Sept. 6, 2002
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - The Western Kentucky University football team finds itself staring at d?j? vu all over again as it plays the first of six games this season at L.T. Smith Stadium/Jimmy Feix Field Saturday.
The Hilltoppers opened 2001 with a loss at Western Illinois only to return home to defeat Kentucky State, 48-0. Last season's squad went on to post an 8-4 record and qualify for the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs for the second time in as many years, giving WKU back-to-back postseason appearances for the first time since 1987-88.
Last week, the Toppers dropped a 48-3 decision at I-A Kansas State to begin the 2002 campaign. Tomorrow, they face Kentucky State, which is again beginning its season at Smith Stadium with the first of four games away from home this month.
Can the Hilltoppers use this contest with the Thorobreds as a springboard to success? Hilltopper head coach Jack Harbaugh realizes the importance of today's game with Gateway Football Conference rivals Western Illinois and Youngstown State coming to Bowling Green in the following two weeks. "This game ties into the next five weeks for us, in that we are trying to put ourselves in position to achieve our ultimate goal of the Gateway Conference championship," he commented.
QB Jason Michael posted career highs with seven completions in 11 attempts last week, throwing for 73 yards against the Wildcats. He also added 24 yards on the ground - his 97 yards of total offense led WKU - with a career-long run of 29 yards in the fourth quarter.
Behind Michael, the Toppers will have a trio of running backs looking to carry the brunt of the rushing attack. Jon Frazier earned the start at tailback last week, though most of his team-high 107 all-purpose yards came on kickoff returns. Maurice Bradley came off the bench to post a team-leading 64 yards on 19 carries, surpassing his rushing total as a freshman last fall in one night, while Indiana transfer Jeremi Johnson had three carries and added two receptions from the fullback position.
Michael also found two wide receivers, Shannon Hayes and Casey Rooney, for a pair completions, giving the Hilltoppers something they did not have in 11 regular-season contests last year - a player with more than one catch in a game.
Western's top four tacklers were a quartet of players making their first collegiate start on the defensive side of the ball. SS Brian Lowder recorded a game-high 12 stops, equaling the best season total in his previous two years, while FS Antonio Veals added nine tackles, ILB Charles Thompson eight and CB Carl Birts seven. In addition to Lowder's three tackles behind the line of scrimmage, DL Patrick Reynolds was credited with four tackles for loss.
PK Peter Martinez hit a 30-yard field goal midway through the fourth quarter, helping the Toppers record points in their 65th consecutive contest as well as allowing him to move alone into second place all-time on the Hill with 32 three-pointers in his three-year career. P Brian Claybourn ranks second in NCAA I-AA with an average of 49.6 yards per kick after he recorded two punts of 50 yards or more, including a 66-yard boot on his first effort of the year.
The Thorobreds should be led in 2002 by QB Jonathan Harris, their leading returning rusher and passer. As a junior, Harris posted 370 yards on 132 carries while also completing 95-of-198 passes for 1,015 yards and three touchdowns.
The backfield will be missing its two top ground gainers from last fall - Alvon Brown (188-849, 13 TDs) and Alastair Couch (140-627, 2 TDs) - but WR Derek Talbert returns after leading KSU with 27 receptions for 305 yards a year ago.
Defensively, the 'Breds should be paced by last season's leading tackler, LB Rashaun Lester, who led the squad with 77 tackles, including 11 for loss. DL LeBaron Steele (18-21 / 39 TT, 5 TFL) and LB Norman Alvis (13-22 / 35 TT) are also back.
A familiar face can again be found on the visiting sideline, with KSU head coach Donald Smith entering his second season leading the program. Smith ranks as one of the best runners in Hilltopper history, as he is one of only six running backs in school history to surpass the 1,000-yard mark in a season, accomplishing the feat as a junior in 1989.
"The game is one I always look forward to because of my relationship with Donald," said Harbaugh. "He was one of our outstanding student-athletes when I came here, and I have come to respect him as a football coach too."
This will be the fourth meeting between the two schools, with the Toppers taking the first three by a combined score of 133-22.
- WKU -
