WKU Football: Grading WKU’s 45–19 Win Over Arkansas
Well, that was unexpected. Honestly, did anyone in the world predict WKU to win in a blowout against an SEC school? Sure, Bobby Petrino’s…
Well, that was unexpected. Honestly, did anyone in the world predict WKU to win in a blowout against an SEC school? Sure, Bobby Petrino’s version of WKU beat Kentucky easily, but not to the tune of 35–7 at halftime and a final margin of four scores.
Western Kentucky would go on to win by a final score of 45–19, and in the process, WKU would take home a boatload of cash, bowl eligibility, and a stop to a two-game skid that nearly derailed a brilliant turnaround by first-year head coach Tyson Helton.
So how did WKU grade out against Arkansas? First, let’s start with my Keys to Victory.
Keys to Victory
Speed vs. Size: A+
Honestly, could WKU have done any better showing its athleticism against a Power Five opponent? Arkansas has 18 four and five-star players on its team. WKU has three, all of which were transfers from Power Five schools. Not only did WKU win the skill position battle, but Western also dominated the line of scrimmage, busting up Arkansas’ offense and shredding the defense for nearly 300 yards rushing.
Coming into the game, we knew Arkansas would give up yardage on the ground, but 265 yards would kill hopes for almost any team. Going in, I felt Western would hope to try to hold its own, maybe win the trenches slightly, and hope the Razorbacks’ great running backs wouldn’t go hog wild or receivers come out of nowhere to be superstars. Often with Power Five opponents, the talent is so immense that a few people just exploit favorable match-ups and have themselves a heck of a game. With the exception of Rakeem Boyd’s two long touchdown runs, not even the running backs were consistent throughout the game. Tops get full grades for going above and beyond on this. They won with both speed and skill.
Win the Turnover Battle: A
2–1 is definitely winning the turnover battle, but a huge negative was a backup running back (Joshua Samuel) coming in and fumbling on one of the few times Tyson Helton has even played some backups in the running game. Gaej Walker is an iron man, but this game was an opportunity for backups to show up and prove they deserve reps. They did get some yards, but the fumble is a damper on an otherwise pretty good audition. Otherwise, this would have been 2–0 and a complete home run for the Tops. It pretty much was, but we can’t give perfect grades all around, can we? Slight bump for the late turnover, but it was during complete and utter garbage time, so it made absolutely no difference in the outcome.
Ty Storey Needs to Come Back With a Vengeance: Higher than A+
I mean, when I wrote this, this was really just grasping for hope that Storey would be pretty decent. I did not expect him to be C-USA Weekly Honors decent. Storey was an absolute monster, running into the secondary at will, busting pretty long runs, scrambling around on 3rd-and-long making plays, and combining for 289 total yards and three total touchdowns.
I felt like Western needed a great performance from its quarterback, and boy, did they get it. Storey really ran with anger and purpose. Say what you want about how nice of a guy and how much people at Arkansas love him. That’s absolutely true, but he was not nice to his former team and he clearly used the whole situation as motivation. Storey could not have been much better, especially considering a few of his passes were dropped by his receivers.
Shut Down the Running Backs: B-
Listen, I know the Tops gave up 253 yards rushing but did you actually watch the game? If you did, you know Rakeem Boyd (who already had four touchdowns of 50 yards or longer coming into the game this season) busted two touchdown runs for a total of 162 yards. If you take that away, Western really bottled up the running game, and overall, Arkansas absolutely could not move the ball down the field consistently. Despite giving up nearly half of the total yards on two plays, WKU still held Arkansas to 340 total yards. There’s no way you can give up that many yards and get a sterling grade, but WKU dominated the run game with the exception of the two runs, one of which was completely irrelevant.
Win Special Teams and Hidden Yardage: A+
WKU deserves high praise for this game. It may seem like being on Cloud Nine about a big win, but honestly, the WKU Hilltoppers worked their tails off all game. Special teams is no exception. Cory Munson made his lone field goal, John Haggerty wowed the SEC Network broadcast team with multiple booming punts, and despite six returns between kickoffs and punts, Arkansas only collected 119 yards off of returns.
In terms of hidden yardage and crucial plays, Western dominated this, too. WKU had an interception return for a touchdown and had only three penalties (one of which saved a touchdown). The Tops were magnificent on third and fourth down. Western converted half (9-of-18) of its third downs and converted all five of its fourth-down opportunities. Those two little stats there allowed Western to keep the ball for nearly 37 minutes of the football game. Could it have been any better? No.
Position Groups
Quarterback: A+
(See above for more thoughts about Ty Storey) This is the first time the quarterback position truly and genuinely deserved an A+. Storey did everything, scrambling and running on designed runs. He never had one play for loss, didn’t get sacked, threw for nearly 70 percent against an SEC defense, and led an offense that produced nearly 500 yards with pure aggression and determination. Picture perfect “Storey Time” moment.
Running Back: A-
Ding Samuel for the fumble and Walker for not going completely and utterly bonkers on a defense that gives up tons of yards per game. However, I’m really nitpicking. Multiple running backs contributed for once, and Gaej Walker got his fairly regular 100 yards in a game with plenty of room to spare. Western’s decent to good running game, especially with Walker, has changed how the Tops operate as an offense. It’s nice to be able to trust them to get yards if needed. No one since Leon Allen has really been a trustworthy, consistent, and explosive option at back.
Wide Receiver: B
Lucky Jackson (7 receptions, 73 yards)did not have his greatest game, but he had a really good one and continues his recent success. Jahcour Pearson was the star of the day, despite a few early drops. He certainly acquitted himself nicely, catching ten balls for 120 yards and a touchdown. No one else on the corps did anything, so that severely inhibits my wish to give them a great grade. WKU still needs another consistent receiver besides Pearson and Jackson. Sure, they’re possible All-Conference level players, but where is everyone else? What if they have an off game?
Tight End: C+
Honestly, they were just kind of there this game. Kyle Fourtenbary has completely disappeared, and Joshua Simon (22 yards) has slacked off significantly, as well. These are two weapons everyone in red would like to see used much more. However, they, along with Steven Witchoskey contributed significantly to the running game and pass protection. Any time no sacks are given up, part of the credit should go to the tight ends. Also, they were open a few times and just didn’t get thrown to. No big deal. Other people were open, too. Still, give them a slight bump for being available.
Offensive Line: A+
Can anything at all be held against this offensive line against Arkansas? One penalty late in the game, no sacks were given up, nearly 500 yards of offense, only two hits on Ty Storey all game, and nearly 300 yards on the ground. It’s pretty simple and doesn’t need much explaining. They utterly dominated the game, not allowing Arkansas to ever get on the field offensively. The dominance continues. This has been WKU’s best and most consistent position group without question.
Defensive Line: B
Honestly, this was not the best game statistically for Malone and Co. DeAngelo Malone And Juwuan Jones both recorded five tackles and Malone had his typical tackle-for-loss and also had two hits on the quarterback. However, the D-Line was not spectacular. Don’t get me wrong. They were very good. But they were not the reason WKU’s defense did so well, and they did not absolutely stuff the stat sheet like we’re accustomed to.
Linebacker: B
I struggle giving the LB’s full marks because of a few things: Very few standout “wow” plays and two HUGE touchdowns runs by Boyd. This is the problem running a nickel base defense, though. Linebackers by definition of their name back up the line. If the d-line is handled by the offensive line and the defensive backs are busy covering the sides of the field due to window dressing by the offense, it comes down to your linebackers making a play.
When you only have two, if somebody misses their assignment and no safety is deep, goodbye running back up the middle for a huge play. In this case, 75+ yard touchdowns. Those happen because the first two levels were way out of position. When you have 6-on-5, you should usually win and make a tackle, but if a tight end is in there and the running back finds the right hole and everyone makes their block, that leaves the play up to your secondary to stop. That’s exactly what happened, Devon Key plugged one hole, and Boyd ran through the other. Touchdown, Razorbacks.
Defensive Backs: A
Here were your stat stuffers. Two interceptions, TFL’s, multiple players at the top of the tackles list, and an Arkansas receiving corps that couldn’t breathe. I don’t place as much of the blame of the big runs on the DB’s, although they obviously should have found a way to catch Boyd before the end zone. Give them nearly full marks for making life miserable in the pass game. Roger Cray has made a massive difference since coming back in this area. It allows Devon Key, Coco Darden, and others to prowl on the run while the back end is generally shored up.
Special Teams: A+
(See above for more detail) Haggerty was awesome, averaging 48 yards, including an absolute BOMB for nearly 60 that the SEC Network commentators marveled at. Cory Munson was good, as well, converting on his lone field-goal attempt (although it skimmed the crossbar from 25 yards out) and making his extra points. He also did a good job on kickoff, including laying the lumber on somebody inside the 20-yard line, which was one of the most amazing/funny things I’ve ever seen a kicker do. Pat McAfee liked it.
Coaching and Decision Making
Offensive Coaching: A+
I think they did everything right this game. Not only did they find a way to make a quarterback that threw barely over 200 yards look like a stud by letting him run at will, but the Tops have found something with the QB draw. It completely changes the dynamic of the run play when your quarterback can read and react to the front and find a hole to gain 2–6 yards just about every time. This is not Brohm ball, but you also don’t have a gunslinger. They have adjusted incredibly well and found a way to make a ball control offense out of (mostly) Mike Sanford’s offensive pieces.
Also, when it came time to sub out and play some guys that don’t get much playing time, they did and preserved their main troops for another day. Good move and it gave a HUGE confidence boost to those that got to play a little bit.
Defensive Coaching: A
Ding it slightly for those dang runs, but that’s really more on player execution. Somebody misses a gap and the All-American made you pay. Other than that, Clayton White deserves to be on the Broyles Watch List for best assistant coach in the nation.
Tyson Helton Decision Making: A+
Can you argue with 5-for-5 on fourth down, no missed field goals, and no missed trips to the red zone? Tyson is night and day different from Mike Sanford in this area. This is not a pot shot at Mike, who I love and is a good man, but Tyson very VERY rarely has some head-scratchers, and the head-scratchers he has play to his teams Time of Possession strengths (hinting at 3rd-and-10 run plays). I’m not sure Tyson (or anyone) could have done better with the decision making so far this season. Give the man some credit. He’s been incredible.
Overall Grade and Summary: A+
I’m sorry if Jake Keith from RedOut doesn’t like my Pollyanna viewpoints, but this game was absolutely perfect from start to finish. Complain about the long runs. Whatever. That’s what he (Rakeem Boyd) does. He busts one every game or two. Take those away (or don’t) and you have an INCREDIBLE performance an SEC opponent.
Who cares if they’re likely to finish 2–10? The other three times WKU won against an SEC opponent, those teams were awful, too. It matters not. Tops > SEC.
Little ole Western Kentucky just shouldn’t, couldn’t, wouldn’t come into an SEC opponent’s lair and blow them out. That just doesn’t happen. Most Group of Five schools are truly incapable of doing such a thing.
The Tops were perfect, especially in the first half when it mattered. Give them credit for being on a two-game skid and coming out ready to play and punching Arkansas straight in the mouth.
Oh yeah, and let’s beat Southern Miss and then, most importantly, BEAT MIDDLE!