The time is here Hilltopper Fans! We have been waiting for this moment since last season when the Tops were snubbed for that bowl game that they deserved. This season we need to leave it all on the table both as a team and as a fan base. Let's not give the bowl committee's any excuse to keep our boys from making WKU history this season. In the wise words of Coach Taggart we need to "Show up and Show out". That all starts this week as we kick off he football season at home for the first time since 2008. We need to make a statement this weekend to the rest of the Sun Belt and the country that the Tops are coming out of the gate ready to play this season. That all starts by taking the "Peay" to the out house....uh i mean woodshed. Big Red knows a thing or two about taking care of that.
This Saturday there can be no confusion from the Tops on who the better team is. Austin Peay is a team that finished with a 3-8 overall record last season. The coaches in the OVC don't expect much more from the Govs this season picking them to finish dead last at #9 in the conference this season. The votes for the 8th place team wasn't even close. The Governors Head Coach Rick Christophel has compiled a 18-37 record while entering his 6th season with the program. The Governors return 18 starters from last seasons team. 7 on offense and 9 on the defensive side of the ball.
On offense Austin Peay is a team that likes to run the ball. The utilize a lot of the same sets and formations as WKU. Just without employing very many pre-snap motions into the schemes. They are also a team that isn't afraid to run the ball on 3rd and long to try and catch the defense sleeping expecting a pass. After talking to WKU defensive captain and starting DT Jamarcus Allen at the first practice of the fall, this game will go a long way in helping the defense attain one of the pre-season team goals of being a top 5 rush defense in the nation. Another key for the Tops in stoping the Governors offense will be limiting the amount of touches Sr WR Devin Stark is able to take in. Stark was named 2nd team preseason All-American offence by the FCS Senior Bowl. He had 53 receptions for 627 yards to go with 7 TD's in 2011. Sr QB Jake Ryan enters the season 4th all time in pass completions (290) and 5th in yards (3,191).
On the Defensive side of the ball the Governors like to stack to box and stop the run. They run a basic 4-2-5 defensive alignment. Sometimes employing as many as 8 men in the box, this is a game where Jakes is going to have to make the defense pay for keeping so many men near the line of scrimmage. Peay is led by Sr Safety Antwaun Majors who led the team with 88 tackles in 2011. That ranked the former walk-on 8th in the OVC last season in stops. WKU should be able to rely on a veteran and experienced offensive line that will have to make their blocks if we expect to be able to run the ball well not only in this game, but this season as well. WKU is used to teams stacking the box the last couple of seasons trying to stop Bobby Rainey. The Tops offensive line always got the job done before and I do not expect this game to be any different no matter how many players the Govs put up front.
So I guess that means it is prediction time. Well if you haven't heard Andrew "President of Destruction" Jackson's quote from the other day he said "We should put up 60 points...that is all I am going to say". As much as I don't want to go against a forecast by the Prez, I am not ready to give us a 60 point outing just yet. The Toppers have been working hard for this moment since the last whistle blew against Troy in LT Smith stadium to end last season. They are ready to come out swinging and hit someone in the mouth.
Tops lay waste 45-3 over the Governors of Austin Peay.
--Shane Bearden
@Toppr24
On offense Austin Peay is a team that likes to run the ball. The utilize a lot of the same sets and formations as WKU. Just without employing very many pre-snap motions into the schemes. They are also a team that isn't afraid to run the ball on 3rd and long to try and catch the defense sleeping expecting a pass. After talking to WKU defensive captain and starting DT Jamarcus Allen at the first practice of the fall, this game will go a long way in helping the defense attain one of the pre-season team goals of being a top 5 rush defense in the nation. Another key for the Tops in stoping the Governors offense will be limiting the amount of touches Sr WR Devin Stark is able to take in. Stark was named 2nd team preseason All-American offence by the FCS Senior Bowl. He had 53 receptions for 627 yards to go with 7 TD's in 2011. Sr QB Jake Ryan enters the season 4th all time in pass completions (290) and 5th in yards (3,191).
On the Defensive side of the ball the Governors like to stack to box and stop the run. They run a basic 4-2-5 defensive alignment. Sometimes employing as many as 8 men in the box, this is a game where Jakes is going to have to make the defense pay for keeping so many men near the line of scrimmage. Peay is led by Sr Safety Antwaun Majors who led the team with 88 tackles in 2011. That ranked the former walk-on 8th in the OVC last season in stops. WKU should be able to rely on a veteran and experienced offensive line that will have to make their blocks if we expect to be able to run the ball well not only in this game, but this season as well. WKU is used to teams stacking the box the last couple of seasons trying to stop Bobby Rainey. The Tops offensive line always got the job done before and I do not expect this game to be any different no matter how many players the Govs put up front.
So I guess that means it is prediction time. Well if you haven't heard Andrew "President of Destruction" Jackson's quote from the other day he said "We should put up 60 points...that is all I am going to say". As much as I don't want to go against a forecast by the Prez, I am not ready to give us a 60 point outing just yet. The Toppers have been working hard for this moment since the last whistle blew against Troy in LT Smith stadium to end last season. They are ready to come out swinging and hit someone in the mouth.
Tops lay waste 45-3 over the Governors of Austin Peay.
--Shane Bearden
@Toppr24
RSS Feed
