Sam Pittman breaks down Western Carolina's transfer portal additions

Arkansas has a easier matchup to start the 2023 season with a game versus Western Carolina but head coach Sam Pittman and the team are treating the Catamounts with respect heading into the game.

Pittman gave a quick scouting report on Western Carolina — which finished 6-5 last season under head coach Kerwin Bell — during his Monday press conference.

“From what I understand, I think they’ve added about six in the portal,” Pittman said. “A couple of d-tackles. I think they’re from Akron. There’s a kid named Micah Nelson. He’s a boundary end that’s a really good player. He’s No. 9 He’s a really good player. They got a nickel that’s a good player. Defensively, they got a free safety that’s returning. They got six starters coming on defense and six on offense.”

Pittman undersold how many transfers the team got in the portal this offseason. Among the team’s contributors include former Akron defensive lineman Bryce Wilson, former Bethune-Cookman defensive back Devuntray Hampton, former Akron and Florida defensive lineman Curtis Fann Jr., former Harvard quarterback Charlie Dean, former UAB offensive lineman Therion Cannon, former UMass offensive lineman Xavier Graham, former Virginia Tech linebacker Tyler Matheny and former Western Illiois defensive lineman Tahjae Mullix.

The team is quarterback by Cole Gonzales, a sophomore who started the final four games of the season last year. An All-Southern Conference freshman team honoree, Gonzalez was 102 of 161 passes for 1,336 passing yards and 11 touchdowns with seven interceptions.

Running back Desmond Reid, another sophomore, led the team in rushing as a freshman in 2022 with 826 yards on 119 rushes.

“Offensively, they’re talented at the skill,” Pittman said. “(Gonzales, who wears No. 9) played, I don’t know, maybe the last eight or nine games last year for ’em. They have another guy and he got hurt, I believe, but then nine came in and I think they won their last three games. All really close games, did a good job in two minutes. Then they’re pretty big on the o-line. They probably averaged about 305 on the o-line. Two tight ends, one of them they use a little bit more for blocking. The other, (Ajay Belanger), they use for catching. But really good team, got a good field goal kicker. Good football team.”

Last year, Western Carolina had a Power Five matchup versus Georgia Tech, which the Yellow Jackets won 35-17 at Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta.