2022 First Glance Preview: Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
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Written by: TJ Inman (@TJHoosierHuddle)
Week Three: Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
Date & Time: September 17 – Noon
Venue: Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, IN
TV: BTN
Hilltoppers at a Glance
Head Coach: Tyson Helton
Entering his fourth season as WKU head coach
Record at WKU: 23-16 (17-6)
Overall Record: 23-16
Last Season: 9-5 (7-1)
Hilltoppers Returning Leaders
Passing: Jarret Doege (technically a transfer but he’ll be QB1) – 10,494 yards with 79 touchdowns
Rushing: Kyle Robichaux (67 carries for 332 yards)
Receiving: Daewood Davis (43 catches for 763 yards with 7 touchdowns)
Tackles: A.J. Brathwaite Jr. (39 tackles)
Hilltoppers Preseason Predictions
Athlon: 3rd in C-USA (7-6 Cure Bowl projection)
Lindy’s: 3rd in C-USA
Pick Six Previews: N/A
Phil Steele: N/A
SP+: 62nd nationally
Impact Newcomers for the Hilltoppers
Jarret Doege – QB transfer from West Virginia
Vinnie Murphy – OL transfer from South Carolina
Michael Mathison – WR transfer from Akron
Biggest Questions Facing Hilltoppers
Can Jarret Doege replicate the transfer QB magic of Bailey Zappe?
Will WKU’s new defensive coordinator be able to improve the defense enough to offset whatever offensive regression there is?
Have they brought enough in through the transfer portal to replenish the firepower they lost?
Program Preview
After a disappointing 5-7 record in 2020, Tyson Helton was on the chopping block and knew a big change was needed. His team was struggling to score points and interest in the program was waning. He turned to Zach Kittley, an Air Raid disciple from Houston Baptist. He brought prolific quarterback Bailey Zappe along with Jerreth Sterns and Mitchell Tinsley and the attack took off. The excitement was back and Big Red was jiggling on the sidelines as the Hilltoppers lit up the scoreboard. They came up short in missed opportunities against Army, IU and Michigan State plus dropped a pair of games to Texas San-Antonio to finish second in Conference USA to the Roadrunners. The season put Helton back on level-footing. Zappe, Sterns, Tinsley and even Zach Kittley have all moved on but the schedule sets up nicely for WKU to contend again for a CUSA title. They play at Hawaii, at IU and at Auburn in the non-conference but after coming close to getting a big scalp in 2021, they’ll likely enter those games with a sense of hope that they could pull off an upset against a major conference opponent as the program attempts to continue on an upward trajectory.
Offensive Preview
Western Kentucky lost a ton on offense. The Hilltoppers are replacing their offensive coordinator, starting quarterback, best offensive linemen and best wide receivers. They promoted Ben Arbuckle to offensive coordinator and he’ll keep Zach Kittley’s Air Raid scheme in place. To find replacements for the lost personnel, the Hilltoppers went to the portal. For the second straight offseason, WKU is bringing in the active NCAA leader is passing yardage and touchdowns. Jarret Doege was a starter at Bowling Green and then spent two inconsistent years at West Virginia. Vinnie Murphy transferred from South Carolina and should start at an interior position along the offensive line and Michael Mathison was a very productive wideout at Akron that will likely be a starting wide receiver for the Hilltoppers. Another transfer, Daewood Davis formerly of Oregon, is expected to get a lot of snaps as well. Joshua Simon should be one of the top targets on offense. The tight end earned preseason All-Conference USA honors based on the belief he’s ready for a breakout campaign. Jaylan Hall transferred from Western Michigan and is expected to be a starting wide receiver along with the aforementioned Mathison and Daewood Davis. The offensive line has to replace a few starters but the two that return, Quantavious Leslie and Rusty Staats, are all-conference caliber guys. The Hilltoppers have to replace their top two running backs and the position is a question mark going into 2022. Kye Robichaux is expected to be the starter but this is not a team that will look to run all that often. Actually, scrambling quarterback Austin Reed might be a big part of the running game in sub packages because a traditional running game might be difficult for WKU to generate much yardage. The Hilltoppers lost a ton of production, experience and explosiveness off of a great 2021 offense. This will still be a very productive unit but it’s hard to envision them coming close to the 2021 edition.
Defensive Preview
Last year’s Western Kentucky squad likely reminded many IU fans of Kevin Wilson’s Hoosier teams. The offense was explosive and fun to watch but the defense struggled to stop decent offenses. WKU head coach Tyson Helton decided a new defensive coordinator was a necessary step and he brought in Tyson Summers to lead that side of the ball. Helton talked about the philosophy of the defense after their 2022 spring game: “I really his philosophy,” Helton said. “You didn’t see it today, but it’s an attacking defense. We may give up big plays on defense, but the main thing is make them have to kick field goals. Don’t let them get in the end zone. Turnovers are key as well.” The best players for this defense are Kahlef Hailassie (defensive back) and defensive linemen Juwuan Jones and Darius Shipp. The defense has enough quality pieces in the starting eleven to suggest they could be okay. However, the defensive line looks thin and the depth across the defense appears to be quite young. This is a team that surrendered 38 to Army in a close loss, 33 to a miserable Indiana offense, 48 to Michigan State, 52 and then 49 to UTSA and 38 to Appalachian State. While they were able to hold bad offenses in check (except for IU’s), they’ll need a significant upgrade on that side of the ball to offset the expected regression, even if it is minimal, on offense.
Special Teams Preview
Brayden Narveson is one of the better kickers in the Group of Five leagues and he returns for another campaign. Punter John Haggerty has moved on so they brought in Tom Ellard from the popular Prokick Australia program and he’s the favorite for the starting role. Michael Mathison has experience as a returner at Akron so it seems very possible he can be a weapon for the Hilltoppers in that department this season.