Know Your Foe: West Georgia Wolves
2023 Record: 6-4 (5-3) - Division II
Head Coach: Joel Taylor (1st year)
Previous title: DC at Mercer (2019-2023)
Last Meeting: Samford W, 21-19 (2008)
TV: ESPN+
Kick Off: 5:00PM CT
Spread: Samford -17.5, O/U 51.5
Fun Fact: This will be West Georgia’s first ever football game as a member of the FCS.
Team Overview:
We’re here. We finally made it, football is here. Samford will make the trip to Carrollton, Georgia to take on the West Georgia Wolves. The Wolves have made the jump from Division II football to FCS football. West Georgia is led by new head coach Joel Taylor who was the Mercer defensive coordinator in 2023.
The Wolves went 6-4 last season as they did share a common opponent with Samford, Shorter. Samford handled Shorter in their 2023 opener and West Georgia also beat Shorter, 41-35.
West Georgia has 60 newcomers this season to get ready for an FCS schedule. UWG will play their games as a member of the United Athletic Conference (UAC). Offensive coordinator Dane Stevens was most recently an assistant QB coach at Ole Miss. Stevens got his start in coaching at USC under Steve Sarkisian.
UWG may have 60 new players but there are some talented ones. Let’s dive into it.
Joel Taylor recently named Ole Miss transfer QB Davin Wydner their starter. Standing tall at 6-foot, 5-inches, Wydner was a three-star prospect per 247 Sports. He did have offers from Georgia Tech and Maryland among others but chose to walk-on at Ole Miss,
Wydner will have a talented running back next to him in Rajaez Mosley who has rushed for over 1,500 yards in his career. The five-foot seven-inch back ran for 855 yards and eight touchdowns in 2024. RB Chase Belcher transfers over from Northern Arizona who played in 11 games.
Their second leading receiver in TJ Lockley returns. Lockley finished with 280 receiving yards in 2023. Michigan transfer Karmello English and Kentucky transfer Dylan Gary are the highlighted transfers at wide receiver.
Over to the defense, new defensive coordinator Brian Landis was a linebackers coach at Georgia State. As previously mentioned, UWG head coach Joel Taylor led the defense at Mercer in 2023.
Last season Taylor’s Mercer defense held Samford to under 300 total yards and turned Samford over. While the players are definitely different, one main question is how Taylor’s prior experience against this Samford offense will help the Wolves? That is definitely something to monitor during the game.
West Georgia’s top three tacklers from last season are gone but DB Cael Bright is back. Bright had 35 total tackles and two pass breakups in 2023.
On the defensive line, DT Will Norman transfers in from Florida and is a force inside at six-foot, five-inches, 304 pounds. The most productive transfer is DT Nehemiah Magalei who comes in from Northern Arizona. Magalei at six-foot, one-inch, 288 pounds, started nine games for Northern Arizona and finished with 41 total tackles.
All in all, there are many unknowns with this West Georgia team given the jump from Division II. There will be a lot of excitement in Carrollton for their Wolves’s first ever FCS contest. Samford is a 17.5 point favorite per FanDuel Sportsbook.
Get excited everyone, Samford football is back.
