From the other side: WKU
November 04, 2009
A big thanks to Nick Baumgardner of the Bowling Green Daily News for his help. HERE is what Nick wrote for today and HERE is his blog, with his Q and A with me.
1. What has been some of the bigger problems for WKU since its transition to the FBS level?
The biggest problem right now is the overall level of 1-A caliber athletes. WKU had a solid recruiting class this past year and brought in some of the best overall athletes (on paper) that its had in a long, long time. Only problem is, they’re all true freshmen – and most are
redshirting. All the seniors and juniors are still FCS-level players and it shows on the field. And most of those guys had little to no playing experience until right now. So basically its a bunch of inexperienced guys who aren’t athletic or physical enough to
compete at this level fused with a bunch of true and redshirt freshmen that have ability, but zero
experience. Sort of the perfect storm right now.
In addition, the coaching staff has had a lot to learn as well. There aren’t any gimmes at this level anymore, and preparing for every game like its the biggest of the year isn’t something that seems to have come easy. Everyone has a lot to learn and a lot of growing to do it seems.
2. Why do you think WKU has had some degree of success against Troy the last 2 years, and what has to happen for there to be a close game or even a WKU win?
Well the 2007 team was a senior-laden group that was honestly pretty talented. That team was out to prove that WKU was making the right move, and they circled Troy as the biggest game of the year – and they went out and played like it. They had a lot of hard- headed, hard-nosed guys on the defensive side of the ball that hit and made plays, and that seemed to give the Trojans some trouble that day. Last year, it seemed to me that the reason the game was closer than it should have been had more to do with Troy than anything else. Troy seemed a little out of
sync and made some mistakes on offense that allowed WKU to hang around. But I will say this – WKU has made no bones about its feelings toward Troy: that being that the Hilltoppers think the Trojans are the absolute team to beat in this conference. They’ve placed the target on Troy’s back and seem to give a strong effort against them.
3. What kind of problems could QB Kawaun Jakes pose to the Troy defense?
Jakes is a legit dual-threat guy. He can run and can make throws while running. He also stands in the pocket at times and can be pretty accurate. The biggest problem though is his youth. He seems to make two or three glaring mistakes per game – and all of them seem to come at the worst possible times. Against an experienced, good team like Troy – that could spell disaster.
4. Is there optimism for the future? The facilities sure look nice in the media guide.
Right now, the fan base isn’t seeing much optimism. Folks around here are as new to FBS level football as WKU is – meaning that no one seems to really understand what exactly it takes to be successful at this level. Inside the WKU locker room, they’re still claiming to be extremely optimistic – probably because they don’t really have any other choice. But folks aren’t happy right now, and until this team starts winning, that’s not changing anytime soon.
5. Where are some good places to eat for fans staying in Bowling Green?
Well as far as sports bars are concerned, a place called “Double Dogs” is probably your best bet. It’s right off the main interstate exit on 1-65 into Bowling Green. It has a boat load of TVs, pretty big menu and a large selection of beer. Bowling Green’s also got a Buffalo Wild Wings, another popular chain. There’s also a Smokey Bones in town that has some pretty good BBQ, a place called Montana Grille that has pretty much
everything and a Rafferty’s that has some top-line stuff as well. And of course, if you’re feeling nostalgic, there are several Kentucky Fried Chicken outlets throughout Bowling Green proper.
6. How do you see the game going?
I see this thing getting kind of ugly to be honest. I think Troy right now is better than it’s been over the past two years, which is really saying something. WKU’s down in the dumps right now and really searching high and low for answers. It would take almost a superhuman effort from WKU this week to knock off Troy. But, it is homecoming, and stranger things have happened – so I guess you never know. In the end, I call 38-7 Troy.
