Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina assistant coach and highly successful second-year offensive coordinator Rylan Wells has been selected for the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute, presented by Riddell InSite Analytics and announced today by the AFCA.
 
Wells joined the Catamount coaching staff under head coach Kerwin Bell and former offensive coordinator Kade Bell in the spring of 2021 as the tight ends and fullbacks coach. He was promoted to the program's recruiting coordinator before being elevated to offensive coordinator in January 2024.
 
Over the last two seasons, the Catamounts have led the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) in passing offense, throwing for a program record 4,029 yards and an average of 335.8 yards per game in 2024. This fall, the Catamounts eclipsed the school benchmark with a record 4,268 yards through the air, the only team in the nation to throw for more than 4K yards. WCU paced the FCS with an average of 355.7 yards per game, completing a nation-leading 353 passes.
 
Two seasons ago, WCU posted the nation's top passing game with 652 aerial yards at Furman, tying for third in the FCS with six TD passes. In 2025, the Catamounts had the best passing game in the country with 582 yards against Samford, while also tying for the most touchdown passes in a game with seven against 10th-ranked Mercer.
 
Under Wells, the Catamount offense has ranked third in the country in total offense, averaging 472.1 yards per game in 2024 and 493.3 yards per game this past fall. WCU's offense additionally led the NCAA FCS in first downs through the end of the regular season in both 2024 and 2025.
 
Over the past two seasons, WCU's offense has been guided by a pair of Walter Payton Award finalists. Quarterback Cole Gonzales was among the Top 30 finalists in 2024, and Taron Dickens was invited to this season's awards ceremony as one of the final three in the voting for the 2025 Payton Award.
 
Combined, 10 Catamounts have earned All-Southern Conference plaudits on offense under the leadership of Wells, including six first-team nods (AJ Colombo, WR; Taron Dickens, QB; Cole Gonzales, QB; James Tyre, WR; Blake Whitmore, OL; and Jake Young, TE). Four landed on the second-team offense, including WR Malik Knight, TE Josiah Thomas, and offensive linemen Derek Simmons (2024) and Zach Watson (2025). Dickens, Watson, and RB Markel Townsend additionally earned All-Freshman team plaudits under Wells.
 
Representing the Southern Conference, Wells is one of eight coaches from the NCAA FCS ranks among the 35 recognized. He joins three from the Missouri Valley Football Conference (North Dakota, North Dakota State, and Southern Illinois), two from the Southland Conference (Stephen F. Austin, Lamar), Duquesne from the Northeast Conference (NEC), and West Georgia from the United Athletic Conference (UAC).
 
The AFCA 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute, presented by Riddell InSite Analytics, is a prestigious program designed to identify and develop premier, future leaders in the football coaching profession. Selected participants are invited to attend the one-day institute during the AFCA Convention, featuring a curriculum of interactive lectures focused on topics specifically tailored to emphasize leadership in the coaching profession, ethics, influential responsibilities, career progression, and family balance. 
 
Members become a part of a prestigious network of rising coaches in the profession, along with many other great benefits.
 
To be eligible, applicants must be 35 years old or younger on January 1st of that year's convention and must be currently serving as a high school head coach, a two-year college full-time assistant or head coach, or an NAIA/NCAA (all divisions) full-time assistant or head coach. Applicants were required to submit a resume, five references, and a 1,600-word article or a 10-minute live instructional video on an offensive, defensive, special teams, or position-specific topic of the applicant's choosing back in the summer. 
 
Keep track of everything related to Catamount football and WCU Athletics through its social media outlets on Facebook (FB.com/westerncarolinafootball; FB.com/CatamountSports) and Twitter (@CatamountsFB, @catamounts).
 
2025 AFCA 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute:
Name, School – Position
Malcolm Agnew, Stanford – Running Backs
Joshua Atkinson, Stephen F. Austin – Wide Receivers
Kyle Barnes, James Madison – Nickel Backs
Joe Battaglia, Lock Haven – Head Coach
Nathan Brock, Georgia Tech – Tight Ends
Keelon Brookins, Coastal Carolina – Secondary
Will Bryant, Texas State – Tight Ends
Skyler Cassity, North Texas – Defensive Coordinator
Austin Davis, West Georgia – Offensive Coordinator
Micah Davis, Copiah-Lincoln CC – Head Coach
Sam Dunnam, SMU – Edge / Outside Linebackers
Isaac Fruechte, North Dakota – Offensive Coordinator
Rob Greene, Texas Tech – Safeties
Logan Hall, Bishop England HS – Head Coach
Brandon Harris, UCF – Defensive Backs
Lorenzo Jackson, Lamar – Defensive Line
Mickey Jacobs, Duquesne – Defensive Coordinator
Christoper James, Ole Miss – Analyst
Jordy Joseph, Houston – Running Backs
Jared Keyte, UMass – Defensive Coordinator
Devin Klieman, North Dakota State – Safeties
Jalani Lord, Lenoir-Rhyne – Offensive Line
Jake Menage, Washington State – Wide Receivers
Pete Menage, Washington State – Safeties
Ghaali Muhammad-Lankford, Vanderbilt – Running Backs
Craig Neese, Hardin-Simmons – Defensive Coordinator
Ty Nichols, North Carolina – Outside Linebackers
Lee Pronschinske, Southern Illinois – Defensive Coordinator
Dyrell Roberts, East Carolina – Wide Receivers
Nico Rogers, Virginia Union – Defensive Backs
Lanear Sampson, San Diego State – Wide Receivers
Tyler Schovanec, FAU – Special Teams Coordinator
Billy Ray Stutzmann, San Jose State – Wide Receivers
Eric Terrazas, Kansas – QB Analyst
Rylan Wells, Western Carolina – Offensive Coordinator