A former Western Carolina quarterback, Parish Metzger returned to his alma mater during the summer of 2025 to assist with the quarterbacks and wide receivers. He spent the previous season working alongside former WCU offensive coordinator Kade Bell at the University of Pittsburgh. In the spring of 2026, Metzger took control of the Catamount quarterback room as an assistant coach, leading the QBs.
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As an offensive assistant in 2025, Metzger worked with QB Taron Dickens, who finished second in voting for the NCAA FCS Walter Payton Award given to the nation’s top offensive player. WCU’s offense saw 15 different players catch a touchdown pass, with nine recording 20 or more catches. The Catamounts finished 2025 second in the NCAA FCS in total offense (493.3 yards per game), led the nation in passing offense (355.7 yards per game) and passing touchdowns (44), and were fifth with 317 first downs.
A 2024 graduate of Western Carolina University with a BSBA in business administration and law and business management, Metzger played in two games as a reserve for the Catamounts during 2022 before moving to the coaching side, where he spent the next two seasons. He completed three of his seven career pass attempts for 36 yards and a touchdown. Making his collegiate debut against Presbyterian in '22, Metzger tossed his first career touchdown pass on an 18-yard strike to DeAndre Tamarez late in the third quarter. He was named to the 2022-23 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll as a redshirt freshman.
Originally from Matthews, N.C., Metzger began his prep career at Providence High before finishing at Butler High, where he threw for 2,534 yards over his final two seasons.
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