[Sly Fox]

Game #3

@ Western Carolina University

Official Site

Catamount Pride Message Board





Dennis Wagner
1st Season as WCU Head Coach



E.J. Whitmire Stadium
Built in 1974 - Seats 12,000

2008 Schedule/Results

• 08/28 Shorter ................................ W 35-0
  09/06 at Florida State .................... L 69-0
  09/13 Liberty
  09/20 at Presbyterian
  09/27 at The Citadel *
  10/04 Samford *
  10/11 at Furman *
  10/18 at Wofford *
  10/25 Georgia Southern*
  11/01 Chattanooga
  11/08 at Elon *
  11/22 Appalachian State *

Key Players


#7 Andy Horn
6' 0" 205 lb Senior Quarterback
Thru 2 Games: 28-of-50 for 315 Yards with 2 TDs & 0 INTs



#80 Marquel Pittman
6' 3" 196 lb Sophomore Wide Receiver
Thru 2 Games: 11 Catches for 198 Yards with 1 TD



#50 Quintin Phillips
6' 2" 235 lb Junior Linebacker
Thru 2 Games: Team-Leading 10.5 Tackles with 1 Forced Fumble


This team is extremely tough to judge since they have a new staff and not much for us to go on. They faced a ridiculously overmatched opponent in their opener and then they switched roles in Tallahassee. Both teams in Cullowhee Saturday will be looking to find out exactly how good they really are. WCU switched to Horn as their primary QB and have turned their starter from a year ago Hearns into a Mike Brown-type utility man. They have yet to establish a run game and their defense has not been very opportunistic as of yet. This should make for an interesting matchup considering WCU folks really can't tell much about us based on our lopsided matchups through the first two weeks.

[Iwasneverhere]

Their stadium now has visiting side stands.

[flameshaw]

I saw about half of the FSU game. I was very impressed with Horn's pocket presence. When surrounded with a big rush, he appeared to be poised and unafraid. WCU will probably not be the pushover they were last year.

[Sly Fox]

Horn is an intriguing story as a redshirt senior walk-on who had never appeared in a game as a QB until the past two weeks.

[SumItUp]

Did Western Carolina suffer any major injuries in the thumping they took from FSU?

[jcmanson]

Is there anywhere to watch this game or am I stuck with live stats and the voice?

[rogers3]

After watching the first 2, I just don't think I can handle live stats and audio!

[The Cats]

Horn is an intriguing story as a redshirt senior walk-on who had never appeared in a game as a QB until the past two weeks.

Close...... but....

2006 (R-So.): Only played in one game, making his first career appearance and first career start in "the Swamp" at Florida ... After being listed as low as fifth on the WCU depth chart during the preseason, took his first collegiate snap and performed admirably under the circumstances ... Completed 5-of-12 passes for 35 yards, including a 17-yard first down pass to fullback Joe Clark-Dear.

[The Cats]

Their stadium now has visiting side stands.

a little better photo of the stadium.....

[The Cats]

Game #3

@ Western Carolina University

The new Catamount Logo......

[jcmanson]

Thanks for stopping by Cats.

[Sly Fox]

Rashad appears to be a go for Saturday ...

Tailback Rashad Jennings, who missed Saturday's game after surgery on a broken pinky finger, should be ready to go this weekend. Danny Rocco, Liberty Flames Head Coach - "It's pretty nasty-looking, a lot of stitches, but we have it protected in such a fashion that I really don't think will be an issue in the game. I just, I'll tell you this much, I was smiling from ear-to-ear last night to watch Rashad back here on the field and carrying the football. And he just looks like the Rashad of old."

Click Here for Full Story & Video Link

Does anybody else have problems playing the WSET clips? All I ever can see lately are the commercials.

[krh44]

Is the game going to be carried by the Bigsouith edge?

[Sly Fox]

Not to my knowledge.

[Sly Fox]

More on Rashad's return in Chris' Liberty Notes ...

By Chris Lang
Published: September 9, 2008

When tailback Rashad Jennings initially broke the pinkie finger on his right hand, Liberty coach Danny Rocco had flashbacks to the fractured wrist that sidelined tailback Zach Terrell for parts of 2007.
The biggest worry was that Jennings would have to wear the same sort of bulky cast that hampered Terrell’s ability to secure the football and catch passes. But after doing some research, Rocco’s fears were alleviated.
“I tried to educate myself on what was going to happen after he had the surgery,” Rocco said. “After hearing what was said, I felt that it could be done without too much of a problem.”

Click Here for Full Story

[The Cats]

Did Western Carolina suffer any major injuries in the thumping they took from FSU?

According to Coach Wagner today on the SoCon Teleconference, there were no major injuries in the FSU game.

[The Cats]

Coach Wagner's thoughts about LU from today's (9/9/2008) SoCon Teleconference.....

On playing Liberty, which broke into the Top 25 this week:

"I think this will be a true measure of where we are at as a football team. They're 2-0 and have had a lot of success, scored a lot of points and not given up much on defense. Over the past few years they have reestablished their program, so we are glad they are coming here to Cullowhee.

"I think they are a very physical football team. They're big up front both defensively and offensively. They can run the football, mix in the passing game. Overall, they are a well-rounded football team. From watching film, they are sound in all areas, special teams, offense and defense and that just tells us they are well coached and they will be prepared when they get here Saturday."

On last Saturday's game at Florida State:

"Well, it is a real quick talk with regards to last Saturday (at Florida State). I disagree with (Chattanooga head) Coach (Rodney) Allison (who precedes Wagner on the teleconference) there are no moral victories. I think when you get beat, you get beat; whether it's 69-0 or 34-14, you can't accept losing. And that's the problem they have had here in the past. We have to get that changed. I was not happy with our performance in any shape or manner. We came in, watched our film, put that game to bed and now its time to move on to Liberty. We have got to become a better football team and fast."

"We didn't play well. We had opportunities. We were down 7-0 with 8 minutes to go in the first half and things got out of hand. So, there are no moral victories in my opinion; you either win or lose, it's black or white. This team can't accept losing no matter who we play. Sometimes you are going to be outmatched and you got to do everything you can to find a way to win."

"(We have to) Learn from the experience; take what positives there were - and there weren't many - but the ones there were, learn from and move forward because if you spend too much time on the past, you are not going to make moves to the future."

[Sly Fox]

Gracias! I'd been scouring the web for notes from Cullowhee and you made my life much easier.

[Chris Lang]

WCU scouting report:

http://www.newsadvance.com/lna/sports/s ... lina/8269/

[The Cats]

WCU Game Notes vs. Liberty

http://catamountsports.cstv.com/auto_pd ... tesLiberty


WCU Two Deep Depth Chart vs. Liberty

http://catamountsports.cstv.com/auto_pd ... pVsLiberty

[jcmanson]

Coulson's preview of the game in his weekly top 25 preview:

No. 25 Liberty (2-0) at Western Carolina (0-1), 6 p.m.
It's been a while since Liberty has had such high expectations, hearkening back to the Sam Rutigliano era. With the Flames cracking the Top 25 this week, it marks the first time they have been held in such high acclaim since the 1998 season.

Liberty's offense has combined to score 85 points in its wins over Glenville State and North Greenville, that doesn't bode for a Western Carolina defense that has struggled over the past couple of seasons.

Liberty has plenty of versatility on offense, with running backs Rashad Jennings, Zach Terrell, coupled with the precision passing skills of Brock Smith and receiver Dominic Bolden.

Western Carolina dominated Shorter 35-0, but was blanked by Florida State 69-0. Jayson Williams has rushed for 97 yards and a 5.4 average, with quarterback Andy Horn passing for 307 yards thus far. Marquel Pittman and Donald James have 11 receptions each.

Liberty 42, Western Carolina 20

[The Cats]

Coulson's preview of the game in his weekly top 25 preview:

No. 25 Liberty (2-0) at Western Carolina (0-1), 6 p.m.

Liberty 42, Western Carolina 20

Sorry, but Coulson's nothing but a Appy State hack...... hates the rest of the SoCon, anything he writes about other SoCon schools is suspect.....

[Rooster Cogburn]

HOMER!

[ToTheLeft]

Coulson's preview of the game in his weekly top 25 preview:

No. 25 Liberty (2-0) at Western Carolina (0-1), 6 p.m.

Liberty 42, Western Carolina 20

Sorry, but Coulson's nothing but a Appy State hack...... hates the rest of the SoCon, anything he writes about other SoCon schools is suspect.....

I don't think anyone here is a big fan of him, either. It's just not often we get the top 25 treatment.

[Sly Fox]

Peruse AGS for our opinions in general on Mr. C.