They all seemed concerned about what Paladin nation was bringing.
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They suck
CATAMOUNT CLUB
2023.24suck
Furman @ WCCC Oct. 21st
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GAMEDAY
Western Carolina
2:30 PM ET
Bro, Western had about 80 people last year in Greenville
Western (fans) are trying to poke the bear.
Let’s be fair. FUBeAR counted 137 people on the WCU side in Paladin Stadium last Fall.
With a total enrollment of 11,637 on “class census day” in the Fall of 2022, that means Away Attendance @ FU was 1.18% of WCU’s enrollment.
With Furman’s enrollment, including graduate students, of 3006, Furman will need 35 people in attendance today to proportionally match WCU’s turnout in Greenville last year.
FUBeAR bets we’ll cover. Any lurking Cantamounts wanna take FUBeAR up on that wager?
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We few, we happy few, we band of brothers,
For he today who sheds his blood with me shall be my brother
For he today who sheds his blood with me shall be my brother
Just looking at the depth chart, the Catamounts appear to have taken a page from Samford's book and tried to remake their defense through the transfer portal.
Like Samford, they appear to be a sort of hybrid 4-2-5 defensive alignment. Like Samford, they'll have a few stout bodies at DT/NT/MLB. Also like Samford, they'll give up a lot of size to Furman on the edges and the backfield.
I think this is at least the 3rd time in the last 4 games Furman has faced a defense that prefers the 3 safety look. We moved the ball pretty well on the other two.
How those safeties play the run will go a long way in WCU's efforts to slow down the Furman offense.
Like Samford, they appear to be a sort of hybrid 4-2-5 defensive alignment. Like Samford, they'll have a few stout bodies at DT/NT/MLB. Also like Samford, they'll give up a lot of size to Furman on the edges and the backfield.
I think this is at least the 3rd time in the last 4 games Furman has faced a defense that prefers the 3 safety look. We moved the ball pretty well on the other two.
How those safeties play the run will go a long way in WCU's efforts to slow down the Furman offense.
I guess it's also worth noting a little intangible.
Furman players have played in big games like today's. They've played top matchups. They've played big games on the road. They played in San Antonio last year against a seemingly unstoppable offensive football team in the playoffs.
WCU players probably haven't played in these types of games. They have a good chunk of transfers. The Catamounts probably haven't had this much riding on a game in 20 years.
I have no idea who that favors.
Furman players have played in big games like today's. They've played top matchups. They've played big games on the road. They played in San Antonio last year against a seemingly unstoppable offensive football team in the playoffs.
WCU players probably haven't played in these types of games. They have a good chunk of transfers. The Catamounts probably haven't had this much riding on a game in 20 years.
I have no idea who that favors.
Regarding the mention of WCU building the defense through the portal, I agree that several of the guys did transfer to Western at some point. But I believe almost every one of them listed as the starter has come to WCU over the last several years - even A. Williams who transferred as an All-American is not starting.
C. Fisher - signed from high school
M. Alexander - transferred from GWU in ‘21 when we added his coach to our defensive staff
J. Gunn - signed from high school
J. Davis - transferred from Morgan State and started in ‘22 and again this season
H. McQueen - signed from high school
Va - signed from JuCo in ‘21 and started games in 22 and this season
E. Jones - signed from the same JuCo as Va in ‘21 and started games in 22 and this season
R. Gattison - signed in ‘19 out of Georgia Military
A. Keaton - signed out of high school
S. Dukes - signed out of high school
C. Williams - originally a walk-on at Alabama, transferred as a RS FR in ‘21
So that is very different than what Samford and historically UTC have done. Not a single starter listed was brought in as a hired gun/stop-gap kind of player. Same on offense - pretty much every player was recruited by or was brought in because of a previous relationship they had with this staff.
That doesn’t rally mean anything, but just pointing out this team is something Coach Bell has been building over his 2.5 years here and not a bunch of portal guys that helped us all of the sudden be good.
As for the big game comments, I also am wondering what difference it will make. WCU has to prove themselves and historically we have not done well in that situation. I had the same concerns about the WCU game at Chattanooga, but Western showed they are better than previous versions in that game.
I guess we are collectively about to find out if WCU has arrived, or if the Cats still have a ways to go.
C. Fisher - signed from high school
M. Alexander - transferred from GWU in ‘21 when we added his coach to our defensive staff
J. Gunn - signed from high school
J. Davis - transferred from Morgan State and started in ‘22 and again this season
H. McQueen - signed from high school
Va - signed from JuCo in ‘21 and started games in 22 and this season
E. Jones - signed from the same JuCo as Va in ‘21 and started games in 22 and this season
R. Gattison - signed in ‘19 out of Georgia Military
A. Keaton - signed out of high school
S. Dukes - signed out of high school
C. Williams - originally a walk-on at Alabama, transferred as a RS FR in ‘21
So that is very different than what Samford and historically UTC have done. Not a single starter listed was brought in as a hired gun/stop-gap kind of player. Same on offense - pretty much every player was recruited by or was brought in because of a previous relationship they had with this staff.
That doesn’t rally mean anything, but just pointing out this team is something Coach Bell has been building over his 2.5 years here and not a bunch of portal guys that helped us all of the sudden be good.
As for the big game comments, I also am wondering what difference it will make. WCU has to prove themselves and historically we have not done well in that situation. I had the same concerns about the WCU game at Chattanooga, but Western showed they are better than previous versions in that game.
I guess we are collectively about to find out if WCU has arrived, or if the Cats still have a ways to go.
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wcugrad95 wrote: ↑Sat Oct 21, 2023 11:07 amRegarding the mention of WCU building the defense through the portal, I agree that several of the guys did transfer to Western at some point. But I believe almost every one of them listed as the starter has come to WCU over the last several years - even A. Williams who transferred as an All-American is not starting.
C. Fisher - signed from high school
M. Alexander - transferred from GWU in ‘21 when we added his coach to our defensive staff
J. Gunn - signed from high school
J. Davis - transferred from Morgan State and started in ‘22 and again this season
H. McQueen - signed from high school
Va - signed from JuCo in ‘21 and started games in 22 and this season
E. Jones - signed from the same JuCo as Va in ‘21 and started games in 22 and this season
R. Gattison - signed in ‘19 out of Georgia Military
A. Keaton - signed out of high school
S. Dukes - signed out of high school
C. Williams - originally a walk-on at Alabama, transferred as a RS FR in ‘21
So that is very different than what Samford and historically UTC have done. Not a single starter listed was brought in as a hired gun/stop-gap kind of player. Same on offense - pretty much every player was recruited by or was brought in because of a previous relationship they had with this staff.
That doesn’t rally mean anything, but just pointing out this team is something Coach Bell has been building over his 2.5 years here and not a bunch of portal guys that helped us all of the sudden be good.
As for the big game comments, I also am wondering what difference it will make. WCU has to prove themselves and historically we have not done well in that situation. I had the same concerns about the WCU game at Chattanooga, but Western showed they are better than previous versions in that game.
I guess we are collectively about to find out if WCU has arrived, or if the Cats still have a ways to go.
Nah. Win or lose y’all have arrived. Let’s both go playoff bound !!
I suspect the experience gap may come in to play in terms of early game energy.
This was probably WCU's biggest home game of the season when the schedule came out. The Cats are coming off a bye week. They are playing at home and have a lot of national attention on this game.
I suspect the home team is going to be at risk of being almost too amped up early in the contest. Playing with intensity is good, playing with too much intensity can be a liability. Coach Bell is going to have to figure out how to get them in the right frame of mind and handle the ups and downs of the game.
Furman did a good job with that last week. It seemed every time Samford would get a big momentum play, Furman would answer immediately and steal the momentum right back. I think that was the mark of a veteran club knowing how to manage the moment.
I thought Furman's best play against Samford was the 48 yard RPO throw to Shiflett on their first offensive play after Samford scored a touchdown to pull the margin to three in the 3rd quarter. Just seemed to deflate Samford to put together a drive, score, and then Furman immediately get 50 yards back on the first play.
This was probably WCU's biggest home game of the season when the schedule came out. The Cats are coming off a bye week. They are playing at home and have a lot of national attention on this game.
I suspect the home team is going to be at risk of being almost too amped up early in the contest. Playing with intensity is good, playing with too much intensity can be a liability. Coach Bell is going to have to figure out how to get them in the right frame of mind and handle the ups and downs of the game.
Furman did a good job with that last week. It seemed every time Samford would get a big momentum play, Furman would answer immediately and steal the momentum right back. I think that was the mark of a veteran club knowing how to manage the moment.
I thought Furman's best play against Samford was the 48 yard RPO throw to Shiflett on their first offensive play after Samford scored a touchdown to pull the margin to three in the 3rd quarter. Just seemed to deflate Samford to put together a drive, score, and then Furman immediately get 50 yards back on the first play.
Something else worth nothing, I think.
Furman has 4 remaining regular season games, 3 of which they will be heavily favored (ETSU, Wofford, VMI)
Assuming WCU runs the table, the Furman/UTC game could set up a three way tiebreaker if Furman were to lose. The teams would be 1-1 against each other and had beaten everyone else.
Holding WCU to 17 points was huge, because remember the tie breaker eventually becomes points surrendered among the tied teams. WCU and UTC put up 50+ on each other. So, Furman should be in a good spot there assuming UTC doesn't open up a +33 point margin or something.
Furman has 4 remaining regular season games, 3 of which they will be heavily favored (ETSU, Wofford, VMI)
Assuming WCU runs the table, the Furman/UTC game could set up a three way tiebreaker if Furman were to lose. The teams would be 1-1 against each other and had beaten everyone else.
Holding WCU to 17 points was huge, because remember the tie breaker eventually becomes points surrendered among the tied teams. WCU and UTC put up 50+ on each other. So, Furman should be in a good spot there assuming UTC doesn't open up a +33 point margin or something.
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