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WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY

Football Daniel Hooker, Associate Athletics Director for Media Relations

Postgame Notes - vs. Elon

Postgame Notes
Elon 37, Western Carolina 31
E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field
Cullowhee, N.C. | Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025
Att: 10,007
 
With the Loss:
  • Western Carolina started the season 0-3 for just the second time under head coach Kerwin Bell, matching the start of the 2021 season, his first in Cullowhee … It's also the sixth 0-3 start for WCU since 2000 (2007, 2009, 2013, 2020, 2021, 2025);
  • Halted WCU's two-game series win streak over Elon as the Phoenix earned its first victory over the Catamounts since 2012 – and the first in Cullowhee since 2011;
  • WCU slipped to 18-25-2 all-time in the series history against Elon;
  • Catamount head football coach Kerwin Bell slipped to 24-24 all-time as the head coach at Western Carolina and 117-66 all-time.
 
Post-Game Notes:
  • Western Carolina's offense seemingly returned to form against Elon after being held below 300 yards at Wake Forest, eclipsing the 400-yard mark for the second time this season as WCU amassed 425 yards of total offense – 179 rushing and a season-high 246 passing;
  • WCU's offense ran a season-high 85 plays, posting  a season-best 25 first downs;
  • Western Carolina's defense came up with a season-best pair of interceptions against Elon, with both Jeno Junius Jr. and Jhamari Pierre-Louis recording the first picks of their collegiate career;
  • WCU has four interceptions through three games, tied for the sixth-most in the NCAA FCS … With seven takeaways on the season – four interceptions and three fumble recoveries – the Catamounts also rank tied for sixth nationally;
  • Redshirt freshman QB Isaac Lee completed a career-high 19 passes for 132 yards against Elon … Redshirt sophomore QB Bennett Judy eclipsed the 100-yard passing mark for the third time this season before exiting with an injury;
  • Redshirt freshman WR James Tyre hauled in a career-high eight passes for a career-best 87 receiving yards with one touchdown catch … He scored his single-game career-best second touchdown on a 62-yard scoop-and-score on an offensive fumble return;
  • Senior transfer WR Dominic Dutton returned the second-half kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown … It was WCU's first kickoff return for a score since Calvin Jones returned a kick 95 yards for a TD against ETSU on Nov. 13, 2021 … Dutton's 97 yard return was tied for the fifth-longest in program history, matching Kerry Hayes (97 yards, vs. Furman – Oct. 2, 1993);
  • Tyre and Dutton both had career days with all-purpose yards gained … Tyre posted a career-best 172 yards (62 yds  rushing, 87 yds receiving, 23 yds punt return) while Dutton finished with 152 yards (9 rushing, 46 receiving, 97 kickoff return);
  • Redshirt sophomore LB Jordan Thompson was credited with a career-high 11 tackles against Elon, his first double-digit tackle performance with the Catamounts … Seven Catamounts matched or eclipsed their career-high for tackles against Elon, with Hasaan Sykes recording a career-best nine and Ken Moore Jr. credited with eight total stops;
  • Senior transfer DL Sean Morris finished with four tackles against Elon with two going for losses on a WCU-best two sacks;
  • Junior P Stephen Brantley uncorked a career-long 76-yard punt on Saturday, benefiting from a driving punt and subsequent bounce and roll … His 76-yard boot is the third-longest in program history, trailing only Ken Hinsley (85 yds vs. Chattanooga – Oct. 24, 1998) and Steve Kornegay (78 yds vs. The Citadel – Nov. 6, 1982);
  • Brantley's 76-yard punt vs. Elon is currently the second-longest kick in the NCAA FCS to date this season, second only to Charleston Southern's Gilbert Brown (82 yards, vs. Coastal Carolina – Sept. 6, 2025 … It's also the third-longest punt in all of NCAA Division I football between the FBS and FCS, also trailing Tulsa's Angus Davies (80 yards, vs. Abilene Christian);
  • Western Carolina freshman PK Marcus Trout recorded a career-high seven points on Saturday, including finishing 4-for-4 on PATs and hitting his first collegiate field goal on a 28-yard boot.
Miscellaneous Notes:
  • Western Carolina's team captains for Saturday's game: Senior LB #5 Hayward McQueen Jr.; senior DL #8 Jaheel Anderson; senior DB #21 Cam'Ron Dabney; and senior DT #45 Sean Morris;
  • Defensive lineman #90 Jamichael Wilson carried out  the United States flag  during the pregame runout, with injured WR #9 Jaylin Terzado carrying the North Carolina flag, a tradition begun in the game following the aftermath of Hurricane Helene;
  • Western Carolina won the toss and deferred to the second half; the Catamounts kicked off to start the game.
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Players Mentioned

Calvin Jones

#3 Calvin Jones

WR
5' 10"
Redshirt Junior
Jamichael Wilson

#90 Jamichael Wilson

DT
6' 3"
Fifth Year
Stephen Brantley

#95 Stephen Brantley

P
6' 2"
Junior
Bennett Judy

#17 Bennett Judy

QB
6' 3"
Redshirt Sophomore
Jeno Junius Jr.

#22 Jeno Junius Jr.

N
6' 0"
Redshirt Sophomore
Isaac Lee

#11 Isaac Lee

QB
6' 4"
Redshirt Freshman
Hayward McQueen Jr.

#5 Hayward McQueen Jr.

LB
6' 1"
Senior
Ken Moore Jr.

#0 Ken Moore Jr.

N
5' 10"
Redshirt Junior
Jhamari Pierre-Louis

#16 Jhamari Pierre-Louis

S
5' 11"
Redshirt Junior
Hasaan Sykes

#12 Hasaan Sykes

CB
6' 0"
Sophomore
James Tyre

#16 James Tyre

WR
5' 10"
Redshirt Sophomore
Jordan Thompson

#4 Jordan Thompson

LB
5' 11"
Redshirt Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Calvin Jones

#3 Calvin Jones

5' 10"
Redshirt Junior
WR
Jamichael Wilson

#90 Jamichael Wilson

6' 3"
Fifth Year
DT
Stephen Brantley

#95 Stephen Brantley

6' 2"
Junior
P
Bennett Judy

#17 Bennett Judy

6' 3"
Redshirt Sophomore
QB
Jeno Junius Jr.

#22 Jeno Junius Jr.

6' 0"
Redshirt Sophomore
N
Isaac Lee

#11 Isaac Lee

6' 4"
Redshirt Freshman
QB
Hayward McQueen Jr.

#5 Hayward McQueen Jr.

6' 1"
Senior
LB
Ken Moore Jr.

#0 Ken Moore Jr.

5' 10"
Redshirt Junior
N
Jhamari Pierre-Louis

#16 Jhamari Pierre-Louis

5' 11"
Redshirt Junior
S
Hasaan Sykes

#12 Hasaan Sykes

6' 0"
Sophomore
CB
James Tyre

#16 James Tyre

5' 10"
Redshirt Sophomore
WR
Jordan Thompson

#4 Jordan Thompson

5' 11"
Redshirt Sophomore
LB