VIDEO: Coaches in Cars Getting Coffee – Edgar Weiser
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – This is the first part in an eight-part series chronicling Carson-Newman football's positions for the 2024 season. This feature breaks down the Eagles' pass catchers with help from Associate Head Coach Edgar Weiser.
Carson-Newman returns 77 percent of the receiving yards caught by wideouts last season and brings back its top two pass-catching wide receivers in Cade Meeks and Jeremiah Carroll.
"I'm excited by the talent and type of people that we have excites me," Weiser said. "A lot of it doesn't have anything to do with me because the ones we are expecting things from were kids who were already here in the program. I'm not going to say I didn't recruit them though because we recruited them to stay."
Carson-Newman's leading receiver in 2023, Meeks caught 24 passes for 496 yards and six touchdowns. With back-to-back 100-yard receiving days against Newberry and Tusculum, Meeks became the second receiver in school history to register consecutive 100-yard receiving performances.
Meeks would finish with five catches for 136 yards and two touchdowns, the first 100-plus yard day for a C-N receiver since Braxton Westfield in the 2022 season finale victory over Catawba and the 71st 100-yard receiving day in Carson-Newman history. His 42-yard score with just over a minute remaining sealed Carson-Newman's 34-21 win at Newberry, its first in 13 years. A five-catch, 123-yard, one TD performance followed the next week against Tusculum.
Carson-Newman's second-leading receiver in his freshman campaign. Carroll appeared in all 11 games with starts in four contests. He caught 15 passes for 284 yards. He had a long reception of 55 yards against Mars Hil (Oct. 21). That was his top overall day as well. He caught three passes for 82 yards. He also had a three-catch day for 57 yards in the finale against Catawba (Nov. 11).
"Both of them have great speed and great football IQs," Weiser said. "They both have great catch radii and they both love to work. They are receptive to coaching and critiques. They have a love of the game and you have to get them off the field because they love competing. We're fortunate to have them on the field at the same time. When you have a room where your two most talented players are also your two hardest workers, that is awesome for a coach to have. They work every day like they don't have anything secured. That's great for not only the wide receiver room, but the team in general."
After Caroll and Meeks, Weiser expects Galen Washington, converted linebacker Zach Williams and freshman Amauri Johnson to make contributions.
Washington was especially productive the final two weeks of the year against UVA Wise (Nov. 4) and Catawba (Nov. 11). He caught five passes for 158 yards. He registered an 83-yard catch against the Highland Cavaliers that goes down as the seventh-longest catch in school history. The 83-yarder was also his only touchdown catch of the year.
Williams converted to tight end late in 2023. He made 11 tackles on the year, seven of which were solo stops. All 11 tackles came on special teams. He was second on the team in special teams stops.
"Zach Williams is a hybrid who will do some tight end roles," Weiser said. "Galen Washington and Amauri Johnson should also play. The thing I like too, is that they are all bought in to be a part of special teams as well."
Johnson won a state title at Christ Church Episcopal, the same high school that produced C-N All-American wide receiver Braxton Westfield.
Carson-Newman's position previews continue Sunday with a glimpse of the linebackers with help from Tyler Almond.
