bob-sabin_1_10-23-2025_111755: 0:12

Welcome to tracking the Cats. Your biweekly podcast on all things Cat mounts with your co-hosts. Steve White over there in one corner. Myself, Bob Saban in the other, and as always, we are brought to you by Stanbury Insurance. They've got four offices now, one in their main office in Silva Highlands. Clyde and Waynesville. So if you ever need any insurance help, the folks there will be glad to take care of you at good prices today. We've got a great guest on here. We're pretty excited because this guy has, helped bring the catamounts to a strong position in the Southern Conference. We started out a little slow at oh and three, but we've come roaring back with five straight wins. And he was the driving force behind an offense that's ranked number one in the Southern conference. And number seven, nationally. Today we have offensive coordinator, Ryland Wells. Welcome Ryland.

squadcaster-4b0f_1_10-23-2025_111749: 1:14

Hey, thanks.

squadcaster-f8f8_1_10-23-2025_111753: 1:17

Yeah, well, Ryland's in his second year is our offensive coordinator replacing Cade Bell, who left us to go to Pittsburgh before last season came to Colory before the. 2021 season from Tusla over in Tennessee. He was first I think our tight ends and fullbacks coach before becoming the coordinator. Last winter, actually in January of 24. He's been a part of our offensive coaching staff. That's. Broken total offensive records for the three straight seasons. I consistently topped the Southern Conference offensive numbers, and as a player was an outstanding quarterback at Jacksonville University. For Coach Kerwin Bell just how can you believe that, you know, they were together again. But so they go back a long ways. Several seasons ago. But coach Bell, great to, great to have you excuse me, coach Wells. Great to have you with us. And yeah, I, that, I know that connection is awful tight between Bells and the well.

bob-sabin_1_10-23-2025_111755: 2:21

Yeah. So

squadcaster-4b0f_1_10-23-2025_111749: 2:22

It.

bob-sabin_1_10-23-2025_111755: 2:22

what was it like coaching playing for coach Bell back in Jacksonville? How has he like got the same intensity? Is it more so tell me what's changed since you played for him and what was it like playing for him?

squadcaster-4b0f_1_10-23-2025_111749: 2:39

I mean, I really enjoyed it. It, the only thing that's really different, I mean, he still has the same fire and know, is still the most competitive guy on the field, probably when the, you know, when we're between the lines. But the only difference is, you know, back then he was calling plays, you know, and he was the head coach. you know, so he's, you know. quite the same in that regard, you know? And, and it's definitely different now in today's world of football where there's so much going on for head coach. I find it, you know, I think it's gotta be hard for some of those guys that still do that. But he's still the same, the same guy, you know, that, that I played for and. You know, he's got a little older. We all have, but you know, he's still the same, you know, coach Bell that he was in 2013 when I walked on campus as a, as a freshman, you know, so he's, and I, I enjoyed it. You know, I think the thing that anyone loves when you're, when you're coaching for him a coordinator or when you're playing for him as a quarterback. Is, you know that he's never gonna hold back. He's never gonna hold his coaches back and be as aggressive as possible. So you're never gonna think, man, we're just trying to get through this game and, you know, play. Slow and, you know, try and hold back the reins. I mean, that's never gonna happen. And he's gonna be the first one to tell me, coach, now that you know, we've gotta take some shots, we've gotta be aggressive if he feels like we're not being aggressive enough. So I think that's one thing that I love playing for him. And, you know, coach for him having that freedom and having a guy telling me, you know, let's go be aggressive, you know, don't hold back, is, is, you know, definitely gives you a lot of freedom, gives you a lot of confidence going into any game, whether you're. Playing or coaching for him. So definitely the same guy.

squadcaster-f8f8_1_10-23-2025_111753: 4:18

Well coach, how did you get from to Jacksonville University down in north Florida from Fort Mill, South Carolina? What was the connection? I think I know what it is, but I want you to tell everybody what it.

squadcaster-4b0f_1_10-23-2025_111749: 4:30

I've written. Heck, I really didn't have anything going on hardly at all when I was in high school. I'm in Fort Mills, not known for football. I can tell you that I don't think they've ever won a playoff game in history, so but I think it, I, my grandpa, I think just sent him, sent Coach Bell my, my tape and, and next thing I know I got a phone call from him. So I think that was basically, that was pretty much all that happened and I didn't have anywhere else to go, so down there.

squadcaster-f8f8_1_10-23-2025_111753: 4:59

W talking about your grandfather now had a lot of people, I don't know if they know this or not, but I know him well because my connection with the University of Florida and so forth. And he's a Hall of Famer College football Hall of Famer, a great coach at the University of Tennessee. Won a couple of Southeastern conference championships. Went to Florida as the head coach, which was really interesting there. Two teams in the same conference after him, you know, beating the Gators so many times when he was at Tennessee and goes down there and has some great seasons at the University of Florida. In fact, I just finished my, I was in graduate school when he came to the University of Florida as a graduate assistant there in the athletics department when he replaced Coach Ray Graves back in 1970. So, we go back just a little bit way, and I've met him and talked to him at, at games earlier, back when Rogan was quarterbacking for us. And I, I don't know if he still comes to the games or not Ryland, but yeah, he's that's quite a connection you have there. Quite I guess DNA as far as being a quarterback is concerned with, with with Coach Dickey.

squadcaster-4b0f_1_10-23-2025_111749: 6:07

He doesn't, he hasn't. I don't, I don't know if he's been to the game since Rogan was playing maybe, maybe one time and at Citadel or something a couple years ago that's a little bit closer for them to drive up. Lives in Jacksonville, so but no, I, he, he doesn't drive, he doesn't travel much. I think, but he still watches all the games on, on the computer and calls me. I probably talk to him twice a week about it leading up to the game and then Sunday after. But think the only thing he's traveled to recently that I think they. Some, because they had some kind of ceremony in Knoxville, I think two weeks ago at the Arkansas game. That a bunch of family was there. I think it was when we were playing Furman,

squadcaster-f8f8_1_10-23-2025_111753: 6:49

Yeah.

squadcaster-4b0f_1_10-23-2025_111749: 6:49

they were all over there.

squadcaster-f8f8_1_10-23-2025_111753: 6:50

Yeah.

squadcaster-4b0f_1_10-23-2025_111749: 6:51

some kind of statue or something.

squadcaster-f8f8_1_10-23-2025_111753: 6:53

Yeah.

squadcaster-4b0f_1_10-23-2025_111749: 6:53

So that was, I'm sure that was cool to be at,

bob-sabin_1_10-23-2025_111755: 6:56

Yeah.

squadcaster-f8f8_1_10-23-2025_111753: 6:56

Yeah. I was at his press conference when he actually took the job at the University of Florida back in

squadcaster-4b0f_1_10-23-2025_111749: 7:01

Okay.

squadcaster-f8f8_1_10-23-2025_111753: 7:02

that, yeah. So go back a long ways with him. Yes.

squadcaster-4b0f_1_10-23-2025_111749: 7:05

No, but it's, it's, you know, I mean he's 93, 92,

bob-sabin_1_10-23-2025_111755: 7:10

Wow.

squadcaster-4b0f_1_10-23-2025_111749: 7:11

you know, and he's still, I mean, sharp as a tack, you know, so, plays golf all the time, and I think he's finally giving up gardening, you know, he is still doing that, but he is, had a couple injuries doing it, so giving that up a little bit. But he's, mean, he's, he probably could still run a team if he needed to.

bob-sabin_1_10-23-2025_111755: 7:30

So your coaching career spanned a number more and more years now. And you've worked with a number of different coaches. Do you find any that were particularly influential? And. How do you relate and, and learn from that?

squadcaster-4b0f_1_10-23-2025_111749: 7:46

I would say, I mean, I think any anyone I've ever played for or coached with, I mean, even going back to pop or football, I mean. always something you take with you. I definitely think, you know, col for Coach Bell is kind of where my love for the pass game and spreading the ball around and that kind of stuff where I kind of fell in love with that and then obviously playing for it. And, and then, you know, I, I played for Coach Bell for three years and then and took the job at Valdosta I played for a completely different style. Team for Ian Shields who came, he was offensive coordinator at Army in Lenore Ryan before that. So it was the time I didn't really know, you know, I didn't know if I was gonna coach or not, but IPL played a little bit of option quarterback in high school. But I think ultimately that, that of helped me out in the long run coaching wise of just being a part of two completely different styles. And Coach Shields is definitely a different style head coach than. is, but I think you can kind of take ideas and philosophies and, and kind of combine'em all together in, in your own way. And I think that's kind of between those two guys is kind of where, how I've got to where we are. You know, I think it's still mostly Coach Bell's offense and we're still going back and our going there, there every week probably seems, I can say, Hey, you remember what we were doing back in, you know. 10, 12 years ago, like, I think we could do that this week or something, you know? but I think it all stem probably from those two guys though. Coach, coach Shields and Coach Bell. Obviously I started coaching for Coach Shields as a ga which was good. And I think my first year I was coaching with Oline, which is probably the best thing I could have ever done. So but those two, those two guys are where I've learned a lot from. And then. Obviously, you know, Cade we still talk all the time about ideas

bob-sabin_1_10-23-2025_111755: 9:39

But you also have to work with your DC and it's Jerry Odom right now. And you've worked with him before. How's that going?

squadcaster-4b0f_1_10-23-2025_111749: 9:49

that's good. I mean, I, I love Coach Odom. I mean, he was, know, one of the guys that recruited me, he recruited my brother, you know, and heck, when we were at Tuscan, Rogan was there with us too.

bob-sabin_1_10-23-2025_111755: 9:58

Yeah.

squadcaster-4b0f_1_10-23-2025_111749: 9:59

You know, it wasn't like it was completely foreign to go with Kade up to Tus, and it wasn't like it was a whole new, you know, bunch of new faces. I mean, as Coach Odom, there was a guy that played for, I was on scout team as a freshman, you know, getting him mad at me, you know,

bob-sabin_1_10-23-2025_111755: 10:16

Yeah.

squadcaster-4b0f_1_10-23-2025_111749: 10:16

He still just like Coach O coach Bell. He's still the same, same guy he was. In 2013 when I was a freshman. So he's as competitive as they get and he's, you know, they do a lot of great stuff on defense. You know, some, some of the most competitive days we have aren't on Saturdays. They're, you know, in a good, on good period during practice during the week. You know, I mean, are some of the most competitive parts of parts of the week for us.

squadcaster-f8f8_1_10-23-2025_111753: 10:43

Coach talking about your brother Rogan. Any like rivalry there? And what's he doing now? I've sort of lost track of him, but is there a, has ever been a rivalry between you and Rogan?

squadcaster-4b0f_1_10-23-2025_111749: 10:56

I don't know about a, a rivalry. I mean, he is, he was probably a better player than I was. That's probably why there's not much of a rivalry. But he's just, he's in Charlotte. He's married and, you know, he is working for True Homes kind of a construction deal. But he's, he's, he's fine. He's doing good. I think they, they came up to, he came up to one of the games earlier this year and I think they'll be at the Mercer game. So, forward to that. Usually, usually we have good luck when he is in town, so that'll, hopefully that'll bode well for us.

squadcaster-f8f8_1_10-23-2025_111753: 11:28

that's great.

bob-sabin_1_10-23-2025_111755: 11:31

Well,

squadcaster-f8f8_1_10-23-2025_111753: 11:32

Let's talk a little bit now about

squadcaster-4b0f_1_10-23-2025_111749: 11:33

Probably our only,

squadcaster-f8f8_1_10-23-2025_111753: 11:35

yeah.

squadcaster-4b0f_1_10-23-2025_111749: 11:35

only rivalry would be when we're playing golf.

squadcaster-f8f8_1_10-23-2025_111753: 11:37

Yeah. Okay. Alright.

bob-sabin_1_10-23-2025_111755: 11:38

that's great.

squadcaster-f8f8_1_10-23-2025_111753: 11:41

Well I want you to know, and I, I played yesterday and I broke my age. So anytime I do that, I have a big party here at my house and all that stuff. So, so actually shot in the seventies yesterday. So that's now that was, take it with a grain of salt that was over at Smokey Mountain Country Club. So club, it's a little bit different. It's not like playing at, at Augusta National or anything like that. Let's talk a little bit about yeah, yeah. Let's talk a little bit about tar Dickens tiger, your current star pupil. Just what makes him special his uniqueness just being able to adjust the defenses like he did down at Wofford when they were running those six guys 15 yards off the line of scrimmage. Just talk about him what you've what, what, what we don't see here that you see him every day in practice.

squadcaster-4b0f_1_10-23-2025_111749: 12:29

I mean, gosh, I mean, the list probably could go on forever. You know, I think for him it's just the way, the way that he sees the defense. You know, we always try and talk about, when we're running a pass play, which, you know, obviously we do plenty, but. You can't, you can't lock onto receivers. You've gotta see the defense and know where your guys are gonna be. Right. And I think he does that probably better than, than a lot of people. And then on top of that, he's, he's probably the most accurate quarterback I've ever been around. He just, when it's there, he just doesn't miss, you know, and, and that that can be the difference. In, in games, and especially you're talking third down situations. Probably the biggest difference for us, and we talk about all the time is he just, I think a really, really good quarterback is, makes a big difference on third down, you know, and I think that's been a big difference for us since he's been back. being able to use his legs on top of it. Just, he's just, he does it all at a really high level and he's, he's the ultimate competitor, you know, so if, if things aren't going well. He's gonna make sure his competitive fire that he has, kind of like how Coach Bell is, just breeds into everybody else, you know? And it enforces everyone to feel like, man, we're not doing good enough. We've gotta play better. You know, if this guy's gonna be this good and he wants to win this bad, how can I be any different than that? and you just see it when he goes out there, he. He's just on a different level, competitive with his competitiveness, and he's just so accurate with the football that those are things you just can't coach, you know? So yeah, that's what, that's what makes him, him. I mean, he's not the biggest guy in the world and he gets hit a lot in games, but he's tough as nails and he's a competitor and he's gonna do whatever it takes to win, you know,

bob-sabin_1_10-23-2025_111755: 14:15

Well, we love having him. It's fun to watch. But you've got some other stars on the team on your offensive side of the ball that have performed pretty well lately. James Tire, being one of'em taking over for AJ Colombo. What are you thinking about these guys? In the receiving position that are, you know, you talk about with tiger's past completion ratio. Well, he's gotta have good receivers to have those numbers.

squadcaster-4b0f_1_10-23-2025_111749: 14:43

Yeah, no, he's was, we preach to him all the time. You know, it, it doesn't matter how good you are, how well you can throw it. If the O-line doesn't block and those guys don't run the right routes or they don't get open, it doesn't. You're not gonna throw any touchdowns, you're not gonna look good anyways. So he definitely has guys around him that, that are doing that. You know, I think James is obviously, probably the biggest, I don't know if he, he's not a surprise to me. But maybe to everyone, you know, on the outside looking in I've seen it, you know, from spring ball fall camp. I mean, one of the most consistent guys, if you look at the receiver production in practice and if you ask even, you know. I always tell Coach Bell, you know, say, Hey, why don't you go ask, ask, go ask Ken Moore who's probably the best cover guy on our team, you know, all conference nickel and say, hey, who, ask him who he thinks the hardest guys are to guard and he'll tell you James Tires within the top two probably, you know which to me means a lot. I mean, that kid's, Ken's really good. And if he's saying, James is hard to guard and that's. He should do really well in the SoCon. not many guys like Ken Moore that we're gonna go against. He's, he's just so, I think it, you really notice it in a Citadel game. The game is just so slow to him and he just, he just understands leverage. It just feels like him and Tiger. It just, the game moves so slow and they almost have like a telekinesis deal going on where they're just on the same page and. I, it's hard to explain. It's just one of those things that it's just, he's just a really good football player. He's not a, he's not gonna run a four four, he's probably a four six guy. he knows how to get open, kind of like a Cooper Cup guy. You know? Just'cause you run fast doesn't mean you're gonna be a good receiver, doesn't mean you can get open, know, the, the separation at the top of your routes, understanding the. How to set guys up. I mean, he was a basketball player, a point guard, a quarterback. So I think, you know, learn a lot in, in those kind of games playing point guard, understanding how to, control your tempo. And he does a really good job of that. I think it's funny talking about tigers completions in the wall. We didn't even know he was doing that till after the game. Heck, there was a point where we were, I was probably yelling at him for doing something he shouldn't have done. And as you go back and look at it, be like, what? I'm an idiot.'cause the kid just completed four, six straight passes.

bob-sabin_1_10-23-2025_111755: 17:13

well, you've got a, a, a lot to talk about on the offense as well with your receiving court on the with your running backs as well. On the coaches show on Monday, I heard Coach Bell talk about how his running backs. Also need to be able to catch passes and some of those guys have really stepped into play over the last couple of games and given us a more diverse offense. Tell us a little bit about that.

squadcaster-4b0f_1_10-23-2025_111749: 17:39

Yeah, no, I think they, they've done a really good job. I mean, think we, going into the season, that was a position we were like, I mean, how are you gonna even, know, what do you do? You've got, that's probably the deepest room on the team. And I think somebody that was kind of underlooked going into the season was someone like Markel think is of hard to explain.'cause Nobo really no one that had seen him play besides, you know, me and. Coach, small Coach Bell, probably'cause he didn't really do much his freshman year and you know, we've got quite a few guys that are new coaching staff wise. So I think it, and I couldn't even explain how, or I didn't even know how to describe him. I said, you'll just have to wait and see. Like he just. gonna wow you, you know, but it's just gonna be something where it's like he just finds a way to get yards and he just, it's hard to bring down. And he's good outta backfield. He is great in protection. I think I knew, you know, we all knew Kamari was gonna be a good player he was two years ago. You know, and he's, he's a bigger guy, so he definitely helps us out in certain situations and he heck in them. game, he had like a hundred yards receiving, right? So I think they've all gotta, they've all have to have, you know, they can't just be one dimensional. And I think that's just how the game of football is now. Even if you look at the NFL, I mean, very few teams that are just playing guys that, you know, are just handed off to'em and they can't do anything else. They're all catching the ball again, and that's how we wanna play. We wanna spread the ball out. Give them the ball with some with space. You know, a guy like Pat Boy, when he's in space, I mean, I know he is gonna make the first guy

bob-sabin_1_10-23-2025_111755: 19:10

Yeah.

squadcaster-4b0f_1_10-23-2025_111749: 19:11

So, really any of those guys, that's their, that's their only rule in, in my book is you gotta make the first guy miss. Right? If you can't do that, then know, we gotta go with somebody else probably.

squadcaster-f8f8_1_10-23-2025_111753: 19:25

Coach, you're coming up the, the bye week going on, of course, right now. And you know, I, I have different opinions on that, whether it helps a team, you know, injuries and stuff like this, or it maybe stops your momentum maybe getting some players back. Just what's what are you, what are y'all doing this week on the during the bio week here to make this a better football team?

squadcaster-4b0f_1_10-23-2025_111749: 19:47

I mean, we're really, you know, we treated it pretty standard. Know, there was definitely some guys that you, you know, were probably banged up. That kind of, I think it probably hit at the right time for us. Some guys that probably needed to rest maybe got some limited reps this week, but, you know, I think when you're doing that, you're also getting some guys that, you know, maybe you were talking about, maybe red shirt, this guy, but then now he's getting a lot of reps this week, just to see where he's at, keep'em involved and you know, understand that at any point someone could go down. So these, this week of stealing some reps for some guys like that, you never know where, what their role's gonna be in two weeks, you know? So I think, you know, we've been, it is been pretty standard I think. Like I said, I think it came at the right time because I think, you know, going on a five game win streak is, is so easy to, to kind of get complacent, you know, and just think that that's just gonna happen'cause it has happened five weeks in a row. So I think kind of getting this week to kind of get some of that stuff out of us, maybe we'll be good. Kind of give'em a couple days off this weekend and then come back and. Have that fire again, understanding that we've gotta go to work and go win a game. I think it's, you know, hopefully, hopefully what we did, you know, helps us out. I don't know if there's a perfect formula for a bi-week or not. But I think you still find ways to get better during it. Just find ways to get, get guys healthy. Hopefully we get some guys back. think like Jalen Tdo possibly could be back. Who's be a really good player next week. So we'll see. I think maybe one or two offensive linemen. You know, it's always the big guys usually that are banged up that might need a, an extra week on a ankle sprain or something to be, you know, as healthy as possible going into this, this stretch force. So hopefully we got it right. We'll find

bob-sabin_1_10-23-2025_111755: 21:33

Yeah. It is a stretch too. I mean, we're going up against the number two o offense behind you guys in the conference. And so that's gonna be a challenge for our defense. But looking at their defense what, how are you guys preparing to to move forward against them because they're, they're pretty good on defense as well.

squadcaster-4b0f_1_10-23-2025_111749: 21:55

No, I think they are a good team. I and I, they always are. I mean, they're always gonna be. One of the top, if not the most, you know, talented roster in the SoCon. I mean, they're, you know, between them, us, ETSU, I mean, they're, you're talking about the public schools and the SoCon. You know, you should, usually have a, a pretty, pretty talented roster just based on, you know, the talent pool you can pull from is a little different than, you know, Wofford and Furman. You can get some different kind of guys, right? And they're always talented. I mean, it's, they're known for that. They're. They've got a lot of history of being a really good team and heck, they probably, it's, in my opinion, that's been a, a big rivalry for us since we've been here at Western. Is that game almost more than any other just because it's been, besides the first year we were here, gosh, it's been a nail biter every single year. A one one score game down to the last possession. so, but they're, they're a good team. I think their D-line is good. I mean, they're, and it's hard to judge them based off their record. I mean, they played two teams that are, you know, in the top 15 in the

bob-sabin_1_10-23-2025_111755: 22:58

Right.

squadcaster-4b0f_1_10-23-2025_111749: 22:59

That you may say early on. Well, they got beat by those guys. But if you look at it now, I think Carlton's number three, team in the country. Beat a, you know, army team and Tennessee Tech's obviously, you know, really good team too. I think they're, they're a good team. They'll have a lot of confidence coming off a big win verse CTSU, and then see how they do this week, verse Sanford. If they, play well in that game, then they'll have even more confidence and it'll be a good game for us. So I, we will have to come out and play our best regardless and care of the football. So I, keys to victory never change, you know, so we gotta play our game and play at a high level.

bob-sabin_1_10-23-2025_111755: 23:34

Well, we're excited. Steve, you got anything else?

squadcaster-f8f8_1_10-23-2025_111753: 23:38

I, I just think that's good. It to hear from coach Wells here and talk about this offense and it's always exciting, you know, coach, now I'm still waiting for that Southern Conference Championship. I've been around here since 1961 watching Western Carolina football. And the last time we won a conference championship, I was in the first grade back in 1949, so. So I'm ready for it, and I, I get excited this time of the year. So we, well, we've had some close calls with our current coaching staff here, and they, they really have me excited this year. So let's keep on

bob-sabin_1_10-23-2025_111755: 24:13

Yep.

squadcaster-4b0f_1_10-23-2025_111749: 24:15

Yeah, we'll, we'll take it one game at a

bob-sabin_1_10-23-2025_111755: 24:16

Coach, it's been great having you on. We appreciate it. Look forward to getting you back on either after the season's over or coming up on next year.'cause there's a a lot to talk about and we got only four games, but it's a long, hard slog before we get going, but.

squadcaster-4b0f_1_10-23-2025_111749: 24:33

Oh yeah. I appreciate it.

bob-sabin_1_10-23-2025_111755: 24:35

Great. Thanks so much. And that'll do it. To wrap up this version of tracking the Katz Podcast, brought to you as always by Stanbury Insurance Offices in Waynesville Silva, Clyde and Highlands. So thanks everybody and we will talk again soon.