• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1991-08-29_Vol57_No03_08

Volume 57 Number 3 Sports The Western Carolinian Page 8 Thursday, August 29, 1991 Robert M Robertson "Out-of-Bounds" Columnist Welcome back sports fans! It's the beginning of the fall semester of 1991 and that means that football is soon to start all over the country complete with blood and grass stains. Bodies are pumped up and trained to squash each other on fields of grass and astroturf, while perky cheerleaders tease them into a killing frenzy from the sidelines. Being a sports editor, I have to stick my neck out a long way and make some sort of prediction on the season. I feel like Louis XVI just before the guillotine caressed his nape. However as the benevolent ruler of Carolinian sports I will base my ideas on concrete evidence and a healthy dose of hunch. Western Carolina has a female dog of a schedule this year, one of the hardest in the conference. After opening the season in Athens against the University of Georgia, the Cats must travel to Winston-Salem to take on ACC opponent Wake Forest. Then after a relatively easy Saturday in Johnson City against ETSU, the Catamounts come home to face Div. I-AA top- 10 team Furman for Mountain Heritage Day. On the next two weekends WCU must travel to Charleston S.C. to face The Citadel, and then hustle down to Georgia Southern on Oct. 12. Don't let an obscure name like Georgia Southern fool you, these guys are some tough mothers, being consistently ranked in the Div. I-AA top twenty. When the Cats come home on the eighteenth of October they face down UTC. Then they must tackle another Div. I-AA top 20 team Samford for Homecoming 1991. On Nov. 2 Western Carolina travels to the outer limits to take on the Thundering Turds of Marshall. The next week sees the Cats travelling back north to make war with Virginia Military Institute. The goons from Boone infest Cullowhee on Nov. 16 for Purple Saturday, the final game of the season. VMI and ETSU were the only Southern Conference teams that Western managed to beat last year. Western took down VMI 28- 20 and ETSU 21-17. In an extremely close game, UTC squeaked by the Catamounts with a 23-21 victory. It is entirely possible for the Cats to better their previous season by posting a 3-4 or even 4- 3 in the Southern Conference this year. All they would have to do is beat the same two teams, take UTC here in Cullowhee, and pull a mi nor upset here with App. State. However, I am going to keep my prediction conservative and pick the Cats to own sixth place in the conference ahead of VMI and ETSU. Of course all this depends on a total team effort. That almost goes without saying, but there are a few members of the Catamount team that merit mention. Sophomore tailback Kevin Thigpen is back to 100 percent after last year's knee injury. In Tuesday practice, Thigpen punched through the tire obstacle, turning quick as a mongoose to plow right back through again. That kind of quickness makes for big running gains. Offensive coordinator Jeff Fcla said that both quarterbacks Lonnie Galloway and Derrick Harris have had excellent preseasons and have adjusted well to the new multiple back offensive scheme. Harris was described by Fela as a "powerful runner" who is not quite as quick as Galloway. Harris compiled 823 yards of offense last season, 662 in the air and 161 on the ground. The University of Georgia transfer might just provide the senior leadership needed to propel this team farther than last year. The Catamount defense has a few standouts with the power and skill to put a hurting on the opponents. Cornerback Willie Williams is an all conference player with the quick hands and feet necessary for guarding against the long ball. Closer to the line West- em has a couple of fellas capable of inflicting various bruises, contusions, and general pain on the opposition. Senior defensive tackle Chad Ross and sophomore inside linebacker Kenny Banks bench press 500 pounds each and while strength is not everything, I wouldn't want to be a 180 pound wide receiver doing a cross pattern against those guys. Western also has recruited a promising group of incoming freshmen that may not make an immediate impact on the team, but will provide a talented foundation for future teams. With the few veterans on the squad, these freshman will have to mature quickly. Tailback Chris Houston, free safety Jonalhon Jenkins, wide receiver Craig Aiken, and linebackers Tommy Smith and Brent Grass each played in North Carolina's East-West All-Star Game. Aaron Lucas played alongside South Carolina's all stars in the Shrine Bowl before joining the Cats as a linebacker. Wide receiver Kerry Hayes played in South Carolina's North-South game, and outside linebacker Jim Rodgcrs played in Georgia's North-South game. Edmond hired as assistant basketball coach Rickey Edmond, an All- America player at Presbyterian College under Western Carolina University's head basketball coach Greg Blatt three years ago, has been reunited with his former coach as he has been named an assistant basketball coach at WCU. Edmond replaces Mike Hopkins who left WCU in May to become an assistant basketball coach atEast Carolina University. Edmond joins Keith Walker who is entering his second season on Blatt's staff. Edmond, a 25-year old native of Dublin, Georgia, played three seasons for Blatt at Presbyterian, 1987 thru 1989, where he was NAIA District 6 Player of the Year and a second team NAIA All-America selection in his senior season. This is Edmond's first coaching experience on the college level. "I am delighted that Rickey has joined our staff. I am confident that he will add the same qualities as a coach at Western Carolina as did as a player at Presbyterian," said Blatt. "He was an enthusiastic, hard-nosed, team-oriented player who gave one hundred percent every time he took the floor. He loved to win and hated to lose. He knows me and our system so the transition is a natural one," added Blatt. "Even though this is my firstcoaching job, I feel like I can add a lot to the program at Western Carolina and this is an ideal situation for me. I know Coach Blatt's system See "Edmond" Page 9 WCU faces Georgia in season opener Robert M. Robertson Sports Editor Western Carolina's football squad collides with the University of Georgia Bulldogs in Athens on Saturday Aug.31 in the opening game for the two teams who have never before met on a football field. WCU has not won a season opener since their 13-0 victory over Davidson College in 1985. Last season the Cats opened in Raleigh against N.C. State which resulted in a 67-0 trouncing of the Catamounts. "This week, to say that it is a challenge is without a doubt an understatement," said WCU head football coach Steve Hodgin. "It is going to be not only a challenge but an experience when you take that half of our football team has never put on pads on a Saturday," Hodgin added. Hodgin is starting his second year as head coach of the football program. Last year the Catamounts posted a 3-8 record overall and a 2-5 record in the Southern Conference. Georgia also struggled last season, finishing with a 4-7 record overall and 2-5 in the competitive Southeastern Conference. Georgia is only the second Southeastern Conference opponent that Western Carolina has ever faced. In 1986 the Catamounts played SEC power Auburn University and suffered a 55-6 beating. In fact, the past Carolinian photo by Stephanie Meiser Butting heads: Ryan Reese (#79) takes on Chad Ross (#69) during preparation for Saturday's game in Athens against the University of Georgia. 15 years have seen the Cats face 11 Atlantic Coast Conference schools as well as, Florida State and Boston College. The Catamount offense has a new look this year. Instead of using the one-back set of last season, Coach Steve Hodgin and staff have opted for a two-back, multiple I formation. According to offensive coordinator Jeff Fela, the two back set-up makes the offense simpler to run and makes the defense "play responsibilities" since Western can run option plays and "combos". Combos are plays that can be run to either side of the field, depending on the setup of the defense. "We are excited about our offensive scheme," said Hodgin. "We have made a lot of progress in restructuring the offense and developing con sistency, which was a problem last season," he added. Quarterbacks Lonnie Galloway and Derrick Harris are competing for the starting position. Harris, a senior transfer from UGA, will likely get the nod for Saturday's game. Hodgin said that both players See "Georgia" Page 9 LeClair named head baseball coach after Leggett's resignation July 29 Robert M. Robertson Sports Editor Two-year assistant coach Keith LeClair stepped in as head baseball coach at the request of West- em Carolina's Athletic Department following the July 29 resignation of former head coach Jack Leggett. "When you have a program that produces winners on the field and in the classroom as well as our baseball program has for so many years, you look to hire within to maintain that success," said Bobby Setzer, Western Carolina's Athletic Director. LeClair realizes that he will be seen as living in the shadow of Jack Leggett, who compiled 302 wins with an average of 33 wins each season. Leggett also led the Catamounts to five consecutive Southern Conference championships (1985- 89) and five consecutive appearances in NCAA regional tournaments. In 1987 Leggett was named the NCAA Division I Atlantic Region Coach of the Year by the American Baseball Coaches Association. In addition Leggett produced 35 first team All-Southern Conference players, six conference players of the year, and had 16 players to sign professional contracts. One hundred percent of four-year players graduated and better than 50 percent compiled 3.0 or better grade point averages. "I've said all along that I've learned a lot from Coac h Leggett the past seven years playing for him and working under him. Certainly I'm going to apply a lot of the things I've learned from him, but on the other hand I'm not going to try and \t*ri pnoio oy Mark Haskell Keith LeClair mimic him in any way because every person has got to be their own person," LeClair explains. "Coach Leggett is very enthusiastic and outgoing; and I wouldn't say that I'm a laid-back person but my temperament is a little bit different. I feel like I'm a communicator. I feel like I communicate well with the players and have a good relationship with them and I think they know where I'm coming from and where I stand. And I think they're going to know what to expect from me." See "LeClair" Page 9 Shear Images 586-0135 Stylists Pam Baldwin & Denise Frady •Hair Sculpting •Design Cuts • Perms •Color • Waxing Tressa We Carry Paul MitcheU Matrix Located at 282 East Main Street (Beside UPS on Cullowhee Hwy.) Open Monday - Saturday Walk-ins Welcome! The Baptist Student Union Supports Catamount Football The BSU Welcomes all Cats! PAUSE every Thursday at 7:30 p.m. Call 293-9030 for more information HOURS: MON 10:00 to 7:00 TUE 10:00 to 7:00 WED 10:00 to 7:00 THUR CLOSED FRI 10:00 to 8:00 SAT 12:00 to 6:00 SUN 1:00 to 5:00 AT LAST! The store where you can finally find all your favorite heroes under one roofl Current titles such as X-men #1, over 10,000 back issues,and a tiered discount subscription service at no charge. We carry Bags, Backing Boards, and Boxes to protect your comic books. Plus 89-up sports cards and wax packs. We also carry Nintendos, T-shirts, and posters. We have a wide selection of collectable toys. Remember we buy, sell, trade in all catagories. We can get all your gaming supplies and current moduals. We are located at 350-A East Main Street Sylva, N.C. Next door to Southwestern Printing. Look for the BIG green sign! ( Clip this ad for a 10% discount) /

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: 1991-08-29
  • Date digitized: 2019-10-02
• Extent
  • Dimension: 22.75" x 14.25"
  • Pages: 10 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_1991-08-29_Vol57_No03
• Repository
  • Western Carolina University Hunter Library