catamount man
October 21st, 2007, 11:01 AM
Not exactly a ringing endorsement eh?! A change is needed...BAD!!!
GO CATAMOUNTS!!!
Catamounts lose again
Coach's job may be in jeopardy after WCU's 12th straight conference loss
by By Tyler Norris Goode, [email protected]
published October 21, 2007 12:15 am
CULLOWHEE- By the time Western Carolina made a serious run at beating The Citadel Saturday afternoon, roughly half the Catamounts' homecoming crowd of 7,804 had left Whitmire Stadium.
The only thing those fans missed was another late rally that came up short for coach Kent Briggs and his Cats.
Turnovers at the start of each half proved costly for WCU as it dropped its 12th straight Southern Conference game, 37-31. Two weeks ago, the Catamounts were stopped two points shy of erasing a 15-point, second-half deficit against Elon.
"We just start out wrong every game," said WCU receiver Marquel Pittman, whose two fourth-quarter touchdown receptions helped the Catamounts chip away at what had been a 21-point deficit. "It's like we don't want it until we get in at halftime. Then we come out and play, but it's too late."
WCU backup quarterback Todd Spitzer relieved Adam Hearns midway through the third quarter and completed 15-of-21 passes for 195 yards, including the two scoring strikes to Pittman. But the Cats (1-7, 0-4) failed to recover an onside kick after their last score, and the Bulldogs (5-2, 3-1) got a first down to help them run the final 1:55 off the clock.
WCU has not defeated a league opponent since a 24-0 victory over Wofford on Nov. 5, 2005.
With the two-year anniversary of that most-recent SoCon win fast approaching, athletic director Chip Smith was asked about Briggs' job status.
"It's hard to say," Smith said. "We're playing almost well enough to win. But we're not winning, and we're here to win."
As for whether Briggs will remain the coach until the end of this season, Smith said: "Please don't read anything into this, but I'd rather not say. But don't read anything into that. I learned a long time ago not to talk in absolutes."
Briggs, who signed a three-year contract extension early last season, acknowledged that his position could be tenuous. His team has lost 15 of its last 16.
"You always have concerns as a head coach, I don't care who you are in America, if you're losing football games," said Briggs, who is in his sixth season. "Obviously, you know what the bottom line is on that. But I can't dwell on that. I've got to do my job one day at a time. ... I always preach to our players to never quit and to keep fighting. If I were to do anything less than that, I'd be a hypocrite."
One key reason the Catamounts found themselves climbing out of a hole again, and ultimately facing questions about another tough loss, was The Citadel turned both of WCU's turnovers into touchdowns. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs did not turn the ball over.
GO CATAMOUNTS!!!
Catamounts lose again
Coach's job may be in jeopardy after WCU's 12th straight conference loss
by By Tyler Norris Goode, [email protected]
published October 21, 2007 12:15 am
CULLOWHEE- By the time Western Carolina made a serious run at beating The Citadel Saturday afternoon, roughly half the Catamounts' homecoming crowd of 7,804 had left Whitmire Stadium.
The only thing those fans missed was another late rally that came up short for coach Kent Briggs and his Cats.
Turnovers at the start of each half proved costly for WCU as it dropped its 12th straight Southern Conference game, 37-31. Two weeks ago, the Catamounts were stopped two points shy of erasing a 15-point, second-half deficit against Elon.
"We just start out wrong every game," said WCU receiver Marquel Pittman, whose two fourth-quarter touchdown receptions helped the Catamounts chip away at what had been a 21-point deficit. "It's like we don't want it until we get in at halftime. Then we come out and play, but it's too late."
WCU backup quarterback Todd Spitzer relieved Adam Hearns midway through the third quarter and completed 15-of-21 passes for 195 yards, including the two scoring strikes to Pittman. But the Cats (1-7, 0-4) failed to recover an onside kick after their last score, and the Bulldogs (5-2, 3-1) got a first down to help them run the final 1:55 off the clock.
WCU has not defeated a league opponent since a 24-0 victory over Wofford on Nov. 5, 2005.
With the two-year anniversary of that most-recent SoCon win fast approaching, athletic director Chip Smith was asked about Briggs' job status.
"It's hard to say," Smith said. "We're playing almost well enough to win. But we're not winning, and we're here to win."
As for whether Briggs will remain the coach until the end of this season, Smith said: "Please don't read anything into this, but I'd rather not say. But don't read anything into that. I learned a long time ago not to talk in absolutes."
Briggs, who signed a three-year contract extension early last season, acknowledged that his position could be tenuous. His team has lost 15 of its last 16.
"You always have concerns as a head coach, I don't care who you are in America, if you're losing football games," said Briggs, who is in his sixth season. "Obviously, you know what the bottom line is on that. But I can't dwell on that. I've got to do my job one day at a time. ... I always preach to our players to never quit and to keep fighting. If I were to do anything less than that, I'd be a hypocrite."
One key reason the Catamounts found themselves climbing out of a hole again, and ultimately facing questions about another tough loss, was The Citadel turned both of WCU's turnovers into touchdowns. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs did not turn the ball over.