Western Kentucky’s football team wrapped up its second and final intrasquad scrimmage Saturday at Houchens-Smith Stadium.

And while never the offense or defense “won” on the scoreboard, both of WKU’s top coordinators felt good about the way their units performed in a game-like setting.

First-year offensive coordinator Will Friend thought his group took a major step forward from last week’s first scrimmage.

“I thought it was better today than the previous scrimmage,” Friend said. “I thought we executed better. So anytime you execute, it gives you a chance to be a little bit more productive, so that helped. I thought the guys made some plays downfield with the ball that helped, that got us some big plays. And not near as many times we were behind the sticks as we were the first scrimmage – not as many self-inflicted things early in drives that hurt you.

“I thought it was better. Still got a ways to go, still got two weeks of work to do but it was in the right direction today.”

WKU senior offensive lineman Travon Taylor, in his first year with the program after transferring in from Alabama State, echoed that sentiment. Battling for the starting spot at left tackle, Taylor thought the Tops’ offense played cleaner Saturday than a week ago.

“This week it was way better – making more plays, being more detailed, just fixing our little mistakes from last week,” Taylor said.

WKU defensive coordinator Tyson Summers also liked what he saw from his group Saturday – a continuation of what has been an encouraging camp for the Tops’ third-year defensive leader.

“I think we’ve had a great camp, I really do,” Summers said. “We’ve been here for two and a half weeks at this point, we’ve got our installation in the way that we wanted to. I think our players – I said to them today in our unit meeting – this is the most fun I’ve ever had coaching. It’s year 23 for me and this is the greatest group of young men I’ve ever been around. It’s kind of coupled with the best coaching staff I’ve ever been around defensively and we’ve been able to have a great camp.

“We’ve had a lot of fun, enjoyed ourselves, guys have learned the system for what we’re trying to do – the whys behind it. And I think that we’ve had two really good scrimmages. Yeah we’ve got some things we’ve got to continue to work on and improve, certainly. But our focus is really about our effort, our focus is really about being part of the process and making sure our culture is correct.”

With two weeks of practice remaining before the Hilltoppers open the season Aug. 31 at perennial SEC power Alabama at Bryant-Denny Stadium, Taylor thinks his team is on the right track in gearing up for that opening test.

“We’re going to be ready to go against Alabama,” Taylor said. “We’re going to be ready to go – we’re going to be more than ready. We’re going there to win.”

NUMBERS GAMEKeeping track of who’s who for those outside the program during fall practice has been a challenge, with constant number shuffling happening as players arrive and depart, plus the current Hilltoppers who are seeking a change.

WKU redshirt junior defensive tackle Hosea Wheeler was sporting the most dramatic of those changes in Saturday’s scrimmage – previously No. 98 during his first two seasons with the Tops, Wheeler is now suiting up as No. 0.

Named to the Lombardi Award Watch List last week and already on the Conference USA Preseason Watch List, the Elk Grove, California, native earned All-CUSA Second Team honors last season as a highly productive member of the defense with 42 tackles, a pair of sacks, a forced fumble and an interception.

Wheeler felt like that season, plus the work he put in during the spring and fall camps, warranted a number upgrade and WKU head coach Tyson Helton evidently agreed – Wheeler said he found his new number awaiting him in the locker room about two weeks ago.

“I just wanted a new change, a new me,” Wheeler said. “You know, I’ve been 98 for the past couple of years and I think I’m a greater player than 98. I believe I earned it through camp, through spring camp. Coach Helton gave me the number and now I’m rocking it.”

QB COMPETITIONThe battle for the starting quarterback spot is between Texas State transfer TJ Finley and redshirt sophomore Caden Veltkamp, who came off the bench for his first extended collegiate action and led the Hilltoppers back from 28 points down to a 38-35 overtime victory against Old Dominion in the Famous Toastery Bowl.

Finley, a redshirt junior, has a decided edge in game experience, having previously started for LSU and Auburn before turning in a stellar season at Texas State last year, when he passed for a program-record 3,439 yards and 24 touchdowns with just eight interceptions.

Veltkamp, a Bowling Green native, has stayed right with Finley throughout camp and Friend – like Helton – thinks the competition for the starting spot will go right down to the wire.

“They both played well today, they both made some plays,” Friend said. “They both did a really nice job, made plays downfield, did some good things getting us out of some situations. I thought both of them performed well today. It’s two good players and they’re competing and like coach (Helton) said it’ll be all the way through.”

NEW FACESWKU’s 2024 roster continues to take shape, with four newcomers joining the program in the past week.

Senior wide receiver Koy Moore joins the Hilltoppers after previous stops at Auburn and LSU. The 6-foot-1 native of Kenner, Louisiana, played at both of his previous schools with current WKU quarterback TJ Finley. Last season at Auburn, Moore saw action in 10 games and tallied three catches for 24 yards. The year before, he had 20 catches for 314 yards and a touchdown in 12 games. Before his time at Auburn, Moore totaled 27 receptions for 248 yards over two seasons at LSU.

Senior linebacker Keondre Williams joined the Hilltoppers after spending the previous five seasons at NCAA Division II West Georgia, where he played in all 10 games for the Wolves last season and tallied five sacks and 61 tackles (second on team) to earn All-Gulf Coast Conference second-team honors. Williams, a 6-2, 214-pound native of Metter, Georgia, appeared in 29 games during his career at West Georgia and totaled 120 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries.

Khrystian Washington, a redshirt junior defensive back, was added to the roster as well. The Louisville native, who prepped at Central High School, spent one season at NCAA Division III Mount St. Joseph. The 6-2, 180-pounder saw action in three games last season and tallied four tackles for the Lions.

Freshman defensive back Jalen Jackson joined the program this week. A 6-5, 190-pound Nashville native, Jackson played as a wide receiver and cornerback at Father Ryan High School.

Xavier Shaw, a redshirt junior defensive back who spent three seasons at WKU, is no longer with the program. Shaw, a Nashville native, played in nine games last season – primarily on special teams – and tallied one tackle.