WCU Coach Solicits Support After Rout

[Appaholic]

Coach writes letter following latest loss

ASHEVILLE — There may be some difference of opinion on whether Dennis Wagner should remain at Western Carolina, but there is one matter on which the fourth-year coach and outspoken WCU fans agree.

Last Saturday’s game was painful.

In a letter to the Catamount Club, a fundraising organization that supports WCU athletics, Wagner described the 51-7 loss at Chattanooga as “difficult,” “unpleasant” and “not indicative of how we want to represent the university.”
Posts on a popular online forum discussing WCU athletics included adjectives like “UGLY!!!” and comments like “It is beyond embarrassing” after the lopsided defeat dropped the Catamounts to 1-5 overall and 0-4 in the Southern Conference. WCU is 8-32 (3-25 in SoCon) under Wagner.

http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20111019/SPORTS/310180069/WCU-coach-solicits-support-after-rout?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Frontpage

[Appaholic]

As an App fan, I, for one, support the continued tenure of Dennis Wagner as coach of WCU. But then again, I supported continuing the Kent Briggs era as well. Good to see the admin at CCC is proficient in their futility.

[StorminASU]

While we're at it, can we bring Lamb back into the Socon as well? I'm looking at you here Furman

[ThompsonThe]

While we're at it, can we bring Lamb back into the Socon as well? I'm looking at you here Furman

Just as well bring Brian VanGorder (or whatever his name was) at GaSo

That would make quite a coaching lineup. Would be like the three stoogies of the SoCon.

[Appaholic]

Just as well bring Brian VanGorder (or whatever his name was) at GaSo

That would make quite a coaching lineup. Would be like the three stoogies of the SoCon.

Now, if we could only get Coleman to QB all 3 teams.....

[T-Dog]

Briggs did a better job than Wagner has. At least he beat App once and had a winning season.

Wagner has gone 3-9, 2-9, 2-9 and is 1-5 so far this year. Many of those games were blowouts. He's way worse than Briggs and he can't dress properly.

[StorminASU]

Didn't the new WCU president say he was going to evaluate why all these people (Wagner and the AD) have not only been able to keep their jobs, but also had raises in their tenure? It seems like I read the guy before Wagner also got a raise from the same AD...maybe he's the real problem. Either way, you have to say something for their consistency. That evaluation doesn't seem like it's going to go too well

[Smitty]

Nice that Tyler Norris chose to quote me in the article.

Chancellor Belcher has continued to say that he will be evaluating all of the positions and if something is needed he will make a move.

[ThompsonThe]

The WCU fans should have rallied behind Briggs. I said so at the time that it was the administration, not the football coach. They had most or all of their assistants teaching academic classes and were trying to penny pinch their way along in football. Briggs was a WCU grad and had their good intentions in mind. Team was a lot more professional under Briggs, even with very much more limited funds and even time to work with.
They would probably never do it, but I would want to bring Briggs back if I were a WCU fan. Get some input, and or assistants from ex-Catamounts that have played in the NFL or been successful high school coaches, and run it all by GaTech coach Johnson who is a Western and App State grad that coached at GaSo. If not Briggs, would still seek some Catamount grad or someone with ties to WCU to ensure whoever becomes coach will work their rear ends off to change the situation there. It is sickening for the SoCon that things have become so poorly managed at Western over the years and it is time to make a truly good move for the future of Catamount football. Someone that cares about the school can become a better coach and would be better than having someone with great coaching credentials walk in and fail again.

[Apphole]

Come on guys, we all know that the ONLY goal of Western Carolina is to beat App State and it is pretty safe to say that not even Tom Osborne could do that. Maybe they should just drop football when their reason for playing moves on to greener pastures.

[Mntneer]

Briggs did a better job than Wagner has. At least he beat App once and had a winning season.

Wagner has gone 3-9, 2-9, 2-9 and is 1-5 so far this year. Many of those games were blowouts. He's way worse than Briggs and he can't dress properly.

No joke, the guy looks like an absolute slob on the sidelines. As much as he needs to go, without a new AD I doubt whomever they could hire would do much better. At this point I think the rivalry with ASU will never be back, by the time Western gets their act together we will be long gone.

[Skjellyfetti]

Is he still letting Wal Mart shoppers call the plays? "Armchair Coaching Series" or whatever it was called?

[pike51]

http://i31.tinypic.com/24vji8h.jpg

[fc97]

is this a thread about western carolina news or make fun and smack western carolina around

[Milktruck74]

The WCU fans should have rallied behind Briggs. I said so at the time that it was the administration, not the football coach. They had most or all of their assistants teaching academic classes and were trying to penny pinch their way along in football. Briggs was a WCU grad and had their good intentions in mind. Team was a lot more professional under Briggs, even with very much more limited funds and even time to work with.
They would probably never do it, but I would want to bring Briggs back if I were a WCU fan. Get some input, and or assistants from ex-Catamounts that have played in the NFL or been successful high school coaches, and run it all by GaTech coach Johnson who is a Western and App State grad that coached at GaSo. If not Briggs, would still seek some Catamount grad or someone with ties to WCU to ensure whoever becomes coach will work their rear ends off to change the situation there. It is sickening for the SoCon that things have become so poorly managed at Western over the years and it is time to make a truly good move for the future of Catamount football. Someone that cares about the school can become a better coach and would be better than having someone with great coaching credentials walk in and fail again.


Excellent points. Al;umni have skin in the game and want to see the university do well for the long term. If you hire a young talented coach, he is viewing it as a stepping stone (3-5 seasons) and may not leave the program any better then it was before he got there. If you hire an older seasoned coach, he may be looking at Western as a good place to wind down.... an alumn is always the best route.

[Milktruck74]

So 3-8 in the MAC or (soon to be dead) Big (L)East is what constitutes Greener Pastures??? Try selling that to the 28,000 Fans that show up at The Rock to see a Mountaineer WIN.... an FBS Move = less wins = less fan support = BCS Obscurity...


Come on guys, we all know that the ONLY goal of Western Carolina is to beat App State and it is pretty safe to say that not even Tom Osborne could do that. Maybe they should just drop football when their reason for playing moves on to greener pastures.

[Gringer1]

Is he still letting Wal Mart shoppers call the plays? "Armchair Coaching Series" or whatever it was called?

Is this serious? How would that even work?

[Skjellyfetti]

Is this serious? How would that even work?

Shockingly, very serious. Not sure if they still do it or not, though. Haha.

http://www.catamountsports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/082008aaa.html

[wheeman04]

The WCU fans should have rallied behind Briggs. I said so at the time that it was the administration, not the football coach. They had most or all of their assistants teaching academic classes and were trying to penny pinch their way along in football. Briggs was a WCU grad and had their good intentions in mind. Team was a lot more professional under Briggs, even with very much more limited funds and even time to work with.
They would probably never do it, but I would want to bring Briggs back if I were a WCU fan. Get some input, and or assistants from ex-Catamounts that have played in the NFL or been successful high school coaches, and run it all by GaTech coach Johnson who is a Western and App State grad that coached at GaSo. If not Briggs, would still seek some Catamount grad or someone with ties to WCU to ensure whoever becomes coach will work their rear ends off to change the situation there. It is sickening for the SoCon that things have become so poorly managed at Western over the years and it is time to make a truly good move for the future of Catamount football. Someone that cares about the school can become a better coach and would be better than having someone with great coaching credentials walk in and fail again.

No. NO. NOOOO. NOOOOOO! Yes he loved Western. I love Western. But we would be in the same position. Kent Briggs wasn't even named the HC at smokey mountain HS when their last coach left. He is on the coaching staff. Of course he may not have wanted the position, so I may not know what I am talking about. Either way, no.

[catamount man]

the fan play was ONE PLAY PER GAME and it was something Wags and staff did for fan participation. ONE PLAY PER GAME. To hear Apps talk, the fans were calling the whole game. In all seriousness, I can remember a few of the plays that actually netted positive yards.

we're down, we've been down, we know it. take your shots as long as you can.

[AppStsGr8]

Belcher did say he would be evaluating all the positions. His background is in music if I recall correctly. When I first read his CV, I thought WCU had hired him to support WCU's band which is quite wonderful. Hopefully, he'll be able to do something about the AD or the athletic department to get WCU back on track. Now ... if you could bring in someone the likes of Bob Waters ...

[dgtw]

Can someone post a picture of the coach on the sidelines so we can all see him in action?

[Horseshoe App]

You know, I am a APP fan, but why is there 22 post and 18 are from ASU? I find this funny. Maybe we are a little preoccupied with pouring it on our friends in Cullowhee or maybe they just don't have any fans on here. Either way, it is funny(or sad).

[Smitty]

You know, I am a APP fan, but why is there 22 post and 18 are from ASU? I find this funny. Maybe we are a little preoccupied with pouring it on our friends in Cullowhee or maybe they just don't have any fans on here. Either way, it is funny(or sad).

Considering that we have about 4 fans on this board I am going to say that is a pretty good representation

[T-Dog]

Can someone post a picture of the coach on the sidelines so we can all see him in action?

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f271/tdog231x/dwagner.jpg

[catamount man]

This year Wagner has been dressed much more professionally and I was told upper administration sent that order. He still can't coach.xbawlingx

[wheeman04]

You know, I am a APP fan, but why is there 22 post and 18 are from ASU? I find this funny. Maybe we are a little preoccupied with pouring it on our friends in Cullowhee or maybe they just don't have any fans on here. Either way, it is funny(or sad).

Western lost its fans a long time ago. They are in hibernation, they will be back if they ever turn this thing around. Im only going to two games this year, which is way down for me. Getting ur butt spanked every weekend for a decade wears on you. xbangx. I think we have the potential to be great. There is so much upside. Its up to Dr. Belcher at this point. He is going to be under tremendous pressure because one more bad hire and you may not see 2k in the stands. On a better note, not for this board, our bball team is entirely on the right track. Im looking for the USC upset first game.

[OLDMAIN80]

We (Wofford) use to play Western for Homecoming while I was there in the late 70's. Without pulling out my Media Guide I think we had a decent record against them then. We were still NAIA but I don't know what affiliation Western was.

[catamount man]

Western Carolina vs Wofford (SC)



Back


Record: 12-21-0


No
W/L
Date
PF
Location
PA
Notes

1
L
11-21-1952
13
Spartanburg, SC
21


2
L
09-12-1953
6
Spartanburg, SC
7


3
L
09-10-1955
7
Spartanburg, SC
21


4
L
11-17-1956
7
Spartanburg, SC
39


5
L
09-14-1957
7
Spartanburg, SC
28


6
L
09-13-1958
15
Asheville, NC
29


7
L
10-10-1970
22
Spartanburg, SC
29


8
W
11-13-1971
31
Cullowhee, NC
13


9
W
11-23-1974
21
Spartanburg, SC
9


10
L
10-11-1975
14
Cullowhee, NC
23


11
L
10-23-1976
6
Spartanburg, SC
10


12
W
10-29-1977
41
Cullowhee, NC
6


13
W
10-21-1978
26
Spartanburg, SC
11


14
W
10-20-1979
56
Cullowhee, NC
21


15
W
10-10-1981
37
Spartanburg, SC
30


16
W
10-23-1982
36
Cullowhee, NC
17


17
W
10-22-1983
37
Cullowhee, NC
20


18
W
10-20-1984
31
Cullowhee, NC
0


19
W
09-14-1996
24
Cullowhee, NC
6


20
L
10-18-1997
7
Cullowhee, NC
17


21
L
10-17-1998
10
Spartanburg, SC
17


22
L
10-16-1999
21
Cullowhee, NC
35


23
L
10-14-2000
31
Spartanburg, SC
40


24
W
10-13-2001
31
Cullowhee, NC
28


25
L
10-19-2002
24
Spartanburg, SC
31


26
L
10-18-2003
6
Cullowhee, NC
38


27
L
10-16-2004
12
Spartanburg, SC
15


28
W
11-05-2005
24
Cullowhee, NC
0


29
L
10-28-2006
7
Spartanburg, SC
35


30
L
10-25-2007
44
Cullowhee, NC
47


31
L
10-18-2008
14
Spartanburg, SC
42


32
L
10-24-2009
26
Cullowhee, NC
35


33
L
10-16-2010
14
Spartanburg, SC
45



708
Totals
765

[fc97]

appalachian state 18-55
the citadel 15-19
elon 16-22
furman 10-26
georgia southern 2-19
samford 1-7
ut-chattanooga 16-21
wofford 12-21

[Appaholic]

the fan play was ONE PLAY PER GAME and it was something Wags and staff did for fan participation. ONE PLAY PER GAME. To hear Apps talk, the fans were calling the whole game. In all seriousness, I can remember a few of the plays that actually netted positive yards.

we're down, we've been down, we know it. take your shots as long as you can.

If I was a Western fan, I'd state that all the plays called the last 3 years were fan calls....it'd help save a litttle face....

[catamount man]

Wagner showed from day one he had no clue about SoCon football and showed his lack of respect for it by hiring a grad asst to be his offensive coordinator. The same OC who asked me to take a pic of he and his now wife in the parking lot nearest highway 107 AFTER THEY BLEW A 28 POINT LEAD TO GEORGIA SOUTHERN LIKE NOTHING WAS WRONG. It was all I could do that day not to cuss him out.

[StorminASU]

appalachian state 18-55
the citadel 15-19
elon 16-22
furman 10-26
georgia southern 2-19
samford 1-7
ut-chattanooga 16-21
wofford 12-21

ouch!