Five Catamounts Named to Phil Steele Preseason All-SoCon Teams

Five Catamounts landed on Phil Steele’s Preseason All-Southern Conference teams as selected and announced over the weekend by the publication. Western Carolina put two players on the second team and three on the third team.

Graduate transfer quarterback Rogan Wells earned the top quarterback spot on the second-team offense while junior defensive back Ronald Kent Jr. landed on the second-team defense. Fifth-year senior linebacker Ty Harris highlighted three on the third team that also included senior transfer defensive back Cameron McCutcheon and redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Tyler Smith.

Phil Steele Preseason All-Conference Teams: https://philsteele.com/2021/08/15/phil-steeles-2021-fall-fcs-all-american-all-conference-teams/

Wells, a two-time Harlon Hill Trophy finalist, has amassed over 11,000 yards of total offense over the past four seasons between Valdosta State and Tusculum under offensive coordinator Kade Bell. The Fort Mill, S.C., native has thrown for 8,932 yards with 84 touchdown passes while also rushing for 2,032 yards and 27 scores on the ground. He was a two-time Gulf South Conference Offensive Player of the Year in 2018 and 2019, guiding the Blazers to the 2018 NCAA Division-II National Championship.

Over the past three seasons, starting cornerback Ronald Kent has tallied 124 career tackles including 80 solo stops and 5.5 tackles for loss. He has successfully defended 22 passes, just outside WCU’s all-time career top five, and tallied his first career interception at nationally-ranked North Carolina a season ago. Kent was a second-team All-SoCon selection in the 2020-21 season as selected by the league’s head coaches.

Smith was the only Catamount to land on the SoCon’s preseason all-conference team from the league’s head coaches. He’s the first WCU offensive lineman since Zach Weeks in 2018 to earn a preseason honor. A product of Laurinburg, N.C., Smith has played in 25 career games with 21-consecutive starts over the past two seasons along the offensive line.

Harris ranks among the SoCon’s leaders in returning tacklers from the 2020-21 season. The fifth-year product of Dacula, Ga., led WCU with 90 tackles including 50 solo stops and a career-best 8.5 tackles for loss last season to rank fifth in the conference. He also ranked fourth in the SoCon with a 9.9 tackle per game average. A second-team All-SoCon linebacker in 2020-21, Harris has 301 career tackles and is poised to move into WCU’s career top 10 early in the 2021 fall campaign.

McCutcheon played in 25 games at Gardner-Webb, transferring to Cullowhee during the summer of 2021. He recorded 87 career tackles including 63 solo stops and a tackle for loss for the Runnin’ Bulldogs. He was credited with seven pass break-ups including an interception as a junior in the 2020-21 season against Elon.