Western Kentucky will be challenged Saturday with a Middle Tennessee defense that’s gotten to opposing quarterbacks more than any other team in Conference USA.

The Hilltoppers may be doing it with a different looking offensive line, too.

WKU starting left tackle Mark Goode left last weekend’s game at UTSA with an injury and his status for this weekend’s game against the Blue Raiders at Johnny “Red” Floyd Stadium in Murfreesboro, Tenn., has not been announced.

“Mark’s been awesome since day one of spring ball. He’s been in there, been in that starting left tackle role and he’s done a great job. Really grown as a player,” WKU co-offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle said Monday. “He’s a quiet guy, but his play has continued to improve, improve, improve and it just builds more confidence in everyone, from his coaches to his teammates. Mark has done a phenomenal job.

“ … But if he’s not able to go, again, I have the utmost confidence in coach (Zach) Lankford and the rest of those guys in that room. Whether we shuffle the deck a little bit and Wes Dorsey goes in to play – one thing I know about Wes Dorsey is he’s really physical and he’s going to play hard. What more can you ask from an offensive line? I have the utmost confidence in that room and how that whole scenario could possibly play out.”

Goode, a 6-foot-6, 300-pound sophomore from Hodgenville, moved into a starting role at left tackle this fall – a spot he’s held each of the team’s first six games in its 3-3 start. The offensive line – which has featured Quantavious Leslie at left guard, Rusty Staats at center, Vinnie Murphy at right guard and Gunner Britton at right tackle – has been one of the best in C-USA, allowing just 1.33 sacks per game – the third-best mark – for the top scoring offense in the league.

Goode went down with 3:49 left in the fourth quarter of last Saturday’s game at the Alamodome. It was WKU’s final drive as it tried to tie or go ahead against UTSA – something it was unable to do in the 31-28 loss. Goode was carted off the field.

WKU head coach Tyson Helton said Monday that Goode was going to the doctor later that day, and Tuesday after practice quarterback Austin Reed said what he “heard from the medical reports is that the reports are pretty good and it’s hopefully not as bad as we thought.”

“Mark’s been a super good player for us. For his first year starting and how young he is, to come in and do what he’s done, he’s just been phenomenal, he’s done a really good job and he’s played really well,” Reed said. “ …. For now, if Wes Dorsey has to step in, everybody has 100% confidence in Wes. He’s a mean, nasty, big player who’ll step in there like he’s been playing all year. … Obviously worried about Mark because I love that guy and he’s a really good player, but ready for anybody who has to step in and play because they’re all really good.”

Helton said the Hilltoppers “would probably have to shuffle the deck a little bit” if Goode is unable to go. The likely move would be to swing Britton from right to left tackle and have Dorsey fill in at right tackle. Helton also mentioned redshirt freshman Marshall Jackson and sophomore David Ndukwe as others who could fill in.

Dorsey’s a 6-foot-7, 305-pound redshirt sophomore from Knoxville, Tenn., and has seen limited action since arriving to WKU for the 2019 season. Britton, a 6-foot-6, 305-pound redshirt junior, appeared in all but two games in a reserve capacity since 2019 before moving into a starting role this fall.

“For me personally, I’ve played so many different positions here. If you look back, I’ve played center and I’ve even played tight end and stuff. I’ve been used to always playing different stuff and being able to learn it all and play it all, and it just adds versatility to who I am as a player,” Britton said. “Mark, he’s a great dude. He’s one of my good friends. I hope everything’s OK with him and we’ll just see where he goes from here. I think he’s a really good player for us and I look forward to seeing him back on Saturdays.”

WKU’s offensive line played well through its first four games, but had its toughest Oct. 1 against Troy, when it allowed five sacks in a 34-27 loss. It didn’t allow any in the game against UTSA, and Arbuckle said, “I think they answered the call.”

The Hilltoppers did have four false starts called in San Antonio, and Helton said, “That was probably the most disappointing thing for us.”

“Fact of the matter is we failed in that area, so we’re working to clean that up,” Helton said. “Hopefully with what we do and how we respond to that, we’ll get it cleaned up. I was definitely disappointed in that area and that’s something moving forward we’re going to have to clean up.

“You’re always going to have, in this offense, though, you’re going to have a false start or two in the game. It’s just, as fast as we play, you’re going to have that, but what you don’t want to have is the offensive line sitting up there and they’re so antsy and somebody says something and next thing you know a guy moves. That’s a great question. We’re definitely working hard on that.”

In Saturday’s 2:30 p.m. game, WKU’s offensive line will again be tested.

Middle Tennessee leads C-USA with 3.17 sacks per game – Zaylin Wood has four, Marley Cook has 3.5 and Jordan Ferguson has three – and is tied for first in the league with WKU in turnover margin.

“It’ll be a great test for our offensive line. We’re going to have to be at the top of our game,” Helton said. “The past couple games, not only did you have to contend with the front, they were talented, now you have to contend with a Middle Tennessee that’s talented up front and they’ve got good pressure packages, so it’s going to be a great test for our O-line.”{&end}