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Postgame Notes - at Samford

Postgame Notes
Samford 55, Western Carolina 27
Seibert Stadium
Birmingham, Ala. | Saturday, Feb. 27, 2021
Att: 1,276
 
With the loss...
  • Represents Western Carolina's fifth-straight loss to open the 2020-21 season and the seventh-consecutive defeat dating back to the 2019 season;
  • Is WCU's third-straight loss to Samford in the head-to-head series, relegating the Catamounts to 3-15 overall and 1-9 in games played in Birmingham, Ala.
 
Postgame Notes
  • Redshirt sophomore kicker Richard McCollum connected on a career-best two field goals in Saturday's road loss, both representing his career-long … McCollum capped a 10-play drive with a career-long 44 yarder midway through the second quarter and then as the first half ended, eclipsed his personal collegiate best with a 45-yarder to pull the Catamounts within one, 21-20, at intermission … the Sanford, N.C., native improved to 4-of-7 on field goals in his WCU career after the 2-for-2 showing at Samford;
  • McCollum added three PATs (3-for-3) on Saturday to score nine points on the day, taking the team lead with 14 points scored this season;
  • Senior tailback Donnavan Spencer collected his 15th career rushing touchdown with the 24-yard romp in the third quarter … He has 17 career scores, including the 15 on the ground and two TD receptions … With 79 rushing yards at Samford, Spencer now has run for 1,644 yards in his career;
  • Quarterback Ryan Glover completed 25-of-43 passes at Samford for 306 passing yards – each representing the most in his time in the WCU backfield … the 25 completions and 306 yards were the most by the WCU offense in the 2020-21 season … Combined, eight different players recorded receptions including a career-best seven receptions by freshman Calvin Jones;
  • Ryan Glover completed a 59-yard pass to converted WR Reggie Jones on WCU's first drive at Samford … the 59-yard pass-and-catch were the career-long for both Glover and Jones, while also representing WCU's longest play from scrimmage this season;
  • For a second-consecutive week, the Catamount offense scored points on its first drive of a game as Glover round freshman Calvin Jones on a two-yard pass … the score was the first passing TD for Glover at WCU and the first points for Jones;
  • WCU wide receiver Raekwon Heath made his first career reception at Samford, finishing with three catches for 65 yards, including a long of 47 yards … Freshman Keenan Hambrick caught a career-high four passes for 42 yards … TE Clayton Bardall scored his second touchdown of the season – and third career receiving TD – against the Bulldogs;
  • Senior LB Ty Harris recorded his 11th career double-digit tackle performance with a team-best 12 stops at Samford … Dorian Davis also finished with a career-best eight tackles, with Laquavion Haynes recording a career-high seven total tackles and LA Rogers-Anderson with a career-best six stops;
  • WCU recorded three total sacks on Saturday, including a career-best 1.5 sacks by Ty Harris … LB Willie Hampton also recorded his first sack in the Purple & Gold with Laquavion Haynes tallying half a sack, the first of his collegiate career;
  • CB Aaron Gethers posted a WCU-best two pass break-ups in the secondary, with Ronald Kent credited with one PBU to give him 22 in his career – two shy of a fifth-place tie in the Catamount football record books;
  • For the first time this season, the Catamount defense failed to force a takeaway in the road loss at Samford … WCU had forced 12 turnovers through its first four games of the season … With two interceptions thrown against the Bulldogs, WCU still has a +4 in the turnover margin (12 gained, 8 lost).
 
Miscellaneous Notes
  • WCU's captain for the game was senior DL #99 Ricky Palao, a native of Hoover, Ala. … Samford won the opening coin toss and elected to defer to the second half.
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Players Mentioned

Clayton Bardall

#86 Clayton Bardall

TE
6' 3"
Redshirt Sophomore
Dorian Davis

#9 Dorian Davis

S
6' 0"
Redshirt Freshman
Ty Harris

#37 Ty Harris

LB
6' 1"
Senior
Reggie Jones

#17 Reggie Jones

WR
5' 11"
Redshirt Junior
Ronald Kent Jr.

#13 Ronald Kent Jr.

CB
5' 10"
Junior
Richard McCollum

#89 Richard McCollum

K
5' 9"
Redshirt Sophomore
Ricky Palao

#99 Ricky Palao

DT
6' 2"
Senior
Donnavan Spencer

#20 Donnavan Spencer

RB
5' 10"
Redshirt Senior
Aaron Gethers

#2 Aaron Gethers

CB
5' 10"
Redshirt Sophomore
Keenan Hambrick

#80 Keenan Hambrick

WR
6' 3"
Freshman
Willie Hampton

#10 Willie Hampton

LB
6' 1"
Redshirt Junior
Raekwon Heath

#19 Raekwon Heath

WR
6' 2"
Redshirt Junior

Players Mentioned

Clayton Bardall

#86 Clayton Bardall

6' 3"
Redshirt Sophomore
TE
Dorian Davis

#9 Dorian Davis

6' 0"
Redshirt Freshman
S
Ty Harris

#37 Ty Harris

6' 1"
Senior
LB
Reggie Jones

#17 Reggie Jones

5' 11"
Redshirt Junior
WR
Ronald Kent Jr.

#13 Ronald Kent Jr.

5' 10"
Junior
CB
Richard McCollum

#89 Richard McCollum

5' 9"
Redshirt Sophomore
K
Ricky Palao

#99 Ricky Palao

6' 2"
Senior
DT
Donnavan Spencer

#20 Donnavan Spencer

5' 10"
Redshirt Senior
RB
Aaron Gethers

#2 Aaron Gethers

5' 10"
Redshirt Sophomore
CB
Keenan Hambrick

#80 Keenan Hambrick

6' 3"
Freshman
WR
Willie Hampton

#10 Willie Hampton

6' 1"
Redshirt Junior
LB
Raekwon Heath

#19 Raekwon Heath

6' 2"
Redshirt Junior
WR