Aug. 29, 2008

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Western Carolina vs. Shorter College Post-Game Notes:

SOUNDING OFF THE HORN: Red-shirt senior Andy Horn saw action in just one game prior to his start against Shorter College Thursday night ... His first play under center was a career-high 56 yard pass to Marquel Pittman that set up a six-yard TD scamper by Adam Hearns ... In his second series, Horn directed a five minute scoring drive spanning 12 plays and 90 yards capped off by a six-yard TD strike to Pittman, the first touchdown pass of his career ... Horn ended the game 22-of-33 with 254 yards passing and two touchdown passes.

TRIO OF CATAMOUNTS FIND ENDZONE FOR FIRST TIME IN CAREER: Red-shirt junior Jayson Williams scored his first touchdown as a Catamount with 2:45 left in the first quarter, running 24 yards to the end zone ... Wide receiver Donald James also added to the Catamount point total hauling in the first touchdown pass of his career, a 14-yard TD pass from Andy Horn ... Red-shirt freshman Josh Cockrell also got into the action catching a pass from Adam Hearns for four yards and headed to the end zone; it was Cockrell's first TD catch of his career.

PACING PITTMAN: Red-shirt sophomore Marquel Pittman tied his career-high with 106 yards receiving against Shorter College Thursday night ... It was just the second time in his Catamount career he has gone over 100-yards receiving ... He also scored his first touchdown of the season on a six-yard TD pass from quarterback Andy Horn.

HEARNS ALL OVER THE BALL: After spending most of his time under center in 2007, Adam Hearns was enjoying a different role against Shorter to start 2008 ... Hearns split time between running back and wide receiver to start the game, scoring the first touchdown of the game on a four-yard touchdown run ... Hearns' 18-yard reception in the third quarter was a career-high reception ... In the fourth quarter, Hearns returned under center and threw a four-yard touchdown pass to Josh Cockrell ... Hearns ended the game with 34 yards rushing, 18 yards receiving and was 5-of-6 passing for 34 yards and one touchdown.

JAYNES GETS INTO THE ACT: Red-shirt freshman Zack Jaynes saw the first action at quarterback in his Catamount career with 5:01 left to play in the game ... He was 3-for-4 for 22 yards.

LAST TIME SHUTOUT OPPONENT: The last time Western Carolina shutout an opponent was in 2006, when the Catamounts defeated Chowan College 42-0 on August 31 ... It is the first time a first-year head coach has opened the season at home with a shutout.

WESTERN CAROLINA SEASON OPENERS: Western Carolina is now 13-20 in season openers after defeating Shorter Thursday night ... WCU has now won four of its last five season openers ... Western Carolina is 10-1 when playing its season-opener at home.

11-STRAGHT HOME OPENING WINS: The Catamounts have won 11-consecutive openers at home since 1998.

FIRST-YEAR HEAD COACHES IN FIRST-EVER GAMES: With the win against Shorter College, Catamount first-year head coach became the fifth Western Carolina first-year head coach to win his opening game, improving the record to 5-5-2.