catamount man
September 14th, 2008, 08:38 AM
CULLOWHEE – Waiting until the second half to get the offense on track didn’t work out too well for Western Carolina’s football team in the past.
It didn’t yield the desired results Saturday evening, either.
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The Catamounts gained more yards in the first five minutes of the fourth quarter (130) than they had in the first three quarters combined (114) but still came up short in a 19-16 loss to 25th-ranked Liberty in front of 7,289 fans at Whitmire Stadium.
“The defense came out strong and gave us a chance,” WCU quarterback Andy Horn said. “That’s when you’ve got to make the plays on offense. When (the defense) is keeping them down, that’s when you’ve got to get ahead. Otherwise, you are going to play from behind because the defense is going to be on the field too long.”
With WCU trailing 19-7, Horn hit Marquel Pittman for a 78-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the fourth quarter to cut the lead to 19-13 following a missed extra-point attempt.
After forcing a three-and-out on Liberty’s next possession, the Cats (1-2) drove to Liberty’s 7-yard line but settled for a field goal that accounted for the final margin. WCU had one last opportunity but didn’t get past midfield.
The Cats had a 7-6 lead at halftime despite gaining just 81 yards in the first 30 minutes, but Liberty (3-0) mounted two methodical scoring drives at the start of the third quarter to build a 12-point lead.
Last season, WCU’s second-half rallies against Chattanooga, The Citadel and Wofford came up short.
First-year WCU coach Dennis Wagner insisted that the Cats’ tradition of playing their best football when they’re trailing will not continue under his leadership.
“That’s going to change,” said Wagner, who was restless and visibly unhappy throughout the postgame news conference. “As long as I’m here, that’s not going to happen. It’s not going to happen. It’s just not. We’re going to get better every week, and we’re going to find a way to win football games.”
Talk about a heartbreaker!!! Damn good football game that could've went either way. The Catamount program IS improving but it is gonna take time. Beat PC and we're 2-2 heading into conference play and all WCU supporters can live with that after the Briggs years, believe me.
GO CATAMOUNTS!!!
It didn’t yield the desired results Saturday evening, either.
Advertisement
The Catamounts gained more yards in the first five minutes of the fourth quarter (130) than they had in the first three quarters combined (114) but still came up short in a 19-16 loss to 25th-ranked Liberty in front of 7,289 fans at Whitmire Stadium.
“The defense came out strong and gave us a chance,” WCU quarterback Andy Horn said. “That’s when you’ve got to make the plays on offense. When (the defense) is keeping them down, that’s when you’ve got to get ahead. Otherwise, you are going to play from behind because the defense is going to be on the field too long.”
With WCU trailing 19-7, Horn hit Marquel Pittman for a 78-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the fourth quarter to cut the lead to 19-13 following a missed extra-point attempt.
After forcing a three-and-out on Liberty’s next possession, the Cats (1-2) drove to Liberty’s 7-yard line but settled for a field goal that accounted for the final margin. WCU had one last opportunity but didn’t get past midfield.
The Cats had a 7-6 lead at halftime despite gaining just 81 yards in the first 30 minutes, but Liberty (3-0) mounted two methodical scoring drives at the start of the third quarter to build a 12-point lead.
Last season, WCU’s second-half rallies against Chattanooga, The Citadel and Wofford came up short.
First-year WCU coach Dennis Wagner insisted that the Cats’ tradition of playing their best football when they’re trailing will not continue under his leadership.
“That’s going to change,” said Wagner, who was restless and visibly unhappy throughout the postgame news conference. “As long as I’m here, that’s not going to happen. It’s not going to happen. It’s just not. We’re going to get better every week, and we’re going to find a way to win football games.”
Talk about a heartbreaker!!! Damn good football game that could've went either way. The Catamount program IS improving but it is gonna take time. Beat PC and we're 2-2 heading into conference play and all WCU supporters can live with that after the Briggs years, believe me.
GO CATAMOUNTS!!!