Family Dinner Table: Tops Fall Prey to Surging BC Eagles, Drop Heartbreaker in Typical P4 vs. G5 Fashion
FB: Boston College Eagles fly past WKU in the fourth quarter sinking WKU hopes of an upset win, 21-20.
As we have taken more than a week to process our depression from a devastating loss (really, we’ve just been busy), we’ve had time to digest what was a sickening meal of same ole same ole. It’s the same song and dance in some ways, where the “little guy” is clearly the better “team”, but the slightly more talented squad finds some kind of way to wiggle out of trouble despite frankly being just about as good as the other team. Without starting QB Thomas Castellanos, it was clear WKU was the better team Saturday, other than a game wrecking defensive end for Boston College.
In case you missed it, Western Kentucky Football was up 14-0 and 20-7 on the road at Boston College. It was 17-7 at halftime, and WKU dominated everything but the final scoreboard and the fourth quarter. Unfortunately, when you miss opportunities and only score 20 points, it’s not difficult for the other team to come back despite only coming up with 285 yards of total offense. Three touchdowns will do it, and that’s exactly what happened last Saturday. Boston College did just enough, and Grayson James, who was a part-time starter at FIU before transferring to BC this year, exorcised his 73-0 demon against WKU. Let’s not forget to mention Kye Robichaux (former WKU player), who had himself a game, as well.
Who do you blame for this one? Was it a hard fought battle that was nip-and-tuck the entire game? Not really. It felt like it was WKU’s to lose, and that happened. When it’s a one point loss (21-20), it’s easy to point fingers in all kinds of directions. Then again, Topper fans (and the media) must keep in mind that this was really a bonus game. Beating Toledo allowed WKU some margin to mess this one up and still sit at 3-2 and be at or above expectations heading into CUSA.
That’s exactly where they are, and WKU looks poised to step into the role as co-favorite with the Liberty Flames, who thus far look pretty human. The only other teams that feel like a legitimate threat to the CUSA throne are Sam Houston State and (if we want to reach) Jacksonville State (maybe).
If you’re a sports fan, hopefully you have someone you can talk about your favorite team with. Well, for father-son duo David and Matt McCay, they are each other’s backboard to see if any of their ideas are of any account. Every once in a while, those bricks clank against the backboard and find their way into the bucket. Most often, it probably looks like you in your backyard shooting it off of the gutters of your house, Jackie Moon.
Heated battles may happen around the dinner table at your home, so in honor of those tense moments when you nearly roll into a fight about long snapper depth, we salute you with this series from the McCay’s. Hopefully they won’t roll into a public argument, but hey things happen.
Before and after each game, Matt and David will put their own spins on their thoughts on the matchup. In a preview article, they’ll talk about what they see, whatever that may be, whether it’s about the food at the stadium, fan experience, roster depth, or big picture football thoughts. One will go and then the other. In a postgame article, they will react with whatever vitriol or euphoria they feel at the time.
In honor of the Monday morning quarterbacks, the heated debates, the differing opinions, and the people screaming from the upper deck and their wives grabbing their arm telling them to shut up because you’re embarrassing them, this one’s for you.
“I brought you into this world, and I’ll take you out!” -David McCay
My Initial Thoughts
This has been a difficult loss for me, and I have taken a few days to breathe, rewatch some ESPN+ and figure out what happened. The loss is difficult. WKU did so many things right in the first half, and with a few more points, upsets a really good team. Western was able to move the ball in the air and on the ground and score. WKU was able to run the ball effectively, which I did not know was possible for Western against Boston College. WKU won the turnover battle in the first half. Caden Veltcamp found open receivers and managed the game well in the first half. The Western defense held BC to seven points and limited yards through three quarters. The WKU defense was impressive and able to get pressure in the backfield with three and four rushers. So what happened in the fourth quarter?
Why I Am So Frustrated?
This game was winnable, and if the coaches valued early scoring, the result is different. Plus, there are some things that I mentioned in the pregame article that Matt and I said needed to happen for WKU to pull off an upset win.
Score every time you get in the red zone. (Failed on drive one on 4th-and-1 on BC 18.)
Value points - Take field goals if you must. (Drive one: take the field goal.)
Win the turn over battle. (WKU had three turnovers, two in fourth quarter.)
Don’t give BC a short field. (Caden Veltcamp was sacked and fumbled on WKU 20 at end of fourth quarter.)
Don’t shut down the offense if you are leading.
Don’t blitz leaving good receivers uncovered. (This happened several times resulting in penalties or first downs.)
I watched every down BC played coming into this game and saw what teams did successfully and where they failed. I determined that Boston College is a very good team, (especially defensively), not just because they are now 4-1 against a tough schedule, but because their coaches value points and their team finds a way to win (or almost win).
The big thing I saw was how when opposing teams ran tempo and mostly passed, receivers were left open. When BC zone blitzes, they play man-to-man and are susceptible to crossing/rub routes. Otherwise, Boston College is playing a three or four deep zone defense to eliminate deep threats. Their front six/seven get pressure with timed zone blitzing, and they rely on speed to cover the holes in their secondary. The quarterbacks who could find and hit those open receivers had successful drives. Florida State and Michigan State had some success, but inaccurate passes hindered their offense from scoring enough points. After kicking field goals early, Missouri coaches figured out BC’s defense in the second half. The accuracy and vision of Missouri’s quarterback allowed him to find and hit open receivers to keep the ball moving. They were able to catch up and go ahead late in that game.
I thought surely WKU coaches figured this out, too and set up plays to exploit these weaknesses in BC’s defense. Western should be adept at running tempo and finding open receivers in the 0 to 15 yard range. Isn’t that the basis of our offense? Pass often and run occasionally (like one out of three plays). The quarterback needs to know, and be reminded, he will have two to (maybe) four seconds on average to pass or escape. WKU’s first several drives showed that as Veltcamp and the offense moved the ball well, minus the short pass interception and not attempting a short field goal on the first drive. WKU managed scoring 17 points before halftime. This should have been 20 and if it was, the end of the game is different.
What Good Did I See in WKU’s Play?
Western’s offense under Caden Veltcamp #10 moved the ball amassing 232 yards passing, 123 yards rushing, and scored 20 points against a Boston College defense that allows only 17 points and 300 yards per game. The rushing attack was led by Elijah Young #3 with 21 carries for 85 Yards and five receptions for 22 yards. 123 Yards rushing this game means that WKU has rushed for 100 or more yards in four consecutive games. Kisean Johnson #0 had seven receptions for 56 yards and a TD. River Helms #86 had four catches for 72 yards in the first half. Easton Messer #8 had four receptions for 33 yards and a TD.
The WKU defense was exceptional again this week. They held a BC team that was averaging over 30 points per game to 21. BC averages almost 200 yards per game rushing and WKU held them to 111 yards. Boston College averages over 200 yards passing and Western held them to 168. The Eagles average less than one turnover per game and WKU had an interception and a fumble recovery. There is nothing else you could expect from this group of men. They only allowed five plays of ten yards or more and worked their tails off.
WKU punting continues to be fantastic as Cole Maynard #18 punted twice averaging 52.5 yards with a long of 60.
Who Do I Blame For This Loss?
Were their player mistakes that contributed to this loss, yes. Three turnovers by quarterback Caden Veltcamp, missed tackles, five penalties at very bad times, and a few little things here and there. I know I will catch some heat for this, but I think it needs to be said: This game could be nick picked all day long, but I think the blame rests on play calling and not valuing early game points. WKU Head Coach Tyson Helton and offensive and defensive coordinators are in control of these two factors.
Coach Helton has a tendency to bypass a field goal attempt well within the kicker’s range early in games, trying to “make something happen”. This trend has cost WKU a few wins during his tenure. Especially in those close losses by a touchdown or less.
Whom ever is in charge of offensive play analysis, design, and play calling, needs to better access plays that will work better against certain teams. Find the weakness of a team and exploit it until the beating heart of their defense is in in your hands. Very few games recently have we just pounded a team. MTSU was an exception. But with the talent we have, we should play faster, get more yards and score more points. I am sure there are a few plays that Western wishes they had not called this game, all deep routes that ended in a sack and fumble, or a double reverse against a speedy defense, for example.
On defensive play calling, I have a few observations and wishes. Do not blitz safeties or corners who are guarding the opponents best or key receivers. Do not blitz so many players that you leave receivers uncovered or cause penalties. Make your blitzes less obvious. Give someone the ability to change the blitz when quarterback is changing the play at the line of scrimmage. If you are gonna blitz, someone needs to be disrupting the play in some way or bad things happen. WKU fans know now that you are gonna blitz someone from somewhere, just be wise to give your players the best ability to be successful.
I can’t wait to see what Western Kentucky Football can do against inferior opponents from Conference USA. GO TOPS beat UTEP!!!
“You forced me into this world; I’ll force you out!” -Matt McCay
Honestly, besides being busy at work (Medicare time, y’all!), I’ve avoided dealing with the scarring that was Boston College.
First of all, I’m fine. I think some of our staff was worried about my mental health, because yeah I was pretty pissed at how this whole thing worked out last Saturday. But at the end of the day, Boston College was a bonus game. If WKU won, obviously it would have helped everything, would have put WKU back in the running for the automatic spot for the Group of Five in the College Football Playoff, would have been WKU’s first win against Power Four/Five school since beating Arkansas in Tyson Helton’s first season (2019), and it would have gotten national attention for the Tops.
Well, that ain’t happening, and that’s unfortunate.
And I’m frustrated about it. The whole week, the narrative was basically that WKU had a puncher’s chance. If Boston College didn’t show up ready to play, Western Kentucky is a good football team and could hang with them. Well, Thomas Castellanos, Boston College’s clear best quarterback, is announced out of the game Friday, and all hell broke loose.
Expectations skyrocketed.
The line moved from 13 down to 7.5. WKU fans started believing that the Tops could pull off the upset. And after you take five seconds to digest the news…wait a second…isn’t that the guy that was at FIU when Western beat them 73-0? Yes. Yes it is.
Uh oh…
Is this gonna happen?!?
And guess what? WKU was completely in control and looked like they might blow out BC. That didn’t happen, the game settled in to a tight field position battle, and Boston College’s ability to hang around and produce just enough with some talent and attrition helped the Eagles squeak past the Tops.
I’ll say this. I read Dad’s portion of the article, and I have got to take exception with some of the things he said. While I agree on some of it, I completely disagree with a lot of it.
What I Agree With…
There’s some common ground here. First of all, WKU’s defense was incredible for a second week in a row. Like…really good to the level that we haven’t seen since at least Jeff Brohm good. So I completely agree that they played their guts out.
I also believe Caden Veltkamp’s three turnovers clearly played a factor, and you can’t discount the fact that Caden now has two starts under his belt, five career games where he has seen significant action, and he has more turnovers than games played. That cannot continue, but for those with their heads in the clouds, he’s a redshirt sophomore with two starts and maybe another two ish total games of playing time spread out over the last couple of seasons. He’s not an experience college football player yet. Stop expecting him to be!
I also completely agree about neglecting the early field goal attempt.
Now…I talked to some former players and heard the feedback from our staff, and I get the position that you have to be aggressive. Fine. Believe that if you want.
Let me ask you, though…
If you have two backup quarterbacks and two good defenses, what most likely happens to the scoreboard?
The answer: Expect less points. Field position battle.
In my opinion, this was not the game to throw away points. Boston College has a game breaking defensive lineman in Donovan Ezeiruaku, who had 14 tackles, 4 TFL, and 3 sacks. He alone could (and did) screw you out of a couple of scores. Regardless of just him being a game wrecker, Boston College’s defense is nationally good.
It just didn’t make sense to throw away an early lead. WKU starting placekicker Lucas Carneiro has incredible leg strength, so a kick from inside the 20 is guarantee to have the distance. Yes, it was 4th-and-1. But what happens if you get the first down (which you didn’t)? You’re still at the 15 yard line against a good defense. You probably will need another first down. It’s going to get more difficult to move the ball forward in there. The officials were calling penalties (and had already called a penalty that nearly put you out of field goal range).
In my opinion, you absolutely take the points. What is the reward? You get a first down and burn some clock. Other than that, what is the percentage chance that you get a touchdown over a field goal? Also, it’s a scoreless game. Are you telling me you don’t want the lead?!? Coming out and getting a field goal is a huge confidence booster. Yes, you gained confidence by moving the ball, but take the points, man.
If WKU was going to win this game, it was going to be because the defense played well and kept the score under 30. Well, they kept it way below that, and WKU seriously had a chance to win.
That field goal in my opinion was the most egregious issue in this game in terms of decision making. Time and again, WKU has neglected field goals in range in exchange for being aggressive and trying to get six instead of three. I get that, but this was not the game to think that way.
If WKU would have taken those three points…
You take an early lead.
You change the way everyone approaches the entire game until BC catches back up.
You’re up 20-7 at halftime.
You’re up 23-7 and BC needs three scores to win instead of only two TDs.
BC would have been in desperation mode for longer with a QB that they were afraid to completely turn loose.
So in short, I agree with Dad on those items for sure.
What I do Not Agree With…
Whoa, Dad. There’s a whole lot of your stuff that I just fundamentally disagree with!
One thing that really gets me is blaming the defense in any way. Saying that you shouldn’t blitz guys that are covering the main receivers is ridiculous. Should you keep it in mind? Sure. Maybe don’t do that a ton. But if you don’t do something unexpected and take a risk or here or there, you’re screwing yourself because you’ll be totally predictable.
You can’t just drop eight and hope you get pressure with three guys and win. In fact, I would suggest that the exact game plan they had was the exact right way to handle it! The Tops did what they could to stop the run. Kye Robichaux had some nice runs, coming up with 81 yards. He clearly was a difference maker, and by the way, good for him! He didn’t feel like he was getting the love he deserved here, he went to a bigger school, and he’s getting to play and got to play a huge role in breaking his former team’s heart. Good for him! Maybe you should have given the big guy that can run people over and catch a little more PT and he wouldn’t have wanted to transfer. Anyway…
WKU did a great job against the run with the exception of a couple of plays, like Robichaux rumbling for 25 yards, like Grayson James scrambling for 13. Take those two plays away, and WKU would have probably won the game. I have zero issue with the WKU defense, the play calling, any of that. Tyson Summers is absolutely crushing it and deserves a big coordinator job or deserves a shot as a head coach. Period. But for the love of God, I hope he stays, because he’s a heck of a coach. Of all the defensive coordinators that I ever remember, he may be the one that I understand and follow his logic the most. The only one competitive with him was Lance Guidry during the Willie Taggart era.
Suggesting the offensive play calling was awful is really frustrating to hear, too. What happened in the second half was that Boston College showed up to play some good defensive football. WKU shot itself in the foot several times, and that put them on the backfoot for sure. It’s really hard to climb out of a significant offensive penalty on second down. When you get behind the sticks and you’re up, what are you supposed to do? For those that say you need to try to call a play that gives you a chance to get a first down, what play is out there on 2nd-and-20 when the defense is playing and stifling anything more than five yards down the field? It’s logical to hope to surprise them with a run and run some clock. Then running a screen play on 3rd-and-forever? Why is that a problem?!? That’s totally standard operating procedure.
I saw a bunch of people upset when WKU got behind the sticks. That’s not on the offensive play calling. Was there some ridiculous play calls late that cost WKU some time? Yes, but in my opinion, they didn’t do much horrendously horrible in terms of play calling until after they were losing.
Also, Dad, in private, I know we talked some about how you took issue with the refs, Helton, and Caden. So I won’t paint it like you didn’t feel that way. But you didn’t really mention it as much. In my mind, this game was equally on these three factors.
I’m usually not at all a conspiracy theorist, but the referees were absolutely frustrating. And I don’t buy into theories about who butters their bread and all of that crap. Like “Ohhh the ACC and BC probably paid them off.”
Hogwash.
But I will say the actual calls were completely slanted in favor of Boston College. I can think of several that you see a flag and then see a replay, and it’s just kind of like…yeah that’s borderline. The first penalty of the game against Quantavious “Tick” Leslie was one of those that you see the replay and you just kind of take mental note: “Ok they’re going to call stuff like that.” During the first half, Boston College had a couple of offsides penalties called on them. Ok I’m not livid, but it’s slanting in one direction.
Then in the third quarter, after they have already called some “ticky tack”, kind of borderline things on WKU, Easton Messer is in the end zone, and the defender is all over him, gets there early, you know. You get it. It should have been a penalty if Tick touching a guy’s facemask in the middle of the trenches early in the game costs WKU 15 yards. No call. So instead of 1st-and-goal at the 2 yard line, WKU is left with a 3rd-and-10, the ball goes incomplete to Kisean Johnson, and WKU kicks a field goal for their final points at 20-7. HELLO?!? This is a huge moment. Who the heck knows what happens with four chances to score at the 2 yard line? But chances are WKU scores, and absolutely, WKU burns more time and does no worse than a field goal. Potentially, the Tops go up 24-7 and BC is completely on the ropes with a quarter and a half remaining.
So that was egregious and probably cost the Tops the game in itself. It certainly would have required a miracle instead of a nice comeback. Then in the fourth quarter, once again, WKU is getting called for an offensive holding, for a pass interference, for another pass interference where the offensive player (yes another borderline call) pushed off. Then comes a block in the back on a kick return after WKU has surrendered the lead.
These are all crucial moments. Two penalties on third down, one of which could have gone against the BC offense as they scored a touchdown. WKU’s drive starts from the 8 instead of the 20. Near the end of the game, Tyson Helton is begging the refs and you can see him mouth, “Just give me one call all game. Give me this one!” and to their credit, they did. But they almost negated that one after Easton Messer was dragged down by a defender.
Come on, guys. You’re telling me you couldn’t call one holding penalty against Boston College all game? You could call several of the other debatable plays against Boston College in the passing game? At the end of the day, WKU had five penalties called on them for 52 yards. BC had three called for 23 yards. BC did decline a WKU penalty when they scored a touchdown. It was just uneven, and the moments that the flags were thrown were absolutely devastating. I don’t think it was malicious, but call it if it’s there if you’ve already called it previously for the same thing.
By my count, WKU could have been up 24-7 with 22 minutes remaining and that game would have almost certainly gone WKU’s way. There was also a touchdown scored on a drive after WKU was called for a debatable pass interference on third down. That one didn’t cost WKU anything some field position, but who is to say that for sure? Given BC’s punting issues, punting from the 38 instead of the 50 could have set up WKU at its 24 instead of its own 12 if all things were equal. Then a push off in the end zone to score (penalty called instead on WKU and declined due to a touchdown) and a block in the back that forces WKU to start way deep in its own territory. No matter how you slice it, WKU got screwed by the timing of the penalties. Several could have gone either way, and all but one of those types of calls slanted WKU’s way. When 50/50 becomes 75/25, it makes it more likely to get screwed in an important moment.
Sorry, but I Can’t Completely Trust Tyson Helton for a While
I’ll quit bad mouthing my father and get back to the task at hand. I can’t give an honest assessment if I don’t mention this. Tyson Helton did this two weeks in a row. One time it cost WKU the game. One time it didn’t. Helton continues to make questionable calls. He continues to take unnecessary risks.
Against Toledo, WKU decides to run a quarterback draw when they basically needed to run three times with the running back, punt, and probably win the game. Poor. Some other clock management things…poor. Against Boston College, there was so much more from Helton to just kind of scratch your head. The direct “why don’t we have more points on the board?” issue of the day was not kicking a field goal. Debate it if you want. I fundamentally disagree with going for it there. Your reward is minimal, and in hindsight, each of the big moments in the game are different if there’s an extra three points up on top of WKU’s score.
In addition, WKU burned several timeouts that were absolutely frustrating and could have given WKU a chance at the end. WKU called a timeout in the third quarter on 3rd-and-2. Yes, it resulted in 17 more yards and the only points in the second half. But was it wise to spend it there? Certainly debatable. The one I’m completely not OK with in any circumstance is calling timeout on a 4th-and-10 when the opponent is punting. First of all, take an illegal substitution penalty if that’s your reasoning. They still would punt from the 45. Or if those idiots want to go for it on 4th-and-5, go ahead, bro. Go ahead and give WKU amazing field position. If they’re about to fake it, I mean let them. If they execute a fake punt for more than ten yards, more power to them.
But don’t burn a timeout on a “what if” moment when the risk is tiny that anything bad happens! Say the pending penalty ends up somehow allowing BC to continue the drive. What are the chances they end up scoring a touchdown? Because if they convert something and kick a field goal, you’re still up three points! What’s the threat level? Then fast forward to the end of the game. You only have one timeout left, and by the way, why are you not calling your final timeout?!? Force them to kneel another time. That’s called quitting. You are down one point. If you’re down 17, don’t be an idiot and let the clock run out. They could literally fumble with 1:45 on the clock, or a minute, or heck 20 seconds! We’d take it. Instead you fold up your tent and don’t even try to force an extra snap.
Finally, another layer to my frustration with Helton (and Friend if he made the calls between run and pass) is running twice inside three minutes and not rushing to the line to get a play off before the two minute break. That burned half a minute, and for what? I don’t mind a run with 2:10 on the clock if it’s strategic, but the times they called a run, they didn’t work, and they burned time. All of that leads to time clock pressure, and that leads to mistakes on top of being behind the sticks. Not great wisdom. Did it cost WKU the game in this case? Maybe not? But I’d rather have my Air Raid offense raid the air in crucial moments than burn some clock and gain a combined one yard and burn 35 or 40 seconds. Also, why are you dropping back to pass twice after you gained five yards on first down with 7:01 left on the clock? Every time you ran the ball on that drive, you gained at least two yards. 2nd-and-5 is a perfect opportunity to run two run plays (regardless of the result) and see if you get a first down. Instead, Veltkamp fumbles at the WKU 20 and BC burns nearly three minutes to take their first lead of the game. At the very worst, you get stuffed on those two runs, you punt it away, and BC has maybe six minutes to manufacture a long drive.
In addition, this is not the first time Tyson Helton has had questionable decision making tangibly affect his team’s outcome. Sometimes, it has not cost him (Toledo), but sometimes it has (Indiana twice, UTSA, Troy to name a few). Think to yourself: How many times has Tyson Helton decided to go for it well inside field goal range and not gotten a first down? Add all of those points in over six years, and where could that have put WKU in a couple of these program-changing types of games?
I’m not saying I don’t believe in Tyson, but I’m saying it’s hard to trust that he is going to be a great decision maker, because he just hasn’t been. Personally, I will be more nervous when a tough decision comes up than I should be for a coach in his sixth year on The Hill. This is a lot like the Stansbury conundrum in basketball. Your guy is building a good program, but once you get in the game, can you trust him to manage the game situations when it’s close? It’s one thing to blow people out. There’s no decision making. When it’s close, can your jockey position your horses?
Grading the Keys to Victory
Take Advantage Where You Can Get it: B+
To clarify why this is such a high grade, this was in reference to getting pressure on BC’s offensive line, and BC’s punting game being suspect. These were two areas I felt like WKU could take advantage. Unfortunately, WKU had a major penalty on special teams that cost them decent field position on the final drive, so that takes away from the fact that WKU definitely want the hidden field position battle defensively and on special teams. When the game swung, it was because Boston College started winning the field position battle.
Force Boston College to Pass: A+
I mean, my goodness. Kye Robichaux had 81 yards and a nice day. Other than that, Boston College had difficulty running the football and was forced to make plays through the air. The Topper defense was in no way responsible for the loss at Boston College. They were incredible.
Pass for 300 or More Yards: C+
Yeah so WKU didn’t pass for more than 300, but they were able to move the ball through the air (232 passing yards) and get some chunk plays. I’ll give them a passing grade, but obviously they weren’t that close to 300. A solid C-ish type of grade is in order here. The theme, though was that WKU’s offense could do things against a really good Eagle defense. The most egregious issue in the passing game was the two interceptions. But that doesn’t count against this grade, though, other than it knocking out a few yards that could have been had instead of turnovers.
Rush for More than 75 Yards: A+
Want to know why WKU nearly won the game? WKU, an Air Raid offense, outrushed Boston College, an RPO offense with a mobile backup quarterback. This was an incredible performance for the running backs and the running game in general. Other than a fumble by Veltkamp, the rushing game was above average considering how good BC’s front seven is.
Get Off the Field: D
Unfortunately, WKU’s defense still struggled to get off the field on crucial third downs, and WKU’s offense really struggled to stay on it. The Tops converted 4-of-6 on fourth down, but only converted 5-of-16 third downs. Boston College converted 7-of-13 third downs and their lone fourth down attempt of the game. If WKU had just been a smidge better in this area, there’s no way they wouldn’t have had a much better chance of finding some points somewhere in their favor somewhere in there.
Conclusion-There are Three Legitimate Complaints About this Loss: Officiating, Caden Veltkamp’s turnovers, and Tyson Helton and Will Friend’s Decision Making
At the end of the day, WKU fans will look at this game, and if they’re being reasonable, they will blame one of three issues and be completely justified. The referees unfortunately made some calls that really hamstrung the Tops in crucial moments. Again, was it slanted? I don’t think either of us truly believe there was anything underhanded going on, but WKU did not get a crucial call to go their way until desperation time.
Caden Veltkamp is a young quarterback who, let’s all keep in mind, still only has three starts and eight total games played. He’s going to make mistakes, even if he has a game where he throws 90 percent, or if he has another game where he flirts with a school record. Immensely talented young players show their flashes, but they also randomly struggle without explanation. The explanation is he’s young, and quarterbacks in particular see exponential growth with experience.
WKU is poised to have an incredible season in Conference USA. Liberty is vulnerable, and no other team seems even capable of competing at the top besides Sam Houston. But the Topper coaching staff must stabilize their coaching philosophy, play calling, and in-game mettle and find ways to be the reason WKU wins in a close and not be the ones we can all point to and ask why they did or didn’t do X, Y, and Z.
Although this loss hurt, it’s honestly time to just move on and go win Conference USA. Hopefully the Tops lock in, take everyone seriously, and prepare like there’s no tomorrow, because dropping one of these can cost you a championship and likely costs you the chance to host the game in front of your fans. Two losses would be crippling.
The Tops must see their potential and make it happen this year. In a year where the college football landscape is once again shifting, the Hilltoppers really need to perform well and give themselves the opportunity to stand out, seize control of CUSA, and position for future opportunity.
The real meat of Conference USA starts Thursday at 7 PM Central on ESPNU. Get ready, Tops.
GO TOPS! BEAT UTEP!
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Your donation is valued and appreciated. We strive to be Johnny Hilltopper’s number one resource for real information. Thanks for all that you’ve done over the years, Hilltopper fans!
GO TOPS!!!!