Western Kentucky running back Antonio Andrews had just nine carries at halftime Saturday at Georgia State.

That’s a relatively small number for the nation’s leading rusher, and WKU coach Bobby Petrino said there’s a reason why.

“Well, I think we felt like in a couple of the games we weren’t successful in the fourth quarter offensively that maybe we weren’t fresh enough with (Andrews),” he said. “So we’re trying to keep him fresher going into the fourth quarter – not that he’s not going to get his touches, not that he’s not going to get a number of carries or catches, but we just feel like if we can give him a series off in the first quarter, a series off in the second quarter, then when we get to the second half and the fourth quarter, he’s going to be fresher.”

Through nine games this season, Andrews has six more carries in the first half than the second. His 65 runs in the first quarter are more than any other period, and his 100 carries on first down is more than any other down.

The Fort Campbell product also has 12 receptions for 167 yards in the second quarter of games this season.

Against Georgia State, however, Keshawn Simpson and Leon Allen combined for 10 carries in the first half, and Andrews only had two catches, while wide receivers Willie McNeal and Taywan Taylor and tight end Tim Gorski combined to make eight.

“When the defense is tired, he’ll be fresher and be able to make big plays in the second half,” Petrino said. “And he really did that in the second half (vs. Georgia State). He really did a great job of running there in the second half there when (quarterback) Brandon (Doughty) went down (with an injury).”

Andrews finished with 22 carries, 13 in the second half. He had 110 yards, including 68 in the second half.

With 202 runs this season, only Andre Williams of Boston College has more than Andrews at 216. The rest of WKU’s running backs and fullbacks have combined for 105 carries.

Simpson relieved Andrews in the red zone Saturday with four rushing touchdowns, and sophomore Leon Allen came on late to end up with 61 yards on nine carries.

Red zone production gets better

From goal line to its opponents’ 20-yard line, Western Kentucky is awfully good. But once the field shortens and the Tops have to punch it in the end zone, life becomes more difficult.

Not against Georgia State, though, where WKU was perfect in the pivotal area of the field.

“We made plays, we executed, we showed power,” Petrino said. “I think our players really understood what we were going to see and what we needed to do to get the ball in the end zone. It was a good deal to go score touchdowns when we got down there.”

Even after going 7-for-7 against Georgia State with six touchdowns and a field goal, WKU still ranks just 78th nationally when it comes to red zone conversions at 81 percent with 43 scores in 53 tries.

In wins, that percentage sits at 86.2. In losses, it falls to 75 percent. This week’s opponent, Army, allows teams to score 86 percent of the time when reaching the red zone.

“I think that game there (at Georgia State) helped us out a little bit on our confidence level on scoring in the red zone,” fullback Kadeem Jones said. “Coming into this next week, we’re going to have a little bit more confidence when we get down in the red zone, seeing how well we did against Georgia State.”

— Chad Bishop covers Western Kentucky University athletics. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/MrChadBishop or visit bgdailynews.com.

•Petrino is 2-0 all-time against Army, having won 34-10 while at Louisville in 2003 and 52-21 in 2004.

•As a college coach, Petrino is 24-19 on the road and 25-7 in November.

•The Hilltoppers have received the opening kickoff in nine straight games. San Diego State has taken the opening kickoff in 23 straight games, the nation’s longest streak.