There are 130 teams that make up the FBS, the top level of college football.

All but five of them have run the ball more effectively this season than Western Kentucky.

The Hilltoppers, through two games, rank No. 125 nationally in yards per carry, averaging a measly 1.89 yards for every rush attempt.

Running back D’Andre Ferby isn’t happy with that effort, but he’s confident it can get better.

“It’s definitely stuff that can easily be fixed,” the redshirt junior Ferby said Tuesday. “Of course it’s as frustrating for us as it is for you guys and the fans, just what we’re going out and doing. We’re used to being way more efficient than we are.

“But it’s stuff we can fix. It’s manageable. I would tell everyone just to calm down a little bit because I believe now and in the future, we’ll pick it up.”

WKU’s rushing woes played a key role in the Toppers’ 20-7 loss Saturday at Illinois (1-1). Ferby and fellow running back Quinton Baker combined for 25 yards on 12 carries, while sack yardage and a botched snap put the final rushing tally at six yards on 16 carries.

Offensive lineman Parker Howell summed up what it’s like to see six total rushing yards on the stat sheet after a game.

“It sucks,” the redshirt sophomore Howell said. “As an O-lineman you take pride in being able to move the ball around.

“That’s something we definitely have to improve on this week. I think that we will. We’ve been putting in the time and the effort.”

WKU will get the chance to get its run game off the ground this week when it hosts conference rival Louisiana Tech. Kickoff from Houchens-Smith Stadium is 6 p.m. Saturday, with the game broadcast by Stadium – streamed both on watchstadium.com and stadium.twitter.com.

The Bulldogs have been as bad this season against the run as the Toppers have been running it. They rank No. 123 nationally in rush defense, allowing 6.3 yards per carry.

This is the ideal time for WKU to find some success on the ground.

“Basically just physicality, it starts there,” Ferby said. “If you win your one-on-one battle and the man beside you wins his one-on-one battle, then good things are to come. The main thing is winning one-on-one.”

Ferby is back this season after his 2016 campaign ended due to a collarbone injury after his first carry of the season.

An ankle sprain set Ferby back during fall camp, though he’s been able to play in both games. The Smyrna, Tenn., native carried 26 times for 71 yards through two games – 2.7 yards per carry – with two touchdowns.

“He’s starting to get more comfort in his ankle to really push it,” coach Mike Sanford said. “I think that’s going to be positive because he’s emerging. We’ve got to get him the touches.”

Marquez Trigg carried the ball 16 times for 61 yards – 3.8 yards per carry – in a season-opening 31-17 win Sept. 2 against Eastern Kentucky. The redshirt sophomore scored a TD in that win.

Trigg didn’t get a carry in the Illinois game, something Sanford lamented in talking about the rushing attack.

Meanwhile the sophomore Baker, who was suspended for the EKU win, ran last week for 11 yards on five carries – 2.2 yards per carry. Sanford said he wants to see better play out of the speedster from Ashland.

“Quinton Baker, he’s going to play better football,” Sanford said. “His tracks in the run game, we left some yards on the field. He’s looking forward to a good week of practice to getting back to being the explosive running back that he is.”

There have also been some struggles up front on the offensive line contributing to the rushing game woes.

Sanford said this week he’s addressing those by letting the previously second-string Howell battle starter Jimmie Sims for the left tackle spot. WKU’s coach said he liked the improvement of Miles Pate at right guard, said he was “very pleased” with right tackle Matt Nord and said center Dennis Edwards and left guard Brandon Ray have been solid.

“People can say anything they want to about the O-line, but at the same time it’s my job to get whatever’s out there,” Ferby said. “I’m very hard on myself and along with the rest of the running backs in the room, we’re hungry right now. We’re ready to go.”

Offensive coordinator Junior Adams also took some of the responsibility for how WKU ran the ball Saturday in Champaign, Ill.

The first-time play caller said he went away from the rushing attack against the Fighting Illini. The Hilltoppers finished with 16 official carries – two of which were sacks and one a botched snap – and 43 Mike White passing attempts.

The lack of a run game allowed Illinois to focus in on shutting down WKU’s passing attack. White completed 28 passes for 238 yards, but none of his completions went for more than 23 yards.

Run game struggles also contributed to the Tops losing the time of possession battle by a 37:54-22:06 margin.

“It starts with me,” Adams said. “That’s me as an offensive coordinator doing a better job sticking to the run and being patient with the run game. …

“We’ve got to do a better job and I’ve got to do a better job of asserting our dominance in the run game.”{&end}