The Hilltoppers will practice three times a week, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, with the weekday practices in the evening and Saturday practices tentatively scheduled for the mid-morning hours. Fans looking to get a jump start on checking out the new look Hilltoppers are invited to attend any and all portions of practice and watch from the east side of Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium.
Spring practice will conclude on April 13 with the annual Red vs. White Spring Game at 2 p.m. inside Houchens-Smith Stadium.
Tentatively, WKU will be on the field from 4 to 6 p.m. for Tuesday and Thursday practices at 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for Saturday practices and scrimmages. Time and dates are extremely subject to change.
On top of installing Helton's new offense, the Hilltoppers will enter the spring looking to solidify their signal caller of the future after having three starters at the position last season. Junior Steven Duncan, sophomore Davis Shanley, and redshirt freshman Kevaris Thomas all saw time under center last season. WKU returns largely the rest of the cast on the offensive side of the football with three of the top four running backs and four of the top five pass catchers back for 2019. The Hilltoppers were also one of only three teams last season that did not have a senior offensive lineman, and all five starters are back up front.
Defensively, the Hilltoppers will need to replace the top two tacklers, but six of the top ten are back including a dynamic duo of defensive ends in DeAngelo Malone (9.0 TFL) and freshman All-American Juwuan Jones (6.0 TFL). Defensive coordinator Clayton White will need to find two new starting linebackers for his 4-2-5 alignment, but rising senior Eli Brown was disruptive in his snaps and junior Kyle Bailey has moved down into the box to add depth to the room as well after tallying 29 tackles last season.
On special teams this spring, Alex Rinella returns as the lone kicker with in-game kicking experience but sophomore Adam Krause, who held all of last season for WKU, will add his leg into the mix alongside Australian newcomer John Haggerty.
WKU 2019 Spring Practice Schedule
- Tuesday, March 12
- Thursday, March 14
- Saturday, Mach 16
- Tuesday, March 19
- Thursday, March 21
- Saturday, March 23
- Tuesday, March 26
- Thursday, March 28
- Saturday, March 30
- Tuesday, April 2
- Thursday, April 4
- Saturday, April 6
- Tuesday, April 9
- Thursday, April 11
- Red vs. White Spring Game, Saturday, April 13 – 2 p.m.
