I GENERAL INFORMATION Qu1cK FAcrs INDEX Location: Bowl ing Green, Ky. 42101 Founded: 1906 / Enrollment: 16,579 General Informati on ................ ... ................ 1 Nickname: Hi lltoppers / Colors: Red and White Stadium: L. T. Sm ith Stadium (17,500) Media Info rmation ................................... 2-4 Surface: Ji mmy Feix Field (Astroplay) The Coaching Staff ............... ....... ... ....... 5-10 Press Box Phone: (270) 745-6941 Affiliations: Gateway Football Conference (fb only) / NCAA Di vision I-AA 2002 W KU Hillto ppers ....................... 11-32 2002 WKU O ppo nents ..... .. ............... 33 -36 President: Dr. Gary Ransdell (WKU '73) Chair, University Athletics Committee: Dr. Steve W hite 2001 WKU Season Review ................. 37-48 Athletics Director: Dr. Camden Wood Selig (Washington & Lee '83) Records .................. ... ......................... 49-62 Office: (270) 745-3542 Associate ADs: Pam Herriford . Ji m Clark / Assistant AD: Craig Biggs AboutWestern ................. ........ .......... 63-72 PosTSEASON Au -STAR GAMES Ticket Manager: Ji m Cope (270) 745-5222 / 1-800-5-BIG-RED • Joseph Jefferson was invited to play in the Blue-Gray Football Classic Football Histor y: First year of football: 1913 on Christmas Day, becoming the second Western player to ever participate in Post-Season Record: 9-7 (9 post-season appearances) WWW. WKUSPORTS. COM Last Post-Season Appearance: 2001 (L, 20-24 at Furman, I-AA first round) the contest. All-Time Record: 460-302-30 (60.0%) / 83 years Follow W estern Ke ntucky Athletics and the Hillto pper football team o n the internet. • Mel Mitchell played for Te am Florida in the fourth annual Gridiron c_o.a.cb.ing_Staff Head Coach: Jack Harbaugh / Office: (270) 745-2984 • Rosters Alma Mater: Bowl ing Green State ' 61 Classic, earning Most Valu able Pl aye r honors after intercepting two passes • Pl ayer and Coach Biographies Record: 104-92-3 (18 years) / at WKU: 79-65-0 (13 years) and forcing a fumble in his team's 42-13 victory. He was the first defensive Assistant Coaches: • Statistics/ Res ul ts Dav id El son (Butler '94), Defensive Coordin ator / Defensive Backs • Recaps pl ayer in the game's history to be named MVP. W il lie Taggart (WKU '98), Co-Offensive Coordinator / Q uarterbacks Mi ke Fanoga (Texas-El Paso, '86), Defensive Li ne • News Releases • Jefferson also was selected to play in the prestigious Senior Bowl, where Keven Lightner (Nebraska '87), Co-Offensive Coordinator / Offensive Line Don Martindale (Defiance '87), Inside Li nebackers / Special Teams • Notes he intercepted a pass on the goal line and returned it more than half the field to Roscoe Echols (WKU '94), Runn ing Backs Bryan Cross (Campbell svi ll e '93), Outside Lin ebackers set up a touchdown for the South. Deke Hocker (Otterbe in '00), W ide Receivers Student Assistant Coach: Joe Gu inane (S r. , San Jose, Calif. ) Football Secretary: Larissa Priddy Academic Advisor: Ric Sisney Athletic Trainer: Bi ll Edwards (footbal l) Assistant Trainers: Paula Upright, Mike Gaddie, Sheri Harris Team Physicians: Dr. Bob Goodwin (emeritus), Dr. Jerry Martin (emeritus), Dr. Craig Beard , WKU IN THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE DRAFT Dr. John Burch , Dr. Phil Tu rner Team Information • For the first time since 1990, WKU had multiple players sel ected in the 2001 Record: 8-4 (5-1 home / 3-3 road) 2001 Gateway Conference Record, finish: 5-2, tie 2nd National Football League Draft. Final National Rank: 10th, ESP N/ USA Today // 12th, Sports Network Basic Offense: Multipl e / / Basic Defense: 3-4 • The Indianapolis Colts selected Jefferson with the ninth pick of th e Lettermen Returning: 46 (Offense 23, Defense 21, Special Teams 2) third round (79th overall), making him the first player from an NCAA Division Lettermen Lost: 13 (Offense 7, Defense 6) Starters Returning: 17 (Offense 9, Defense 6, Kickers 2) I-AA school to be selected. Starters Lost: 7 (Offense 2, Defense 5) • It was the highest round and overall pick fo r a Hilltopper - Virgil Livers Returni ng Offensive Starters (Pos, Ht, Wt, Cl): Buster As hl ey (OL, 6-3, 285 , So .); Tom my Crockett (TE, 6-2, 255, Jr.); Derek Forster (O L, 6-3, 290, Sr.); Jon Frazier (RB, 5-9, 180, Sr.); Curtis Ham il ton (FB , was the fifth sel ection in the fourth round (83rd overall) by the ChicagQ 5-11, 210, Sr.); Shannon Hayes (WR, 6-0, 180, Jr.); Chris Price (OL, 6-0, 295, Sr.); Eric Ravel lette (OL, 6- 1, 290, Sr.); Daniel W ithrow (OL, 6-3, 285, Jr.) B__e_ars in the 1975 draft. Returning Defensive Starters (Pos, Ht, Wt, Cl): Sherrod Coates (OLB, 6-2, 210, Sr.); Erik Dandy • Mitchel l was chosen by the New Orleans Saints 150th ove rall ( 5th round, (IL B, 6-0, 205, Jr.); Jon Drummond (OLB, 5-1 1, 225, Sr.); Ra ndal l Johnson (DL, 6-1, 265, Sr.); Patrick Reynolds (D L, 6-3 , 230, Sr.); Arthur W il son (DL, 6-0, 285, Sr. ) 15th se lection), the third-highest pick eve r for a Hilltopper in the draft. 2002 Postseason All-Star Candidates: • Five WKU players have been chose n in the NFL draft in head co ach Jack Sherrod Coates (S r., O LB - 3rd-team AA, all-Gateway; 57 tackles, 19 TFL, 8 sacks) Erik Dandy (Jr., IL B - 1st-team AA, al l-Gateway; 155 tackles, 10 TF L, 3 sacks) Harbaugh's 13 years on the Hill, and 16 have had the opportunity to enter Jon Drummond (Sr., O LB - HM al l-Gateway; 71 tackles, 14 TF L, 7 sacks) Peter Martinez (Sr., PK - 2nd-team all-Gateway; 14-22 FG, 34-37 XP) the professi onal ranks. Ch ri s Pri ce (Sr., O L - 1st-team AA, 1st-team all-Gateway; 92% grade) Patrick Reynolds (Sr., DL - 1st-team all -Gateway; 58 tackles, 11 TFL, 4 sacks) • Following April's eve nt, 20 Hilltoppers have had their names call ed in the Returning Statistical Leaders: N ational Football League Draft since 1971 . Rushing: Curtis Hamil ton 72-230 / 3.2 ypc / 17 long / 4 TDs / 19.2 ypg Passing: Jason Michael 2-1 -1 / 7 yds / 0 TDs / -20.60 rating In his final season on the Hill,Jason Michael looks Receiving: Shannon Hayes 6-109 / 18.2 ypc / 53 long / 1 TDs / 0.5 rpg to lead Western to its seventh consecutive winning Tack/es: Erik Dan dy, LB 82-73-155 / 10 TFL (26 yds) / 3 sacks (18 yds) / 4 FF season. 2 1 \Yl\rl BACK-To-BACK NCAA I-AA PLAYOFF QuAL!FIERS - \Yl\rl BAcK-To-BAcK NCAA /-AA PLAYOFF DuAUFIER ■ MEDIA INFORMATION MEDIA INFORMATION 2002 TRAVEL ITINERARY Message to the M.e.dia - The foll owing informa­ DIREC TIONS To tion is intended to assist members of the media in their HILL TOPPER SPORTS fNFORMA TION GA TEWA y COACHES CALL • KANSAS STATE coverage of Hil ltopper football. Sho uld you require SMITH STADIUM I FEIX HELD Room 152, E. A. Diddle Arena Teleconferences featuring the league's head coaches • KS U Stadium, Manhattan, Ka n. additio nal info rmation, contact Assistant SID Brian Western Kentucky University From 1-65 North (beading south) - Take the • August 31, 6:1 0 p.m. Fremund or SID Paul Just. 1 Big Red Way w il l be conducted during the season. Those participat­ fi rst Bowling Green exit ( exit 28 ) at the Corvette Plant Transportatio n: Pl ane Charter (Bowling Green) and Natio nal Co rvette Museum onto the connector Bowling Green, KY 42101 ing in the call sho uld di al in fi ve minutes prio r to the T earn Headquarters: The Press Box - L.T. Smith Stadium is topped by • Ph one: (270) 745-4298 road that w ill take yo u to US 31-W. Fo ll ow the signs scheduled start time (10 a.m. CST each W ednesday). Holid ay Inn a press box designed to meet the needs of members for US 31-W South- Bowling Green. Stay on US 31- • FAX: (270) 745-3444 520 Richards Drive Each call is recorded. To obtain a playback or a copy of the media who staff Hilltopper football. The Press W South (Lo ui svill e Road) to the stop light at the • E-Mail: sports.info [email protected] Manh attan, KS 66502 Box staff will supply programs, fli p cards, pregame bridge over Barren River where 31-W turns left; how­ of the weekly teleconference tape, please contact Mike Telephone: (785) 539-5311 Sports Information Director: Paul Just notes and complete statistical information. Sandwiches ever, you want to continue straight through the light on Kern at the Gateway Conference offi ce. FAX: (785) 5 39-8 368 and soft drinks are also ava il abl e. Admission to th e Louisvill e Road whi ch w ill spli t into two one-way streets • Desk: (270) 745-5379 Leave: Friday 1 p.m. (Aug. 30) Pou/Just Press Box will be granted only to authorized persons at Sixth Ave. The one-way SW is Adams Street. W hen • Home: (270) 781-4852 Return: Aftergame Sports In fo rmation Director with WKU Press Box passes, whi ch must be reserved the one-way streets merge into th e fo ur-lane Univer­ • E-M ail : [email protected] Every W ednesday throughout the season, beginning sity Blvd., you w ill be on the NW corner of th e West­ in advance with Assistant SID Brian Fremund (no other Wednesday, Sept. 4, and concluding W ednesday, • McNEESE STATE ern campus (rail road on ri ght, W KU on left). Go press passes o( any kind will be honored) .