TOPPER EXTRA Starting QB job is open, Petrino says Page 3
Freshmen receivers step up for Toppers Page 6
Cheer card Pages 8-9 WKUHERALD.com September 21, 2013
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SEPTEMBER 21, 2013 • TOPPER EXTRA • WKUHERALD.COM
SEPTEMBER 21, 2013 • TOPPER EXTRA • WKUHERALD.COM
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Starting quarterback job open heading into Saturday BY LUCAS AULBACH AND ELLIOTT PRATT SPORTS@WKUHERALD.COM WKU may see a new starting quarterback on the field Saturday night, coach Bobby Petrino announced after Thursday’s practice. Petrino said all four quarterbacks on WKU’s roster have a chance to start against Morgan State. The decision to open the starting quarterback job up for competition came on the heels of several starting lineup changes that were made before last Saturday’s game against South Alabama. “What we’ve done is opened it up like all the other positions that we go through the week, evaluate effort and how we do,” Petrino said Thursday. “We had a decent practice tonight and we’ll evaluate it just like we do every other position and then make a
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decision either tonight or probably tomorrow.” Petrino said the decision to look at other potential starters came in part due to WKU’s turnover troubles. The Toppers have given the ball up 12 times through three games this year. “We’re turning the ball over too much and like I said before, any time you turn it over it is the entire offense’s responsibility,” he said. “But a week ago we made every position really available for competition except for the quarterback position so we decided to include them all.” Junior Brandon Doughty started the first three games of the season for WKU. After completing 27-of-34 passes in a win over Kentucky in the season-opener, the quarterback threw an FBSleading eight interceptions over the next two games, both losses.
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Through three games, Doughty had completed 71-of-115 passes for 775 yards, with five touchdowns and eight interceptions. Petrino said Doughty was disappointed but has responded well to his starting job being threatened. “We had really good meetings today and he’s got a real positive attitude,” the coach said. “He’s a great teammate, his teammates voted him captain, and he’s been very positive. He’ll get his opportunity back, there’s no question about it in my mind.” Freshman Todd Porter has taken reps with the first team in practice this week and could see the field for the first time Saturday night. The freshman from O’Fallon, Ill., threw for 6,200 yards, including 3,009 in his senior season, and completed 61 percent of his passes in his three-year career at
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O’Fallon High School. He holds school records at the school for career touchdown passes (45), touchdown passes in a single season (22) and passing yards in a single game (405). Petrino said Porter is a very talented passer. “He can really throw it, make all the different throws that you need to make and he’s very athletic,” he said about the freshman. “He’s still learning — he’s still learning the pace of the game, the tempo of the game, the different looks that defenses can give you, but he’s improved a lot. He’s gotten a lot of reps in the last month and he’s improved a lot.” Along with Porter and Doughty, WKU has two other quarterbacks on the roster in sophomores Nelson Fishback and Damarcus Smith. Fishback has yet to see the field
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this season. Smith, a former fourstar recruit who transferred to WKU from Central Florida, was widely considered the secondstring quarterback until this week. He went 0-of-2 against Tennessee in his only action so far this year. Petrino said each of the WKU quarterbacks have been nervous in practice this week but all have performed well, and the offense is preparing packages for all four of them. “Some of them have executed real well — they’ve been inconsistent, but there have been some really good things, too,” he said. “I think it’s helped our enthusiasm at practice and our receiving core is getting better and they’re going to continue to improve and that will help all of us.” The Toppers will kick off against Morgan State at 6 p.m. Saturday at Smith Stadium.
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Before the game, or after the game...
IT’S IN
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SEPTEMBER 21, 2013 • TOPPER EXTRA • WKUHERALD.COM
WKU players to watch
ANTONIO ANDREWS Senior running back
XAVIUS BOYD Senior linebacker
NICHOLAS NORRIS Freshman wide receiver
TYLER HIGBEE Sophomore tight end
• Leads WKU in rushing yards this season with 343 yards on 48 attempts, with one touchdown. • Has split carries at times with sophomore Leon Allen but currently leads the team averaging 6.9 yards per carry. • Has caught nine passes for an additional 118 yards so far this year.
• WKU’s leading tackler this season with 35, including 15 solo tackles. • Has a team-leading 6.5 tackles for a loss through three games this year. • Leads WKU with 3.5 tackles this season.
• Leads WKU in receiving yards with 129 and receiving touchdowns three this season. • Ranks No. 2 on the team behind junior wide receiver Willie McNeal in total receptions with 10 so far. • Had a breakout game at South Alabama last Saturday, recording seven catches for 95 yards and two touchdowns.
• Averaging 13.5 yards per reception, which leads WKU through three games this season. • Has recorded eight catches for 108 yards and a touchdown this year. • Had his best game of the season against South Alabama, where he had five catches for 67 yards and a touchdown.
SEPTEMBER 21, 2013 • TOPPER EXTRA • WKUHERALD.COM
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Looking to DOMINATE Higbee reasserts himself into WKU lineup BY LUCAS AULBACH SPORTS@WKUHERALD.COM
Before he graduated after last season, Jack Doyle became WKU’s alltime leader in catches and receiving yards for a tight end while wearing No. 82 on his jersey. This year, redshirt sophomore tight end Tyler Higbee has taken his number and is looking to make a similar impact on the WKU offense. Higbee redshirted last season, but was a big part of WKU during its turnaround season two years ago. He played in 11 games as a freshman, recording a pair of catches for 92 yards and a touchdown as a wide receiver — the 6-5 Clearwater, Fla. native has since transitioned to tight end. With eight catches for 108 yards and a touchdown so far this season, he said he wants to be one of junior quarterback Brandon Doughty’s favorite targets for the rest of the season. “Every time I take the field I expect to be one of the top targets — I hope to be and I strive to be,” Higbee said after practice Tuesday. “I feel like without that attitude, you won’t be there, so that’s why I take that attitude on the field and I just work and try to be there.” The tight end had the biggest game of his career at South Alabama last Saturday. Higbee caught five passes for 67 yards and a score against the Jaguar defense that held the Topper offense to just 27of-47 passing. He said he expects WKU’s passing of-
fense as a whole to improve as the season goes on. “We’re 1-2 — we’re not where we want to be,” Higbee said. “Everybody’s out there working though, and we’re coming from a new offense, so we’re still trying to learn some of the offense. Some people still don’t have it all together, and unless you have all 11 players doing their job, an offense isn’t an offense where you need it to be.” Offensive coordinator Jeff Brohm said he was impressed with Higbee’s five-catch game over the weekend, but he hopes to see the tight end improve going forward. A tight end has a lot of responsibilities, he said, and it’s important that Higbee is capable of fulfilling all of those duties when he’s on the field. “He’s got to find ways to build his stamina and be able to go full speed at all times,” Brohm said. “At tight end, you’ve got to be able to block, you’ve got to be able to catch passes, so those guys have got to stay fresh as well.” The coach said Higbee and junior tight end Mitchell Henry, who has eight receptions for 104 yards and a touchdown this year, need to step up if the Toppers are going to get back on track. “We definitely need him and Mitchell Henry to be really good players for us,” Brohm said. “They’ve got to dominate in the passing game, they can’t get tired, they’ve got to be physical in the running game and set the edge. Those are two guys we need to play well.”
Sophomore tight end Tyler Higbee celebrates after scoring a touchdown on the first drive of the game against South Alabama on Sept. 14. JEFF BROWN/HERALD
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SEPTEMBER 21, 2013 • TOPPER EXTRA • WKUHERALD.COM
Young receiving core looks to put mistakes behind them BY LUCAS AULBACH SPORTS@WKUHERALD.COM
Last Saturday against South Alabama, the WKU wide receivers showed their collective youth. The Topper pass-catchers hauled in three total touchdowns, including two from freshman wide receiver Nicholas Norris, but also recorded several key drops on important drives. The drops contributed to junior quarterback Brandon Doughty’s 27-of-47 day from the field. But the Topper receivers have another issue that may have contributed to their early struggles — youth. None of the 13 wide receivers listed on WKU’s roster are seniors. The Toppers have four redshirt juniors listed, with Willie McNeal and Joel German being the only two that receive consistent playing time, and the rest are sophomores or freshmen. Offensive coordinator Jeff Brohm said it’s time for his receivers to grow up a little bit. “The youngness has to rub off,” he said after practice Tuesday. “They’ve played three games, they’ve got to continue to get better — they’ve got to be playmakers for us.” Coach Bobby Petrino said his receivers are part of a passing game that is a “work in progress.” “I was hoping we’d be ahead of where we are right now with it,” he said on Monday. “When you come in and everything’s new to every single player — we’ve got a lot of new receivers out there, the schemes are new, the timing that we’re working on is new. “We knew that we were going to have to continue to improve as the year went on. You’d like to do that as you’re
winning games.” Young receivers have been a major part of the WKU passing attack so far this year. Norris has caught a teamhigh three of Doughty’s eight touchdown passes this year and leads WKU with 129 receiving yards on 10 catches. He caught seven passes for 95 yards and two touchdowns against the Jaguars last Saturday. Freshman Taywan Taylor inserted himself into the starting lineup in the first game of the season and has caught five passes for 24 yards this year, while fellow freshman Aaron Jackson saw his first regular season action Saturday, recording a six-yard reception. Norris said he’s already developed good chemistry with Doughty and every other quarterback on the roster in practice. “I’m getting a different feel for every quarterback in practice everyday,” he said. “Whoever they can throw in at anytime in the game, I just know I have a great relationship at anytime.” With the receivers playing such an important role in the pass-happy WKU offense — through three games, the Toppers have already thrown the ball 37 more times than they had through three games last season — Brohm said he needs his receivers to step up and do their part to help the team snap its two-game losing streak. “They’re out there all the time and we need big plays from those guys,” he said. “We need to distribute the ball and give them a chance to make the play, but they definitely have to come through for us and make big plays.”
Freshman wide receiver Nicholas Norris is picked up by junior offensive lineman Cameron Clemmons as they celebrate after scoring a touchdown against Tennessee on Sept. 7. JEFF BROWN/HERALD
SEPTEMBER 21, 2013 • TOPPER EXTRA • WKUHERALD.COM
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Several linebackers anchor WKU defense BY LUCAS AULBACH SPORTS@WKUHERALD.COM
The guy everyone has heard of is Andrew Jackson, but WKU has several other linebackers that have begun to play a major role in the Topper defense this season. Jackson, a senior, is the man in the middle, but the top performer at the position so far this year has been senior Xavius Boyd. Boyd has been a consistent starter since his freshman season in 2010, but he saved his best performances for WKU (1-2, 0-1 Sun Belt Conference) for this year. He leads the Topper defense in total tackles (35), tackles for loss (6.5) and sacks (3.5) three games into the 2013 season. Jackson, WKU’s middle linebacker, has started two games and has racked up 19 tackles himself, while sophomore Daqual Randall and senior Chuck Franks have seen playing time as well. Franks, who has recorded five tackles so far this year, said he’s been pleased by the collective play of the linebackers through the first three games. “I’ve done a lot to contribute to the team by playing my role and doing what I’m supposed to do on the field, as well as the other two linebackers,” Franks said Monday. “Andrew Jackson has done a good job this season as well as Xavius Boyd, and also the other backup linebackers, (junior) Terran Williams and Daquall Randall. They’ve been doing well also.” Defensive coordinator Nick Holt is in his first year leading the WKU defense. He said while Jackson and Boyd have stood out to him as playmakers so far this season, the defense needs them to give their best effort on every play if the Toppers are going to succeed this year. “They’re two guys that need that dayin and day-out play-in and play-out — to be consistent in all their plays,” Holt said. “That’s not happening on a 100-percent basis, and we need to get that going. They need to play more consistent.” Last season, the linebackers had the benefit of playing behind a defensive line
Senior Chuck Franks (25), left, and senior Xavius Boyd (13) tackle South Alabama's Montell Garner (16) during the first half of WKU’s game against South Alabama on Sept. 14 at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Ala. MIKE CLARK/HERALD that had four experienced seniors — they aren’t that lucky this year. WKU has replaced its entire starting defensive line from a year ago, with middling results so far. The Toppers are giving up 200 rushing yards per game on average so far this season. The holes in the defense have caused
some changes to the starting lineup. Randall replaced Jackson at middle linebacker at the start of the game against South Alabama, one of many changes WKU made to the starting lineup at the start of the game. Coach Bobby Petrino said the starting lineup will be determined moving forward by who gives the best effort in practice in the week leading up to the game —
Randall impressed him most that week, he said. “We need to learn as a team that you go out and you earn the right to win on the practice field with your effort,” Petrino said. “We go out there and we grade our effort and the guys that gave the best effort will start the game.”
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SEPTEMBER 21, 2013 • TOPPER EXTRA • WKUHERALD.COM
Times in the
trenches
H
STORY BY ELLIOTT PRATT
usky, rugged, tough, filthy, vicious — all are words eligible of defining the unsung heroes in football. On a chalkboard of x’s and o’s, their job isn’t connected with zigzagged arrows or dotted lines. They don’t have to decode a hitch route or a post pattern 15 yards out from a barking quarterback during a two-minute drill. Their circles on the board stay rooted with one job in mind — protect the assets. The assets are the ones making newspaper headlines, choreographing touchdown dances and stealing the autographs and the spotlight for the rewards on SportsCenter Top 10. They’re the anchors that hold the ship. Without these lumberjacks, there are no headlines, no touchdowns and no spotlights. The offensive line holds one of the most important jobs on a football team and endure more battles and rough patches than any other position on the field. They've seen it all in the trenches – from fingers in the eyes at the bottom of a dog pile to the holding calls a referee never sees. Two linemen for WKU have seen everything in their expiring time on the Hill. Redshirt seniors Sean Conway, a center, and Luis Polanco, WKU’s starting left guard, have been through the whirlwind of Topper football over the last five years. The two were redshirted in 2009 when former coach David Elson and the Toppers went 0-12 in their first year of Division I-A football. Since that winless year,
Conway has been on the field the start of every game since 2010, making Saturday’s game against Morgan State the senior’s 41st consecutive start for WKU. Polanco has seen plenty of playing time as well. The lineman from Tampa, Fla. started all but one game last season and has seen action in all but three games in his college career. Needless to say, the two have had time to formulate a tight chemistry with one another. “I think throughout the years we have become tighter,” Polanco said. “We know each other better. We kind of know what to expect from each other, blocking for each other, having each other’s back.” As the senior leaders on the offensive line, it’s their responsibility to make sure the younger guys are in check. After all, their resume shows they know how to work the trenches unlike any other group. The two linemen are responsible for helping pave the way for two of WKU’s greatest rushing performances in the past SEE LINEMEN PAGE 13
SEPTEMBER 21, 2013 • TOPPER EXTRA • WKUHERALD.COM
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Senior center Sean Conway (65) prepares to snap the ball during WKU's 52-20 loss to Tennessee on Sept. 7. TYLER
ESSARY/HERALD
LINEMEN
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12 two years. In 2011, the team rushed for a Sun Belt Conference-best 181 yards per game behind running back Bobby Rainey, who set the record for most rushing yards in a single season with 1,695 yards. They bulldozed for even more last year, clearing the path for Antonio Andrews to eclipse Rainey’s landmark by 33 yards at 1,728 yards. “Those guys definitely have to be leaders for us,” offensive coordinator Jeff Brohm said about his senior linemen. “They’ve played a lot of games and they have to pick guys up when things aren’t going well. But those two guys definitely need to be leaders for us and be vocal and take over the team.” Being the leaders on the field in the
past have earned the two men a healthy combination of preseason accolades from many sporting publications — Conway is on the watch list for the Rimington Trophy, awarded to the nation’s top center. For Conway, starting every game in his time on the Hill is a feat he hasn’t given much thought to. It’s just a part of his life now. “It’s been fun. A lot of good times, a lot of ups and downs,” Conway said. “Football teaches you about life. Different head coaches, you get different perspectives in different things throughout the organization and it’s been fun.” When Conway was a senior at Father Ryan High School in Nashville, Tenn. he received offers from WKU and rival Middle Tennessee. When he chose WKU, the team was making its transition to Division I-A and Conway wanted to be a part of something big.
“Back in ’09, I thought they had all the facilities,” Conway said. “They were getting the right coaches and the right players and I wanted to be a part of that.” With Polanco being one of those players, the two have grown to become a tight fit. The men at one point found themselves at a position battle for center, but now that they’re in the final leg of their long journey, they depend on each other to protect the assets. “We have gotten to know each other better and better as the years go by,” Polanco said. “We came in together, at one point we kind of went for the center position at one time, so that brought us together, too, with the competition. So now playing next to each other, we know what to expect from each other.” The values Conway and Polanco hold for themselves are the same ones they hold the younger linemen up to as well.
“I’m all about the team,” Conway said. “I’m not worried about me right now. I want to win the Sun Belt and I want to go to a bowl game.” Being all about the team is the job of the offensive line. It’s their duty to anchor the offense, protect the quarterback and his blind side and come off the snap with furious, malicious intensity that strikes fear into the opposition. They understand it’s not about them. It’s about protecting the team, being selfless and having each other’s back. “When we have a call, we look at each other and I’m like, ‘Sean, you got me?’ He’s like, ‘I got you,’” Polanco said. “He says Luis, ‘You got me?’, I say, ‘I got you,’ and we just go. “Every time we step on the field, I tell my center, ‘I got your back. You got my back?’ I tell my left tackle, ‘You got my back?’ So we have each other’s back.”
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SEPTEMBER 21, 2013 • TOPPER EXTRA • WKUHERALD.COM
WKU looking for big crowd Saturday BY ELLIOTT PRATT SPORTS@WKUHERALD.COM Athletics director Todd Stewart looked at a small crowd at Smith Stadium two days after Thanksgiving last year during WKU’s final game against North Texas. With so many bowl game implications riding on the team’s final Sun Belt Conference game, Stewart was unhappy with the attendance he saw that afternoon. The final count per the NCAA was 10,117 fans in attendance — one of the smallest crowds to watch a WKU football game in recent memory. The Toppers won the game against the Mean Green and finished 7-5, earning a place in the Little Caesar’s Pizza Bowl in
Detroit a month later. “It was really disappointing because we really had a lot at stake that day,” Stewart said. “We weren’t assured a bowl bid if we won, but we were sure that we weren’t going to a bowl if we lost. We needed to win that game because there were other bowl eligible teams battling to get to a bowl game.” Last year’s bowl bid and the hiring of coach Bobby Petrino have expectations set at a new level. Junior safety Jonathan Dowling said he has respect for the fans that did show up but in the end, the team has to do their job regardless of the occupancy in the bleachers. “I support and I appreciate any fans
Sophomore kicker Garrett Schwettman celebrates with his sister, Murray junior Madison Schwettman, and Crestwood senior Zach Talton after WKU's 35-26 win over Kentucky on Aug. 31. IAN
MAULE/HERALD
that come out and support us,” Dowling said. “But at the end of the day, we still have to handle our business as a team.” The response so far is overwhelmingly greater than what was seen on that cold Saturday afternoon in November. Season ticket sales are higher than they have ever been, Stewart said, but they won’t have final season ticket numbers until after the game against Navy on Sept. 28. “We actually sell season tickets up through the Navy game,” Stewart said. “But I would expect once we get to the Navy game, we’ll have an all-time high, which would be in that 8,500 to 8,600 range. The most we’ve ever sold from back in 2008.” But Stewart said the season ticket numbers don’t serve as a true definition for what the crowd will really be like this season. “The more important number is the overall number,” Stewart said. “I’d rather sell 8,000 season tickets and 10,000 singlegame tickets and students have a sell out every single game than sell 10,000 season game tickets and not many single game tickets and have a stadium that’s 25 percent empty.” That idea has prompted the athletics department to start the social media
movement, “#TOP7472,” wanting students to break the student attendance record of 7,472. One action taken last year to attract the students of age that could enhance the game experience at Smith Stadium was selling beer during the game. Only two beers can be bought at one time and fans who sign up to be designated drivers receive free non-alcoholic beverages. The reaction to the move last year produced few alcohol-related problems, the athletics director said. “We had less than five alcohol-related arrests the entire season,” Stewart said. “We didn’t have any incidents inside the stadium at all. There was no increase in alcohol-related incidents or arrests at all from the year prior to last year.” Either way, Dowling said the Toppers are finally ready to play in their own stadium after opening up with three games outside of Bowling Green. “Everybody’s just finally ready to have all our fans to be able to come, everybody we know in Bowling Green,” Dowling said. “Even though we had the game in Nashville, I’m pretty sure that everybody that wanted to come wasn’t able to make it. It’ll be nice to finally play in front of all our fans.”
SEPTEMBER 21, 2013 • TOPPER EXTRA • WKUHERALD.COM
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Tailgating expands for 2013 season BY ARLA O’NEAL NEWS@WKUHERALD.COM People in the WKU community are preparing for the first home football game — and tailgating will be bigger than in years past. President Gary Ransdell sent an email earlier in the week to students to saying the whole campus is now available for tailgating. “Tailgating on home football games is an opportunity for you and other members of the WKU Family to show your support for the Hilltoppers and socialize with friends prior to the football game,” Ransdell said. Tailgating will begin at 8 a.m. on Saturday, with more than 30 different areas located a half mile away from the stadium
to park and set up. Areas on campus such as McLean Hall, the Valley and Bates-Runner Hall are now first-come, first-serve to tailgate. In the past, there was a $20 fee to reserve a spot at these locations. Ransdell also made a point about drinking on campus during tailgating. “Tailgating is not a license for alcohol abuse,” he said. “The university is committed to making the campus a safe, wholesome, clean environment for all students, families and fans at all times and during events.” In the email, Ransdell also warned students of the repercussions of drinking underage. Officers from the state Alcohol Beverage Control will likely be present on campus looking for students drinking underage, Ransdell said.
In his email, Ransdell listed some general rules for tailgating on campus. Kegs, glass bottles and visible alcohol brands are not allowed, nor are clear cups or containers. He also said tailgaters should clean up after themselves, and those attending tailgating without the intention to go to the football game are not welcome. Kara Neidell, alumni events coordinator, organized an area for tailgating at the Augenstein Alumni Center for Saturday’s game. The building, located on Alumni Avenue, will open three and a half hours before kickoff. “This will be the first football season that we’ve had the Augenstein Alumni Center open, and we’re trying to make this a new home for alumni, students and fans in general,” Neidell said.
WOVO radio station will be present at the alumni event, with giveaways and games for kids. T-shirts and food will be sold as well. “You want students to have pride in their school, have fun and enjoy game day,” Neidell said. Louisville junior Paige McCord has been involved with tailgating throughout her college career. She said she is looking forward to the Hilltoppers playing their first home game. McCord is also looking forward to experiencing the student side of cheering for her team, after having been in the Big Red Marching Band in the past. “I hope we win,” she said. “I will be at the game after tailgating and cheering with the marching band, students and everyone else.”
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SEPTEMBER 21, 2013 • TOPPER EXTRA • WKUHERALD.COM
2013 Tailgating Map PS 2 PS 1
Student Tailgating Lots
Student resident tailgating area Reserved parking Free tailgating area on lawn Free general parking HAF season pass sales, $100 per season
• Creason Lot • Normal Lot • University Blvd. Lot • Pearce-Ford Lot • Barnes Lot
• Adams St. Lot • Kentucky St. Lot • College Hill Lot • Potter Lot
* Student Resident Tailgating Area
Road closings
Aug. 31 WKU vs. Kentucky Nashville, W 35-26
• Poland Lot • Chestnut St. South Lot • Mimosa Lot • Minton Lot • Chestnut St. North Lot
Football Schedule
Sept. 7 WKU at Tennessee Knoxville, Tn. L 52-20
Oct. 15 Oct. 26 WKU vs. WKU vs. Troy Louisiana-Lafayette Smith Stadium, 3 p.m. Smith Stadium, 7p.m.
Sept. 14 WKU at South Alabama Mobile, Ala. L 31-24
Nov. 2 WKU at Georgia State Atlanta, 12 p.m.
Sept. 21 Sept. 28 Oct. 3 WKU vs. WKU vs. Navy WKU at Morgan State Smith Stadium, 1 p.m. Louisiana-Monroe Smith Stadium, 6 p.m. Monroe, La., 6:30 p.m.
Nov. 9 WKU at Army West Point, N.Y., 11 a.m.
Nov. 23 WKU at Texas State San Marcos, Texas, 6 p.m.
Nov. 30 WKU vs. Arkansas State Smith Stadium, 3 pm.