Catamounts ready for good season

Western Carolina University’s football team kicked off their first home game of the season with a win over the Gardner Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs. The team is hoping to continue winning this Saturday, Sept. 17, against the East Tennessee State University (ETSU) Buccaneers at the Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee.

WCU beat Gardner Webb 44-14. The win came from a perfect harmony of offense and defense. The Catamount’s offense totaled over 690 yards and the defense shut out the Bulldogs in the second half, not letting them score a point after halftime. The offensive attack was led by red-shirt freshman, Tyrie Adams, who threw for over 400 yards and five touchdowns. This win reflected all the hard work that the Catamounts did during the off-season.

Hear what Coach Mark Speir and his coaches and players had to say on their expectations and focus for the season.

The upcoming season will be tough, but the offense is clicking and the new defense is looking to improve week by week.

Over the off-season, the Western Carolina football team added a new defensive coordinator to the mix. Dustin Landry joined the team in February 2016. Coach Landry was on the defensive staff when the Auburn Tigers won the National Championship back in 2010.

Coach Landry brings a new fire and intensity to the defense and looks to bring the defense back to the forefront of the WCU football team. In the last game against the Gardner Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs, the WCU defense as a unit shut out the Bulldogs in the second half not letting them score more than 14 points for the game.

If that game shows anything, coach Landry has this defense ready to bring in every game.

Looking ahead at the schedule for the Catamounts, some important matches are against Citadel on Oct. 1 and then Wofford the next week, Oct. 8. Both of these games are at home for the Catamounts.

Check the Catamounts 2016-17 season schedule.