Let me rephrase.

In his opening statement after WKU football’s blowout 44-17 win against conference opponent UTEP, Helton said the Hilltoppers “need to get a lot better and need to get a lot better real fast in every area.”

“This is the time of year you gotta be really critical of yourself. I’m not getting down on anybody. I think you’ll pull anybody in this room [and] they’ll say the same thing,” Helton said. 

If a coach ever says there is nothing more that needs to be improved with his squad than he’s in the wrong profession. But when your coach says there is a lot of work that needs to be done after a 27-point conference win, you got to be pretty darn excited about what this team will look like when they get better.

Here are my thoughts about WKU’s 44-17 win against UTEP. 

Defense Still rolling

For the first time in a few weeks my pessimistic self snuck back into the picture following a 76-yard touchdown on UTEP’s second offensive drive.

“They’re back,” he said. “The big-play prone Western defense is back like they had never left.”

After the two-play, 80-yard drive, UTEP’s offensive possessions for the rest of the first half went as follows:

Five plays, 24 yards gained, interception.

Three plays, seven yards gained, punt.

Three plays, 12 yards lost, punt.

Six plays, 22 yards gained, turnover on downs. 

WKU continued their domination in the second half, allowing only a field goal in the final 30 minutes of the game. 

“I think we played well. We obviously got things we need to clean up,” Defensive tackle Dallas Walker said. “Going into practice this week we are going to focus on all the little things that we missed out there today. I think we just did a good job flying to the ball and playing with good effort.”

Hanging on for dear life, that same pessimistic self yells that this UTEP team was one of, if not the worst offense WKU has played. But no, there are no stats that will deter me from enjoying this current WKU defense. You play who’s on your schedule, and WKU’s defense continued a great stretch of performances Thursday night. 

WKU gave up only 178 yards through the air and allowed only 3.7 yards per carry. The defense also forced an interception and three turnovers on downs.

The Big Red People Eaters tied season highs in tackles for loss with eight and sacks with three. 

Thursday’s game marked the first time WKU has held three straight opponents to 21 points or less since Oct. 30, 2021. That team went the last seven regular season games without allowing over 21 points. 

Balanced offense

It’s weird to me that I’m talking about a WKU offense and the first thing I’m going to mention is the run game, but UTEP came into Thursday’s contest with one of the worst run defenses in the country and the Hilltoppers exposed it. 

WKU finished the game with 218 total rushing yards. Six Hilltoppers ran for 16 yards or more as it wasn’t just the backs getting it done. The Hilltoppers got the receivers involved with a few end-arounds to pick up those yards with the running game. It was exciting, fun and led to an offense that “at times was really explosive,” Helton said.  

The fun-to-watch offense carried itself into the passing game. Quarterback Caden Veltkamp had his best start as a Hilltopper throwing for 264 yards, three touchdowns and an interception off a deflection. He also found plenty of his weapons in the game, completing passes to seven Hilltoppers. Receivers Easton Messer and Kisean Johnson both went for over 80 yards. 

Helton was right during the postgame, noting that the offense was sloppy at times. The offense allowed three sacks, went 6-14 on third down and Veltkamp’s interception did come inside the redzone. 

But Helton was also right that there were “a lot of really really good things.” Things that will have to be really really good for WKU to compete for a conference title. 

What’s Next

“This is the time of year you gotta be really critical of yourself. I’m not getting down on anybody, I think you’ll pull anybody into this room [and] they’ll say the same thing,” Helton said. “We are extremely happy to get this win, everybody’s excited, but when we come to work tomorrow we got to turn that page and get back to work for Sam Houston.”

If you would have told me before the season that on Oct. 16, WKU would be traveling to face a top-2 team in Conference USA, I would have bet my house that it would be Liberty. My second best guess would be Jacksonville State or the slightly less probable solution that WKU thought a mid-season Red and White game was an excellent idea.

Never did I think next Wednesday’s bout against Sam Houston would hold this much importance. 

But in an incredible story Sam Houston has turned their three-win season from last year into a 5-1 start. 

The Bearkats host the number three offense in defense in C-USA and have outscored their opponents 191-143.

It’s No. 3 against No. 2 in C-USA and it’s two teams who look prime to compete for a conference title in December. 

Buckle up. 

WKU football took Boston College to the wire Saturday, but ultimately fell short, 21-20, in nauseating fashion.

Here are my thoughts on WKU’s loss at Boston College, if you can bear to relive it. 

Defense Continues to Shine

After an amazing performance at home against Toledo, I was concerned a tough road game against Boston College would stunt any momentum the WKU defense gathered against the Rockets.

But I’ll be the first to say – and I’ll say it loudly – that I was wrong. 

The Hilltoppers held the run-heavy Eagles to 111 yards rushing, the second lowest mark BC has had all year. And while BC was victim to a last minute quarterback change, WKU held backup Grayson James to 168 yards through the air. 

This performance is the first time WKU has allowed 21 points or less in back-to-back games since Nov. 12, 2022, a game that saw WKU beat Rice 45-10. 

As quarterback Caden Veltkamp continues to settle into his new role, it’s vital that the defense continues to play at this level, especially headed into Conference USA play. 

Veltkamp looked better but still hasn’t fully settled as a starter

It’s been two games of Veltkamp at the helm and I’d say his starts have been a bit underwhelming. 

I am weary to say that the redshirt sophomore quarterback has been seemingly disappointing as the starter because of the very high expectations he set coming off the bench. Veltkamp threw for a combined 781 yards and 10 touchdowns in last year’s bowl game against Old Dominion and this year’s game against MTSU. 

In his two outings as a starter, he has thrown for 474 yards and three touchdowns. Perhaps the most troubling stat is the four interceptions in the two games. 

However, I am doing my best to take this with a grain of salt. 

Even with the underwhelming play, WKU was a hypothetical score away from a 2-0 start under his reign and a hypothetical score away from being 2-0 against two really solid squads. 

With a bye week and 0-4 UTEP on the horizon, this feels like the perfect stretch for Veltkamp to settle into the starter role headed into conference play. 

Accept the Moral Victories

I know the old cliche of “no moral victories” in sports, but  WKU can and should be proud as they leave Chestnut Hill. 

WKU went into a packed parents weekend environment against a Power 4 team and almost escaped the hostility with a win. 

WKU’s last power conference games were a 63-10 loss to Ohio State and a 63-0 loss against Alabama. I know the Buckeyes and Crimson Tide aren’t exactly comparable to the Eagles – no shade to BC – but to go into a tough environment against a tough team and play a tough game is a feat that had been foreign to Hilltopper teams in the past. 

What’s Next

Unfortunately, the sting from this one may stick with Hilltopper faithful for a bit longer than usual. WKU won’t play another game until Thursday, Oct. 10 when they take on the UTEP Miners.

At the moment, UTEP sits at 0-4 and in last place in C-USA. 

Sports editor Jake McMahon can be reached at michael.mcmahon480@topper.wku.edu

But when WKU football found themselves with a chance to win the game against then 3-0 Toledo, they seized it. 

Here are my thoughts on WKU’s 26-21 win against the Rockets. 

“Somehow, someway”

WKU already had a tough task ahead of them before kickoff against the Rockets. The Hilltoppers were looking at a team that was scoring 42 points per game, fresh off a road win against an SEC school in Mississippi State. 

On top of that, the Hilltoppers were sending out redshirt sophomore quarterback Caden Veltkamp for his first career start against a defense allowing only 16 points per game.

Add an early 14-point deficit to the equation and it seemed that the Hilltoppers had the odds stacked against them if they wanted to complete the upset. 

However, “somehow, someway, we found a way to win the game,” Head Coach Tyson Helton said. 

“Just very proud of our guys. They faced so much adversity tonight and responded every single time,” he said.

WKU had yet to find themselves in a close game so far this year, but when the first opportunity arrived, the Hilltoppers answered the call. 

Hopefully WKU does not find themselves in many of these adversity-filled close games throughout the rest of the season, but when they inevitably do, the Hilltoppers’ performance against Toledo shows that they have what it takes to win in those scenarios. 

The Defense

Heading into Saturday night’s game, Toledo had averaged 42 points per game through their first three contests. WKU allowed only 21.

Heading into Saturday night’s game, Toledo quarterback Tucker Gleason had thrown no interceptions. Against WKU, he threw two. 

Heading into Saturday night’s game, Toledo had only committed one turnover in their first three games. WKU forced four. 

The Hilltoppers defensive unit played a very impressive game against what is, outside of Alabama, the best offense they have faced all year. 

“Cannot say enough about our defense,” Head Coach Tyson Helton said. “They were tested big time tonight and they stepped up to the plate.”

Caden Veltkamp and the Hilltopper Offense

In his first start as a Hilltopper, Veltkamp undoubtedly played his worst game. 

He threw for 242 yards and one touchdown, both the lowest marks of his career in games in which he attempted over five passes, and paired the career-lows with two interceptions and a fumble.

“I’m thankful for the defense for sure,” Veltkamp said. “Obviously, was not my best personal game.”

However, Veltkamp and the rest of the offense found a way when they needed it most. With under 12 minutes left in the game, down 21-12, the offense scored on consecutive possessions, including a nine-play, 62-yard drive that gave WKU the lead. Veltkamp capped off both drives with rushing touchdowns. 

“Our offense rallied in the fourth quarter… so I was really proud of our offense as a whole,” Veltkamp said. “First start as a win, you’ll take it every day.”

Maybe not the performance that Hilltopper fans had dreamed of from Veltkamp in his first start, but nevertheless he and the offense found a way to get it done.

What’s next

WKU will travel to Boston to face the Boston College Eagles on Saturday, Sept. 28, the Hilltoppers last non-conference game of the year. 

On the season, Boston College is 3-1 with wins against Florida State, Duquesne and Michigan State. The Eagles’ lone loss of the year came on the road against then No. 6 Missouri. 

Sports Editor Jake McMahon can be reached at michael.mcmahon480@topper.wku.edu. 

If you would like to submit a reaction to a piece, Letter to the Editor or other submission, please send it to Editor-in-Chief Price Wilborn at herald.opinion@wku.edu or edwin.wilborn835@topper.wku.edu. 

WKU continued their dominance in the ‘100 miles of hate’ rivalry Saturday, defeating MTSU 49-21 in Murfreesboro. The win is the sixth in a row against MTSU and the ninth in the last 10 tries.

“Just really proud of our guys tonight… . Big game, always a big rivalry game… it meant a lot for us to get this win and get it in a decisive manner,” Head coach Tyson Helton said. 

Here are my thoughts on WKU’s win at MTSU. 

THE GOOD

Caden Veltkamp

It is really unfortunate that this is the scenario Veltkamp got his chance to prove why he should lead the Hilltopper offense. On WKU’s first drive, starter TJ Finley went down with an apparent leg injury, giving Veltkamp his time to shine – and shine he did. The redshirt sophomore went 27-30 with 398 yards and six total touchdowns. 

“He prepares extremely well. He prepares like he’s the starter,” Helton said. “I always tell the players all the time… you better be ready when it’s your turn and Caden’s always ready.”

The two games the WKU offense has hosted a heavy dose of Veltkamp – this game and last year’s Toastery Bowl – the Bowling Green native has looked unphased by the challenges of coming off the bench in an emotional, tense setting. Between those two contests, Veltkamp has a combined 781 yards and 11 total touchdowns. 

There have been no updates on Finley’s health or a timetable for his return, but it feels that Veltkamp may have fully solidified himself as the starter. 

“Hopefully TJ makes a fast recovery and can get back out on the field, but I’m still going to prepare the same way whether he’s playing or I’m playing,” Veltkamp said.

Kisean Johnson

The shoes of third round NFL draft pick Malchi Corley were always going to be nearly impossible to fill, but transfer senior Kisean Johnson has done well trying to solidify himself as the next number one target. 

Against the Blue Raiders, Johnson caught eight passes for 129 yards and two touchdowns. He became the first WKU receiver to record back-to-back 100 yard receiving games since Corley and Jaylen Hall both did it in 2022. Last week against EKU he went for 119 yards. 

“Just being consistent. Not getting too high, not getting too low,” Johnson said on his pair of good performances. “Another big performance, another big game.”

While the starting quarterback position is not super clear right now, it seems that Veltkamps or Finleys first target is crystal. 

THE MEH

The defense 

I’m renaming this the meh section for this week because the defense definitely did some good things. In the first half, WKU held the Blue Raiders scoreless and forced two turnovers on downs, an interception and a three-and-out.

“I feel like we had a good defensive plan going into the game,” Cornerback Anthony Johnson Jr. said.

Even with the shutout in the first 30 minutes, WKU’s defense was put into some tough situations in the half. 

A 54-yard pass to start the second quarter put MTSU at the WKU one-yard-line. WKU stood tall and forced a turnover on downs.

On the ensuing MTSU possession, the Blue Raiders drove inside the WKU 10 but an interception from Johnson Jr. kept the shutout alive.

A real bend don’t break sequence. 

However the second half was a bit of a different story. MTSU reached the end zone on three of their four drives in the second half and scored on 37 and 71-yard touchdowns. The score really does not show it, but WKU allowed a staggering 456 yards through the air. 

WHAT’S NEXT

WKU’s next contest is a parent’s weekend showdown against the red-hot Toledo Rockets. 

Toledo is on a three-game winning streak and will be headed into Bowling Green following a dominant win against Mississippi State on the road. In the three wins, the Rockets have outscored their opponents 128-50. 

Sports Editor Jake McMahon can be reached at michael.mcmahon480@topper.wku.edu. 

If you would like to submit a reaction to a piece, Letter to the Editor or other submission, please send it to Editor-in-Chief Price Wilborn at herald.opinion@wku.edu or edwin.wilborn835@topper.wku.edu. 

I guess I forgot to add into the equation that even without Nick Saban, Alabama is still Alabama. 

Here are my takeaways from Alabama’s 63-0 shellacking of WKU. 

THE GOOD

The Defense settled in during the second half

It is entirely possible that Alabama taking their foot off the gas in the second half is the reason why WKU’s defense looked more comfortable in the last 30 minutes. However, for the sake of needing something for this section, I will choose to say the Hilltopper defense settled in. 

The defense allowed only 21 points in the second half, compared to the 42 allowed in the first, and the big play touchdowns that Alabama capitalized on in the first 30 minutes ceased to exist in the third and fourth quarters. 

THE BAD

Well pretty much everything. But more specifically: 

TJ Finley

I don’t think being benched in the second quarter with a 35-0 deficit was the ideal start for TJ Finley heading into his first game as a Hilltopper. I had hoped that the former SEC quarterback would be composed in the hostile Bryant-Denny environment, but Finley never looked comfortable. While the first seemed to be a simple miscommunication between quarterback and receiver, Finley’s two picks early sealed his fate for the rest of the game. 

If the separation between Finley and backup Caden Veltkamp is really as non-existent as Head Coach Tyson Helton made it out to be, Finley will have to find his stride early in WKU’s game against Eastern Kentucky next week. 

The Big Plays

It was not all terrible for WKU’s defense against the Crimson Tide. The Hilltoppers forced a three-and-out and recovered a fumble early, and the early scores by Alabama’s offense were made a whole lot easier due to Finley’s pair of picks. 

However, the big plays allowed by the Hilltopper defense are really what blew the game way out of reach. WKU allowed 84-yard, 39-yard, 85-yard and 55-yard touchdowns in the first half alone. Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe threw for 200 yards and three touchdowns on just seven completions. 

It’s Alabama. It’s week one. A 63-0 blowout loss was nowhere near out of the question. But for a unit that struggled last season, it is a little disheartening to see the same trends show face yet again. 

WHAT’S NEXT

If you’re a confident WKU fan leaving Tuscaloosa who is surprised by this outcome, you better be thankful sports betting is illegal in Alabama. 

Everything that could have gone wrong went wrong. 

However, it’s only week one. At the end of the day it’s a season opening loss at No. 5 Alabama. There’s a lot of season left to play. 

WKU receiver Easton Messer said it better than I ever could in the post-game presser. To be able to flush this game out, the Hilltoppers need to “have a hard week of practice, realize we might not be everything we thought we were… and forget about it.”

Sports Editor Jake McMahon can be reached at michael.mcmahon480@topper.wku.edu

If you would like to submit a reaction to a piece, Letter to the Editor or other submission, please send it to Editor-in-Chief Price Wilborn at herald.opinion@wku.edu or edwin.wilborn835@topper.wku.edu.

The Hilltoppers’ continued their dominance over Conference USA opponents in their road trip to Florida. The squad swept both FAU and FIU, setting up a regular season grand finale against No. 21 Rice University. The Hilltopppers’ have yet to lose a conference game since October of 2019.

The Hilltoppers were clicking on all cylinders against the Panthers. WKU put together 10 service aces, nine blocks, and held FIU to a .092 hitting percentage. The Hilltoppers were also impressive moving the ball. They combined for 42 assists compared to FIU’s 18. WKU showcased their elite ability to control the tempo of the game throughout the competition. 

The Hilltoppers were led by Lauren Matthews who posted 17 kills, three total blocks, and hit at .467. Senior Paige Briggs had a renaissance game, playing all over the floor. Briggs created 10 kills, produced three assists and eight digs, and made two blocks. 

In the first set, the Hilltoppers were led by fifth year senior Lauren Matthews. Matthews tallied seven kills and one block, totaling eight points in the set. She also hit at an impressive .750 hitting percentage in the set. Senior Katie Isenbarger added  two blocks and four kills in the set. The Hilltoppers won the opening set 25-20.

Improving on their first set the Hilltoppers showcased why they have been the most dominant team in the conference all year.. WKU opened the set with a 12-1 run. Fifth year senior Ashley Hood scored off four service aces in the set, setting the Hilltoppers for a dominant victory in the second set. In the second set the Hilltoppers’ had six service aces and13 kills while posting a .200 hitting percentage in the set. The Hilltoppers won the set 25-16.

To close out their road trip WKU flourished in the final set. The Hilltoppers hit at .542 a clip while holding FIU to a .000 hitting percentage. WKU combined for 15 kills, three service aces, and one block. The Hilltopper defense forced FIU to commit five attack errors in the set. WKU won the set 25-10.

The Hilltoppers’ next match will be their final test of the regular against No. 21 Rice University on Thursday, Nov. 10 at 6 p.m. CT.

Sports reporter Cole McIntire can be reached at coleman.mcintire187@topper.wku.edu.

WKU’s hiring of Tyson Helton as the next head football coach has drawn reactions of praise and excitement from both current and former players, but reactions from the fan base haven’t been as positive. 

Helton’s results as an offensive assistant certainly haven’t been perfect. The 41-year-old head coach had the advantage of directing current New York Jets quarterback Sam Darnold during his time as Southern California’s passing game coordinator in 2016 and 2017, and that certainly went well. Darnold totaled 7,229 yards, 57 touchdowns and 22 interceptions in those two years. His results as Tennessee’s offensive coordinator in 2018 weren’t as great. UT averaged just 196 passing yards, 129 rushing yards and 22.9 points per game. The Volunteers also finished the year 5-7. 

But WKU’s situation is quite different than the one in Knoxville, Tennessee. The Hilltoppers aren’t going up against SEC defenses. This conference is much more of what Helton is used to from his time here as an offensive coordinator, a time in which WKU racked up an abundance of yards and touchdowns. The Hilltoppers were ranked fifth in the nation in total offense in each of Helton’s two seasons as the offensive coordinator on the Hill (2014, 2015). That included a passing game that ranked second in the nation in total yards in 2014 and first in 2015. The Hilltoppers also ranked sixth in the nation in points in 2014 and second in 2015. 

After the last two years without Jeff Brohm, it’s clear that an infusion of high-powered offense is exactly what WKU needs. Since Brohm’s departure, WKU’s offensive firepower has completely disappeared, especially since the departure of current Dallas Cowboys quarterback Mike White. The Hilltoppers ranked 120th in total offense in 2018. 

“We are going to return to a style of offensive play for which WKU has been known, and I’m very excited that we’re going to move to that,” President Timothy Caboni said at Helton’s introductory press conference. “He understands the expectation is we will compete for championships. Period.”

In addition to Helton’s experience running a high-powered offense on the Hill, there also weren’t any other candidates that really would have made sense for WKU. Many expected the Hilltoppers to show interest in former Mississippi head coach Hugh Freeze, who resigned amidst a scandal he was in the middle of. 

Many also expected athletic director Todd Stewart to show interest in West Virginia offensive coordinator Jake Spavital. Spavital helped coach redshirt senior Will Grier into the Heisman conversation this season, as he has thrown for 3,864 yards (which ranks fourth in the nation) and 37 touchdowns (which ranks second in the nation). The Mountaineers finished the regular season 8-3 thanks to their explosive offense, meaning Spavital is likely to be a candidate for more highly-touted Power 5 jobs. 

When Stewart looked at his available options, Helton was at the top of the list, and for good reason. When Helton showed interest, there was no real reason for Stewart to evaluate other options. 

“He was the number one person,” Stewart said. “So, when you identify someone as the number one person, and then you begin discussions with them, and it’s validated that they should remain your number one person, and they are as equally interested in you, to me there’s no reason to prolong it and to waste other people’s time.”

Many fear that Helton’s tenure will be similar to Sanford’s. This is Helton’s first head-coaching job, and it was Sanford’s first head coaching job as well. Sanford also had a resume that featured assistant jobs with prominent programs, but the key difference between the two is that Helton has proven he can have success here. He’s helped lead WKU to wins, bowl games and a conference championship. 

Helton is set up to do just fine at the helm of WKU football. He’s got a talented roster thanks to Sanford’s back-to-back highly-touted recruiting classes, as well as the experience and the knowledge to succeed in C-USA.  

Sports Editor Jeremy Chisenhall can be reached at 270-745-6291 and jeremy.chisenhall921@topper.wku.edu. Follow him on Twitter at @JSChisenhall.

It’s really not surprising we’re at this point. 

Most WKU fans saw it coming last year, not hesitating to pour criticism on now-former WKU head coach Mike Sanford after the Hilltoppers lost three straight to Florida Atlantic, Vanderbilt and Marshall last year. That criticism certainly didn’t let up when WKU got annihilated by Florida International 41-17 to close the season. Nor did it let up when the Hilltoppers lost to Georgia State 27-17 in the Cure Bowl, falling to a Panthers team that was playing in only its second bowl game in the program’s history. 

“I felt like Georgia State honestly wanted the game more than we did,” athletic director Todd Stewart said. “And that was disappointing because we had a lot at stake. We’d won a bowl game three straight years. There were only nine programs in the country that had done that, and that was a historical game, so to come out and play like that was disappointing.”

The Hilltoppers struggled in almost every facet of the game in 2017. Most notably, they averaged just 61 rushing yards per game and recorded only 12 sacks all year. 

Still, 6-7 got the job done in year one. College coaches generally get four years to implement their own system, and after year one it seemed like Sanford would get that. 

But in Sanford’s second year—his first without star quarterback Mike White to aid the offense—the Hilltopper program regressed more severely than anyone could have expected. 

It didn’t seem like it could get much worse when WKU lost to Maine, a Football Championship Subdivision opponent. The Hilltoppers only managed to beat Ball State in their first 10 games. The 1-9 start included a blowout loss to Charlotte, a school that was founded in 2013.

While it wasn’t known at the time, there wasn’t anything Sanford could do to help himself after the 1-9 start. The Hilltoppers won their last two games, including a win over a bowl-eligible Louisiana Tech team, but Stewart still pulled the plug. 

“The thing that I point out is the evaluation on the overall body of work. And the two years that Mike was our head coach, the winning percentage over those two years is the worst by any Western Kentucky head coach since 1922,” Stewart said. “You look at where we have been as a program and where we are now—we need to get back to where we were.”

Sanford’s win percentage was .360, the worst by a Hilltopper coach since Jesse Thomas in 1946-47, who had a record of 5-10-2 (.353). 

The Hilltoppers were coming off back-to-back seasons of 11-plus wins as well as back-to-back Conference USA championships. During Sanford’s tenure, the Hilltoppers fell into the cellar of Football Bowl Subdivision rankings.

As troubling as 2017 was in certain statistical aspects, 2018 was worse in others. Most notably, the Hilltoppers were atrocious in converting third and fourth downs. WKU converted just 72-of-185 third downs, which was just 39 percent. The Hilltoppers struggled mightily on fourth down converting, just 9-of-24 attempts (38 percent), and yet they continued to attempt fourth-down conversions for much of the year. 

During Sanford’s tenure, WKU saw a number of departures from the football program between 2017 and 2018 for a variety of reasons. Punter Jake Collins transferred to Northwestern, running back Quinton Baker was removed from the team and announced he would transfer as well. Running back Marquez Trigg left the team as well during the 2018 season, and Xavier Lane was temporarily removed from the roster. 

While Sanford seemed like an exciting young hire at the time, he’s left this program in far worse shape than it was when he got here. Thankfully for the next incoming head coach, they’ve got the best recruiting class in WKU history to build on. 

Sports Editor Jeremy Chisenhall can be reached at 270-745-6291 and jeremy.chisenhall921@topper.wku.edu. Follow him on Twitter at @JSChisenhall.

The loss to Maine seemed as deflating as it could get for WKU football, but a loss to Charlotte—a blowout loss at that—is a new low point for the Hilltoppers in 2018.

The Hilltoppers headed to North Carolina Saturday with a chance to get back to .500 in a conference that anyone could win this year. They had two weeks to prepare thanks to the bye in Week 6, and yet they were tossed aside by a Charlotte team that is only six years into its football history, suffering a 40-14 loss, the largest margin of victory Charlotte has ever had over any Conference USA team.

After seemingly revitalizing its season with a road win against Ball State, WKU has now dropped back-to-back games, one in heartbreaking fashion and the other in demoralizing fashion. Sitting at 1-5 for the year and 0-2 in C-USA play, the opportunity to salvage anything from this season is getting away. WKU would need to close the season 5-1 to even be eligible for a bowl game this year, and there are four games on the schedule against teams with a win percentage of .500 or better.

It’s still just the halfway point of the season, so in theory there’s still time to right the ship. At this point, a 5-7 season would seem like a good bounce back given the disaster the Hilltoppers have gone through so far.

Bounce back or not, odds are this team will be the first Hilltopper team to miss a bowl game since 2013, which would be a huge step backward for a program ranked 24th in the season ending AP Poll just three years ago. It’s also looking more and more likely that the 2018 Hilltoppers become the first team since 2010 to finish the regular season under .500.

“I do think this is uncharacteristic, and this is not who we are,” head coach Mike Sanford told the media after the Charlotte loss. “And I’ve got to find a way for us to get out against Old Dominion with another great opportunity against a team that obviously didn’t play well in this stadium either. We’ve got to play a whole lot better.”

The sentiment of “this is not who we are” is one that Sanford has preached time and again this year. It usually comes in the form of him saying that he still has faith that his team is really good and is really close to making a breakthrough.

Usually, that makes sense. Especially when the team lost three games by three points or fewer in a span of four weeks. Changing one play in each of those games could have WKU sitting at 4-2 right now. But after being trounced by 26 points against a team that has yet to put together a single winning season, it certainly doesn’t feel like the Hilltoppers are close to that breakthrough anymore. Maybe this is who they are: a 1-5 team that is no better than its record shows.

As Sanford mentioned, the Hilltoppers have Old Dominion next, another chance for WKU to get its first C-USA win this year. Old Dominion has the worst in-conference record in the league, sitting at 0-4 in C-USA play and 1-6 for the year as a whole. Yet the Monarchs’ one win came against Virginia Tech, a team that was ranked 13th in the nation at the time, so this game is anything but a sure thing for the Hilltoppers this week.

The Hilltoppers are now walking a dangerous line, and one loss in the next couple weeks would likely seal their postseason fate.

Sports Editor Jeremy Chisenhall can be reached at 270-745-6291 and jeremy.chisenhall921@topper.wku.edu. Follow him on Twitter at @JSChisenhall.

Over the last two years, Rick Stansbury has taken step after step in the right direction in an effort to revitalize WKU’s basketball program.

Last year, the Hilltopper head coach (almost) landed a five-star recruit, brought in Kentucky’s Mr. Basketball, scored a win over a top-25 opponent, made a run to the Conference USA Tournament Championship game, made a run to the semifinal of the NIT, and then landed a five-star commit that it looks like he’ll keep this time.

That success and all those steps in the right direction have drawn a lot of eyes to WKU basketball. The Hilltoppers played in front of a capacity crowd three times in Diddle Arena last year and played in front of another 11,000-plus three times in road games against Middle Tennessee State, Oklahoma State and Wisconsin. They also landed on either ESPN or ESPN2 for each of the final three games of their NIT run.

Now the Hilltoppers will get attention from some very important eyes thanks to another good decision by Stansbury: the decision to hold a pro day on campus.

This is a great move for a couple of reasons. First, it puts WKU in a small group of schools currently hosting basketball pro days. Kentucky head coach John Calipari started it, and other Power 5 programs have followed suit, including Duke, Vanderbilt and Missouri. It’s been rare to see mid-major schools partaking in the trend, although Nevada held one in September. This makes WKU one of the first mid-major programs to jump in on this trend.

Second, WKU actually has good reason to hold a pro day, unlike most mid-major schools. Five-star freshman Charles Bassey is already a projected NBA lottery pick in 2019 by NBADraft.net and a top-20 pick on Bleacher Report’s mock draft. In addition to that, the Hilltoppers have graduate transfer forward DeSean Murray and redshirt senior guard Lamonte Bearden, both of whom have had success at this level and are looking to make an NBA Draft push in their final seasons of eligibility. Bearden even put his name into the draft after last season before withdrawing and returning to WKU (although the Hilltoppers will be without his services in the first semester). On top of all that, sophomore guard Taveion Hollingsworth looks like a player that could be on track to be NBA-bound a little early. Getting him in front of NBA scouts now could be a huge deal in a year or two.

This can only do good things for the future of the program. Stansbury has preached time and again about how important recruiting is for a basketball program, and he’s really starting to succeed in that aspect. This pro day takes another step forward by getting his players in front of NBA eyes. That’s something recruits will keep in mind if they’re trying to make the jump to pro basketball. Getting attention from NBA scouts is also something the Hilltoppers won’t get a lot of during the regular season in Conference USA, so getting that attention now is a big deal.

Of course, Stansbury has also helped to get eyes on his team with non-conference scheduling this year. The Hilltoppers have added Power 5 opponent Washington to the schedule in a game that’ll be featured on ESPNU. They’ll also be playing three games on ESPN networks in the Myrtle Beach Invitational before playing two more Power 5 opponents in Arkansas and Wisconsin.

The pro day is scheduled to be held on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. in Diddle Arena. It’ll be closed to the public.

Sports Editor Jeremy Chisenhall can be reached at 270-745-6291 and jeremy.chisenhall921@topper.wku.edu. Follow him on Twitter at @JSChisenhall.