Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina football completed its first live scrimmage of the 2023 preseason fall camp on Saturday morning, grinding through over 150 plays in a two-hour workout on the turf of Bob Waters Field at E.J. Whitmire Stadium. A hint of fall was in the air on the unseasonably cool morning that eventually heated up on the field by the end of the session as the sun broke through the misty clouds that capped the Great Smoky Mountains surrounding WCU's picturesque campus Saturday.
 
Through 17 combined drives in the first of two scheduled scrimmages, the Catamount offense scored 10 total touchdowns – six on the ground including four explosive rushes of over 20 yards and four scores through the air. The defense tallied seven stops including a three-and-out, forced a missed field goal on a stalled drive, and created a pair of turnovers on two interceptions.
 
"I told the team afterward, this was one of the best, first scrimmages that I've been a part of," said WCU head coach Kerwin Bell following Saturday morning's practice. "We just played a lot of guys that knew what they were doing and executed at a high level. Just a great day all-around with how we executed and just went about our business."
 
Bell continued, "I thought that we really got after it early defensively – I thought we were passionate, that we tackled well and were aggressive. Now, we've got to sustain that as we go through a scrimmage. I thought that the offense really caught fire and executed at a very high level. The areas where we had success were tough; the defense made it tough."
 
The WCU defense collected four-consecutive stops out of the gates on Saturday, forcing a three-and-out and a missed field goal on the first two drives. Redshirt freshman CB Jordy Lowery jumped a route on the third possession for the first of two interceptions by the defense on the day with the fourth stop coming on a failed fourth-down conversion.
 
However, after being stymied through its first four possessions, the offense got going on its fifth drive and managed touchdowns the next six times it touched the football heading into the halftime break.
 
Over the final seven possessions after the midpoint break, WCU's offense scored four times with a trio of stops by the defensive unit including a second interception as transfer LB Tyler Matheny defected a pass that redshirt junior Skylin Thomas snared for the second takeaway. Conducting the final two drives of the day in the two-minute drill with freshmen quarterbacks at the controls, both sides managed a win with the defense closing the scrimmage with a fourth-down stop.
 
"I thought that today went well for the offense," said WCU offensive coordinator Kade Bell. "We had chances early and just didn't execute and finish. But for the rest of the scrimmage, especially from the quarterback room, we were super-efficient. We had a lot of competition across the field. I liked how balanced we were – we were close to 50-50 in running it and throwing it. So, after the second drive or so, I like the way we finished today's scrimmage."
 

Five quarterbacks split the reps through the 17 drives with the three older signal callers – returning sophomore starter Cole Gonzales, junior transfer Charlie Dean, and redshirt sophomore Brody Palhegyi – each managing four drives apiece. Freshman Taron Dickens had three sets with classmate Bennett Judy guiding the offense on two drives.

Overcoming a sluggish start, Gonzales finished 10-of-13 for 117 yards with Dean connecting on 14-of-23 passes for a team-best 155 yards with a touchdown and interception. Palhegyi also completed 14 passes on the day, finishing 14-of-18 for 88 yards and two TDs. Dickens finished 7-for-11 for 92 yards and the offense's final touchdown on the 16th possession, while Judy was 5-for-10 for 32 total yards in his two reps in the backfield.
 
A combined 22 players caught passes on Saturday with freshman Corey Washington leading the way with seven receptions for a scrimmage-best 109 yards and two touchdowns. Tight end David Hulbert hauled in a 16-yard TD reception for his lone tally with Patrick Boyd Jr. making two receptions, one for a score. Including Washington, 16 receivers had multiple catches with seven – RB Markel Townsend (4 rec., 27 yds), WR Ca'Lique Cunningham (3 rec., 39 yds), TE Ajay Belanger (3 rec., 35 yds), WR Zion Booker (3 rec., 16 yds), WR Eric Rasheed (3 rec., 15 yds), WR James Tyre (3 rec., 13 yds)  – posting three-or-more.
 
On the ground, five running backs split the reps with Camury Reid posting a scrimmage-best 13 rushes for 167 yards and two touchdowns of two yards – set up by a 47-yard romp – and 69 yards. Freshman Marlin Cochran ran 12 times for 49 yards and also scored twice on runs of one and 22 yards. Townsend rushed 10 times for 61 yards with Desmond Reid rushing eight times for 60 yards and a 28-yard score. Branson Adams was the workhorse on the first TD drive, catching a pair of passes and rushing three times including a one-yard rush on the fifth drive of the scrimmage.
 
All told, WCU rushed 52 times for 388 yards and five scores on the ground.
 
For the Catamount defense, 39 different players posted stats including 21 players with three-or-more tackles. The unit posted 13 tackles for loss including five sacks on the red-jersey-protected quarterbacks, broke up six passes, and was credited with eight quarterback hurries.
 
Seeing extensive playing time, freshman Zayveon Wells was credited with a scrimmage-high 11 tackles including one for loss, followed by senior LB Va Lealaimatafao and freshman Bo Simpson with six tackles apiece. Lealaimatafao added a TFL on a sack and a hurry.
 
Among the defensive leaders was Andreas Keaton with four tackles and a PBU, with Antarron Turner and Jeno Junius Jr. also collecting four tackles apiece including a sack. Preseason All-America selection Antoine Williams was credited with a tackle coming on a TFL with two quarterback hurries and one leaping pass breakup in the secondary. Along the defensive line, Brandon Smiley had three tackles, a hurry, and a batted ball PBU with Isaac McLellan also posting three stops and a QBH.
 
Lowery and Thomas recorded the interceptions with Lee Campbell credited with three tackles and forcing a fumble that was recovered by the offense on a swarm tackle. He added a pass breakup on a near interception in the two-minute drill.
 
Second-year defensive coordinator Chazmon Scales was pleased with how his squad opened Saturday's scrimmage.
 
"Defensively today, we started pretty fast; got a turnover, a couple of stops, a three-and-out. We made the offense drive the field and managed a few stops in the red zone. But, there are still a lot of things that we've got to clean up," said Scales. "After getting a couple of stops, I felt that we got a little complacent, our energy level died a little. Then the offense, as explosive as they are, started to make a few plays. All in all, it was a pretty good first scrimmage but a lot to grow on heading into the second scrimmage."
 
With limited special teams work, Richard McCollum connected on four PATs but hit the upright on his lone field goal attempt. Paxton Robertson had three successful PAT tries and Corbin Shirley had one to round out the seven attempts. Robertson and Shirley shared the kickoff duties in the special team segments sprinkled into the practice play, with Shirley driving a 43-yard punt and freshman Stephen Brantley - who held on most place kicks - hitting a 45-yarder on his lone opportunity.
 
The Catamounts are scheduled for the annual team photo day on Sunday afternoon before preseason practice resumes in helmets only in a mostly walk-through session tomorrow afternoon. WCU will practice in full pads twice next week ahead of the second of the two scheduled scrimmages next Saturday, Aug. 19 at 2:30 p.m.
 
"I think one of the biggest weeks of the year is this week coming up," said Bell. "Coming off the first scrimmage, got a lot of guys a lot of reps. Now we can go in and watch this film, critique and make sure our kids know where they're at and things that they've got to improve on. This next week, putting in the work, putting in the concentration of getting better. Then come out here and be a better football team next Saturday."

Each of WCU's preseason football practices is open to the public. It is respectfully requested that spectators observe from the stadium seating area and avoid being either on the field or the sidelines for safety. Practice times are subject to change.

Season tickets and season-long game day parking for Western Carolina's 2023 five-game home schedule are on sale now through the Catamount Athletics ticket office, located on the first floor of the Ramsey Center, by phone at (828) 227-2401, or online at CatamountSports.com/BuyTickets. Single-game ticket sales for each of the five home dates including the home-opening "White Out Whitmire" match-up with Samford scheduled for Sept. 9 are available now through each of those same outlets.
 
Fans are encouraged to purchase their tickets and game-day parking for the home opener in advance as a large crowd for the highly-anticipated first home game of 2023 is expected.

2023 Catamount Football Preseason Practice Schedule:
Sun., Aug. 13 – Team Photo Day, 2 pm; Practice #10 – 3:00 pm – 5:30 pm (helmets)
Mon., Aug. 14 – Practice #11 – 8:30 am – 11:00 am (full pads)
Tues., Aug. 15 – Practice #12 – 8:30 am – 11:00 am (uppers)
Wed., Aug. 16 – Practice #13 – 8:30 am – 11:00 am (full pads)
Thurs., Aug. 17 – No Practice (Off Day)
Fri., Aug. 18 – Practice #14 – 8:30 am – 11:00 am (helmets)
Sat., Aug. 19 – Scrimmage #2 (Practice #15) – 2:30 pm (full pads)
Sun., Aug. 20 – No Practice – Team Building
Mon., Aug. 21 – First Day of Fall Classes at WCU
 
Keep track of everything related to Catamount football and WCU Athletics through its social media outlets on Facebook (FB.com/CatamountSports, FB.com/WesternCarolinaFootball), Twitter (@catamounts, @CatamountsFB), and Instagram (wcu_catamounts, catamountsfb).

Important Dates in Catamount Athletics & Catamount Football:
Friday, Aug. 18 – WCU New Student Convocation (Ramsey Center)
Saturday, Aug. 19 – Catamount Volleyball Exhibition – vs. USC Upstate (Ramsey Center, 6 p.m.)
Sunday, Aug. 20 – Catamount Women's Soccer Home-Opener – vs. Queens (CAC, 1 p.m.)
Monday, Aug. 21 – First day of classes for the fall semester – Cullowhee
Saturday, Sept. 2 – 2023 Catamount Football season opener at Arkansas (4 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. CT)
Tuesday, Sept. 5 – Catamount Volleyball Home-Opener – vs. UNC Asheville (Ramsey Center, 6 p.m.)
Friday, Sept. 8 – The Bob Waters Memorial – Sequoyah National Golf Club – Cherokee, N.C. (9 a.m.)
Saturday, Sept. 9 – 2023 Catamount Football Home-Opener, vs. Samford (2:30 pm)