A Look Back at Some 2014 Southern Conference Recruits

6 of 6

Oct 12, 2013; Auburn, AL, USA; Western Carolina Catamounts head coach Mark Speir reacts after a play against the Auburn Tigers during the first half at Jordan Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

Catamount Resurrection Has Much To Do With Speir’s Recruiting:

Western Carolina has transformed from a program that was a perennial cellar-dweller into one that is now a championship favorite in a span of three years under the direction of former Appalachian State assistant coach Mark Speir.

Speir has systematically transformed the talent in the valley of the Western North Carolina mountains, doing so by bringing in players in his first three recruiting classes that had a direct impact on a second-place finish in the Southern Conference standings last season. The Catamounts won seven games for the first time since 2001, and finished with six conference wins

Another of the SoCon’s top freshman performers in 2014 was Western Carolina’s Detrez Newsome, who proved to be a huge part of a return to excellence for Catamount football, which now enters its fourth year under the direction of Mark Speir.

Speir, who is known as potentially the top recruiter in the Southern Conference, has shown the ability to select prospects that can the direction of a program, including picking prospects that have directly impacted the turnaround, such as running back Darius Ramsey (2012 class), wide receiver Spearman Robinson (2012 class), quarterback Troy Mitchell (2012 class), defensive back Trey Morgan (2013 class), linebacker Daniel Riddle (2013 class) and running back Detrez Newsome (2013 class).

Newsome was one of the many weapons Speir and the Catamount offense were able to call upon during the 2014 season, as he played as a second running back and a primary return threat for the Catamounts last season.

Sophomore defensive back Trey Morgan, who tied for the league lead with six INTs, garnered second team All-SoCon honors as selected by the coaches, while garnering First-Team All-SoCon plaudits from the media.

Troy Mitchell, who finished the season connecting on 231-of-352 passes for 2,541 yards, with 20 TDs and nine INTs and rushed for 555 yards and six scores finished the season as a Second Team All-SoCon selection. He set a new school record for single-season total offense with his 3,096 yards last fall.

Next: Bryce Petty: Big 12 Quarterback Savior in the NFL

More from Saturday Blitz

Home/College Football News