In 2003 as a freshman at Western Carolina University, a young Chris Powell watched the Catamounts season and still had the desire to return to the gridiron after having an all-conference senior season at Freedom High School.
Powell decided at the conclusion of the 2003 season to be a walk-on at WCU and he was seen between being a strong safety or a linebacker.
As he developed himself in the weight room to compete on the collegiate level, Powell became associated with two Catamount defensive coaches which are now head coaches in the national scene Matt Rhule (Carolina Panthers) and Geoff Collins (Georgia Tech).
"Both Collins and Rhule were two of the best defensive minds I have been around," said Powell. "Watching games (in the fall of 2003) I quickly realized that I missed the game I loved so much."
Collins, starting off his second season with the Yellow Jackets gaining a road win at Florida State, was the defensive coordinator at WCU from 2002 to 2005 after also serving as an assistant coach in 1993 and 94 and played linebacker for the Catamounts from 1989 to 1992.
"Collins knew what it meant to play (at WCU), he preached physicality and mental toughness, many of the drills he made our defense do I use today to build the same toughness (including mat drills). He expected perfection in effort and on the field play, he instilled a swagger in the defense that resonated throughout our play."
Rhule, in his first season with the Panthers, served on the Catamounts coaching staff from 2002 to 2006 including special teams, linebackers, running game coordinator, and associate head coach.
"Rhule was a graduate of Penn State A.K.A Linebacker U, he knew linebacker play like no other coach I had been around. He taught me to play the position and to use my size to my advantage, he was a tough coach but also one that cared about his players."
In Powell's first season (2004) as a Catamount walk-on, Western Carolina gained their first win against arch rival Appalachian State since 1996.
The WCU defense finished ranked 16th nationally including holding some of the best rushing teams below their average: Georgia Southern (1-AA 1st), Wofford (1-AA 2nd), Nicholls State (1-AA 10th), Furman (1-AA 14th), and Alabama (1-A 20th).
The Catamounts followed in 2005 with wins over 1-AA nationally ranked #2 Furman and Chattanooga, gave Wofford their first-ever shutout loss in the Southern Conference, and had a 7-3 loss to Division 1 school Cincinnatti.
Now starting his third season as the head football coach at Draughn High School, Powell joins fellow WCU teammates that are now head coaches Justin Clark (North Gaston) and Randy Thompson (Hunter Huss) and fellow Freedom teammate Albert Reid (defensive coordinator at Bunker Hill), and many others that were all influenced by Rhule and Collins.
"Both Coach Collins and Coach Rhule were heavy influences on me becoming a coach and the style of coach that I am, I am forever grateful to them for their influence in my life."
"As a walk-on, you're not always treated the same as scholarship players however they always treated me with respect. They always preached that each person had a role and that it was our job to be the best at that role."
