The Alabama Crimson Tide jumped to No. 1 in both the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches Poll on Tuesday after throttling Michigan 41-14 in Dallas. The time for celebration has ended however, and the Crimson Tide is fully focused on their game against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers this coming Saturday.
Western Kentucky is still a young FBS program, having moved up to college football’s top level in 2008. After winning just four games in their first three seasons at the FBS level, Western Kentucky had a breakout year in 2011 by winning 7 games.
Last season started like all the others for Western Kentucky as they started 0-4, including a 44-16 loss to FCS foe Indiana State. After that, Western Kentucky won seven of their last eight games to finish the season 7-5. Their lone loss during that stretch was on the road against top-ranked LSU.
Despite their seven-win season, Western Kentucky was not invited to a bowl game. They are looking to build on last season’s success and they got their 2012 season off on the right foot with a 49-10 win over Austin Peay.
The Hilltoppers racked up 596 yards of total offense in the win against the overmatched Governors.
The Western Kentucky offense is led by senior quarterback Kawaun Jakes. This is Jakes’ third season as Head Coach Willie Taggart’s starter. Western Kentucky’s passing offense was quite poor last season as they averaged just 167 yards per game, which ranked 102nd in the nation.
Jakes did look improved in the opener, with 296 passing yards and four touchdowns on 18-of-23 passing. The biggest concern for their passing offense this season is their inexperience and youth at wide receiver. Speedster Wilie McNeal has recovered from a knee injury and caught two passes for 23 yards and a touchdown in the opener.
Tight end Jack Doyle was the leading receiver for the game with five receptions for 76 yards. Boe Brand and Tim Gorski also added touchdown receptions. The Hilltoppers also do not have great size on the outside, with Marcus Vasquez (6-foot-1) and Boe Brand (6-foot) their only wide receivers over six feet.
The biggest question mark on their offense coming into the season was finding someone to replace record-setting running back Bobby Rainey. Rainey broke the school record for rushing yards in a season and a career last season as he racked up 1,695 yards in 2011. He added 361 receiving yards and had 17 total touchdowns.
The concern was for nothing in the opening game, as the Hilltoppers racked up 244 yards on the ground against Austin Peay on 6.3 yards per carry. Junior Keshawn Simpson got the start and rushed for 60 yards on eight carries. Freshman Leon Allen led the way on the ground with 93 yards and a touchdown on 13 rushes.
The real test for the Western Kentucky ground game will come this week against the Crimson Tide. Alabama’s front seven shut down Michigan’s rush offense last weekend, holding the Wolverines to just 69 yards on the ground.
The Hilltoppers returned four starters on their offensive line from last season, but they should be overmatched against Alabama’s defensive front. They can’t match Alabama’s talent and it looks like it will be a long day for Western Kentucky on offense.
This week Alabama’s defense will look to correct their mistakes from last week, and they will have to do so against an experienced offense. Western Kentucky returned eight offensive starters from last season.
Hopefully we won’t see any more defensive breakdowns that led to big plays in the passing game.
In any case, Western Kentucky should have a lot of trouble getting points on the board against this Alabama defense, and hopefully the Crimson Tide will get an opportunity to play a lot of young guys on defense in this game, but don’t tell Coach Saban I said that.
Friday, I will take a look at Western Kentucky’s defense.
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