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Football

Postgame Notes - at FBS No. 22 Liberty

Postgame Notes
No. 22 Liberty 58, Western Carolina 14
Williams Stadium
Lynchburg, Va. | Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020
Att: 1,000
 
With the loss...
  • Represents Western Carolina's third-straight loss dating back to last season;
  • Is WCU's third-straight loss to Liberty in the all-time series, relegating WCU to 3-4 all-time against the Flames;
  • The Catamounts have lost 58-straight competitions against FBS members (0-58) and sixth loss to a nationally-ranked FBS team (0-6).
 
Post-Game Notes
  • Western Carolina went 357 days between games – finishing the 2019 season at No. 5 Alabama on Nov. 23, 2019 before playing its latest-ever, season-opener on Saturday, Nov. 14 at No. 22 Liberty;
  • Liberty used big scoring plays to score its 10th-consecutive victory, the nation's second-longest active winning streak (Notre Dame, 14) … the Flames had seven plays of 30-or-more yards including four touchdown passes (44, 40, 83, 56 yards) and two long scoring rushes (43, 34 yards);
  • Junior transfer QB Mark Wright became just the fifth different quarterback to earn a start under Mark Speir during his nine years in Cullowhee … Wright joins current teammate Will Jones with other starting QBs in Troy Mitchell, Eddie Sullivan, and Tyrie Adams;
  • Will Jones recorded a career-long 28-yad rush in the third quarter … it also represented WCU's longest rushing play of the game;
  • Mark Wright's 3-yard rushing touchdown at the 3:12 mark of the third quarter is the first rushing touchdown by a WCU quarterback since Tyrie Adams' 7-yard touchdown run in the first quarter of WCU's 28-7 loss to Furman on Oct. 26, 2019;
  • Clayton Bardall's 9-yard receiving touchdown was the second of his career, the first coming as the game-winning score in WCU's 20-17 win over North Greenville on Sept. 14, 2019 ... Both of Bardall's career touchdown receptions were thrown by Will Jones;
  • Owen Cosenke caught five passes in Saturday's opener, finishing just one reception shy of tying his career-high of six receptions which he has done twice in his career;
  • Cosenke's 30-yard reception on 2nd down & 8 in WCU's fourth drive of the first half was the longest reception of his career, topping a 25-yard catch at ETSU in October, 2018 ... It was also the largest single play gain for the Catamounts in the opener;
  • Redshirt senior RB Donnavan Spencer rushed for a team-high 79 yards in the season-opener giving him 1,441 career rushing yards … His 79-yard output was his best since rushing for 100+ in back-to-back games at VMI (Nov. 2, 2019 – 137 yards) and in the overtime win over ETSU (Nov. 9, 2019 – 124 yards) last season;
  • With redshirt freshman RB Syheam McQueen inactive for Saturday's game, several Catamounts had their first career touches in the Purple & Gold in the opener at Liberty … At running back, redshirt junior Haki Bradley (3 rush, 8 yds), freshman Mikai Stanley (2 rush, 6 yards), and freshman Calvin Jones (1 rush, 0 yards) each tallied their first career rushes … Converted DB Reggie Jones (3 rec., 10 yards) made his first receptions, as did freshman Dylan Abernethy (1 rec., 10 yards), freshman Luke Sutton (2 rec., 7 yards), and Calvin Jones (1 rec., 0 yards);
  • Ty Harris' 11 tackles were the most on the team and gave him his ninth career double-digit tackle game … Transfer DB Jacob Harris recorded nine tackles in his WCU debut;
  • WCU's defense forced a turnover on downs, a missed field goal attempt, and had one takeaway as junior transfer LB Willie Hampton punched the football loose and redshirt freshman DB Dorian Davis came up with the recovery on the team's first takeaway of the season;
  • Richard McCollum made both of his PAT attempts to extend his active PAT made streak to seven … McCollum missed two long field goals – both the 49 and 51-yard attempt distances were longer than any of his previous field goal tries;
  • WCU's 282 yards of total offense are the most against an NCAA FBS team since compiling 433 yards of offense in a 49-26 loss at North Carolina on Nov. 17, 2018;
  • WCU was whistled for four penalties, its fewest since being charged with one penalty against North Greenville on Sept. 14, 2019;
  • The Catamounts controlled time of possession 30:44 compared to Liberty's 29:16.
 
Miscellaneous Notes
  • Saturday's game was just the second for the Catamounts against an FBS in the Commonwealth of Virginia, the first coming on Sept. 7, 2013 as part of a 45-3 loss against Virginia Tech;
  • WCU's captains for the game were redshirt senior RB #20 Donnavan Spencer and senior LB #37 Ty Harris … Spencer went to midfield for the coin toss … WCU won the toss and elected to receive the opening kickoff;
  • Senior LB #59 John Esposito was selected to carry the United States flag in the pregame run-out while senior TE #84 Owen Cosenke carried the "All You Got" flag.
 
 
 
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Players Mentioned

Tyrie Adams

#12 Tyrie Adams

QB
6' 2"
Redshirt Senior
Clayton Bardall

#86 Clayton Bardall

TE
6' 3"
Redshirt Sophomore
Owen Cosenke

#84 Owen Cosenke

TE
6' 3"
Senior
Dorian Davis

#9 Dorian Davis

S
6' 0"
Redshirt Freshman
John Esposito

#59 John Esposito

LB
5' 10"
Redshirt Senior
Ty Harris

#37 Ty Harris

LB
6' 1"
Senior
Reggie Jones

#17 Reggie Jones

WR
5' 11"
Redshirt Junior
Will Jones

#15 Will Jones

QB
6' 4"
Redshirt Junior
Richard McCollum

#89 Richard McCollum

K
5' 9"
Redshirt Sophomore
Syheam McQueen

#5 Syheam McQueen

RB
6' 0"
Redshirt Freshman
Donnavan Spencer

#20 Donnavan Spencer

RB
5' 10"
Redshirt Senior
Willie Hampton

#10 Willie Hampton

LB
6' 1"
Redshirt Junior

Players Mentioned

Tyrie Adams

#12 Tyrie Adams

6' 2"
Redshirt Senior
QB
Clayton Bardall

#86 Clayton Bardall

6' 3"
Redshirt Sophomore
TE
Owen Cosenke

#84 Owen Cosenke

6' 3"
Senior
TE
Dorian Davis

#9 Dorian Davis

6' 0"
Redshirt Freshman
S
John Esposito

#59 John Esposito

5' 10"
Redshirt Senior
LB
Ty Harris

#37 Ty Harris

6' 1"
Senior
LB
Reggie Jones

#17 Reggie Jones

5' 11"
Redshirt Junior
WR
Will Jones

#15 Will Jones

6' 4"
Redshirt Junior
QB
Richard McCollum

#89 Richard McCollum

5' 9"
Redshirt Sophomore
K
Syheam McQueen

#5 Syheam McQueen

6' 0"
Redshirt Freshman
RB
Donnavan Spencer

#20 Donnavan Spencer

5' 10"
Redshirt Senior
RB
Willie Hampton

#10 Willie Hampton

6' 1"
Redshirt Junior
LB