2020 First Glance Week 2: Hoosiers Host Western Kentucky in Home Opener

Gaej Walker (5) is C-USA’s best running back Image: Western Kentucky Athletics

Written by Sammy Jacobs (@Hoosier_Huddle)

Week Two: Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

Date & Time: Saturday, September 12, 2020, Time: TBA

Venue: Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, Indiana

TV: TBA

Hilltoppers at a Glance

Head Coach: Tyson Helton

Entering his 2nd year at Western Kentucky and Second Overall Year

Overall Record: 9-4

At Western Kentucky: 9-4

Last Season: 9-4 (6-2) Win over Western Michigan in the First Responder Bowl

Hilltoppers Returning Leaders

Passing: Tyrrell Pigrome @ Maryland (69-118 passing (58.5%), 719 yards, 3 TDs, 6 INTs)

Rushing: Gaej Walker (241 rushes, 1,208 yards, 5 YPC, 8 TDs)

Receiving: Jahcour Pearson (76 receptions, 804 yards, 7 TDs)

Tackles: LB Kyle Bailey (109 tackles, 52 solo tackles, 6 TFLs, 0.5 Sacks, 3 INTs)

Hilltoppers Preseason Predictions

Athlon: 1st in C-USA East

Lindy’s: 2nd in C-USA East

Phil Steele: Not Published

Street & Smith’s: 2nd in C-USA East

SP+: 57th (8 wins)

Impact Newcomers for the Hilltoppers

Will Ignot, LB- Ignot comes via the transfer portal from Tennessee. He played in 21 career games with the Volunteers and had a nice 2018 season when he played in 12 games and made 47 tackles including two tackles for loss. Last season Ingot played in just three games while making 16 tackles. He should be a contributor on defense if he is immediately eligible.

Tyrell Pigrome, QB- Pigrome is a familiar face for the Hoosiers as he played against them during his career at Maryland. The ‘Toppers need a quarterback and Pigrome brings Big Ten experience and a lot of athleticism, but his career has be derailed by injuries.

Biggest Questions Facing the 2020 Hilltoppers

1. Who starts at quarterback?

2. Skill Position Depth

3. Can the defense repeat its 2019 success?

Offensive Preview

The last time that Western Kentucky took on the Hoosiers, they were a team lead by an explosive offense, it’ll be a different Hilltopper look in 2020. The ‘Toppers ranked in the bottom half of Conference-USA in every major offensive category beside passing yards per game (fifth). Western Kentucky averaged 25.4 points per game, 387.8 total yards (128.5 rushing, 259.3 passing) in 2019 en route to a 9-4 season. They finished 2019 97th in offensive SP+.

The offense will be spearheaded by All-CUSA running back Gaej Walker who lead C-USA in rushing in 2019 with 1,208 yards and eight touchdowns on 241 carries. WKU will have to find some support for Walker as there is no other returning player who had more than nine carries in 2019. Junior Jakari Moses will likely be the backup to Walker and had one carry for six yards last season.

The biggest question facing the Hilltoppers is who will start at quarterback. Ty Storey graduated and Steven Duncan hit the Transfer Portal after last year. They combined for 3,357 yards passing along with 19 touchdown passes. Redshirt junior Davis Shanley looks to be the starter heading into fall camp. Shanley has played in 10 career games, with nine of them being in 2018. Shanley has completed 96-of-141 career passes (68%) for 942 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions.

The Hilltoppers brought in former Maryland quarterback Tyrell Pigrome to join the quarterback battle. Pigrome is a dynamic athlete and when he is healthy, he can take over a game with his legs while still posing a threat through the air. Redshirt sophomore Kevaris Thomas will also be in the mix, but has one career pass to his name.

WKU will have to find a way to replace 1,100-yard receiver Lucky Jackson and Quin Jernighan who made 32 catches for 341 yards, but there is experienced depth ready to step up. Senior Jachour Pearson was WKU’s second leading receiver with 76 receptions for 804 yards and lead the team with seven touchdown receptions. Jaquez Sloan is also primed for a starting role as a senior after a 34-catch 297-yard campaign in 2019. Senior Xavier Lane will also be in for a bigger role in 2020.

The aerial attack will also feature All-C-USA tight end Joshua Simon. As a freshman, Simon made 30 catches for 430 yards and four touchdowns.

The foundation that the Hilltopper offense is built on is a talented, veteran offensive line. The ‘Toppers O-line features three All-C-USA selections and returns four starters from a year ago. The group is headlined right guard Jordan Meredith who has 37 games of experience under his belt. The two other senior starters are left guard Tyler Witt and center Seth Joest, while juniors Cole Spencer and Mason Brooks made the left and right tackle positions respectively.

If the Hilltoppers can find a quarterback to captain the offense, they could have a formidable attack that is multi-faceted.

Defensive Preview

The strength of the 2019 Hilltoppers was a defense that ranked 31st in SP+ defensively. They were the number one scoring defense in C-USA and bring back nine starters in their 4-2-5 scheme. The ‘Toppers also feature four All-C-USA preseason selections headlined by leading sack getter defensive end DeAngelo Malone who took down opposing quarterbacks 11.5 times in 2019.

Malone (21.5 tackles for loss), defensive tackle Jalen Madden (two TFLs) and defensive end Juwuan Jones (12 TFLs) form a strong group of returning starters upfront. Senior Jeremy Darvin will join the starting lineup at defensive tackle after posting four tackles for loss in a reserve role in 2019.

In the middle of the defense, Western Kentucky returns both starting linebackers in seniors Kyle Baily and Clay Davis. Baily led the Hilltoppers in tackles in 2019 with 109 and added six TFLs, three interceptions and seven quarterback hurries. Davis was fifth on the team with 60 tackles including three for a loss and a forced fumble. It’s a productive duo that complements a very solid defensive line. Backups Damon Lowe and Eli Brown provide experienced depth. Lowe made 20 tackles in 2019 while Brown redshirted, but had 25 tackles and 5.5 TFLs in 2018.

The secondary is highlighted by safety Devon Key who made 93 tackles with 2.5 TFLs to go along with an interception, which he returned for a touchdown and eight passes broken up.

Senior Antwon Kincade is the safety opposite Key and made 84 tackles while picking off two passes. On the corners are seniors Dionte Ruffin, who started in 2019 and made 25 tackles, broke up nine passes and forced two fumbles, and Roger Cray. Cray played in seven games in 2019, but notched two interceptions in his limited playing time.

The nickelback is senior Trae Meadows who made 30 tackles and one interception in 2019.

Special Teams Preview

Sticking with the theme of returning production, the Hilltoppers return their field goal kicker, punter and both return specialists in 2020. They finished 88th in SP+ for special teams and will need that to improve if they are to try and win a C-USA title.

Placekicker Cory Munson had a rocky freshman year where he made just 17-of-28 (60.7%) of his field goal attempts. He did make 39-of-40 extra points. Munson also handles the kickoff duties where 33 of his 66 kickoffs went for touchbacks. The ‘Toppers did attempt three onside kicks in 2020 as well.

Punter John Hagerty has a big leg and averaged 45.8 yards per punt, but netted only 41.6 yards. His punts are returnable as well. Opponents returned 19 of his 45 punts for an average of 6.8 yards. 18 of his 45 punts were downed inside the opponents’ 20-yard line, while two went into the end zone for touchbacks and only nine of his punts were fair caught.

WKU didn’t do much in either of the return games in 2019. As a team they averaged 19.2 yards per kickoff return. Their most explosive returner Was Dayton Wade who averaged 31 yards on two returns, but the ‘Toppers main kick returner is slated to be Jacquz Sloan who returned 13 kicks for 251 yards in 2020.

All six players who returned a punt in 2019 are back for the Hilltoppers in 2020. Roger Cray is penciled in as the starting punt returner, but he did not do much on just five attempts last season.