Jump To Top of Page

Western Kentucky Brings a Roster Rebuild to Athens

Thirty-two players saw their first action for Western Kentucky last Saturday at Nevada. The Hilltoppers took a 49-14 loss, and now they turn to Georgia with just one game to show how all those new faces could fit. For Kirby Smart and his staff, the job is to figure out which of those early problems Georgia can exploit.

The real question is how fast Western Kentucky can turn this group into a team after another big roster shakeup. Georgia should have the edge on Saturday, but it helps to separate what Tyson Helton’s program has done in the past from what this version of the Hilltoppers has actually shown so far.

Smart talked about that difference on Tuesday. He gave Western Kentucky credit for how they find players, but pointed out that losing so many to the transfer portal means Helton has to bring in even more replacements from the same place. That is a tough job for any staff: find the right guys, then get enough of them ready to play together before the season starts piling up mistakes.

The numbers tell the story. Back in April, WKU had 53 newcomers in spring practice, with 39 of them coming in as transfers. That was the spring group, but the 32 debuts at Nevada show who actually played in the opener. Either way, it is clear Helton and his staff had plenty of assembly required just to get ready for this season.

Helton’s track record is worth a look. Western Kentucky went 9-4 last year and has made a bowl game every season he has finished. The Hilltoppers have won at least eight games five years in a row. One rough opener does not wipe that away, but it is also true that last year’s team is not making tackles for this one.

Some of the new faces did make an impact at Nevada. Running back Ajay Allen, who came over from Tulsa, ran for 102 yards and both of WKU’s touchdowns on 21 carries. That gives Georgia’s defense a clear job: keep Western Kentucky from using the run to stay on schedule. Allen has already shown he can handle a full day’s work.

It is worth looking at when those touchdowns happened. Allen’s first capped an 80-yard drive that made it 14-7, but his second came with just over a minute left and the game already decided. WKU managed just one scoring drive while things were still competitive, so the final rushing numbers do not mean the offense was working all afternoon.

For Georgia, the goal is to keep making this new group answer questions. Defensive pressure will test if WKU’s protection calls can hold up, and on offense, the Bulldogs can use formation changes and motion to see if defenders know their assignments. That is a good way to check how well this team is working together, without just blaming every mistake at Nevada on being new.

Helton does not get much time to catch his breath. After Athens, Western Kentucky heads to Indiana, making it three straight road games to start the year. Anything that needs fixing has to get sorted out while getting ready for another game away from home.

For Georgia, the job is to make the early advantage matter. If Allen is able to keep drives going, WKU could settle in and limit Georgia’s chances on offense. The real test is how quickly Georgia can take away the things this new Hilltopper team has already shown it can do.

Jump To Today’s Discussion Thread