HILLTOPPERS 2015 GAME NOTES @WKUFootball /WKUFootball WKUSports.com @WKU_Football WKUSports Media Contact: Kyle Neaves, Director of Football Media Relations • [email protected] • (228) 424-6921 • @KyleNeaves_WKU FOOTBALL Secondary Contact: Brett Pund, Assistant Director of Media Relations • [email protected] • (662) 346-3227 • @bchinop NOTING THE HILLTOPPERS WHERE TO FIND IT • WKU is in its 96th season of football and second under head coach Jeff Brohm, who became the school’s 19th head coach on Jan. 10, GAME 8 GENERAL 2014. at (5/5) LSU Media Information .................. 2 6 p.m. | Oct. 24, 2015 | Tiger Stadium (102,321) • WKU is one of the newest members of the FBS, entering just Weekly Schedule ...................... 2 their seventh year of membership in college football’s highest Jeff Brohm .................................. 8 classification. Brohm’s Influences .................. 9 Play-by-Play: Allen Bestwick • In sixth-year QB Brandon Doughty, the Hilltoppers returned the Preseason Awards ..................10 Analyst: Dan Hawkins ON TV: nation’s leader in passing yards (4,830) and touchdowns (49) from National Polls...........................10 In Bowling Green: DirecTV 208, Dish 141, 2014. Doughty, the 2014 C-USA Most Valuable Player, was granted a C-USA Standings ....................11 Time Warner Cable 514 sixth year of eligiblity for injuries suffered across the 2011 and 2012 Brandon Doughty ........... 16-18 seasons. More on Doughty on page 16 WKU Rosters ..................... 19-20 In Louisville: DirecTV 208, Dish 141, • Last season, WKU became the first program in NCAA history with What Returns .................... 20-21 Time Warner Cable 514, U-Verse 605 a 4,500 yard passer and 1,500 yard rusher. They were also the first 2015 Recaps ...................... 28-34 In Lexington: DirecTV 208, Dish 141, program in 17 years to break their league’s single-game passing Opponent Schedules ...........37 Time Warner Cable 514 (Doughty, 593, at Middle Tennessee) and rushing record (Allen, 345, ON THE GAME vs. Army) in the same season (Kent State, MAC, 1997). Game Center ............................. 3 Play-by-Play: Randy Lee • Through seven games, WKU has tallied 308 points, down just 11 Depth Chart ............................... 7 Analyst: Leo Peckenpaugh points from last year’s school record pace. In 2014, through seven, Assistant Coaches .................... 7 Sideline: Terry Obee RADIO: WKU was 319-288 in scoring margin and 3-4. This season, the Tops Record Breakdown .................. 9 are 308-168 and 6-1. NOTEBOOK Hilltopper IMG Sports Network: 105.3 FM/1450 AM • WKU has been on fire lately, with halftime leads of 42, 25, 38 and 20 Depth Chart Notes .............. 4-6 points over the last four games. The Hilltoppers are out-scoring their Schedule Notes ........................ 6 Internet Radio: WKUSports.tv and TuneIn app opponents 225-82 in the first half, an average halftime margin of Team Notebook ............... 11-12 Live Stats: LSU.Statbroadcast.com 20.4 points, the second-highest nationally. More on Page 11. Quick Hits .................................12 • The Hilltoppers received five points in this week’s USA Today Player’s Notebook ........... 13-15 Coaches Poll and rank as Kentucky’s highest FBS team, a program- WKU HILLTOPPERS (6-1, 4-0 C-USA) Start Chart ................................14 first, for the second consecutive week. WKU went from 5 to 11 points Record Chasers .......................15 DATE OPPONENT TIME TV/RESULT in the AP Top 25, a new program-high mark as well. September Game Notables .......................24 3 at Vanderbilt 7 p.m. W, 14-12 (SECN) • WKU has reached bowl eligibility for the fifth consecutive season The Last Time ................... 25-26 10 LA Tech* 7 p.m. W, 41-38 (FS1) and in five of seven years as an FBS school. The Hilltoppers are also Career Records ................. 35-36 19 at Indiana 3 p.m. L, 35-38 the first bowl eligible team in the Commonwealth. The 6-1 start is STATISTICS 26 Miami (OH) 2:30 p.m. W, 56-14 WKU’s best of the FBS era. Opening Drives .......................21 October 3 at Rice* 2:30 p.m. W, 49-10 NOTING THE GAME Position/Game Starts............22 10 Middle Tennessee* 11 a.m. W, 58-28 • In the FBS era, the Hilltoppers are 1-3 against ranked opponents. Explosive Plays ........................23 15 at North Texas* 6:30 p.m. W, 55-28 All three losses have come against Top 10 opponents, including top Turnovers/Big Plays ...............24 24 at (5/5) LSU 6 p.m. ESPNU ranked LSU in 2011. WKU’s lone win over a ranked opponent was at Drive Summaries ....................27 31 at Old Dominion* 11 a.m. FSN No. 19 Marshall last season. 2015 Stat Packet .....................38 NOVEMBER • LSU Offensive Coordinator Cam Cameron and WKU Head Coach 7 Florida Atlantic* 11 a.m. FSN Jeff Brohm have some familiarity with one another dating back to a 21 at FIU* TBA FSN 1995 stint with the Washington Redskins. Cameron was the team’s 27 Marshall* 11 a.m. FS1 quarterbacks coach while Brohm spent part of the year with the team. (5/5) LSU TIGERS (6-0) • The largest crowd to ever watch WKU play came at No. 1 Alabama DATE OPPONENT TIME TV/RESULT in 2012, a showing of 101,821 - a mark that could be surpassed this September week with a near-capacity crowd at Tiger Stadium of 102,381. 3 McNeese State 6:30 p.m. Cancelled 12 at Mississippi State* 8:15 p.m. W, 21-19 19 Auburn* 2:30 p.m. W, 45-21 NUMBERS TO WATCH 26 at Syracuse 11 a.m. W, 34-24 October 3 Eastern Michigan 6 p.m. W, 44-22 10 at South Carolina* 2:30 p.m. W, 45-24 1 122 149 17 Florida* 6 p.m. W, 35-28 24 WKU 6 p.m. ESPNU Wide receiver Taywan Taylor is one With 122 receiving yards, Taylor could jump If QB Brandon Doughty throws for 149 November receiving touchdown shy of tying WKU’s all the way from No. 9 to No. 2 in single- yards, not only would he hold WKU’s top 7 at Alabama* TBA TBA single-season mark of 11. One yard also season receiving yards. He can also climb three single-season marks (he can get there 14 Arkansas* TBA TBA moves him in No. 8 in receiving yards in a spots with: 1, 5, 17, 39, and 49 yards. by throwing for 29 yards), he would pass his 21 at Ole Miss* TBA TBA single season. own No. 2 mark from 2013. 28 Texas A&M* TBA TBA WKUSports.com • October 24, 2015 • ESPNU • 6 p.m. • at LSU • GAME 8 1 2015 WKU Football GAME NOTES Media INFORMATION WORKING CREDENTIALS: To request credentials, contact the Media Relations office. All requests should be made as early as possible and should be limited to working press only. MEDIA RELATIONS Working space in the Houchens-Smith Stadium press box is limited and a photo work Kyle Neaves Director of Media Relations room is available on the ground level for credentialed photographers. [email protected] Cell: (228) 424-6921 MEDIA WILL-CALL: If not received by mail, credentials may be picked up at the media “Will Primary Football Contact Office: (270) 745-3756 Brett Pund Assistant Media Relations Dir. Call” table, located next to the press box elevators on the lower level of the east side of the [email protected] Cell: (662) 346-3227 stadium between gates 4 and 5. Please be mindful that parking passes cannot be picked Secondary Football Contact up at will-call and must be received prior to gameday. Michael Schroeder Assistant A.D./Communications PHOTOGRAPHERS: Credentials for photographers will be issued on the basis of [email protected] Nick Brown Assistant Media Relations Dir. circulation, with priority granted to agencies covering the participating schools on a [email protected] regular basis. Per NCAA rules, images or likeness of current student-athletes may not be Lille-Anne Mulligan Media Relations Assistant sold, distributed or used for commercial purposes. [email protected] SIDELINE ACCESS: Excluding select portions of the game, media sideline access is Paul Just Sports Information Director Emeritus reserved for photographers/ videographers. Credentialed photographers/videographers [email protected] who arrive on the sideline without proper equipment will be removed from the sideline. Mailing Address: Credentials must be worn at all times on the sideline. When on the sideline, media must Athletic Media Relations remain outside the bench area. This includes during pre-game activities. E.A. Diddle Arena Room 1454 1605 Avenue of Champions RECRUITS: Per NCAA rule, media are not permitted to have contact with a prospect or Bowling Green, KY 42101 family members of a prospect during their visit (official or unofficial) to campus, including prospects in attendance at practice or games. Contact includes in-person conversations, phone calls, text messages, e-mails, etc. Media are also asked to make every effort to keep WEEKLY PRESS CONFERENCE distance from prospects on campus, including at practice, during pre-game activities on the sidelines and in the stands. Coach Jeff Brohm will hold his weekly press conference each GAMEDAY SERVICES: Members of the media covering WKU will be provided with Monday during a game week at 11:30 a.m. in the Paul Just Media Room inside Diddle Arena. A pair of players will also be pregame notes for both teams, a game program and a flipcard. Statistics and a running available for interviews. play-by-play will be handed out after each quarter. Approximately 30 minutes following the completion of the game, a final statistical book, including complete team and Both Coach Brohm and the players will be available for out-of- individual stats, running play-by-play and postgame quotes from players and coaches, will town media during a weekly teleconference which coincides be available.