From the other side: Western Kentucky
November 05, 2008
Should have posted this earlier, but I spoke to Nick Baumgardner, WKU football beat writer for the Bowling Green Daily News for an insight into Western Kentucky.
Why are the Hilltoppers having such a down year when last year they were 7-5?
There are a number of things you could really point to here. First off is the schedule difference. This year they traveled to Indiana, to No. 1 Alabama, to Kentucky and to Virginia Tech. Secondly, and maybe the biggest reason, is the difference in playing higher level talent week in and week out. Last season—and for several seasons before that—WKU would have a stretch against a few difficult squads, but then almost always catch a break in the Ohio Valley Conference or against another 1-AA doormat. That simply doesn’t happen any longer. And thirdly, they’ve been a little beat up—but that’s to be expected. They’ve had injuries at one point to a starting quarterback, leading wide receiver, leading rusher and leading tackler—all of whom missed significant time.
Last year, redshirt freshman QB K.J. Black nearly led WKU to the win over Troy. What happened with him?
That’s one of those things that WKU has kept pretty close to its vest. We all sort of have our theories, but the only way I can really cut it to you is how it laid out before my eyes. Black was the starter at the beginning of the season - and played well by all accounts, he went down with a shoulder injury in week two and subsequently missed the next two games. He made his return at Kentucky and was absolutely dreadful in a 41-3 loss. So much so that David Wolke replaced him for one series in the fourth quarter, and finished with more passing yards that day—eight. Following that loss, the staff allegedly had a meeting with the two QBs on Tuesday, telling them that Wolke would be the new starter for the remainder of the season. That night, K.J. skipped practice without informing anyone. I spoke with his dad the next morning, and he seemed just as confused as anyone—but after meeting with the coaches a day or so later, he then told me that coach Elson told his son that “he needed to find another school.“ That next Monday, he transferred. So there’s just a little bit of soap opera drama playing in that story, as you can tell.
Last year, current WKU QB David Wolke threw a couple of bad INTs vs. Troy. What should Troy fans expect to see in him this year?
You mentioned earlier that Black was the guy who led the charge in nearly beating Troy last season, but you’re right, Wolke was undoubtedly the reason they lost. His turnovers came at the worst possible time, and they were simply bad decisions. That said, Wolke has been the team’s best player for the past three weeks—without a doubt. He still struggles with quick decision making from time to time, and did so against North Texas in the fourth quarter last week. But he did finish with 178 yards rushing, 190 yards passing and four total touchdowns—granted that was against one of the worst defenses in the country. The team has also been going with another two-QB situation since Black transferred, with former running back and high school option quarterback Dexter Taylor getting some snaps as well. Taylor has had his bright moments, but his three turnovers in the past three games have killed the Hilltoppers.
What’s the team morale after the 51-40 loss to North Texas?
It’s about as good as it could be considering the situation. After the game, the term devastated might have been an understatement. But for the first time throughout this entire losing streak (five games), the team actually looks and sounds angry. Before, the sentiment was that of “we’re close” or “we’re almost there,“ where as now it’s more of the “we have to win now no matter what” type of mentality.
Strengths of WKU’s defense?
Strengths on defense are junior outside linebacker Blake Boyd and senior inside backer Alonzo Higgins—they’re both big, athletic playmakers who are usually around the ball. Weaknesses are a lack of overall size and athleticism to keep up with speedy people in space. They’ve had their moments against the pass, but overall, they haven’t been very good. And against the run, it’s been pretty rough all season long. They play extremely cautious on defense, and more often than not, that’s led to them getting burned.
