• Format
  • Publications (documents)
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  • Text
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1985-09-12_Vol50_No05_07

SPORTS Southern Conference the league. That's because the Mocs traditionally have had one of the league's best defense clubs. For instance, last year's club was second in the league in team defense and third each in rushing and pass defense. And that'll continue in 1985, because 10 starters from the defense will be back to return interceptions and fumbles for touchdowns and the like. Only problem is, will the Mocs be able to score points on offense? Witness last season's three offensive shutouts and one might have to wonder. To add some spice to the drab offense, coach Buddy Nix has brought in two transfers to play halfback- Keith Montgomery, a junior from Georgia, and Alan Evans, a junior from Auburn. They might add to the offense, and if the Mocs can score with any regularity, watch out. If anyone added excitment to the league last season, it was THE CITADEL. The Bulldogs almost knocked off South Carolina in Columbia, and then the Gamecocks went on the claim the No. 2 in the national polls before eventually finishing off in the Gator Bowl. The Bulldogs also upset Western in Cullowhee, 34-33, to wipe out the Catamounts' conference title chances. Third-year coach Tom Moore has the same material back in the name of 15 starters and 36 lettermen. But the heart of the offense was quarterback Robert Hill (20 TD passes), and he graduated. It is said time and time again that APPALACHIAN STATE has the best athletes in the conference, or at least nearly the best. Western Carolina's Tiger Greene, an all-American defensive back last year, said so himself. And the Mountaineers proved it last year with the upset of Furman. . So what's the problem? Appalachian was only 4-7 last season, and hasn't really challenged for a conference title since the Steve Brown-Rick Beasley duo was setting national records for passing and receiving back in 1980. Inexperience, according to coach Sparky Woods. "We are still going to be a very young team," Woods says. "This year we'll be made up mostly of sophomores." But Appalachian's tough nonconference schedule may pay off when it hits the league grind: the Mountaineers have road games with South Carolina and Wake Forest. Playing good teams like that could be profitable in the long run. EAST TENNESSEE STATE will add depth to the conference race. The Buccaneers, who were rated 13th nationally at one point in the season last year, will return much of their offense, including two-year starting quarterback Robbie White. Also, an excellent kicking game with Herbie Campbell at placekicker and George Cimadevilla at punter will bolster the Bucs' chances. The Bucs, 6-5 last season, will pay seven conference games, which will help their chances of winning their first conference crown. Before last season, many of the MARSHALL students hadn't even been born when the Thundering Herd had last posted a winning season. But new Coach Stan Parrish came in wheeling and dealing, and let it all hang out as the Thundering Herd finished 6-5, its first winning year since 1964. Quarterback Carl Fodor, with 2,888 yards and 22 touchdowns, was the leader of the Herd's expolosive attack. It'll be more good news for Marshall fans in 1985, because 10 starters and a good recruiting class will be c on hand. But as the Hera climbs slowly to the top of the conference, it will learn that winning a championship isn't easy. Back in the mid- to late 1970's, there was a real tough football team nestled in the little town of Lexington, Ve» The Keydets of VMI won a Southern Conference tied for another in 1977 and finished second in 1979. But no more. The coach of those tea ms, Bob Thai ma n, i s gone after a 3-18 record over the last two years. He is replaced by Eddie Williamson, late of the University of Georgia as an affensive line coach. The Keydets, who return 38 lettermen and 15 starters, will probably make more of a dent in the league race than they did last year, but Williamson will find that it's noteasytofieldaconsistentfootball winner at the NCAA's smallest Division I school. It is ironic that Williamson is a graduate of Davidson, (class of 74) because his team and his alma mater should keep good company at the bottom of the league standings this year. The Wildcat program created more publicity last spring with it's decision to drop out of the Southern Conference by 1987 than it did all last season for it's exploits on the field. Davidson, 2-8 last year, is struggling greatly to keep company with the rest of the league because it only gives athletic scholarships based upon need. Thus, the trustees' decision to join the newly formed Colonial League the year after next. The Wildcats won't beany kma oraractorintnis year's football race, but there is some optimisim on campus with new coach Vic Gatto having 29 returning lettermen to work with. Wait until the basketball season; that's when Davidson is a formidable athletic challenge. INTRAMURALS NEW WCU INTRAMURAL SOFTBALL POLL NEW WCU INTRAMURAL SOFTBALL POLL MEN WOMEN 2 SOFTBALL SKILLS RESULTS 1. Braves 2. Nerd* 1. Lucky Losers 2. Zeta Tau Alpha Sorority League Champion Sue Knight Zeta Tau Alpha 3. Nothing Fancy 3. Cavaliers Sorority League Runner-up Cindy Faulkner Sigma Kappa 4. Lambda Chi Alpha 4. Sweet Revenge 5. Dirty Dozen S. Sigma Kappa Independent League Champion Diane Wilkinson Lucky Losers 6. Jerry's Kids 6. Turkey Squats Independent League Runner-up Stevie Hall Brew Crew 7. Catbackers 7. Sweethearts 8. Sigma Phi Epsilon 8. Bandits 9. The Beer Bongers 9. Brew Crew Number of female participants 36 10. Ridgeru.iners 10. Alpha Xi Delta 11. Kappa Alpha All Campus Champion Wally Caraway Jerry's Kids 12- Glory Boys All Campus Runner-up Todd Rollins Unknowns 13. Wild Bunch 14. Smoke Patrol Independent Champion Todd Rollins IS. Laser Lights Independent Runner-up Paul Sanders 16. City Heat 17. Pi Kappa Phi "B" American League Champion Wally Caraway Jerry's Kids 18. eyers American League Runner-up George Demeree Nothing Fancy 19. Kamikaze 1, MEN'S INTRAMURAL BADMINTON 20 Street Survivors "SINGLES" AND DOUBLES" will occur Fraternity League Champion Brent Sadler Sigma Phi Epsilon at 6:30 pm on Reid Gyrn main floor, Fraternity League Runner-up Ronny Funderburke Pi Kappa Phi Tues.. Sept. 17, American, International, and Independent International League Champion Jeff Woodard Crimson Tide leagues International League Runner-up Rodney Wallace Sigma Phi Epsilon Wed., Sept, 18, Fraternity, and "8" National leagues National League Champion David Blackwelder Street Survivors Thurs., Sept. 19, All Campus Finals National League Runner-up Bryan Murray Braves For more information call 227-7477 or come by Intramural Office 14, Reid Gym. Number of male participants: 32 KRUSEN NAMED ASSISTANT BASKETBALL COACH Chris Geis Western Carolina's basketball staff has filled the vacancy created by the departure of one of its assistant coaches last month. Joining the Catamount coaching staff will be former Wake Forest assistant Herb Krusen. Krusen replaces Dan Kennev. who resigned in August to become head basketball coach at Pembroke State. Krusen, 27, was an assistant coach for the Deacons for three years. During his stay at Wake Forest, the Atlantic Coast Conference school won 20 games twice and placed among the National Invitation Tournament's top four and the NCAA tournament's final eight. "He was involved in a first-rate program and impressed us with his knowledge of the game, ability to recruit and his enthusiasm," Western head coach Steve Cottrell said. Krusen, a native of Silver Spring, Md., was a three-year basketball standout at East Carolina. He finished eighth on East Carolina's all-time scoring list and owns the Pirate's record for single-season free-throw accuracy, with 92.2 percent. Krusen graduated in 1980 with a degree in business administration. Following his graduation from East Carolina, he played professional basketball in Germany for one year and joined the Pirate's staff as an assistant for the 1981-82 season. "I am excited about working with coach Cottrell and the highly respected program at Western Carolina," Krusen said. "This is a great opportunity to be involved in a growing program that will be moving into an impressive facility and playing an equally impressive schedule." X o O CATS FACE TOUGH SCHEDULE Chris Geis Lest you think Western Carolina's Catamountsare going to have it soft with the three big conference games at E.J. Whitmire Stadium, check out the Cats' nonconference schedule. It won't be an easy one. Western opens with Tenn. Tech on Sept. 14 in Cookeville, Tenn. The Golden Eagles, mauled 34-6 here in Cullowhee last season, return 20 of 22 starters from last year 22 starters from last year's 0-11 outfit. But, according to head coach Gary Darnell, 28 newcomers and 20 redshirts will be given more than an adequate chance of filling the starting ranks. Tech, a member of the Ohio Valley Conference, will not be a threat to win the NCAA l-AAchampion ship. The Catamounts' toughest tasks will come in October and November. On Oct. 5, the Cats travel to Atlanta to take on Georgia Tech of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Tech's outlook is promising, for it returns 14 starters and 46 lettermen from a team that went 6-4-1 and beat Georgia a year ago. The only major loss is halfback Robert Lavette, Tech's all-time leading rusher. Yellow Jackets head coach Bill Curry remembers 1983, though. That's when Southern Conference member Furman whipped the Jackets, 20-17, in Atlanta. Incidentally, Furman lost twice later on in that year to Western Carolina. And most certainly, everyone in Cullowheeand Tallahassee, Fla., remembers the only time that Western and Florida State hooked up. It was back in 1981, and the two squads combined for more than 1,000 yards in offense, including an NCAA record of 322 rushing yards by Greg Allen, who was a Seminole freshman then. The Catamounts scored first on the nationally-ranked Seminoles, and were down only 35-24 with 11 minutes to play, but Florida State wore the Cats down and claimed a 56-31 victory. Florida State and Western will meet again Nov. 16 in Tallahassee, and the Cats could be walking into the den of a top 10 team when the game rolls around. Florida State was 7-3-2 last year, and returns 12 Junior quarterback Willie Perkins completed 12 of 24 passes for 138 yards Saturday, and was intercepted twice.Perkins is the likely starter against Tennessee Tech. UNSEEN. UNSUNG TODD JACKSON CAN SNAP WITH THE BEST OF THEM Carl Brie kma n SPORTS WRITER Usually when a group of guys get together to play a friendlygame of tag football, the last one chosen while the teams are being decided on is the overweight, immobile fellow with half of the Baby Ruth in his back pocket. His ineluctable position: center. Kenneth "Todd" Jackson is a center that is certainly of a different mold. In a position he tabs as "snapper," Jackson is the center on the specialty teams (punting and field goals) for the Catamounts. He is a mountainous 6'5", 230 lbs., but is quick and fast (Jackson has also played tight end on occasion). But the reason he receives coverage in major college football publications (including Street and Smith's annual college football issue) is because he is near perfect at "snapping." He has made only one errant "snap." Jackson never reallytook snapping seriously until hissenior year when he was the center at Reid Ross High School in Fayetteville, NC. For Ray Williams, the punter of the year for North Carolina and now a starting wide receiver at Clemson. As a freshman, Jackson had trouble settling in here while financing his education on his own, and consequently missed tryouts. He wanted to play, however, and with nothing to lose, and one week before the first game, he walked down to the practice field while four other players were trying out for the position and boasted to Coach Waters. "I can outsnap any of those guys." To which waters responded, "Can you do it now?" The past teams had been notorious for flubbing snaps, and had averaged nearly one mishap per game, according to Jackson. Todd was in jeans and a button-down shirt, but seized the opportunity and proceeded to snap his way from the third team the next day to being a starter at opening day against Wake Forest. Jackson had never been to a college game, even as a spectator. He performed flawlessly against Wake Forest, but his second game would provide the ultimate challenge: Clemson and it's star nose guard (and now first round draft pick and starting nose guard for the Chicago Bears), 385 lb. William "The Refrigerator" Perry. All of his Teammates were ribbing Jackson about a player he didn't even know of. "On the first snap I ran out on the field and didn't see him anywhere, so I was more relaxed. Then I came out ofthe huddle and got over the ball. Then I saw a huge black hand on my right side. I was thinking he was on my right shoulder. Then I looked to my left side and saw another huge black hand; so there were two guys...NOOO WAY! I looked upand saw one humongous body! I figured all I had to do was snap the ball. I took another deep breath (it was about my thid one) and snapped it. I ran down and into his left knee. He tried togoaround me and I hit him in his leg as he ■:*: crossed it over, ana i tripped him good. It looked a lot better on film than it was. I was a little lucky, he could've run me over! I had encountered William Perry." Jackson's only missed snap was that year against ETSU. "ETSU has a mini-dome and its ground is flat (unlike E.J.Whitmiire Stadium which is bowed for drainage purposes). Dean was punting. It was the fourth quarter with 5 minutes to go and we were winning by one point. I snapped it over Dean's head intotheendzonefora safety. So now we were losing by one point. "Then I heard someone on the team say, 'All he has to do is snap and he can't even do that.' It was the first time in three years I had missed a snap (Jackson did not miss a snaDinhistwovearsinhieh school) and I was upset. Jackson had a chance to redeem himself when the Cats drove down to the ETSU three yard line with nine seconds left in the game. Waters decided togoforthe field goal. "In the huddle nobody said anything to me. Then the coaches called time out. The holder went to the sideline, I guess they were having second thoughts'' "Then we got back up to the line and the ETSU guys made fun of me and were pickin' at me. Then they called time! This time the coaches incouraged me and Charles Stevenson said, 'Just snap it, we'll block!!' Jackson snapped it, and got blown off the line. He never saw the ball, but when he looked up and saw the team celebrating, he knew he had redeemed himself. Jackson's most exciting time with the team was not the championship season, but understandably in the rematch continued on page 12

The Western Carolinian is Western Carolina University’s student-run newspaper. The paper was published as the Cullowhee Yodel from 1924 to 1931 before changing its name to The Western Carolinian in 1933.

• Creator
  • Western Carolina University
• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Date
  • Date original: 1985-09-12
  • Date digitized: 2019-02-28
• Extent
  • Dimension: 22.75" x 15"
  • Pages: 12 pages
• Subject - Topic
  • College student newspapers and periodicals
  • Cullowhee (N.C.) -- Newspapers
  • Universities and colleges -- North Carolina -- Cullowhee -- Newspapers
• Location
  • Jackson County (N.C.)
  • Cullowhee (N.C.)
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Source Collection
  • WCU Students Newspapers Collection
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1985-09-12_Vol50_No05
• Repository
  • Western Carolina University Hunter Library