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| Rodney Allison | |
CULLOWHEE, N.C. — This time Western Carolina didn’t collapse. This time the streak finally came to an end.
A week after blowing a 28-point fourth-quarter lead against Georgia Southern, the Catamounts cruised past the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, 27-7, in Southern Conference football Saturday at Whitmire Stadium. That snapped a 20-game string of league losses.
The SoCon win is the first for Western Carolina (3-7, 1-5) since it beat Wofford 24-0 on Nov. 5, 2005.
“It’s been a long time coming,” WCU senior left guard James Singletary said. “I remembered how it felt, and I wanted to get back to that feeling.”
The Mocs (1-8, 0-5), meanwhile, have lost seven straight games — all by at least 20 points — and with three tough games remaining could be headed toward the first 11-loss season in school history.
Contributed photo by Mark Haskett, WCU Public Relations
Chattanooga QB Jare Gault fumbles at the UTC 25-yard line, forced by Western Carolina's Adrian McLeod. It was one of five Mocs turnovers in the 27-7 loss.
“We didn’t coach good enough. We didn’t play good enough,” said Mocs coach Rodney Allison, who was informed on Oct. 21 that he won’t be back next season. “The defense for the most part played good enough to keep us in it ... but we were bad on offense.”
The Mocs finished with 178 yards of total offense and were 2-for-15 in turning third downs into firsts, and they committed five turnovers. UTC practiced just four times between the Oct. 18 loss to Elon and Saturday, but Allison said that wasn’t a factor in the Mocs’ miscues.
“It’s the same mistakes we’ve made all year,” he said. “It’s not doing what you’re supposed to do at receiver, at quarterback, at offensive line. It’s just the continual mistakes that we’ve seen all year long that have cost us.
“They have not improved, we have not coached them well enough to improve and I give credit to Western Carolina, but we were inept offensively.”
Saturday’s game was the sixth this season in which UTC was held to a touchdown or less. Cornerback Raeshon Ball gave the Mocs their only points when he scored on a 41-yard interception return with 3:51 to play in the third quarter.
Ball’s first interception of the season cut the lead to 13-7 and put the Mocs right back in the game despite almost no offensive production and more mishaps in the punting game. The return also shined the light on Allison’s decision on the Mocs’ first possession of the third quarter to go for it on fourth-and-6 at the WCU 16-yard line.
Quarterback Sloan Allison, who replaced starter Jare Gault at halftime, was sacked for a 12-yard loss on the play.
“After you watched us play in the first half, how many chances did you think we were going to get to get touchdowns? That’s the reason I went for it,” Coach Allison said.
Gault was 8-for-15 passing for 57 yards and had a fumble in the first half, and Sloan Allison was 5-for-19 for 44 yards, with three interceptions and a fumble, in the second half. Running back Erroll Wynn had 22 carries for a season-high 95 yards, but the Mocs were never able to put more than one or two good plays together on a drive.
“Defensively, we played a tremendous game,” first-year WCU coach Dennis Wagner said.
In the first quarter, a bad snap in punt formation gave the Catamounts a first down at the UTC 4, and on the next play quarterback Zack Jaynes hit Adam Hears in the end zone for a touchdown and a 7-0 Western Carolina lead. Blake Bostic kicked two field goals in the second quarter to give the Catamounts a 13-0 lead at the half.
Jeff Lloyd had a punt blocked late in the third quarter that led to the first of two fourth-quarter Andrerius Thomas touchdown catches that put the game away for the Catamounts.
Quarterback Zack Jaynes led Western Carolina with 146 yards and three touchdowns passing and 62 yards rushing. The Catamounts had five drives start at the UTC 26 or closer and scored touchdowns on three of them.
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Thank God Rodney is gone after this abortion of a season but Rick Hart should tell him this week that if he puts his son in at quarterback, especially when we still have a chance of winning the game, he will personally come to the sideline and dismiss him on the spot. Rodney said after the game that he already knew his fate and it was up to the kids left behind to win the game. The thing Rodney seems to be oblivious to is by posting a 1-11 record and having it on your coaching resume makes it all the more difficult to get a job. If I were an assistant coach for the Mocs and Rodney put his son Sloan in the game when it is 13 to 7 at the beginning of the second half I would grab Rodney by his sweater vest and say that if you do that I am walking off the field with my players. A 1-11 record hurts the assistant coaches, the players, and the program but L-Rod (Loser Rodney)loser Rodney doesn't give a crap and is throwing the games by putting his barely able to start in high school quarterback son in the game at crucial times. It has been said that football does not build character it reveals character. Rodney Allison's character is being revealed before our eyes and it is not honorable. And yes, it will be difficult for Rodney to find a job on the college level. His few friends in the business have either been fired themselves or are retired losers also. We all can't wait until this sad chapter of UTC football closes and we can start anew this spring. Rick we are counting on you to bring in a winner.In closing this Saturday's Appy game is going to be ugly, as is the Citadel game, as is the Samford game. A record setting 1 and 11 season for Rodney Allison. Maybe his wife can get a job after the season and support the family. It will take a while for L-Rod to find work!
In response to the first "post" on this article.
I agree with you this season has been a disaster...but you are about as classless as one can be. First off, you obviously were not at the game and obviously did not listen to the game. In the first half the offense had a total of 60 yards and did not cross into Western territory one time. It was stagnant at best. The game was not 13-7 at the beginning of the 2nd half, it was 13-0. The TD came late in the 3rd and it was an interception return. Like it or not Sloan Allison is the 2nd best QB on this team. Rodney pulled Gault for Allison because the offense was awful...looking for a spark. Rodney Allison, regardless of who you ask, is one of the most respected men in the business. Although the wins have not come and I agree a change needed to be made, saying he has no class truly reveals that you have no clue as to what you are talking about. Rodney Allison is one of the better connected coaches I have seen with ties to the Bowden family and with Bill Parcells, maybe you have heard of them. I do not have a dog in the hunt but mentioning a mans wife is truly classless. I have seen your posts on here before, and you have nothing to offer except for personal attacks and falsehoods. I hope you do not consider yourself a fan because the University and the readers of this site would be better off without "fans" like you...And speaking of an abortion, maybe its not too late for you.