Western Kentucky University fullback Shane Ricketts rumbles in for the first of his two fourth-quarter touchdowns Saturday during the Hilltoppers 21-15 victory over Murray State at L.T. Smith Stadium. (Photo by Joe Imel)

Maybe Western Kentucky Universitys football team should move the rest of its defenders to the offensive side of the ball. Led in scoring all season by freshman strong safety/punt returner Bobby Sippio, the Hilltoppers got their offensive punch from linebacker-turned-tight-end-turned-fullback Shane Ricketts on Saturday. Ricketts bulled his way for two fourth-quarter touchdowns  runs of 10 and 14 yards to bail out a Hilltopper offense that overcame more struggles and injuries in a 21-15 shocker of Murray State in front of 9,400 fans at L.T. Smith Stadium. Ricketts finished the game with just 28 yards on four carries the first runs of a college career that began at the University of Evansville in 1995.I just figured out the plays this week, so they stuck me in there a couple of times and it turned out all right, said Ricketts, who transferred to Western in 1997 when Evansville announced plans to drop football. The line was blocking great. You couldnt ask for anything more. Hilltopper coaches have asked a lot of Ricketts in his one-plus-year career at Western. Ricketts played linebacker as a junior last season and ranked sixth on the team with 40 tackles. Ricketts was moved to tight end in the spring where he had zero catches so far this season and to fullback Monday. Hilltopper coach Jack Harbaugh credited Bill Hape  father of former Western offensive lineman Andy Hape for Ricketts most recent switch of positions. Bill Hape is the assistant principal at Evansville (Ind.) Reitz High School, where Ricketts graduated from in 1995.(Bill) told me a year ago that he thought Shane Ricketts best position was fullback, said Harbaugh, who subbed the 6-foot, 237-pound Ricketts for starting fullback Brock Baker (5-8, 185) for size reasons. Obviously, it took me about two years to get it through my thick skull. But I finally listened to him, and we moved him there. The move proved huge for a Hilltopper offense that again lost No. 1 quarterback Donte Pimpleton to injury. On their second drive of the game, Pimpleton marched Western (4-1 overall, 3-0 Ohio Valley Conference) 58 yards for the first score of the game. Pimpleton finished the drive with an 11-yard touchdown ran that put Western up 7-0 at the 4:55 mark of the first quarter. But Pimpleton hobbled off the field, slammed his helmet to the ground and watched from the sideline the rest of the night. Team doctor Craig Beard said Pimpleton reaggravated the partially torn posterior cruciate ligament that kept him out of all but one play in Westerns previous three games. Harbaugh said Pimpleton will have the knee scoped today. Behind the passing of Justin Fuente, the Racers (1-3, 1-1) bounced right back after Pimpletons touchdown. Fuente, who completed 27-of-47 passes for 271 yards, tossed a 25-yard touchdown pass to Joe Perez to pull Murray State within 7-6 with 1:55 left in the first quarter. Greg Millers extra-point try failed. Fuente, who completed a school-record 33 passes in a 36-31 win over Western last season in Murray, was effective Saturday but somewhat stymied by a Hilltopper defense that would not give up the long pass.(Western) wasnt giving us a whole lot over the top, Murray State coach Denver Johnson said. They had those safeties back there playing pretty good. … We didnt throw and catch the stuff they were giving us very well. Still, the Racers forged ahead early in the second quarter after Dwayne Potts intercepted a Jason Michael pass at the Hilltopper 31. Three plays later, Justin Bivins carried 11 yards to give the Racers a 12-7 lead they carried into halftime. The defenses held the rest of the way until the fourth quarter when Westerns offense found the weak-side running game to its liking and sprung tailback Rod Smart loose for many of his game-high 103 rushing yards. Finally, Ricketts scored on back-to-back series, the first giving Western a 14-12 edge with 13:49 to go and the last putting Western up 21-12 at the 10:56 mark. Greg Millers 26-yard field goal brought the Racers within 21-15 with 7:12 to go, and Murray State got the ball back with 5:10 remaining. Fuente drove the Racers to the Hilltopper 16, but three incompletions and a sack by Donnell Hamilton and Hayes Thomas ended the drive. Weve kind of surprised ourselves (on defense), but we know were capable of doing this every time we come out, Hilltopper linebacker Melvin Wisham said. Were feeling good, but it dont stop. … Weve got to get ready for the next challenge.