A hit on Western Kentucky’s final offensive snap Saturday left its starting quarterback questionable for the Hilltoppers’ next game.

Drew Eckels suffered an injury “to his upper body,” coach Mike Sanford said Monday. The injury came when he was tackled on a scramble in the final minute of WKU’s 31-28 home loss to FCS program Maine.

Sanford said Eckels’ availability for the Toppers game Saturday at Louisville (6:30 p.m. CDT, ACC Regional Sports Network) is undetermined.

“I think he’ll probably be spotty this week at practice, to be honest, and we’ll go from there in regards to his decision,” Sanford said. “It’ll be a game-time decision.

“We’re waiting on more information to know exactly where it is. I know that he did have mobility today, so it’s not like there’s a lack of mobility in his upper body. There are some positive movements.”

The redshirt senior Eckels was already banged up heading into last weekend. He was knocked out of WKU’s season-opening loss at Wisconsin in the fourth quarter with what Sanford described as a different “upper body injury.”

Eckels played against Maine and completed 23 of 41 passes for 347 yards with three touchdowns. The first-year starter was also sacked six times, losing one fumble in the process, and finished with minus 31 rushing yards on 11 official carries.

Sanford limited Eckels’ carries against the Black Bears because he wasn’t at full health, but the QB was unable to avoid injury.

Saturday’s knock came on a third-and-12 play from the Maine 37-yard line with the Hilltoppers trailing 31-28 in the final minute.

Eckels couldn’t find any open receivers on a passing play, so he scrambled into open space toward the left sideline. Black Bears defensive back Manny Patterson delivered a high hit to Eckels, knocking him to the ground at the 31-yard line.

“It was a similar play to the Wisconsin game – late in the game, fourth quarter, wasn’t a designed quarterback run,” Sanford said.

Eckels stayed on the ground and officials signaled for an injury timeout. Rules stipulate that if play is stopped for an injury, the injured player must come off the field for at least one play.

With Eckels unavailable for a fourth-and-6 snap, Sanford sent kicker Ryan Nuss onto the field to try a 48-yard attempt at a game-tying field goal. A high snap threw off Nuss’ rhythm, and Maine blocked the kick to seal the three-point victory.

WKU now carries both quarterback questions and a four-game losing streak into its matchup Saturday with Louisville (1-1).

Eckels, Steven Duncan, Davis Shanley and Kevaris Thomas are all listed as possible starting QBs for this week’s game.

The redshirt freshman Shanley made his college debut Aug. 31 in the 34-3 loss at then-No. 4 Wisconsin. He completed two of three pass attempts against the Badgers for 14 yards and carried three times for 31 yards, losing a fumble near the goal line.

“I thought (Shanley) played well up at Wisconsin,” Sanford said. “We got the chance to see him come in and, minus the turnover, move the ball well and operate well. … He also gives you some versatility as an athlete.”

Thomas came off the sideline Saturday against Maine in the second quarter. The freshman took a shotgun snap on a third-and-4 from the Black Bears’ 36-yard line and crashed forward five yards for a first down in his only action.

Duncan, a redshirt sophomore, hasn’t appeared yet this season. He was suspended for the Wisconsin game after an April DUI arrest.

“Steven Duncan, I think his athleticism and his durability as a player is underrated,” Sanford said. “I think everyone knows him as a strong-armed quarterback. But he has the whole skill set as a quarterback.

“So we’ve got to see who’s going to execute this week in practice and then we’ve got to see the status of Drew, which is obviously the most important piece for making that decision.”{&end}