bob-sabin_1_04-08-2026_120229 0:12

Welcome to tracking the Cats. I'm Bob Saban, along with Steve White my cohost, and we're here every couple of weeks. We're also on WWCU FM 95.3 in the Colway Valley area every Saturday morning at nine o'clock. So you can tune in there as well as YouTube or other podcast channels, as you all know. We've got a great guest with us this week, Steve. We've got coach. Nick Ves from our new defensive coordinator. I know my background looks a little different today. I'm, we're down in Panama City Beach, taking a little vacation but you're still up in Colory and I will join you on Saturday because it's gonna be a big weekend up there.

squadcaster-5a1b_1_04-08-2026_120227 0:56

Lots going on. It sure is spring game 12 noon on Saturday. Real interested to see, new look. There's gonna be a lot of new looks around the stadium this year, not just the spring game, but our new sky box will be opening August the 29th. Actually, the 28th, I think is the dedication. 29th will be the first game with Easter, Kentucky. But a new turf going down as soon as spring practice is over. Four new light poles. So we'll have eight light poles down instead of four. A new lighting system, a new digital board for viewing a lot of new things. And like I say, new players. A couple of new coaches and a lot going on, but also after the spring game today, three o'clock on Saturday, excuse me, that would be Saturday,

bob-sabin_1_04-08-2026_120229 1:42

Yeah.

squadcaster-5a1b_1_04-08-2026_120227 1:43

We have baseball, a huge series with the Mercer Bears Mercer right now in first place. And actually in second place now. I didn't update my standings, wofford in first place. Five and one in the leagues Mercer's four and two. East Tennessee six and three. And we're and right now in fourth place at three and three, so will be a big series for our baseball team to find out if we're gonna be contenders or pret pretenders. So I think we need to take two outta three for Mercer to be in that contending category, but one over 20 games already has baseball this season. So big series. Three o'clock Saturday, two o'clock. Actually, I think five o'clock on Friday. Three o'clock on Saturday, one o'clock on Sunday for the Mercer series. And then softball also having a good season.

bob-sabin_1_04-08-2026_120229 2:36

Absolutely.

squadcaster-5a1b_1_04-08-2026_120227 2:36

Si. Yeah. Third place in the conference behind UNCG and Sanford. They'll be on the road this weekend for a huge series at Sanford as Sanford's right now, a game better than us in the standings. Track and field have a couple of big meets coming up before the Southern Conference Championships, which will be held in Colory again this season. I think that's May, the 11th and 12th. It's actually on a Monday and Tuesday as opposed to the

bob-sabin_1_04-08-2026_120229 3:02

Yeah.

squadcaster-5a1b_1_04-08-2026_120227 3:03

Right after our graduation here in Cuy. So lot going on in Colway the next few weeks,

bob-sabin_1_04-08-2026_120229 3:09

my.

squadcaster-5a1b_1_04-08-2026_120227 3:09

graduation. Right.

bob-sabin_1_04-08-2026_120229 3:11

daughter is a high jumper for Chattanooga, and we've got a running bet going on during church services on Sundays. It's a lot of fun. He actually went to Chattanooga as well, but let's go ahead and bring on our guest. He's been patiently waiting. We've got as I mentioned, defensive coordinator Nick Reve from our new hire. And Steve, why don't you go ahead and introduce him.

squadcaster-5a1b_1_04-08-2026_120227 3:35

We he's been down at Charleston Southern for the last three years. Year, his Charleston Southern defense, the top 10, and a couple of defensive categories in FCS football again, led the big South in some categories and one of the big ones and pass defense. The, and the, that's the big South OVC

bob-sabin_1_04-08-2026_120229 3:54

Right.

squadcaster-5a1b_1_04-08-2026_120227 3:55

that combined conferences since those conferences have shrunk just a little bit over the years, like at Charleston Southern, three years before that, he was at VMI, he was at Albany State for five seasons. His led to NCAA Division two and total Defense scoring defense and went to the D two playoffs. A lot of success down there for Nick at Albany State. And then he goes back, he started, I think, his coaching career. full time at Carson Newman. For four years he was there. That was one of our old rivals back in our NAI days we used to play. That was our season opener for many

bob-sabin_1_04-08-2026_120229 4:32

Yeah, I don't think it's a big name for many of the folks who are, have been around the last 20 years. But they used to come over for basketball, football, baseball. It was a good rivalry. I.

squadcaster-5a1b_1_04-08-2026_120227 4:44

Yeah. Great. Division two, still a division two power Carson Newman, south Atlantic Conference. Of course he played at the University of Tennessee, 2007 to 10 two time team captain over at for the volunteers. I love these numbers. 168, career tackles, 81 solos. Nick, I don't know if you remember all of those hits and so forth. Three time. All this is what's really impressive. Three time all SEC academic team. He's way ahead of us. Bob, I don't think we made any, all academic At.

bob-sabin_1_04-08-2026_120229 5:18

no. Both you and I struggled a little bit, but that's back in the day.

squadcaster-5a1b_1_04-08-2026_120227 5:23

Right after he left ut went with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers preseason team down there. He is from rg from Fargate, Tennessee. And his wife Brittany is here with the four children. And Nick, I'd like to just ask you a little question right off the top. How is your family adjusting to their new life in Colory? Little bit different climate, live a little bit different population based than down when you were Charleston Southern.

squadcaster-5hj1_1_04-08-2026_120228 5:51

Yes, sir. It's been great. We're my wife always jokes that we're mountain people. Growing up in the foothills of the great Smoky Mountains in east Tennessee, you you get accustomed to it or you just, you love it. You enjoy it and feel like God's revealed a lot to me in the mountains more so than ever anywhere else. So my family's doing great. We just got under contract for a house here in Coy set to close April 28th. So I'm so fired up to get them here full time. They're actually on their way driving from Knoxville, but the process of trying to get our house on our contract in Charleston. My wife has been bopping between Knoxville, where her parents live in Cuy, back and forth. And I keep joking. Todd Sheely, our Director of Football Operations and Coach Bell, they've been to put me up and put my family up. We have really enjoyed adjusting to Cuy and being cuy.

bob-sabin_1_04-08-2026_120229 6:45

It's a great place and you know what we like to say and what I've heard everybody talking about in athletics is if we've got a recruit. That we want to, if we can just get them to colory, we got a much better shot at seeing them. But how did Charleston's pretty nice. It's got a good climate. What made you decide to come to Colory? I.

squadcaster-5hj1_1_04-08-2026_120228 7:10

There's a couple things. Corey Headley is the receiver's coach here, coached the quarterbacks last year, but him and I really close, he, it's funny enough, when I was at Carson Newman, was finishing up kinda as a student assistant or a student coach my very first year, full-time. coached Running Backs, was my very first full-time position at Carson Newman in 2013. That was Corey's last year in school and he actually helped with the receivers at Carson Newman. So we coached together for a year and I found out about the opening at Western Carolina. There, there's a lot of different variables and things that go into as you're considering opportunities, when I think of, even my wife being. A little closer to East Tennessee being closer to our family. And I've competed against Coach Bell when he was at Valdo State and also while he is been here at Western Carolina, always had a high respect for what they do on offense, what we do on offense and really just to fire power that we play with, which has been excellent for us as a new defense here, really getting the kitchen sink thrown at us from practice one spring practice. And having to adjust. So I think there's a lot of pros about what's happening here at Western Carolina, and I'm really excited about that. And I saw that when the opportunity presented itself. And then most importantly, for my wife and I, it's not just about climbing the ladder or going to this place or that place, Russ, we really see it as a, okay, where are we being led or where are we being called? as we went through the interview process. My wife and I were privately praying and talking to each other about what we would like to do, but most importantly, what we were trying to stay surrendered to of what was the right thing to do. It just kept becoming apparent that this is what we were being called to do and called to go. So we're excited to be here.

squadcaster-5a1b_1_04-08-2026_120227 9:07

Dick one thing here I tell you, there's, like I say, I saw your name for the first time, when you were hired and everything like this and then that. I said, now I've heard this name before. And that got to think and I said. Yeah his dad was a kicker at university of Tennessee. Not just a place kicker, but one of the best in the nation. And had a great career over at Knoxville for the volunteers and coach. I think Johnny Majors was the coach at that time, and went on draft. Yeah, drafted by the Dolphins, I think in about mid eighties, 85 or so forth. Had a great career there. And then went on to the Minnesota Vikings even better with the Vikings that in fact, I saw your dad on tv. These D DIYs things he has a, like a remodeling. He doesn't. Does a video a program talking about remodeling homes. He is got a company that does that. So you've gotta be like I say, you've got a pretty good bloodline, in fact, your brother, I think Shane also played at linebacker at at ut.

squadcaster-5hj1_1_04-08-2026_120228 10:11

Yes

squadcaster-5a1b_1_04-08-2026_120227 10:11

again, quite a bloodline there. Yeah. And your dad was originally from Columbia, right?

squadcaster-5hj1_1_04-08-2026_120228 10:16

Yes, sir. Yep,

squadcaster-5a1b_1_04-08-2026_120227 10:17

Not Columbia, South Carolina, but.

squadcaster-5hj1_1_04-08-2026_120228 10:21

that's right. South America. Yep. Yeah. So My dad's had a big influence on me and. Just on me and my brother. I have a younger sister as well. But he was actually at the scrimmage, our second scrimmage, March 28th, and he is, he's coming up Friday him and his wife and coming to watch watch the game. And so you'll see him Saturday as well. So I'd love to introduce you guys to him.

squadcaster-5a1b_1_04-08-2026_120227 10:47

Yeah, and he probably played one of the great kickers at that time back, I guess your dad and Dean Bici who here at Western in the early eighties drafted about, I think. Dean was maybe 86 was drafted, went with the Colts and had a great career, all pro kicker, so they probably know each other. I'm interested to see your dad and see if he remembers Dean Bici from Western Carolina.

squadcaster-5hj1_1_04-08-2026_120228 11:12

Has met a lot of people down his journey and,

squadcaster-5a1b_1_04-08-2026_120227 11:15

yeah, that'd be great. That'd.

bob-sabin_1_04-08-2026_120229 11:16

Getting settled here at Western, I'm sure you were you've watched a lot of the video from last season and seeing what the D side of Western was doing. What do you have as a takeaway to that as far as the pluses and minuses from last year and where you think we can take this?

squadcaster-5hj1_1_04-08-2026_120228 11:35

I think anytime you're trying to improve defensively more so than schematically, you have to start fundamentally. so for me for playing good defense, it comes down to tackling well and getting off blocks and trying to. Not be blocked, get off blocks and make tackles. And so that's the number one place that we've started that we've tried to put a big emphasis on this spring of improving on. Yes, it's a brand new defense. It will look completely different which we're excited about and the players are doing an excellent job. I'm really excited about our coaches players. But the number one thing we have to do well in order to win on defense is we have to tackle and we have to get off blocks. So that's the main thing. Focused on throughout 12 practices. Coach Bell and Coach Wells have really been extremely accommodating to help us do that and to continue to do that. But those are the two things right now that we're focusing on. As well as we're installing a new scheme and they're getting that. But if we can't tackle people, if we can't get all blocks, that we can't win games. So it has to with.

squadcaster-5a1b_1_04-08-2026_120227 12:45

Coach you four weeks into spring practice and where do you think we've improved the most since, say, the first practice? And maybe what is maybe what also your continued area of concern are you do what do you see the degree of progress that's been made to spring?

squadcaster-5hj1_1_04-08-2026_120228 13:00

finished day 12 last night. It's the energy has been excellent. the want to, or the care factor has been extremely high from all of our players. And so that's been consistent. Like Coach Bell alluded to when he did an interview on our website last week we did have a, last Tuesday, I didn't like our practice on defense. Thought it was poor. But other than that practice we've had, 11 of 12 days, it's been really good. But just harping back on it is all the way from day one. We've tried to focus on getting better at tackling, better at getting off blocks. I think that's improved. then the main thing I've seen is defense, you're trying to recognize. Not only 11 people that can help you win, really need to recognize about 22, to hopefully more if you're trying to win a championship. So there have been people that have multiply shown that have shown up in multiple instances through 12 practices that I say, okay, we can win football games. That person right there. So seeing the depth charts start to solidify itself, been extremely encouraging. And I think it'll continue to the next three days. And then going in. To OTAs in the summer and then going into fall camp, but I've seen specific people step up and make plays all the way from the D line to the linebackers, to the dbs.

bob-sabin_1_04-08-2026_120229 14:32

And can, if you don't mind getting maybe into a couple of specifics on folks who, one you feel like are gonna be strong points for us and are there any surprises? A couple of guys who have stepped forward that

squadcaster-5hj1_1_04-08-2026_120228 14:44

of the

bob-sabin_1_04-08-2026_120229 14:44

we're maybe sitting on the sidelines last year or shown real improvement.

squadcaster-5hj1_1_04-08-2026_120228 14:49

It's a wide open book, and that's been our pitch to the players. Like there are no right now. Everyone has to earn it. with the exception of Ken Moore. Who's your returning first team all So player on defense. No one else has a ton of significant playing time snaps that really could be evaluated. It's really been great to see these guys, all these guys step up. So advantage you have of a new defense is that you're teaching new people new things and they're excited about those things. So starting from the front to the back we've seen there's a transfer from Mississippi Gulf Coast. Jabari McWilliams, that's gonna play defensive in for us. I think he's gonna be a really good player. Someone that's stepped up surprised me a little bit. Gavin Row, who really hasn't played a lot here. He's been a good some flashes from him. have another transfer in Jacoby Diamond from Tuskegee. think he's gonna be really good at the nose position for us as well. At D-Line. Really like Adrian Stone a lot. That is a returner that's played a little bit in the past and then forward as well. Guy named like BJ Baptist or Veneer he has a lot of potential at three technique for us. And then a bright spot that's been a good surprise is Brandon, Joseph. Again, a guy that hasn't played much but has shown some qualities that we think we can build on. And then at our Bandit position, our kind of outside linebacker, D and hybrid Kane, Jefferson, Jaden, Meeks, Caleb, Turner, Allen, these are all three names that you're not familiar with that have played a lot, but all these guys have been exceptional. Really excited. And then at the inside linebacker position, Hank Boing, which I just gotta to meet his dad last night, I realized he is the leading conference, he leading tackle in Western Carolina history 4 85 tackle. I think jumping. I'm telling Hank a record. He's he's an excellent job. I think he's

squadcaster-5a1b_1_04-08-2026_120227 16:45

Yeah.

squadcaster-5hj1_1_04-08-2026_120228 16:46

player for play a lot. Excited to get. Obviously rehabilitating an injury right now. I wanna get him back. And then guys, between Ryan McKinnis and Josh Collins. Josh Collins is at an excellent spring. I think he's gonna be a really good football player for us. Gonna play a lot from Bryson City, local prospect that just you can tell that it's important to him. These guys have done a really good job. So seeing these guys step up and then continue to build that on those guys has been really good. Back in And then at corner we've had a guy that last year, Jayden Cornelius just played special teams. Mostly. I think he's gonna be an impact player from Florida. Dad actually played at the University of Florida. He is really talented, There's a lot of other corners too. We have a guy that's a tweener Devin Brown that's playing nickel and corner. Terrell Poisoner is a true freshman that. We just signed in January. Christian Robbins red shirt freshman. We got two really good freshmen too that we're excited about. There's a lot of names. I'm sorry I'm so in depth, but hopefully that gives you some people to talk about coming into the fall with, little to no experience, but we're excited about what they've done so far through 12 and excited for the last three.

bob-sabin_1_04-08-2026_120229 18:12

Yeah.

squadcaster-5a1b_1_04-08-2026_120227 18:13

Yeah, sure. Great coach. A lot of people are talking about a new team coming into the Southern Conference next season. They're not new to us at Western Carolina. We used to play'em back in the seventies, into the eighties, every year. One of our early season games when there was the OVC was one of the top, football conferences in at that time, division two they're coming. Tennessee Tech you've coached against them last season did a good job of containing them, held in one of their low scores of the season.

squadcaster-5hj1_1_04-08-2026_120228 18:49

years

squadcaster-5a1b_1_04-08-2026_120227 18:49

What are we gonna be looking at when they come here this season? To play us in Colway, in Whitmar Stadium.

squadcaster-5hj1_1_04-08-2026_120228 18:55

you

squadcaster-5a1b_1_04-08-2026_120227 18:55

I know that

squadcaster-5hj1_1_04-08-2026_120228 18:56

university

squadcaster-5a1b_1_04-08-2026_120227 18:57

a long time since they've been over here.

squadcaster-5hj1_1_04-08-2026_120228 18:59

Being good. They've invested a lot financially in their NIL program. They've invested a lot similarly to us. a brand new press box. That's going in a brand new home side that they're building. and Coach Wilder does an excellent job with their team. do have a brand new offensive coordinator. So I think the offense is gonna look a little different than how we've defended it in the past two years, and we'll have enough game film at that point when we play them. I think it's maybe game six or game five At that point in the season to know what they're doing exactly. But I know from Coach Wilder's background, he's a quarterback guy and will develop the quarterback. And so I'm actually familiar too with the guys that have transferred there. of'em played for when I was at Charleston Southern. And then the other transfer they signed was at Southeast Missouri State at cmo. And we also play them as well. Have a lot of experience with the personnel, the players that they will play on offense. But again, we'll be learning more. Offensively what they're gonna do, we through the season. But you can expect team that's gonna offense, we're on challenge.

bob-sabin_1_04-08-2026_120229 20:29

Very cool. I, that's. Really good, I think gonna step up and they're gonna be a tough challenge for us. I'm glad we've got'em in the Southern conference now. And speaking of conference level stuff the Ohio Valley big South merge and how things are changing

squadcaster-5hj1_1_04-08-2026_120228 20:46

the crystal ball

bob-sabin_1_04-08-2026_120229 20:47

That all around. You got some teams out west that were moving into FBS from FCS how do you see the migration? Is this gonna be a continuous thing or do you think things will settle over the next couple of years? As far as FCS is concerned?

squadcaster-5hj1_1_04-08-2026_120228 21:01

with conference realignment and and people changing conferences. But at the same time. how NIL is changing things, and I'm sure you've seen last Friday president Trump sign an executive order to try to limit transfers. I think that will also, depending on the teeth that get into it, of what they can enforce, I think that's gonna maybe help slow down the rapid change of things. But again, just no telling. And the best thing that we can do. Western Carolina operating the now and to continue to invest in our players, continue to invest in our team, and to be ready. Just Coach Bell says they wanna play us on a I 40 or come right here or we gotta go, wherever we're ready to play and that's what we're getting ready to do for this fall. So we're excited.

bob-sabin_1_04-08-2026_120229 22:12

Yeah. Steve.

squadcaster-5a1b_1_04-08-2026_120227 22:18

I just like I say that's interesting about the future of of football, FCS. They're reading all kinds of things and again, I can see, Congress getting involved. They don't do a lot nowadays, but they right now talking about maybe some antitrust legislation that would slow down the big changes in all the league and maybe protect. College football from the lawsuits and so forth, so that, that could be an important move right now if we could get some type of a congressional antitrust legislation and so forth. Because right now, like I say, it's a mess. And a lot of people look upon FCS football maybe as like junior college football. You. Develop a player for two years and he's gone. We'd like to slow that down a little bit and be able to keep these guys here for four years. And maybe it could be five now that really the rules are changing. We could have five years of eligibility, but again, that's gonna take, like you say, a lot of investment from our fans, our supporters along with what's going on with the rest of college football.

bob-sabin_1_04-08-2026_120229 23:18

Yep. Coach I think that's about it for today. We really appreciate you coming on. We wish you the best of luck in this season. I'll look forward to meeting you in person on Saturday and saying hi down there on the field. But looking forward to seeing how these guys perform and what the changes and the tuneup are in the spring season. But I think we're gonna about wrap it up now. We've got our show is sponsored by Stanbury Insurance and they've got offices in Silva, Waynesville, Highlands and Clyde, and we, they'd love for you to stop by or give'em a call on any insurance needs. Again, coach Nick Ves, thanks for being with us this week. We will see you all again with tracking the cats in two weeks.