BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — As construction continues high above Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium on new video boards, the action ramps up on the field on Tuesday as WKU opens up spring practice for the 2018 season.
Under second-year head coach, the process has already begun to replace 11 starters, including seven on offense, but is bolstered by 15 returning starters and 55 lettermen from last year's Cure Bowl team.
The biggest question this fall will be who is taking the snaps from rising senior center Dennis Edwards, a three-year starter. Since 2010, few teams in the nation have been as fortunate as the Hilltoppers at the quarterback position. Only Troy has had fewer opening day starters (two) than WKU's three. Florida-born Kawaun Jakes called the signals from 2010-12 before handing over the reins to Florida-born Brandon Doughty from 2013-15. Then, in 2016, following's Doughty's graduation, in stepped - you guessed it - Florida-born Mike White for the next two seasons.
This spring, Florida-born senior Drew Eckels will look to fend off competition from non-Floridians in Steven Duncan, Davis Shanley, and Graydon Kulick, for the starting job before Florida-born four-star quarterback Kevaris Thomas, the highest-ranked high school recruit to sign with WKU, steps on campus this fall.
Defensively, despite the graduation of four-year starter Derik Overstreet at end, Joe Brown at corner, Chris Johnson at tackle, and linebacker Joel Iyiegbuniwe's early entrance to the NFL Draft, defensive coordinator Clayton White has to be happy with what he has coming back on his side of the ball which also includes seven total starters.
The Hilltoppers return two all-conference caliber safeties in Drell Greene and Devon Key and will have pieces in place for one of the better defensive lines on The Hill in the last five seasons as tackles Evan Sayner and Jalen Madden along with end Carson Jordan return from injury. Rising sophomore DeAngelo Malone made an immediate impact as a true freshman last season, and this spring will be crucial for his growth into one of C-USA's top rush ends. Factor in the addition of redshirt freshmen C.J. Marria and Juwuan Jones and senior Julien Lewis, who closed the 2017 campaign strong, and the pieces are in place for a feisty defense in year two of White's 4-2-5 scheme.
There will also be a new look on the Hilltopper staff as various roles have been added along with the addition of new offensive line coach TJ Woods. Sanford intends to take a more hands-on approach to the quarterbacks this season and will be aided with the addition of Matthew Mitchell as quarterbacks coach. Mitchell spent the 2017 campaign working with offensive coordinator Junior Adams and the wide receivers and worked in the quarterbacks room with Sanford at Notre Dame.
Jami DeBerry and Maurice Crum have added special teams coordinating duties to their roles this spring while Jimmy Lindsey has added the title of recruiting coordinator.
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