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Published Jul 23, 2019
Top Five Impact Players: Offense
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Tyler Mansfield  •  InsideHilltopperSports
Managing Editor
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@TMansfieldMedia

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With college football kicking off in just over a month, the InsideHilltopperSports.com team is previewing the upcoming season for Western Kentucky.

From positional previews to opponent previews and much more, IHS is working to gear everyone up for the 2019 Hilltopper football campaign, which begins August 29 against Central Arkansas at Houchens-Smith Stadium.

Today, we take a look at WKU's top five offensive impact players.

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1. STEVEN DUNCAN - QUARTERBACK - REDSHIRT JR.

Although it's not yet clear who new WKU head coach Tyson Helton will choose to be his starting quarterback, Steven Duncan is still one of WKU's top offensive impact players entering the season.

Starting in five games and appearing in nine total in 2018, Duncan completed 108-of-187 passes for 1,071 yards and nine touchdowns with seven interceptions while also rushing for 192 yards and a pair of TDs.

Regardless of whether or not he's the Week 1 starter, Duncan is bound to have a successful season in the Red and White.

2. LUCKY JACKSON - WIDE RECEIVER - REDSHIRT SR.

When discussing WKU's offense, Lucky Jackson is one of the first names that gets brought up.

A flashy, versatile wide receiver, Jackson enters his final season on The Hill as the Hilltoppers' No. 1 wideout after making 50 receptions for 552 yards and four touchdowns in 2018. His numbers last season followed a 2017 campaign that included 600 yards with three TDs.

With an offensive mastermind in Helton now at the helm -- in addition to offensive guru Bryan Ellis helping call the shots, Jackson has the tools and capability to thrive in WKU's system this year and put up Taywan Taylor-like numbers.

3. GINO APPLEBERRY - RUNNING BACK - SOPHOMORE

Gino Appleberry put together an impressive season in 2018, and he's bound to do even more in 2019.

Rushing for 196 yards and three scores -- two of those coming in addition to 80 yards last October vs. Old Dominion -- as a true freshman a year ago, Appleberry quickly became one of the main running backs for WKU.

Expect Appleberry's numbers to only increase this season.

4. JOSHUA SAMUEL - RUNNING BACK - REDSHIRT SOPH.

Alongside Appleberry, Joshua Samuel had a breakout season for WKU a year ago.

Coming off his redshirt season in 2017, Samuel quickly emerged as one of the Hilltoppers' main running backs as a redshirt freshman in 2018 -- rushing for 639 yards on 121 carries to lead the team in both categories. Samuel's 639 rushing yards led all Conference USA freshmen and ranked seventh overall in the league.

With Appleberry and Samuel serving as WKU's two main backs, the Hilltoppers shouldn't have a problem establishing an effective rushing attack in 2019.

5. KYLE FOURTENBARY - TIGHT END - REDSHIRT JR.

Kyle Fourtenbary had a stellar season in the tight end position a year ago for WKU.

At 6-foot-4, 245 pounds, the physical Fourtenbary reeled in 36 catches for 302 yards and a pair of touchdowns as a redshirt sophomore in 2018.

Playing in an offensive system that actively uses the tight end, 2019 could make for another standout year for Fourtenbary.

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