The Toppers will also workout Sunday at 3 p.m. and Monday at 4 p.m. before their first day off of the spring. Monday will mark the first time the team puts on pads next month, although the first full-contact mini-scrimmage won’t take place until Saturday, April 8.
WKU will practice every Monday and Wednesday throughout April, concluding the final three weeks with a full scrimmage. There are also four mini-scrimmages scheduled to take place during that time.
The spring season will wrap up with the Red-White Game, which will begin at 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 29 at Smith Stadium.
“I think everyone is excited. Pushing the start of spring practice back to April 1 has allowed our players to get a lot of weights and conditioning in,” said Hilltopper head coach David Elson. “I’m pretty sure they are tired of that and are ready to go out and do something different.
“It’s the same with the coaching staff. We’ve been watching a lot of film and spending our time in the office. Everyone is excited to get back on the field and start playing football again.”
Elson added that the Toppers will be working on playing better fundamentally this spring on both sides of the ball, which includes better footwork and better leverage. Individually, he would like to see the players display a better understanding of WKU’s schemes and a trust in the system while finding their roles on the team.
Although he considers every position to be open for competition, the Hilltoppers have areas where the coaching staff is looking for individuals to step forward. Gone from last year are all three starters on the defensive line and both outside linebackers in the team’s 3-4 alignment, while on offense WKU is looking for depth on the line as well.
“We have guys coming back that have experience at all five of those defensive positions, guys who have been in for a significant number of plays and even started games,” Elson said. “Obviously we have to start with a base of 11 players, but we have to figure out who will be the best 11 on both defense and offense.
“It’s wide open everywhere just like it always is. We told the guys we’re going to strip them down and act as if nobody knows anything about our system.”
Elson also stated that he’s looking for improved play from the team’s strong safeties, tight ends and fullbacks, and he would like to see big plays on a more consistent basis from the wide receiving corps.
Other events next month include the Breakout Coaches Clinic on Friday, April 7, which will feature Cleveland Browns head coach Romeo Crennel, and the Touchdown Club Spring Weekend, which includes a golf outing at Crosswinds Golf Course on Friday, April 28, followed by dinner and an auction that night.
