Wonderful Terry was the football equivalent of a home-run hitter last season.

Now the Hilltoppers will find out if the Western Kentucky cornerback can hit for average.

The senior and former junior-college transfer is expected to step into a starring role this season in the WKU secondary after making a name for himself with game-changing plays in 2014.

“I feel like the guys look at me as that leader now, so I try to take that role,” Terry said. “Whatever I have to do to get into that role, that’s what I’m going to do.”

Terry, who came to WKU last year from Garden City Community College in Kansas, is the front-runner to fill the void left by graduated cornerback Cam Thomas.

Thomas is projected as a late-round NFL draft pick and has been participating in private workouts recently for pro teams.

While Thomas led the defense, Terry appeared in 12 games and recorded 43 total tackles with two interceptions and a fumble recovery.

“Now, he’s a leader,” WKU cornerbacks coach Ricky Brumfield said. “Last year, it was his first year, and he was new. He was learning, and it was Cam’s show. He sat back and watched, and it’s his show now.”

Terry stole the show a few times last season.

With WKU trailing at Illinois and the Illini driving deep into Tops territory in the third quarter, Terry ripped a pass out of an Illinois receiver’s hands and raced 95 yards for a go-ahead touchdown.

WKU eventually lost 42-34, but Terry’s return tied for the longest defensive touchdown in program history at the time.

He struck again in a home win over UTEP, which led 27-21 going into the fourth quarter with the ball at the WKU 10-yard line.

Terry jumped the route on a pass into the flat and brought it back 90 yards to spark a 35-27 victory.

“He made big plays last year because he took chances, and he made that play when he was supposed to,” Brumfield said. “He has great ball skills. Every once in a while, it might hurt, but it helped us. He made big plays at crucial times.”

Brumfield said Terry sometimes “gets a little too greedy” with his high-risk, high-reward style of defense.

But he said the senior has improved his ability to read plays and could take off once he’s done nursing a nagging ankle injury. Brumfield suggested that Terry has been “75, 80 percent on some plays” this spring.

“He’s been hurt and kind of slowed down by some injuries,” defensive coordinator Nick Holt said. “He needs to have a good second half of spring football. He’s getting better, but he’s been a little sore with his ankle.”

While Terry is a logical choice to slide into Thomas’ vacated spot, there are some younger players making a push in spring ball.

Redshirt sophomore DeAndre Simmons has gained weight and has become more physical, Brumfield said, and sophomore Joe Brown is showing off his smarts and speed after converting from running back. Forrest Coleman is a senior who could contribute once he gets healthy.

“We have some new, young guys, and I love their attitude,” Holt said. “They do things wrong, but they have a little spunk about them and a little juice about them, and I like that.”

When those younger players step into their position huddle at the end of practice, they rally around Terry.

The explosive corner doesn’t want to just be remembered for a couple of exciting plays, as memorable as they were.

His ultimate goal is to help improve a WKU defense and secondary that ranked near last in the country last season in total defense, scoring defense and passing yards allowed.

“We hear it plenty of times,” Terry said. “I tell the guys all the time last year is behind us. We were last in defense in the conference, and we want to change that. We’re going for No. 1.”

Three WKU game dates changed

Conference USA announced three date changes Wednesday for games in WKU’s upcoming football season to accommodate national television.

Three Saturday contests – all C-USA matchups – have been moved to earlier in their respective weeks.

WKU’s home opener against Louisiana Tech has been moved from Sept. 12 to Thursday, Sept. 10.

The Hilltoppers’ road game at North Texas has been moved from Oct. 17 to Thursday, Oct. 15.

The Tops’ regular-season finale against Marshall at home has been pushed up from Nov. 28 to Friday, Nov. 27.

Times for these games haven’t been announced.

— Follow Assistant Sports Editor Zach Greenwell on Twitter at twitter.com/zach_greenwell or visit bgdailynews.com.