2016 Western Carolina Catamounts football team

The 2016 Western Carolina Catamounts football team represented Western Carolina University in the 2016 NCAA Division I FCS football season as a member of the Southern Conference. They were led by fifth year head coach Mark Speir and played their home games at Bob Waters Field at E. J. Whitmire Stadium. They finished the season 2–9, 1–7 in SoCon play to finish in a tie for eighth place.

2016 Western Carolina Catamounts football
Conference	Southern Conference
2016 record	2–9 (1–7 SoCon)
Head coach	Mark Speir (5th season)
Offensive coordinator	Brad Glenn (5th season)
Offensive scheme	Spread
Defensive coordinator	Dustin Landry (1st season)
Base defense	4-3
Home stadium	E.J. Whitmire Stadium (Capacity: 13,742)

2016 Southern Conference football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 10 The Citadel $^		8	–	0					10	–	2
No. 13 Chattanooga ^		6	–	2					9	–	4
No. 9 Wofford ^		6	–	2					10	–	4
No. 23 Samford ^		5	–	3					7	–	5
Mercer		4	–	4					6	–	5
Furman		3	–	5					3	–	8
East Tennessee State		2	–	6					5	–	6
VMI		1	–	7					3	–	8
Western Carolina		1	–	7					2	–	9
$ – Conference champion ^ – FCS playoff participant Rankings from STATS FCS Poll

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 3	6:00 pm	at East Carolina*	Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium Greenville, NC	ESPN3	L 7–52	44,161
September 10	6:00 pm	Gardner–Webb*	E. J. Whitmire Stadium Cullowhee, NC	SDN	W 44–14	11,598
September 17	1:30 pm	vs. East Tennessee State	Bristol Motor Speedway Bristol, TN (Bucs at Bristol)	ESPN3	L 31–34	13,863
October 1	3:30 pm	No. 9 The Citadel	E. J. Whitmire Stadium Cullowhee, NC	ESPN3	L 14–37	12,283
October 8	7:00 pm	Wofford	E. J. Whitmire Stadium Cullowhee, NC	ASN	L 19–31	9,457
October 15	4:00 pm	at Mercer	Moye Complex Macon, GA	ESPN3	L 24–38	12,247
October 22	6:00 pm	at No. 21 Samford	Seibert Stadium Homewood, AL	ASN	L 17–30	4,031
October 29	3:30 pm	No. 10 Chattanooga	E. J. Whitmire Stadium Cullowhee, NC	SDN WMYA	L 25–38	10,760
November 5	2:00 pm	VMI	E. J. Whitmire Stadium Cullowhee, NC	ESPN3	W 32–29	8,225
November 12	4:00 pm	at Furman	Paladin Stadium Greenville, SC	ESPN3 WMYA	L 21–49	4,117
November 19	4:00 pm	at South Carolina*	Williams-Brice Stadium Columbia, SC	SECN	L 31–44	76,650
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from STATS FCS Poll released prior to game Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time

• Source: Schedule

Game summaries

@ East Carolina Pirates

Western Carolina @ East Carolina

1 2 3 4 Total Catamounts 0 7 0 0 7 • Pirates 10 21 21 0 52 Date: September 3 Location: Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium Greenville, NC Game start: 6:00 PM EDT Elapsed time: 2:59 Game attendance: 44,161 Game weather: 73°F • NNW 12 • Overcast with light rain Referee: Todd LaPenta Television network: ESPN3

Gardner–Webb

Gardner–Webb @ Western Carolina

1 2 3 4 Total Runnin' Bulldogs 7 7 0 0 14 • Catamounts 14 3 13 14 44 Date: September 10 Location: E. J. Whitmire Stadium Cullowhee, NC Game start: 6:00 pm EDT Elapsed time: 3:30 Game attendance: 11,598 Game weather: Low 80s • WSW 5 • Mostly sunny Referee: Edwin Lee Television network: SDN

vs. East Tennessee State

Western Carolina vs. East Tennessee State

1 2 3 4 Total Catamounts 7 14 0 10 31 • Buccaneers 0 10 14 10 34 Date: September 17 Location: Bristol Motor Speedway Bristol, TN Game start: 1:30 PM EDT Elapsed time: 3:31 Game attendance: 13,863 Game weather: 80°F • S 6 • Fair Referee: Thomas Graham Television network: ESPN3

The Citadel

The Citadel @ Western Carolina

1 2 3 4 Total • #9 Bulldogs 7 20 7 3 37 Catamounts 0 0 7 7 14 Date: October 1 Location: E. J. Whitmire Stadium Cullowhee, NC Game start: 3:30 PM EDT Elapsed time: 3:11 Game attendance: 12,283 Game weather: Low 70s • W 4 • Sunny Referee: Larry Saunders Television network: ESPN3

Wofford

Wofford @ Western Carolina

1 2 3 4 Total • Terriers 3 14 7 7 31 Catamounts 9 0 7 3 19 Date: October 8 Location: E. J. Whitmire Stadium Cullowhee, NC Game start: 7:00 pm EDT Elapsed time: 3:01 Game attendance: 9,457 Game weather: Low 60s • NNW 12 • Partly cloudy, windy Referee: Edwin Lee Television network: ASN

@ Mercer

Western Carolina @ Mercer

1 2 3 4 Total Catamounts 0 7 14 3 24 • Bears 0 3 21 14 38 Date: October 15 Location: Moye Complex Macon, GA Game start: 4:00 PM EDT Elapsed time: 3:33 Game attendance: 12,247 Game weather: 75°F • E 6 • Cloudy Referee: Marshall Lewis Television network: ESPN3

@ Samford

Western Carolina @ Samford

1 2 3 4 Total Catamounts 7 0 3 7 17 • #21 Bulldogs 7 6 14 3 30 Date: October 22 Location: Seibert Stadium Homewood, AL Game start: 7:00 PM EDT Elapsed time: 3:25 Game attendance: 4,031 Game weather: 65°F • NNW 8 • Sunny and clear Referee: Larry Saunders Television network: ASN

Chattanooga

Chattanooga @ Western Carolina

1 2 3 4 Total • #10 Mocs 14 17 7 0 38 Catamounts 10 0 7 8 25 Date: October 29 Location: E. J. Whitmire Stadium Cullowhee, NC Game start: 3:30 PM EDT Elapsed time: 2:51 Game attendance: 10,760 Game weather: 75°F • 4–6 mph • Mostly sunny and mild Referee: Larry Adcock Television network: SDN/WMYA

VMI

VMI @ Western Carolina

1 2 3 4 Total Keydets 0 9 6 14 29 • Catamounts 7 14 3 8 32 Date: November 5 Location: E. J. Whitmire Stadium Cullowhee, NC Game start: 2:00 PM EDT Elapsed time: 3:17 Game attendance: 8,225 Game weather: High 60s • NW 3 • Sunny Referee: Thomas Graham Television network: ESPN3

@ Furman

Western Carolina @ Furman

1 2 3 4 Total Catamounts 14 0 7 0 21 • Paladins 7 6 22 14 49 Date: November 12 Location: Paladin Stadium Greenville, SC Game start: 4:00 PM EST Elapsed time: 2:47 Game attendance: 4,117 Game weather: 59°F • Light wind • Clear Referee: Bob Johnson Television network: ESPN3/WYMA

@ South Carolina

Western Carolina @ South Carolina

1 2 3 4 Total Catamounts 14 3 8 6 31 • Gamecocks 21 14 3 6 44 Date: November 19 Location: Williams-Brice Stadium Columbia, SC Game start: 4:00 PM EST Elapsed time: 3:12 Game attendance: 76,650 Game weather: 70°F • NW 16 • Sunny Referee: Matt Loeffler Television network: SECN

References