Western Kentucky claims it has playmakers in the defensive secondary in 2014 – they just have to prove themselves when the lights come on.

The back end of the WKU defense is another glaring question mark for the Hilltoppers this spring, but those in that group are confident they can meet the challenge.

“We did lose a great deal of great talent, but it’s all about guys stepping up and assuming the role and making our own story, forgetting what they did and doing our own thing and playing as a team,” WKU sophomore safety Marcus Ward said. “We’ve got to learn to play as a team, just like they did.”

Ward started three games and played in seven as a true freshman in 2013 before his season was shortened due to injury. It will be incumbent upon him to fill the void left by Jonathan Dowling, a junior safety who left WKU early to pursue professional football.

The Hilltoppers also must make do without defensive backs Arius Wright (55 tackles, three sacks and an interception) and Tyree Robinson (42 tackles, four interceptions), both of whom exhausted their eligibility in 2013.

The team’s top returner, Cam Thomas, ranked the 19th overall defensive back in college football by NFLdraftscout.com, has missed most of the spring recovering from offseason shoulder surgery.

“We definitely count on Cam,” Ward said. “He’s out right now, but when he comes back we’re going to rely on him. But we’ve got to rely on him just as much as we rely on the person that’s new coming in. We expect everybody to play big. He’s one of the experienced players, so we expect a lot out of him this year.”

The next three DBs in line for WKU include redshirt senior Rico Brown at cornerback, a converted wide receiver from Madison Southern High School, redshirt senior Ricardo Singh at safety and redshirt junior Prince Charles Iworah.

That trio combined for 47 tackles in 2013.

“Well we bring back an all-conference cornerback (Cam Thomas) and there are some other seniors and it’s their turn to perform,” WKU DBs coach Mike Cassity said. “We expect them to step up and be the guys. So far we’ve still got a lot of work to do, but I’ve been pleased with where they are at this point. The big thing we always talk about during spring ball is fundamentals and technique. Part of the fundamentals is tackling and being able to get off the block. We put a lot of emphasis on that.”

WKU football to host golf scramble

Surrounding the festivities of the 2014 Red and White spring game, the WKU football Touchdown Club and coach Jeff Brohm will host the 11th annual Touchdown Club Spring Weekend April 18-19.

The weekend begins with the Jeff Brohm Golf Scramble, a four-person team scramble at Bowling Green Country Club. Teams begin their shotgun start at 1 p.m., with lunch provided by Montana Grille at noon. A casual dinner also will be available following the scramble, and participants can sign up for the outing with Brohm and his coaching staff for $150 per person. Each golfer to play in the scramble will receive a sleeve of Titleist Pro V-1X WKU logo golf balls and can apply his or her entry toward Touchdown Club membership. Levels to the club begin at $250. Group sponsorship, including entry for one four-person team as well as signage at a hole, is available.

The Touchdown Club will also host an alumni breakfast to welcome former football lettermen back to campus. The breakfast will begin at 8 a.m. April 19 in the Harbaugh Club with Brohm and members of the coaching staff. All proceeds from the weekend benefit WKU football.

To sign up or for more information, contact the Hilltopper Athletic Foundation’s Larry Cash at 270-745-4370 or by email at Larry.Cash@wku.edu.

— Follow Western Kentucky University football beat reporter Chad Bishop on Twitter at twitter.com/MrChadBishop or visit bgdailynews.com.