By Robert Sampson, WKU Athletics
When Willie McNeal steps off the field for the final time in a WKU uniform in the coming weeks, he will have left a major - and in some ways unexpected - legacy for future receivers to achieve for.
McNeal's name is now etched into the WKU record books as one of the elite receivers in WKU history. He has accomplished all of this at a time when the running backs took up much of the attention and WKU was making a normally difficult transition into its current state as a member of the FBS. McNeal is proud of the WKU progress in recent years.
"Everyone knows now that it's going to be a game when you come play us," says McNeal.
Times have changed for WKU during McNeal's tenure at WKU. He arrived at a time when the Hilltoppers were in the midst of a major losing streak. Now winning records and bowl games are the emerging standard.
"It's been a grind," said McNeal. "Coming into a team that was 0-12 to go 2-10 in my first year, then to go 7-5 back-to-back was a big deal… It was tough seeing teams that were 6-6 or 5-7 get picked over us that we thought we could beat. To then actually go to a bowl and not get it done hurt, but the experience was fun."
McNeal will finish up his WKU career with winning srecords in at least three of his five seasons on the Hill and an appearance in the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl in 2012.
"We always felt we had to grind," said McNeal. "We have to grind no matter what because things weren't good enough (to accomplish our goals). It's always been blue collar for us here (since I got here to WKU)."
That blue collar approach has helped McNeal grind his way into becoming one of the most prolific receivers in WKU history.
McNeal's WKU career got off to a quick start, starring as a freshman in the WKU return game. He earned Freshman All-America honors as a kickoff returner from the Football Writers Association of America, playing in all 12 games during his freshman campaign, drawing starts at wide receiver against North Texas on Oct. 30 and Troy on Nov. 27.
He led the Hilltoppers with 44 kickoff returns, going for 968 yards, an average of 22 yards per return. McNeal had a 90-yard return for a touchdown against Kentucky on Sept. 11 in the second game of the season, while also returning two punts for eight yards in the contest. McNeal finished the season second on the team with 1,408 all-purpose yards. His 117.3 all-purpose yards per game ranked fifth in the league and 50th nationally.
He was productive in the passing game, averaging 13.8 yards per catch amongst his 26 receptions.
McNeal's bright start to his WKU career quickly took a turn when he suffered a preseason injury in 2011 that caused him to miss the season.
He returned to the high-power production of his freshman season in 2012 when he led the team in touchdown receptions with six while finishing second on the team in catches (43) and yards (556).
The 2013 season marked a time of change for McNeal and the WKU offense, one that was welcomed by the Bradenton, Fla., native with the arrival of now-former WKU head coach Jeff Brohm and current WKU head coach Jeff Brohm as offensive coordinator.
"I didn't really think it was going to be as run-oriented as it was (when I got here) because I compared it to Stanford and I saw they were passing the ball. We were blessed with great running backs in Bobby Rainey and Antonio Andrews. I didn't expect that (much running), but I took advantage of the opportunities that I had and it has paid off.
"I was ready (for the change to more passing). Seeing the five-receiver sets, I couldn't wait for that to get here. In the spring when Coach Petrino got here and we were running plays, I couldn't wait for the season because I knew the ball was going to get tossed around a lot.
McNeal had the chance to catch many of those balls in 2013 as WKU's high-powered running game left WKU with a depleted receiving corp. McNeal took advantage as he led the team in both receptions (46) and receiving yards (599) as well as touchdown receptions (five) as he picked up All-Sun Belt Honorable Mention team honors.
The season didn't end in a second bowl bid for McNeal and the Hilltoppers, but it did end on a high note for McNeal as the junior's touchdown reception with 10 seconds left against Arkansas State capped a game-winning drive that helped WKU to their FBS-record eighth win of the season.
Fast-forward to 2014 and McNeal was suddenly the leader of the deepest receiving corp in WKU history.
"It has been fun," McNeal says of his leadership role as the elder of the group. "Everyone has their own characteristics in the receiver corp. It has been fun making sure everyone is staying on track. Being the oldest guy, it has been great to have fun with those guys."
His guidance has helped WKU produce one of its best groups of receivers in school history. Since 1951, WKU has had 30 seasons in which its leading receiver did not reach 400 yards receiving for the year. WKU has three receivers with 400 yards receiving through nine games in 2014. WKU had an unprecedented eight different receivers catch a pass in each of WKU's first eight games before the streak ended in a recent victory over UTEP.
McNeal's name will be near the top of the WKU record books once his time on the Hill concludes in the coming month.
"It means a lot," says McNeal. "It shows that you've left a legacy. Guys go to college and play football and some don't have touchdowns or anything their entire college career. To be in the record book means a lot."
"It is going to be a bittersweet moment being the last official home game here," says McNeal. "I remember picking on Jamarcus Allen on his senior day, saying he was going to cry. I was young so I wasn't thinking about it then. I have family coming in for their first game here, so that is going to be fun for me."
