WKU Football: Thoughts Heading Into the Final Week Of Camp
Western Kentucky Football is coming off of its worst season in nine years. Let’s put that out there first. Perhaps expectations should be…
Western Kentucky Football is coming off of its worst season in nine years. Let’s put that out there first. Perhaps expectations should be low, but as it goes, a Jeff Brohm-ite has taken over and the general consensus seems to be that WKU will immediately get its swag back and maybe find a way to a bowl game immediately.
Is that realistic? Is it folly? Maybe it’s both or neither. It’s all conjecture, but what do we already know about this team? What are we learning from the inklings we get from observing the Spring, some open practices, and fall camp interviews, and general knowledge about the program?
You may be sitting at home watching all of the videos and reading the articles about players’ upbringings and ultimately wondering what in the heck Topper Football is going to look like this season.
As someone who spent some time in the program and also paid attention to message boards and media during my time at WKU, perhaps I can shed some light on the various words coming out of players’ and coaches’ mouths. Of course, they’re not giving massive information away. Sometimes it is difficult for someone so focused on their own business, tired after practice, and not trained in on-camera interviews to produce any soundbite worth remembering or noting.
However, what is the trend in the rhetoric? What are we hearing from Tyson Helton, Clayton White, and other position coaches? What do we hear from the players themselves? Let’s break it down for you.
What We Know About the Team Already
First, to anticipate the future, check out the setup into the present.
Everyone that follows the Tops knows there are some areas of significant strength and some clear areas everyone should sweat about a little bit.
Honestly, despite being 3–9, WKU has less question marks than most teams with a losing record in college football.
Areas that we should feel pretty good about regardless of what’s coming out of camp should pretty much be offensive line, defensive line, defensive back, long snapper, and maybe throw in the tight ends.
The next areas are positions we think should be much improved, like wide receiver, kicker, and punter.
Wide receiver has significant experience, and frankly, season ticket holders are waiting on someone to step and be in the starring role. Kicker and punter has multiple options: 1. Alex Rinella returns to the position and gets better or 2. Freshmen Corey Munson (or fill-in-the-blank) and John Haggarty take the spots and immediately improve the overall outlook for the specialists.
Positions of concern include quarterback (complete and utter disaster of a carousel in 2018), running back (no clear star, though Josh Samuel was solid), and linebacker (injuries and pending transfer approvals).
The quarterback position does have some promise, as the four contenders for the starting job were rated an average of three stars coming out of high school. Three of the four were at WKU in 2018, one was recruited originally by Jeff Brohm’s staff (Duncan), and the other was an SEC grad transfer that actually saw the field last season. Not bad, but who the heck comes out of that crowd, and are they ready to take what honestly is not a bad team around them and make it above average or great? The potential is there for a massive upswing simply by having a consistent quarterback.
Running back proved to be the bane of Mike Sanford’s existence, oddly enough. Touted as the running back whisperer, Sanford’s running backs were just simply awful, having one single 100-yard rusher in his entire tenure (Joshua Samuel for 101 yards vs. FAU, 2018).
In addition, WKU’s running backs caught a total of 183 yards in 2018, of which all but a whopping 20 yards either moved to receiver (Garland LaFrance) or graduated (D’Andre Ferby). That’s extremely concerning.
However, Quinton Baker returns to the Tops and looks like a possibility as a starter or second stringer, Jakairi Moses returns from injury, and Joshua Samuel returns after rushing for 71 or more yards in five of his last eight games last season. Find someone that can catch a football out of the backfield and you could be in some business there.
Linebacker is of deep concern. Eli Brown is extremely unlikely to play all season. Ben Holt bolted for the Boilermakers to be with Papa Holt. Understandable. However, who he heck is going to be the “2” in the middle of the 4–2–5 defense of Clayton White?
The good news is linebacker is interchangeable at either position in the 4–2–5 defense, and somebody who played some nickel or safety last season may be able to step in and fill a hole in a pinch. Jaden Hunter, transfer from Georgia, seems to be around but is not deemed eligible yet. However, will he be deemed eligible? It’s virtually a foregone conclusion that he would be a starter if available to actually play. He’s quite talented and would stand out on the Group of Five level without question.
Also, Kyle Bailey has slid over from safety to linebacker and from interviews and comments from coaches, seems to certainly be within the two-deep and possibly a starter caliber player. Another one to keep an eye on would be Clay Davis, who produced significantly at Tennessee Tech, actually intercepting four passes in two seasons at linebacker, a feat which has rarely been duplicated on The Hill. Certainly, the potential is there to be just fine at linebacker, but the margin is razor-thin. If any more injuries or eligibility setbacks come, the Tops really would be scraping the bottom of the barrel for bodies.
The view from Camp
There are position battles everywhere, and frankly, it’s impossible to even guess where people might end up without seeing the private four deep from the second floor in the underbelly of the Houch. However, what can we glean from what has been said, and who is standing out in what parts of practice are available to the public? What has been said in the media, and what the heck does all of that coachspeak mean?
First of all, coaches are not generally going to bald-faced lie and pretend like everything is great. They’re also going to try to send messages to their teams. If you pay attention, generally you can get a feel for where they really stand with the team. Are they overjoyed, concerned, horrified, or unsure? Pay attention to the meat of what they say if you want to know what’s really going on.
For example, saying things like, “We’re just trying to practice hard and go at it every day.” Well, sure everyone does that in their own mind. That means absolutely nothing. However, if they specifically come and say things like these, it’s an indication of a very good trend:
Day 1: “ They practiced well and were pretty smooth and as a whole, I am happy with it how it went.” -Tyson Helton
“This was the hardest first day I have had yet but that’s a good thing” -Center Seth Joest
Day 3: “ Coach [Helton] wants us to practice like pros, so we’re trying to do that.” -Demetrius Cain
Day 4: “ The energy level has been great. It’s about [preparing for] the season and accomplishing our goals, so the energy has more of a palpability to it, it’s intense. Everybody’s ready to go, this program hasn’t been where we want it to be and our job is to get it back to that level.” -RB Coach Garrett Lachere
Day 5: “ Our young guys are getting a lot of reps and picking up things quickly and our veterans are doing a great job of being leaders and coming to work every day.” -Tyson Helton
Day 6: “ Camp is going great, I love the new coaches and the new system. We want to have everything working like a well-oiled machine.” -Jacquez Sloan
Day 7: “ We are trying to make plays and be the most detailed and disciplined group, but at the same time be unpredictable and aggressive.” DC Clayton White
“You talk about good? I mean we have a good group of guys, and all the young guys are acting like old guys so that makes everyone want to go out there and compete.” -Jaylon George
Day 9: “ It never hurts to have all five linemen come back because that unit is built together with time and chemistry … And we enjoy getting out here with Coach Goff every day, he’s a great addition to the team.” -Jordan Meredith
Day 10 (not as good of a day): “I thought the defense did a fantastic job and dominated the whole scrimmage, so as a head coach that makes me feel good on one side of the ball. My hat’s off to the defense today, they came out, had the right mentality and right attitude and they practiced like pros.” -Tyson Helton
“Offensively there are a lot of things we need to clean up and a lot of evals that we need to make. It’s a team effort, it’s not just the players, it’s the coaches too. That’s why they call us ‘Coach,’ it’s our job to make sure they perform at a higher level.”
Day 11: “Coach does a fantastic job of keeping things together, understanding that you give the defense credit when they deserve it and give the offense credit when they deserve it, and it’s keeping it competitive.” -Clayton White
“We bring a lot of guys through the rotation and that helps us in the long run because you can play fresh … We feel comfortable two or maybe even three deep at some positions, and that saves everybody’s legs and bodies throughout the season.” -Jeremy Darvin
“Your senior year is grind mode, every day I wake up it’s on my mind. It’s a blessing to be out here and now that it’s my senior year I want to go as hard as I can.” -Ta’Corian Darden
Day 12: “I have a vision for the guys and they’re all bought in, the main thing is to be playmakers and they’re competing to make those plays… Any time you are comfortable in something, you feel a lot better doing it. I don’t necessarily have to focus on so much of the details, we’re working with a broader picture … It’s not A-B-C ball, we’re at D-E and F now.” -LB Coach Maurice Crum
“The genuine feel brought me here. When I came in and talked to Coach Crum, Coach [Clayton White] and Coach [Tyson Helton], they won’t lie to you, they’ll keep it real at all times and I love that.” -Kyle Bailey
Day 13: “The D-line we that have is fantastic and they’re pushing you every day. I enjoy how much better they make us, it’s really a blessing to have that much talent on this team … We cranked it up this week and we definitely take it to them, just like they take it to us.” -Mason Brooks
What to take away From those quotes
First of all, don’t take all of these quotes as gospel, but what I see from knowing what happens at these practices and observing what the coaches say after a good or bad practice, the Tops are having a good camp.
The number one thing you hear about is energy and intensity from both players and coaches. Seth Joest commenting it was the toughest first day he’s ever had tells you pretty directly that things have truly intensified from previous seasons.
Coaches will not generally make massively positive comments if something absolutely awful happened that day, or if practice was terrible. Generally, they’re going to say something like Day 10 from Tyson Helton, when he said the offense pretty much needs to get it together.
Sure, that’s a great sign that the defense is stopping the offense. Generally, that probably should happen early in the season. However, underneath that, he’s saying the offense wasn’t very good and shot itself in the foot. But that was one day. Every other day seems to be pretty positive.
What I love to see is players commenting about how older guys are helping them, that they’re grinding, that they’re a family of brothers, etc. Some of that is going to happen anyway, but when everyone says something about everybody cooperating and supporting each other, it’s a great statement for the state of things. Even if it’s not all true, everyone is on the same page in the media, and it breeds more of a feeling of momentum.
Take a look at the contrast between Day 10 and every other day. Just for clarity, if I skipped a day of camp, there wasn’t any material there that really told us anything positive or negative. Feel free to look back at those days and glean something for yourself, but I didn’t see anything that desperately needed to be included.
The difference between Day 10 and the rest is interesting, and with almost any coach in camp, if things are bad, they’re not going to just say everything is great. If they have issues, they’ll say it. Very rarely would a Willie Taggart or Bobby Petrino mince words if there was an issue.
Seeing very little negative is a great sign. If the comments are about intensity, energy, and positivity, then the coaches aren’t having trouble getting guys to buy in. Buy-in is crucial. Look at Mike Sanford’s tenure and contrast what happens when some don’t buy-in.
If we were to name a top five list of most important factors for camp, shouldn’t effort and focus be right up there in everyone’s top five? If there are distractions, discipline issues, people getting kicked out of practice, or other issues, then business isn’t getting done. If everyone is getting after it, there’s no way progress is not being made.
What Does it All Mean?
Ultimately, good vibes don’t win football games. However, of the two portions of open practice, I have gotten to see, the progress from the first week of camp to the second week was extremely obvious. There was definitely more efficiency in the second week.
The team is locking in a little bit. Now, obviously, there are some flaws, and these guys will have to learn how to win consistently again. However, the trend is absolutely upward. Will this translate to just one more win? Several more? None at all?
There’s no telling at this point. However, take it from somebody that knows how camp goes: This team’s output thus far in camp is above average.
It was exceedingly rare to have only one or two days in camp that were any issue. Generally, several days could have felt like a complete waste and the Tops still would have had a decent camp.
There was not always an all-in feel from players and even coaches at certain times. Players and coaches would sidestep questions they were uncomfortable answering, or they would gloss over the question with a standard, non-committal reply.
Where is that this year? I don’t see it at all. That’s special if it’s remotely true.
One of two things is happening:
Everyone in the program knows exactly what to say in interviews and everyone is required to say positive things and only talk about the good and ignore the bad.
OR
2. There really is a tight bond this team is creating between players, coaches, and staff and everyone truly feels good about where they are two weeks into camp.
You may be asking why chemistry and camaraderie get me excited.
Well, take a look at a few different times in Topper history:
Last season and even the season before, it’s fairly tangible that Mike Sanford lost the locker room and the players went through the motions most of this tenure. Body language was terrible and it was obvious there were chemistry issues and at times just a complete lack of inspiration. A lot of postseason awards were given individually to a 3–9 football team, another indication of a higher ability than the record showed.
In 2011 under Willie Taggart, that team was probably not experienced enough and did not have enough developed star talent, but I’m telling you. That team had a truly special chemistry that I think was unmatched in recent memory. The team starts 0–4 looking like a disaster, has a “Come to Jesus” moment against Indiana State, and reels off seven of eight to earn a winning season for the first time since 2007. There were what seemed like tons of close wins that year, a sign of an overachieving team that found ways to win because…? Chemistry.
In 2013, Bobby Petrino takes over, and that team did not have great chemistry, especially at first. That team started out 3–5, had open or near open rebellion or at least indignation at the new regime, and the players came together and decided they were going to unite and buy-in and won the last five games. That team was incredibly talented, with a mixture of the Taggart era greats heading out and the Brohm/Petrino area superstars just arriving on The Hill. Chemistry made all the difference. If everyone is pulling in the right direction, it’s unbelievably powerful.
In each of the Jeff Brohm years, those teams had some great chemistry and overachieved in each of the years. The 2014 team beat Marshall and won eight games despite having one of the worst defenses in America.
The 2015 team was massively talented, but who could have expected that hideous defense to suddenly come together like that. The offense and special teams formulated together to improve and make an absolute juggernaut, which only lost to Indiana on the road by three and LSU in Death Valley in a flood? That team finished ranked 24th in the nation.
The 2016 team was decidedly less talented, with Brandon Doughty, some of the big-time receivers, and some really good defenders graduating and moving on. Somehow that team, despite a lesser talented defense and a little bit less potent offense, won Conference USA for the second year in a row, trounced a really good Memphis team in the bowl game, and received votes in the polls at the end of the season once again.
When I look back at my career with WKU Football, and honestly take a look at WKU Basketball and any other WKU sport, the difference between the level of achievement with a team related to its talent was mainly its chemistry.
Ultimately, it pretty much worked out that the Tops played better when we weren’t fighting amongst ourselves. Shocker!
It seems as if this group has thus far figured this very important point out. Regardless of their talent, regardless of their expectations, all should be better by simply buying in and being united.
So far, it seems they are. That can only bode well for the Tops moving forward.