Malik Staples is a name known around the Commonwealth and around both sides of the ball at this point in his football career.

The redshirt senior running back enters his second season as a Hilltopper after transferring from the University of Louisville prior to the 2018 season. Not only has Staples played at two in-state Football Bowl Subdivision programs, but he has played on both sides of the ball at the college level as well.

Coming out of high school, Staples was rated a two-star prospect by Rivals, the 77th ranked running back in the nation and number seven running back in the state of Georgia for the class of 2016. The Lawrenceville, Georgia native rushed for 802 yards and 11 touchdowns in his high school career.

Staples signed with Louisville in June of 2015, where he would change positions, becoming a linebacker for the Cardinals.

At Louisville, Staples compiled nine tackles in 20 games across two seasons in the Derby City, including his career high in tackles on October 1st, 2016 versus Clemson as a freshman.

Heading into his redshirt junior season in 2019, Staples stuck with linebacker in his first season on The Hill. The 6-foot-1 225-pound athlete played in all 13 games that season racking up 19 total tackles with a career high five on September 7th at FIU.

While proving to provide depth and experience at linebacker for the Tops in 2019, Staples knew his calling was his true position, a ball-carrier. Making the switch to running back prior to the 2020 season opened up the former Cardinal's eyes to how deep and effective the running back room will be for WKU this year.

"In the running back room we have some ball-players, I can't lie to you," Staples said. "First thing that sticks out to me is really all the guys...as far as the running back room, I feel like we're all really emerging and getting better. I feel like this might be one of the most improved positions on the team from a year ago."

Staples ability to be a power-back adds much needed depth for WKU at running back. Spending his first three years of collegiate play as linebacker gave him nostalgia for the position he loves.

"It feels amazing to be back...I've been playing running back my whole life...there's just something about getting in the end-zone," Staples said. "You could get a pick-six, you could make a big tackle, you could make the crowd go crazy, but when you get in the end-zone with all the fans yelling, there's something different about that."

Getting in the end-zone may be an added perk to playing the running back position, however it's not just that simple even for tremendous athletes like Staples.

"The biggest thing I've been working on is getting my pad level back low, ball security...just getting to read the defense again, and playing defense I'm understanding a lot more," Staples said.

There is certainly an added advantage to being on the other side of the ball for so much time. The former standout running back says playing linebacker for all that time just raised his football IQ.

"It's a big advantage, because I know playing linebacker is almost the same thing as running back on offense," Staples said. "Everything is very instinctive, and I know how the linebacker's going to set me up and take certain angles to try to get to the running back."

Not only is Staples at an advantage this season, but so is 2019 leading rusher Gaej Walker. Staples claims to have a tight relationship with his ball-carrier mate and says that he and the 1,000-yard rusher complement each other exceptionally.

"I like to say it like this...thunder and lightning...I feel like we complement each other well," Staples said. "Gaej goes out there and he's a ballplayer, I feel like I'm a ballplayer myself...you can't stop us both...I promise you they're going to feel both of us."

Through three games played thus far, Staples is proving to be effective back behind the offensive line. In his first game against his former team in the Hilltoppers' opener Staples added three carries for eight yards and a score in WKU's 35-21 loss at Cardinal Stadium.

"It felt good...it's a natural feel again...like I said before, there's nothing like getting in the end-zone," Staples said. "At the end of the day we lost...but it was a good feeling though."

Despite the loss in his first game back at running back, Staples will continue to add touches to a much deeper Hilltopper backfield.

Catch the stud backfield in action Saturday as the Hilltoppers get set to take on the Marshall Thundering Herd for Homecoming at Houchens-Smith Stadium at 6:30 PM Central Time.