Dennis Wagner

CULLOWHEE — The new football coach at Western Carolina University has imposed a regime that emphasizes discipline as Dennis Wagner, a former assistant coach at Nebraska, installs a get-tough policy.

Meanwhile, 11 underclassmen who were on last season’s Catamounts football squad are not listed on the tentative spring roster for 2008. Among the 11 are eight players who started games, including Kadeem Morgan, a former star at Asheville High.

Wagner reportedly cited privacy policies in declining to discuss the departures of specific players, noting there were a variety of reasons. Ultimately, though, he said the ex-players could not abide by either athletic department or university rules, except for one or two who left for medical reasons.

Morgan said he will transfer to Mars Hill College, where he will resume playing football. He declined to specify his reasons for leaving WCU. Morgan is a rising junior who played in 10 games in 2007 with one start and 26 total tackles. He started all 11 games as a freshman in 2006, finishing second on the team with 68 tackles.

Besides Morgan, others departees include the following:

• Craig Brooks — the defensive back is a rising sophomore who was a reserve who played in four games.

• Tim Cooke — the linebacker is a rising sophomore who played in 10 games with one start in 2007. He finished with 17 tackles.

• L.J. Davis — the fullback-tight end is a rising senior who played in nine games last season, with two starts. He carried 19 times for 50 yards and registered one reception for 7 yards. He played in 28 career games with 11 starts.

• Calvin Johnson — the defensive back is a rising sophomore who played in 10 games last season, with three starts. He recorded 22 tackles.

• Dan Lawrence — the offensive lineman is a rising senior who was listed as a starter in the 2007 preseason depth chart, but missed the season with an injury. He played in nine games, including two starts, in the 2005 and ‘06 seasons.

• Ra’Shawn Moore — the defensive back is a rising sophomore who had one tackle in one game played in 2007.

• Marcus Nelums — the defensive end is a rising senior who missed the 2007 season with an injury. He played in 17 career games, including six starts in 2006, when he recorded 12 tackles.

• Tim Temple — the linebacker is a rising senior who did not play in 2007.

• Levander Thomas — the defensive end is a rising senior who played in seven games last season, including five starts. He finished with 28 tackles.

• Drew Walker — the linebacker is a rising senior who played in three games last season and started twice before being hobbled by an injury. He had 21 tackles in 2007 and played in 11 career games.

Coach Wagner replaced Kent Briggs, who was fired after registering a 22-45 record in six seasons at the WCU helm.
As for changes he is making in the football program, Wagner noted that he plans to conduct daily practices at 6 a.m. during both the preseason and the 2008 season.

He noted that he is working the team “very hard” with conditioning and weight-lifting. He also is asking the players to be accountable for their actions both in the classroom and on and off the football field.

Spring practice, which begins on March 31, will conclude with a scrimmage on April 19.