WKU plays three quarterbacks vs. Georgia State

Georgia State linebacker Robert Ferguson (10) gets a hand on quarterback Brandon Doughty (12) but fails to sack him during the first half of the WKU vs. Georgia State game Saturday, Nov. 2, 2013, at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Ga.

Elliott Pratt

ATLANTA, Ga. – Junior Brandon Doughty started the game, but did’t finish it. The junior left the game in the third quarter after taking a hit to the head that caused him to leave the game with concussion like symptoms. 

Instead of sophomore Nelson Fishback immediately coming in to the game, redshirt freshman Damarcus Smith entered the game for only two plays, rushing for three yards on two attempts. 

Coach Bobby Petrino said the plan all along was for Smith to see action in the game at some point.

“We had a couple of good plays we felt were for him all week long,” Petrino said. “He was excited about it and I like him – he’s working really hard, he’s getting better each week in practice. He’s getting closer in doing what you need to do throwing the ball, and he earned the right to get in the game. We were going to do it regardless of whether Brandon was still in the game or not. Damarcus was going to come in and execute some plays.”

Since Smith was only in the game for two plays, Fishback finished the game and orchestrated the offense efficiently, according to Petrino.

The junior college transfer finished 3-for-5 for 35 yards and one touchdown pass.

“He did a really nice job executing our run game,” Petrino said. “They were giving us different looks a lot and he made the right checks and got us into some good runs.”