It was the Hilltoppers’ final workout in full pads before Saturday’s 2 p.m. (CDT) Red-White Game. WKU will take part in a two-hour practice in helmets only Thursday at 7 p.m.
“It seemed to be very balanced, the offense won the first few plays on first downs, but the defense responded and made plays,” Hilltopper head coach David Elson said. “We got some teaching done tonight, we can really learn once we watch the film.
“What we saw tonight was that we have playmakers on both sides of the ball. Our offense is getting more and more difficult to defend, I think that is just going to make our defense better in the long run.”
Western’s first drill had the offense facing 1st-and-10, with a gain of 5 yards or more considered a win for the offense. The first-team offense won three of its first five plays, and the second-team unit succeeded on four of its first five tries before the defense turned the tables. The two units combined to pick up 5-plus yards on only two of the next 10 plays, with the defense recording four stops behind the line of scrimmage, before the Toppers changed situations.
On third down plays, the defense did not allow the chains to move on 18 of 23 snaps. Joe Woolridge recorded four tackles including a pair of sacks, while Ben Sowders was credited with three tackles.
The offense turned the tables in red zone drills, scoring on all but one possession that started at the defense’s 25-yard line. After Chris James closed the first drive with a 34-yard field goal, the offense got on track when Jamar Harris carried four straight plays — he reached the end zone from 4 yards out on 2nd-and-goal for the evening’s first touchdown.
A 5-yard Stephen Willis scoring run capped a drive in which he carried three times for 15 yards, and Brian Porter ended an eight-play possession with a 3-yard touchdown run.
The defense held on the next drive when Daniel Williams stopped Willis for no gain on 4th-and-1 from the 16-yard line, but Justin Haddix closed out the session with a 1-yard scoring run and a 5-yard touchdown pass to Jared Johnson.
Willis gained 80 yards on 16 carries, while Harris finished with 52 yards and Porter had 25. Haddix finished 9-of-17 passing for 65 yards with four receivers — Cory Clemons, Curtis Hamilton, Jamison Link and Maurice Perkins — catching two passes each.
Woolridge had five total tackles to lead the defense.
