WKU Football began spring practice on March 16th, and with many new faces in the coaching staff and on the roster will look to build on a 5-7 finish to the 2020 season.
InsideHilltopperSports.com goes in depth on key losses and key additions on the offensive side of the football in 2021.
Key Losses:
QB - Kevaris Thomas (2020 stats: 105.6 passer rating, 37/70, 369 passing yards, 3 TD, 2 INT)
Thomas appeared in three games in 2020 when regular starting quarterback Tyrell Pigrome had troubles. Thomas came into WKU ranked as high as four-stars by some outlets, but never really got the opportunity to take the reigns as the true starting signal-caller. Even with Thomas entering the transfer portal, WKU will be deep at QB heading into 2021 but the upside and experience that Thomas brought to the table will be missed.
RB - Gaej Walker (2020 stats: 143 rushes, 645 rushing yards, 3 rushing touchdowns)
Walker was a 2019 All-CUSA running back, but 2020 was not quite the same. Despite the struggles last season, Walker still led the Tops in rushing and started to get back to his standard in the second half of the season. The running back with the most carries from last season returning is Jakairi Moses who had 60. WKU will look to replace their leading rusher from the past two seasons as Walker graduates.
WR - Xavier Lane (2020 stats: 34 catches, 376 yards, 1 receiving touchdown)
Even with WKU's passing struggles in 2020, Lane was the team's second leading receiver. Lane came into WKU ranked a three-star recruit by Rivals but never lived up to that potential. After a 27 catch season in 2017, Lane would not have more than 10 catches again until 2020. The Tops saw multiple receivers transfer on short notice in 2020, and Lane stepped up to fill those voids. His graduation leaves another hole WKU must fill.
OL - Seth Joest, Jordan Meredith, Tyler Witt
The combination of Joest, Meredith and Witt have played in every game on the offensive line since 2018 for the Hilltoppers. Joest was on the 2020 Rimington Trophy Watch List, Meredith was named 2020 All-Conference USA Second Team, as well as a Pro Football Focus Second Team All-American, and Witt was on the 2019 Wuerffel Trophy Watch List. With WKU having one of the top graded offensive line units in the country in 2020 according to Pro Football Focus, these three big guys will be missed greatly by WKU in 2021.
Key Additions:
QB - Bailey Zappe (2020 stats at Houston Baptist: 4 games started, 141/215, 1,833 passing yards, 15 TD, 1 INT)
Zappe is without a doubt the most anticipated addition to the 2021 Hilltopper roster. At Houston Baptist the 6-foot-2 215-pound signal-caller set records for career passing yards and touchdowns, throwing for just over 10,000 yards and 78 touchdowns in 37 games. Along with him come his play-caller Zach Kittley and wide receivers Ben Ratzlaff, as well as Jerreth and Josh Sterns. Expect the offense to be centered around Zappe in 2021 barring any breakthroughs.
RB - Adam Cofield (2019 stats at North Dakota State: 167 rushes, 813 rushing yards, 13 total TD)
With WKU's leading rusher from the past two seasons on the way out, Cofield will have a big role in the offense in 2021. In his last full season in 2019 he ranked fourth in the Missouri Valley Conference with 12 rushing touchdowns. 2020 saw Cofield play in one game for the Bison before entering the transfer portal. Coming out of high school the 5-foot-11 205-pound athlete was ranked a two-star recruit by Rivals.
WR - Jerreth Sterns, Josh Sterns, Ben Ratzlaff (All at Houston Baptist in 2020)
The Sterns brothers and Ratzlaff all hail from Houston Baptist where they all three were thrown to by record-setting quarterback Bailey Zappe. Jerreth, the oldest of the three totaled 47 catches for 454 yards and five touchdowns last season. Josh added 13 catches for 403 yards and four touchdowns. Ratzlaff hauled in 29 catches for 399 yards and three touchdowns, but in 2019 he set a school record with 1,139 receiving yards.
Offensive Coordinator - Zach Kittley (At Houston Baptist since 2018)
Kittley brought with him four players that will have immediate impact for the Tops in 2021. With that being said, the young play-caller has a lot to prove in this new role, but his resume is exceptional. In just four games in 2020, Kittley's offense produced over 300 yards passing once, over 400 twice and over 500 once. The 500 yard game came against his former squad, Texas Tech, where Kittley coached NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes. In 2020 WKU's offense greatly struggled to find consistency in the passing game. In 2021 this will not be a problem under the play-calling of new offensive coordinator Zach Kittley.
Checkout what Kittley, Zappe, and the Sterns brothers had to say after their first spring practice at WKU on March 16th below:
