(RB Elijah Young – Opendorse)
Key Players Returning:
RB Elijah Young, WR/KR Easton Messer, WR Dalvin Smith, TE River Helms, OG Wesley Horton, OG Quantavious Leslie, DE Deante McCray, DT Jayden Loving, NT Terrion Thompson, LB Sebastian Benjamin, LB Kylan Guidry, NB Upton Stout, PR KD Hutchinson, and PK Lucas Cameiro.
Key Players Departing:
QB Austin Reed, WR Craig Burt Jr., WR Malachi Corley (Jets R3), OC Vincent Murphy (Tulane transfer), OT Wes Dorsey (UCF transfer), OT Mark Goode, DE Nico Cooper, LB Desmyn Baker, LB JaQues Evans (Baylor transfer), CB Anthony Johnson Jr. (Western Kentucky transfer), NB Rome Weber, FS Talique Allen, FS Kendrick Simpkins, SS Takulve Williams, and PT Tom Ellard.
(QB TJ Finley – The University Star)
Top 10 Recruits:
3 Star Recruits: WR Kisean Johnson (Alabama State transfer), QB TJ Finley (Texas State transfer), RB Ta’Ron Keith (Bowling Green transfer), DE Chukwunedu Okeke (Mableton, Georgia), CB Davonte’ Mathews (Nicholls State transfer), DL Jalil Rivera-Harvey (Marshall transfer), QB Tucker Parks (Spring, Texas), DE Harper Holloman (Atlanta, Georgia), ATH Cameron Flowers (Warner Robins, Georgia), ATH Xavion Griffin (Vero Beach, Florida), and DS Keyshawn Swanson (Troy transfer).
2023 Results:
G01 USF W 41-24
G02 HOUSTON CHRISTIAN W 52-22
G03 @ #6 Ohio State L 10-63
G04 @ Troy L 24-27
G05 MIDDLE TENNESSEE W 31-10
G06 @ Louisiana Tech W 35-28
G07 @ Jacksonville State L 17-20
G08 LIBERTY L 28-42
G09 @ UTEP W 21-13
G10 NEW MEXICO STATE L 29-38
G11 SAM HOUSTON W 28-23
G12 @ FIU W 41-28
BOWL vs. Old Dominion W (OT) 38-35
Team Info:
2023 Overall: 8-5 (4th in CUSA)
Home: 4-2
Away: 3-3
Neutral: 1-0
CUSA: 5-3
Non-CUSA: 3-2
Head Coach: Tyson Helton
Western Kentucky: 40-26
Career: 43-27
Bowls: 4-1
(WR Dalvin Smith – USA Today Sports)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Caden Veltkamp (41-54, 387 yards, 75.9%, 7.2 avg., 5 TD, 1 INT)
Rushing: Elijah Young (104 car., 474 yards, 4.6 avg., 3 TD)
Receiving: Dalvin Smith (50 rec., 513 yards, 10.3 avg., 6 TD)
TD’s Scored: Dalvin Smith/Elijah Young (6)
Sacks: Sebastian Benjamin/Kylan Guidry (3)
Tackles: Kylan Guidry (54)
Interceptions: Anthony Johnson Jr. (4)
Pass Deflections: Upton Stout (8)
Tackles For Loss: Kylan Guidry (6)
Forced Fumbles: 5 Tied (1)
Kick Returns: Easton Messer (15 ret., 333 yards, 22.2 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: KD Hutchinson (11 ret., 40 yards, 3.6 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: Lucas Munson (9-12 fg/fga., 75%, 47-47 xp/xpa., 74 pts.)
Punting: None
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 16 TJ Finley (JR/TR)
RB: 3 Elijah Young (SR/TR)
WR: 17 Dalvin Smith (RS SR)
WR: 13 Kisean Johnson (SR/TR)
WR: 4 Michal Mathison (GR/TR)
WR: 8 Easton Messer (RS SO)
LT: 53 Marshall Jackson (RS JR)
LG: 78 Quantavious Leslie (SR)
OC: 58 Evan Wibberley (RS SO)
RG: 50 Wesley Horton (RS JR)
RT: 74 Michael Ondelacy (RS SR/TR)
KR: 8 Easton Messer (RS SO)
PK: 18 Lucas Cameiro (RS SO)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 95 Deante McCray (RS SO)
NT: 91 Jalil Rivera-Harvey (SR/TR)
DE: 98 Hosea Wheeler (SR/TR)
LB: 59 Sebastian Benjamin (RS SR/TR)
LB: 51 Devon Lynch (RS SR/TR)
LB: 31 Anthony Brackenridge (JR)
NB: 21 Upton Stout (RS JR/TR)
CB: 4 Anthony Johnson Jr. (SR/TR)
CB: 11 Kent Robinson (RS JR/TR)
FS: 14 Devonte’ Matthews (SR/TR)
SS: 15 Demarko Williams (RS JR/TR)
PR: 15 KD Hutchinson (RS SO)
PT: 18 Cole Maynard (RS JR/TR)
(CB Upton Stout – Western Kentucky University Athletics)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: C
Running Backs: C
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: C
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: C
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returners: B
Punt Returners: D
Kickers: B
Punters: B
Schedule:
08/31 @ Alabama Crimson Tide | WKU trails the series 0-3. The Hilltoppers lost (10-38) the last meeting between schools in 2016.
09/07 EASTERN KENTUCKY COLONELS | WKU leads the series 48-35-3. The Hilltoppers won (31-17) the last meeting between schools in 2017.
09/14 @ Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders | WKU leads the series 37-35-1. The Hilltoppers are 8-2 since 2014, and their last series loss (10-29) was in 2018.
09/21 TOLEDO ROCKETS | First meeting between schools.
09/28 @ Boston College Eagles | First meeting between schools.
10/10 UTEP MINERS | WKU leads the series 4-0. Last season’s 21-13 win was the first meeting between schools since 2018.
10/16 @ Sam Houston Bearkats | The series is tied 1-1. The Hilltoppers won (28-23) last season’s meeting between schools, and they lost (24-54) the inaugural meeting in 2004.
10/30 KENNESAW STATE OWLS | First meeting between schools.
11/09 @ New Mexico State Aggies | Last season’s 29-38 loss was the first meeting between schools.
11/16 LOUISIANA TECH BULLDOGS | The series is tied 5-5. The Hilltoppers are 4-3 since 2014, and their last series loss (22-23) was in 2017.
11/23 @ Liberty Flames | WKU trails the series 0-4. Last season’s 29-42 loss was the first meeting between schools since 2020.
11/30 JACKSONVILLE STATE GAMECOCKS | WKU leads the series 4-2. Last season’s 17-20 loss was the first meeting between schools since 2003.
Predictions:
Home: 3-3
Away: 2-4
Neutral: 0-0
CUSA: 3-5
Non-CUSA: 2-2
Overall: 5-7 (6th in CUSA)
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