Western Kentucky’s quarterback carousel has landed on Steven Duncan for the season’s stretch run.

The Hilltopper QB started for the third time last week in a 34-15 loss at Florida Atlantic. The redshirt sophomore will make his fourth start of the season Saturday as WKU (1-9 overall, 0-6 Conference USA) hosts Texas-El Paso (1-9, 1-5) at Houchens-Smith Stadium.

Duncan came off the bench in the second half Sept. 22 and piloted the Toppers to their only win of the season, 28-20 at Ball State. WKU has lost six straight games since that afternoon in Muncie, Ind.

On Saturday, Duncan will try to stop that losing skid and send the Hilltoppers’ 10 seniors out with a victory on senior night. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m., with the broadcast by BeIN Sports.

“Those guys, they’ve helped mold me into who I am,” Duncan told the Daily News on Tuesday. “They’ve had my back forever. Getting a win for them to send them out the right way is something I want to do. I’ll do anything I have to do to get that win.”

Duncan (three starts), Drew Eckels (three) and Davis Shanley (four) have all started multiple games this season.

WKU is one of five schools this season to start three different QBs at least twice, joining Air Force, Coastal Carolina, Navy and New Mexico State.

Various factors have spun that revolving door.

Duncan was suspended for the season opener Aug. 31 at then-No. 4 Wisconsin.

Eckels was injured in games against Wisconsin, FCS program Maine (Sept. 8) and Middle Tennessee (Nov. 2). Those injuries have kept the redshirt senior from appearing outside of his three starts.

Shanley was injured against Ball State, which kept him out Sept. 29 vs. Marshall. The redshirt freshman was then sick for the MTSU contest.

Duncan said he’s stayed focused throughout the uncertainty by preparing each week as if he’s the starting quarterback. He started three of WKU’s first 10 games and came off the bench in four other contests.

“You’re supposed to prepare like you’re the guy,” Duncan said. “When your time is called, you should be able to step in.”

Some weeks, WKU coach Mike Sanford has publicly named starters going into the game. Other weeks, the coach hasn’t – like when he didn’t announce leading up to Saturday’s contest at FAU that Duncan would start.

Sanford removed mystery from the situation this week, saying Monday that Duncan will get the start against coach Dana Dimel’s Miners.

“Steve has shown some growth and has done some really good things,” Sanford said. “He threw some really good balls (against the Owls). But also, just the growth that he’ll have from one week to the next in red-zone situations and identifying coverages and being in that situation again. He’ll be better because of that, no doubt.

“The other thing about Steve is he’s durably built. He’s proven to be the quarterback that’s played the majority of the snaps this year that can play week in and week out, physically. That plays a huge role is just the durability of who Steve is.”

For the season, Duncan has completed 78 of 134 passes (58.2 percent) for 765 yards (109.3 per game). He leads the team with six touchdown passes but has also thrown a team-high five interceptions.

Duncan appeared in only one college football game before this season. He made his WKU debut in October 2017, completing his only two pass attempts for two yards during a blowout win over Charlotte.

Before this year, the Charleston, S.C., native’s last meaningful game action came in 2015 when he was a senior at Ashley Ridge High School.

“I just think the one thing I’ve learned is that the college game is faster,” Duncan said. “… You’ve got to make decisions quickly. It can be there and then the next second, it’s gone.”

Last time out against Florida Atlantic, Duncan was 25-of-42 passing for 228 yards. He threw a second-quarter touchdown pass to tight end Mik’Quan Deane and was also intercepted in that quarter by the Owls’ Shelton Lewis.

“I think the one thing I did well was come out early tamed and not as jittery and hyped up,” Duncan said. “I think that comes with in-game reps, getting back in the flow of it and getting the hang of it. It was good.

“The thing I can do better is coverages in the red zone. It’s a lot tighter down there, so you’ve got to recognize things a lot better down there. When I do that, I think that’ll help us be more successful down in the red zone.”

Duncan on Saturday will face a UTEP defense that allows 31.4 points per game, 7.6 yards per pass attempt and 6.08 yards per play.

The Miners have grabbed only four interceptions this year, fewest among 14 Conference USA teams. Duncan wants to keep the ball out of their hands again this week.

“Be decisive,” Duncan said of his approach. “ … We talk about making great throws all the time. Now it’s really about playing big-boy ball and making the right throws.”{&end}