Freshman RB Josh Perry (22) made his collegiate debut on Saturday, rushing for 38 yards and catching his first career touchdown pass on his first career reception.

Mark Haskett

Football 10/11/2025 11:45:00 PM Daniel Hooker, Associate Athletics Director for Media Relations

Postgame Notes - vs. Furman

Postgame Notes
Western Carolina 52, Furman 7
E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field
Cullowhee, N.C. | Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025
Att: 8,375

With the Win:

The Catamounts earned a second-straight victory over Furman in the all-time head-to-head series … WCU earned its first home victory over the Paladins since 2021 ... It is WCU's first back-to-back wins over the Paladins since the 2014 and 2015 seasons;
The Catamounts earned a fourth straight seasonal victory, moving WCU above the .500 mark overall for the first time this season at 4-3 … the Catamounts remained unbeaten in Southern Conference play at 3-0, winning its first three league games for a third-straight season;
Catamount head football coach Kerwin Bell improved to 28-24 all-time as the head coach at Western Carolina and 121-66 all-time.

Post-Game Notes:

Western Carolina's offense amassed 522 yards against Furman, including a season-best 302 yards rushing and 220 passing yards … WCU's 302 rushing yards were the most for a Catamount squad since running for 384 yards as part of a 766-yard effort against Presbyterian back in 2022 … Saturday's total was also WCU's most rushing yards against a Southern Conference opponent since amassing 423 yards on the ground against Chattanooga in 2019;
WCU ran for 302 yards without a single back eclipsing 68 yards set by Patrick Boyd Jr. … Eight different backs recorded positive rushing yards in the winning effort with two scoring touchdowns – RB Markel Townsend on a 12-yard rush and QB Isaac Lee on a career-long, 66-yard romp;
Western Carolina's 220 passing yards on Saturday were its second-fewest this season, only behind the 204 yards the team threw for in the road loss at Wake Forest … It was the fewest passing yards for the Catamounts against an NCAA FCS opponent this season;
WCU's defense held its second-straight opponent below the 400-yard mark, limiting the Paladins to 356 yards of offense … the Catamounts also came up with a season-high four takeaways, including three interceptions … WCU moved into a tie for third nationally with nine interceptions, tied for first in the league with ETSU;
In the latest NCAA FCS statistics on Sunday (Oct. 12), Western Carolina ranks EIGHTH nationally with an average of 486.0 yards per game … SECOND in the nation in passing offense at 335.9 yards per game … ranked 64th in rushing offense (150.1 yds/gm) … and tied for 14th in scoring at 36.1 points per game … the Catamounts have the second-most first downs in the NCAA FCS with 175, one behind national leader Monmouth (176);
Catamount quarterback Taron Dickens passed for 220 yards and four passing touchdowns in the home win over Furman … In just four games, Dickens has passed for 1,607 yards while completing 78.9% (131-of-166) passes and a career-best 17 scores, improving to 7-1 as a starting QB for the Catamounts;
Dickens has more passing yards individually than six teams in the SoCon … He would also rank NINTH in the NCAA FCS for total passing yards (1,607) and tied for third in passing scores (17) – both of which currently lead the Southern Conference, as does his seasonal average of 401.8 yards per game;
With his four passing TDs, QB Taron Dickens moved into a tie for seventh in program history with 30 career passing scores ... Dickens matched former QB Lonnie Galloway (1990-93), who tossed 30 during his tenure with the Purple & Gold … Dickens also has 3,162 career passing yards as a Catamount and stands just 135 yards shy of Hal Mote (3,297 yards, 1970-72) for 14th on the WCU career passing chart;
Two Catamount freshmen scored their first receiving touchdowns on Saturday … Freshman Michael Rossin caught his first career TD with a 50-yard reception in the second quarter … In his collegiate debut, freshman RB Josh Perry racked up nine rush attempts for 38 yards and grabbed a nine-yard receiving score in the first half, his first career touchdown that came on his first catch;
Josh Perry is a FOURTH Catamount on the current roster who scored their FIRST career touchdown on their FIRST career collegiate reception … Perry joins classmate Trey Walker, who caught a 25-yard score late in the second quarter against Gardner-Webb for his first grab … Calique Cunningham caught a 17-yard TD pass from Taron Dickens against Charleston Southern in 2023 … the elder statesman of the quartet is TE Brayden Blackmon, who caught his first pass for a score in 2021 on a pass from former QB Rogan Wells;
Including Perry and Rossin's first career touchdown receptions, the Catamounts have seen 13 different players post receiving scores this season, led by James Tyre's six receiving touchdowns … a total of 11 Catamounts have posted their first receiving scores for WCU this season – (Patrick Boyd Jr., Dominic Dutton, David Hulbert, Josh Perry, Camury Reid, Painter Richards-Baker, Michael Rossin, Marcus Striggles, Josiah Thomas, James Tyre, and Trey Walker);
A combined 10 different Catamounts have recorded double-digit catches on the season … Six players have 15 or more receptions this fall;
Redshirt junior nickelback Ken Moore Jr. put together a career day on Saturday with his first two interceptions of the season, including taking a 64-yard interception to the house to spur a 24-0 run to begin Saturday's contest ... It was WCU's first interception return for a touchdown since the season finale of 2024 at Samford when Jordy Lowery returned a 92-yarder in the final minute of the first half of a 47-42 victory over the Bulldogs;
Junior Stephen Brantley booted a season and career-high nine kickoffs, surpassing a previous benchmark of eight in the SoCon opener against Samford … Brantley had a pair of touchbacks in the win … He also averaged 48.0 yards per punt on four kicks, downing each inside the Furman 20-yard line;
Freshman PK Marcus Trout scored a career-high 10 points, nailing a career-long 44-yard field goal that sparked WCU's 24-point second quarter … Also connected on a career-best seven PATs;

Miscellaneous Notes:

Western Carolina's team captains for Saturday's game: junior WR #4 Dominic Dutton; senior DT #45 Sean Morris; redshirt senior TE #86 Brayden Blackmon; and graduate student DT #90 Jamichael Wilson;
A combined 71 players saw action for the Catamounts in Saturday's home win over Furman;
Principal Chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) Michell Hicks performed the pregame coin toss on EBCI Day … Western Carolina won the opening toss and elected to defer their choice to the second half as Furman received the opening kickoff;
Western Carolina wore its purple helmets over purple jerseys and purple pants for the sixth time under head coach Kerwin Bell … WCU improved to 5-1 all-time in the all-purple combo.