Western Carolina ranks No. 18 in HERO Sports’ FCS Preseason Top 25.
The Catamounts finished 7-5 last year, missing the FCS playoffs.
Here’s a look at the 2025 WCU football squad.
Returning 2024 FCS All-Conference Players (1)
1st Team
WR AJ Colombo
D1 Transfer Portal Movement
Transfers Coming In From The FCS (4)
Jahleel Anderson (DL), Alcorn State
Vito Moriana-Sigel (OL), MVSU
Painter Richards-Baker (WR), Dartmouth
Sean Morris (DT), UAlbany
Transfers Coming In From The FBS (11)
Ryan McKinnis (LB), App State
Ilija Krajnovic (OL), Boston College
Anthony Benjamin (RB), Jacksonville State
Jordan Thompson (LB), Middle TN State
Cam’Ron Dabney (DB), Northern Illinois
Tate Rodemaker (QB), Southern Miss
Dominic Dutton (WR), ODU
Marseille Taylor (CB), USF
Jarvis Adams Jr. (OL), Kennesaw
Emmett Rhoades (LS), Akron
Jackson Banks (DT), ODU
Transfers Lost To The FCS (3)
Therion Cannon (OL) to Chattanooga
Calvin Jones (WR) to Samford
Peyton Davis (OL) to The Citadel
Transfers Lost To The FBS (9)
Mateo Sudipo (DB) to Bowling Green
Jake Young (TE) to Charlotte
Jordy Lowery (DB) to ECU
Caleb Carter (OL) to Michigan State
Derek Simmons (OL) to Oklahoma
Tahjae Mullix (DL) to Oregon State
Cole Gonzales (QB) to Pitt
Zion Booker (WR) to Tulsa
Antarron Turner (LB) to Wisconsin
For more FCS coverage, follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
Offensive Outlook
After scoring 33.1 points per game, WCU’s offense returns its top running back, leading wide receiver, and its SoCon All-Freshman quarterback, who started the final four games last year. The unit loses its top five offensive linemen in snaps and a two-year starting QB.
Taron Dickens looks to take the reins at quarterback after he started the final four games last year for an injured Cole Gonzales, who had a standout two years as a starter. Gonzales is now at Pitt. Dickens went 3-1 as a redshirt freshman in those four starts. He finished 127/172 (73.8%) for 1,428 yards, 12 touchdowns, and three interceptions. He threw for more than 400 yards against Chattanooga and Samford and for nearly 300 yards vs. VMI. Dickens was named to the SoCon All-Freshman Team while earning FCS Freshman All-American accolades.
He’ll have First Team All-SoCon wide receiver AJ Colombo to throw to. After catching 31 passes for 438 yards and five touchdowns in 2023, Colombo totaled 61 receptions for 590 yards and five scores last fall.
Wide receiver Malik Knight is also back after recording 23 catches for 392 yards and a touchdown. Another returning WR, Jai Boyd, had 19 receptions for 307 yards last fall. Both were underclassmen in 2024.
Last year’s leading rusher, Branson Adams, returns after rushing for 749 yards and four scores on 134 carries. In 2023, he rushed 89 times for 539 yards and three TDs. No. 2 RB Patrick Boyd Jr. also returns after going over 201 rushing yards and a touchdown.
While the skilled positions look to be loaded, WCU’s offensive line has to replace its top five leaders in snaps played in 2024.
Zach Watson (6-1, 300 lbs) returns, playing 417 snaps last fall, including three starts. He was named on the SoCon All-Freshman Team. Aaron Sanez (6-2, 300 lbs) is also back after missing 2024 with an injury. Sanez started three games as a redshirt freshman in 2023.
Defensive Outlook
WCU returns six of its top 11 tacklers from last year, plus a couple of players with starting experience who missed most of 2024 with injuries.
The Catamounts allowed 29.2 points per game a season ago, ranking No. 83 in the FCS.
Hayward McQueen Jr. leads the unit again as a veteran linebacker. He led the Catamounts with 61 tackles last fall, including 7.5 tackles for loss and three pass breakups. McQueen made eight starts in 2023 and three starts in 2022 as a freshman. LB Blue Monroe also returns following a season where he finished 10th on the team with 36 tackles, including a team-high eight TFLs.
Linebacker Jordan Thompson comes in with FBS starting experience. He started eight games last year at Middle Tennessee State as a redshirt freshman, totaling 37 tackles, 2.5 TFLs, a sack, and two pass breakups.
The secondary, especially at safety, will be an experienced unit. WCU does have to replace its top two snap-leaders at cornerback. Returning nickelback Ken Moore Jr. played nearly 450 snaps last year and totaled 36 tackles, four TFLs, four interceptions, and seven pass breakups.
At safety, Samaurie Dukes is back as a two-year starter. He finished third on the team last season with 55 tackles, including two interceptions and four pass breakups. Bo Simpson-Nealy is coming off a SoCon All-Freshman Team season, notching 37 tackles, four TFLs, and an interception while starting seven games and logging 330 snaps. Jhamari Pierre-Louis added more than 200 snaps at safety and had 22 tackles with two pass breakups.
Two more experienced safeties return after missing most or all of 2024 due to injuries. Ed Jones IV was a starter in 2022 and 2023, totaling 40 tackles, 4.5 TFLs, two sacks, and an interception in 2023. Lee Campbell played in 11 games with three starts in 2023, tallying 44 tackles and five pass breakups.
Two defensive ends are back who finished in the top 15 in team tackles and top 12 in snaps. Caleb Fisher (6-3, 245 lbs) played more than 500 snaps and had 37 tackles, seven TFLs, 2.5 sacks, and six QB hurries. Micah Nelson (6-3, 265 lbs) added more than 400 snaps with 26 tackles, 6.5 TFLs, two sacks, and two QB hurries.
Depth on the interior of the d-line is a question mark. WCU’s top five defensive tackles are gone from last season.
2025 Preseason Preview Central
Western Carolina Football Schedule
8/30 vs Gardner-Webb
9/6 at Wake Forest
9/13 vs Elon
9/20 vs Samford
9/27 at Campbell
10/4 at Wofford
10/11 vs Furman
10/18 at The Citadel
11/1 at RV Chattanooga
11/8 vs No. 12 Mercer
11/15 vs RV ETSU
11/22 at VMI
Bold indicates SoCon games
HERO Sports’ rankings
RV = Received Votes
