Cullowhee, N.C. – Amid a busy spring season that has seen every Western Carolina sports team in some semblance of action, Catamount football has continued its off-season work on the turf at E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field. With the sounds of steel construction from the fall fading as work on the new Western Skybox moves mostly indoors, the Catamounts have held 11 spring practice sessions in the shadows of the new facility that remains a centerpiece of the off-season improvements.
 
WCU has moved into a second strategically-placed pause in its spring drills for the Easter holiday, with the home stretch scheduled for next week, culminating with the annual Spring Game set for Saturday, April 11, at Noon.
 
"I love the competitiveness that they're showing, the intensity in practice," said WCU head coach Kerwin Bell of his squad, noting that he's been very pleased with 10 of the 11 opportunities to date. "We've had a lot of competition. The defense is really making the offense work, and the offense is performing at a high level. So, I love the competitiveness, I love the energy. And that's how you get better as a football team."
 

Among the most notable storylines on the Catamount offense is the successor of quarterback Taron Dickens, who transferred following the season. Dickens finished second in the voting for the NCAA FCS Walter Payton Award, given to the nation's top offensive player. Five quarterbacks on the roster have split reps through the spring, with two noted as moving slightly to the head of the class in returning redshirt sophomore Isaac Lee and NC State transfer, Lex Thomas – though Bell was quick to point out that common theme of competition.
 
"Lex Thomas and Isaac Lee are both neck-and-neck right now," Bell said, referencing who could emerge as the starter in the fall. "This competition is going to go all the way through camp, I believe. They both give you what I want out of a quarterback, and that is a guy that's a great distributor of the ball, a very efficient guy who gets a lot of completions. But the one thing they both add is the ability to make plays with their feet, to extend plays. They both can run and are very fast, elusive, and can create big plays."
 
Bell continued with an overview of his offense, stating that he feels his staff has "really hit on something" with the offensive line. He also commented on the competitive nature at the skill positions, with great competition in the wide receiver room while still looking for the best, with additional newcomers scheduled to arrive over the summer. He highlighted returners Jai Boyd and Michael Rossin, as well as the returning veteran AJ Colombo, who missed last season with injury.
 
The Catamount head coach also highlighted a trio of players in his brief comments, most notably returning redshirt freshman tailback Josh Perry and a tight end tandem of Jake Young and Bode Burns.
 
"Josh Perry, who we redshirted last year, is a little bit bigger tailback who is having a phenomenal spring. He has the speed to get in and out of cuts and out of holes, but he also finishes runs, which I like. Every time he gets hit, he's picking up two or three extra yards," said Bell.
 
He added, "Getting Jake (Young) back for his senior years is going to be great, and Bode (Burns) has really come on, and we expect him to have a big-time year for us."
 
WCU's offensive staff remains mostly intact from a season ago, though Corey Headley moves to lead the wide receiver room and former WCU QB Parish Metzger takes over as the QB coach after spending a year under Kade Bell at Pittsburgh and last season as an offensive assistant.
 
The second biggest question mark entering the spring had to be the arrival of new defensive coordinator Nick Reveiz, with a new system and several new assistant coaches. Safeties coach Malik Goodman is the lone full-time holdover on the staff, and is joined by defensive line coach Mike Welch, bandits coach Ty Phillips, and defensive backs coach Malik Chevry.
 
Bell noted that in addition to the new coaches, new staff, and new system, his defensive unit also has a lot of new players.
 
"We had about a two-year run with a really good quality group of guys, but they've all graduated. So, this is a new squad, so what you're seeing is a lot of competition. Almost every position is wide open, we've got a whole new group of guys who are all competing," said Bell. "I love the way Coach (Nick) Reveiz and his guys are making these guys play hard, play fast, and play to a standard we want them to play to, and I feel good where we are on the defensive side."
 
Bell highlighted injured linebacker Blue Monroe, who is on pace to return during the summer, as well as returning legacy, sophomore Hank Bodine, son of WCU's all-time leading tackler, Tom Bodine. He also mentioned the play of converted linebacker, local product Josh Collins, and athletic returner Ryan McKinnis, just to name a few.
 
Bell also noted that a youth movement is likely to be seen along the defensive line, while his secondary – headlined by returner Ken Moore Jr., who has been sidelined with a lower body injury – has gotten bigger and longer. Bell described his defensive front as "productive" and "guys who play hard and compete every snap."
 
On special teams, under coordinator and associate head coach Kerry Webb, Bell talked about the competition between returners Marcus Trout and Bryan McCollum in the kicking game. He also noted competition for the starting long-snapper position, and ensuing punting battle between redshirt freshman Thomas Guerrero and Irish-born newcomer, Mark Fitzgerald from Dublin, Ireland, who is expected to arrive during the summer.
 
Bell concluded by reiterating, "I love the energy. I love the way we're competing. We're putting (our team) in a lot of situations and see how they react. We've got some guys that are really even athletically, so it's going to come down to who can play at that high level consistently. But right now, I'm very pleased with where we're at."
 
Western Carolina enters its final week of spring drills on Tuesday, April 7, with a fully-padded practice, before finishing with three-straight days leading up to the 15th session with the intrasquad scrimmage. Bell hinted that his staff will hold an internal draft to pick the respective teams for the competitive Spring Game.
 
"We need to have a couple of big-time practices on Tuesday and Thursday. The practice on Friday to get our teams ready. And we say that here in the spring, we work for 14 days. But that 15th day, that Spring Game, I want them to have fun," Bell finished.
 
Unless otherwise noted, each WCU spring football practice 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. Also, please note that the upper grandstands on the West side of the stadium are also closed during the ongoing construction of the Western Skybox.
 
Season tickets for the six-game 2026 home schedule are on sale now, in person at the Catamount Athletics ticket office located on the first floor of the Ramsey Center, by phone at (828) 227-2401, or online by visiting CatamountSports.com/BuyTickets.
 
Ticket options include General Admission and Reserved Bleacher seating on the East Side of the stadium, as well as a select number of covered reserve tickets below the old press box. West Side stadium seating includes bleachers, bench-backs, and chair-back box seats. WCU is also offering a Family Zone four-pack of tickets in section FF on the East Side of the stadium.
 
Additional seating options available for Catamount Club members include Paws Porch, Catamount Corner, End Zone Suites, and the Chancellor's Club. Each area has a minimum contribution requirement to the Catamount Club, and availability is limited. Previous ticket holders in these areas will get first right to renew until May 29. Beginning on May 30^, Catamount Club staff will begin reaching out to those who have added their name to an interest list for the 2026 season. Contact Brittany Kicklighter in the Catamount Club for more information.

Keep track of everything related to Catamount football and WCU Athletics through its social media outlets on Facebook (fb.com/CatamountSports), Twitter (@Catamounts, @CatamountsFB), and Instagram (wcu_catamounts).
 
Catamount Football – Spring Practice Schedule:
Practice 12: Tuesday, April 7 – 4 pm (full pads)
Practice 13: Thursday, April 9 – 4 pm (uppers)
Practice 14: Friday, April 10 – 4 pm (helmet only)
Practice 15: Saturday, April 11 – Noon – SPRING GAME (full pads/scrimmage)