas (Sept. 2) while also playing in the home win against Charleston Southern (Sept. 23) … Made his first career start along the offensive line at Wofford (Nov. 4) … Credited with one tackle in the road win at Wofford.

Prior to Western Carolina: Helped guide Ware County High to a 14-0 season and a state championship as a senior … Named to the All-Region team as an offensive lineman as a senior … Two-sport athlete as a prep, also plays baseball.

Personal: Is the son of Carlos Watson.

54 Days Until Catamount Football - #54 is Retired in Honor of Art Byrd (1946-49)

 

 

It's now 54 days until the kickoff of Catamount football on Saturday, August 30, 2025, against the Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs in E.J. Whitmire Stadium, Cullowhee, NC. 

Today, we will highlight #54 which is retired in honor of Art Byrd

#54 Art Byrd

• Class

   

  1950

• Induction

   

  1990

• Sport

   

  Football

Art Byrd - Football - (1946-49) Art Byrd was Western Carolina's first football All American Selection in 1949 when he helped lead the Catamounts to the North State Conference championship, the school's first football title. He was a two way player as an offensive and defensive lineman who amazingly was in on every play of every game in the 1948 season. According to his head coach, Tom Young, Byrd "epitomized the spirit of those fine football teams that put us on the map." Byrd was a catalyst of three winning records in his four seasons (1946-49). His jersey and number - 54- was the first to be retired in Western Carolina's athletic history.

First football All-America selection at Western Carolina University, playing guard on both the offensive and defensive side of the football ... Helped the Catamounts to an 8-2 regular season mark in 1949 and their first North State Conference title ... That team additionally holds the distinction of being WCU's first to earn a postseason bid, playing in the Smoky Mountain Bowl in Bristol, Va. ... Is the first Western Carolina student-athlete to have their jersey retired ... Inducted into the Western Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame in 1990, WCU's first-ever induction class.

55 Days Until Catamount Football - #55 Secrea Algie

 

It's now 55 days until the kickoff of Catamount football on Saturday, August 30, 2025, against the Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs in E.J. Whitmire Stadium, Cullowhee, NC. 

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

Today, we will highlight an offensive lineman: 

#55 Secrea Algie

Position Offensive Line
Height 6-5
Weight 305
Class Redshirt Freshman
Hometown Snellville, Ga.
High School Brookwood HS

2024 (Freshman): Did not see game action, expected to take a redshirt.

Prior to Western Carolina: Played offensive and defensive line as a prep … Named to the second-team AJC All-Region team on offense for Region 4-7A and an honorable mention for All-Gwinnett County … High school coach was Philip Jones, and his offensive line coach was Zach Underwood … Will enroll at WCU in the Fall 2024.

Personal: Is the son of Sonya Smith.

56 Days Until Catamount Football - #56 Mabry Bumgarner

 

It's now 56 days until the kickoff of Catamount football on Saturday, August 30, 2025, against the Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs in E.J. Whitmire Stadium, Cullowhee, NC. 

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

Today, we will highlight a long-snapper: 

#56 Mabry Bumgarner

Position Long-Snapper
Height 5-9
Weight 195
Class Redshirt Sophomore
Hometown Sylva, N.C.
High School Smoky Mountain HS

2024 (Redshirt Freshman): Dressed for several games, making his collegiate debut by seeing action in the home win over VMI (Nov. 16), snapping on a successful Corbin Shirley fourth-quarter PAT … Did not record any official season statistics.

2023 (Freshman): Did not see game action despite dressing for several home games ... Remained eligible for a redshirt ... Named to the 2023-24 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll.

Prior to Western Carolina: Joined the Catamount football team as a preferred walk-on … Named to the Mountain Seven Conference all-conference team and the All-Western North Carolina first-team offense as a long-snapper by the Asheville Citizen-Times … Was also selected to the 2022 North Carolina Sportswriters All-State team … Received a 4.5-star rating from the Rubio Long-Snapping … Is a member of the National Honors Society and has been accepted into WCU’s Brinson Honors College.

Personal: Is the son of Mary and Jeff Bumgarner.

Happy 4th of July to the Catamount Nation

 

57 Days Until Catamount Football - #57 Jeremy Johnson

 

It's now 57 days until the kickoff of Catamount football on Saturday, August 30, 2025, against the Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs in E.J. Whitmire Stadium, Cullowhee, NC. 

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

Today, we will highlight a defensive lineman: 

#57 Jeremy Johnson

Position Defensive Tackle
Height 5-10
Weight 300
Class Redshirt Freshman
Hometown Lilburn, Ga.
High School Parkview HS

2025 (Redshirt Freshman): A mid-year transfer to Western Carolina, enrolling in school in January ... Expected to take part in the squad's annual spring drills.

Prior to Western Carolina: Played in three games as a true freshman at Concord University, credited with one tackle against Charleston (W.Va.) ... Made his collegiate debut on Sept. 14, 2024, against UVA Wise; High School: According to MaxPreps, was credited with 63 total tackles as a junior and senior with 36 solo stops and 16.5 tackles for loss with five sacks and a forced fumble.

58 Days Until Catamount Football - #58 Brett Gray

 

It's now 58 days until the kickoff of Catamount football on Saturday, August 30, 2025, against the Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs in E.J. Whitmire Stadium, Cullowhee, NC. 

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

Today, we will highlight an offensive lineman: 

#58 Brett Gray

Position Offensive Line
Height 6-3
Weight 300
Class Senior
Hometown Vancouver, Wash.

College  Valpo
High School Skyview HS







2024 (Senior): Played in seven games as a reserve on the offensive line and on special teams before being sidelined by injury, missing the team’s final five games … Made his WCU debut in the season-opener at NC State (Aug. 29) … Did not record any official statistics.

Prior to Western Carolina: Mid-season transfer from Valparaiso, where he was on the roster for three seasons … 

At Valpo: Played in 22 games over three seasons with 11 starts as a redshirt sophomore in 2023 … Saw action as a reserve in 10 games during the 2022 season; At Skyview HS: Three-year varsity letter winner who served as a team captain as a senior … Was listed as a two-star prospect as a defensive lineman by 247Sports coming out of high school … Two-sport prep athlete playing football and basketball for two years.

Personal: Is the son of Marta and Darren Gray … Has a twin sister, Olivia … Was a trumpet soloist at Skyview High.

59 Days Until Catamount Football - #59 J'evon Bush

 

It's now 59 days until the kickoff of Catamount football on Saturday, August 30, 2025, against the Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs in E.J. Whitmire Stadium, Cullowhee, NC. 

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

Today we will highlight a Defensive Tackle: 

#59 J'evon Bush

Position Defensive Tackle
Height 6-5
Weight 305
Class Freshman
Hometown Orlando, Fla.
High School Jones HS










Prior to Western Carolina: Started his prep career at Oak Ridge High before finishing at Jones High in Orlando … Listed as one of the top defensive tackles in Florida by the Florida Varsity Rivals … Was a two-way lineman on both the offensive and defensive front for part of his prep career … Credited with 93 total tackles as a senior including 16 solo stops and a pair of tackles for loss with a sack … Also had a fumble recovery in the 2024 season.

60 Days Until Catamount Football - #60 Marcus Trout

 

It's now 60 days until the kickoff of Catamount football on Saturday, August 30, 2025, against the Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs in E.J. Whitmire Stadium, Cullowhee, NC. 

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

Today we will highlight a Kicker: 

#60 Marcus Trout

Position Kicker 

Height 5-11 

Weight 170 

Class Freshman 

Hometown Cocoa, Fla. 

High School Cocoa HS 

Prior to Western Carolina: Played for the Florida Class 2-A State Championship team … Named to the 2024 All-District 12 and District 12 All-Senior teams … Named the Brevard Sports Network co-Special Teams Player of the Year in 2023 … According to MaxPreps, had 83 kickoffs as a senior with 44 touchbacks, averaging 55.3 yards per kick … Punted just 12 times with an average of 41.2 yards including a 60 yarder and two downed inside the opponent 20 yard line … Finished 62-of-68 on PATs and hit 8-of-14 field goals including a long of 40 yards, accounting for 86 seasonal points … Credited with 78 combined touchbacks over his final two seasons as a prep … Scored 142 career points with 99 made PATs and 14 field goals … Spent 10 years living in Waynesville, N.C., when he was younger.