Defense shines in WKU Spring Game

Apr. 18—BOWLING GREEN — Western Kentucky third-year football head coach Tyson Helton welcomed a sense of normalcy to the Hill on Saturday afternoon with the return of the program's annual Spring Game at Houchens/Smith Stadium — after not having one last year, shortly following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"It was a really good spring game," Helton said. "First of all, I really want to thank the fans. It was a great turnout today. It was great to have people back in the stands that made it feel like a real football atmosphere out there. I really, really appreciate all the fans coming out today.

"We had a really good spring overall and I'm really pleased with the progress that we made. I thought we had some great days on both sides of the ball, got a lot done special teams-wise."

There are a bunch of new faces who figure to play prominent roles in the Hilltoppers' 2021 season, including graduate quarterback Bailey Zappe — one of four highly-touted graduate transfers from FCS Houston Baptist — and graduate running back Adam Cofield, a transfer from North Dakota State.

Zappe struggled mightily for the most part, however, on a Saturday in which the impressive WKU defense exhibited plenty of takeaway and breakaway capabilities.

WKU Spring Game highlights included:

—Junior running back Jakairi Moses broke free for a 40-yard touchdown run.

—Sophomore defensive back Beanie Bishop intercepted a Zappe pass and raced 43 yards for a TD.

—Freshman defensive back T.J. Springer intercepted a Zappe pass and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown.

—Junior defensive tackle Darius Shipp showed quick instinct intercepting a low-flung Zappe pass near the line of scrimmage.

—Sophomore wide receiver Dayton Wade caught a 30-yard TD pass from Zappe.

—Freshman wide receiver Terence Taylor made a spectacular leaping catch on a ball thrown by lefty freshman QB Darius Ocean, before making a diving 8-yard TD catch on a pass from freshman QB Grady Robison.

—Freshman tight end Dalvin Smith made a nifty 37-yard reception in heavy traffic.

—Freshman defensive back B.J. Wagner intercepted a Zappe pass and returned the ball 45 yards.

—And freshman wide receiver Kyle McNamara, consistent throughout, caught a 44-yard TD pass from sophomore quarterback Drew Zaubi.

Last season, against a rugged schedule, WKU finished 5-7 and, perhaps more significantly, was one of only 16 FBS programs to play 12 games. The Hilltoppers' up-and-down season concluded with a 39-21 loss to Georgia State in the LendingTree Bowl.

But nothing about the year was ordinary.

"It was just a weird year; there was no normal whatsoever," Helton said. "You didn't know what was going to happen on what day. There were a lot of land mines out there, I guess you might say, that you were trying to dodge.

"But now we're back to normalcy, back to what we know, and that helps our football team a lot."

Of course, the idea this fall will be to return to the type of season Helton enjoyed two years ago in his first season at the helm, when he earned Conference USA Coach of the Year honors after leading Western to a 9-4 season that included a road victory over Arkansas and a dramatic 23-20 conquest of Western Michigan in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl.

And, as always — coming into and out of the spring game — there is plenty of in-house competition for playing time.

"Our guys love competition — they embrace it, they want it," Helton said. "We have a lot of depth, and when you have that situation, it brings out the best in everybody, and I think our players will play at a high level because of it."