A bad weekend for WKU football has gotten worse.

Head Coach Willie Taggart announced Monday that redshirt freshman quarterback Brandon Doughty and junior wide receiver Marcus Vasquez are likely done for the year after tearing knee ligaments in the Toppers’ 44-16 Saturday home loss to Indiana State.

Taggart said on the Sun Belt’s weekly conference call that he believed both injuries were anterior crucate ligament (ACL) tears.

“Those guys are getting MRIs on their knees, but chances are they are done for the year,” he said. 

Doughty, who made his first career start Saturday, was injured after getting hit while scrambling on the Toppers’ first offensive series.

Junior Kawaun Jakes, who started WKU’s first two games this season and filled in for Doughty Saturday, will be the team’s starting signal-caller.

“That was our intention at the beginning of the year,” Taggart said of starting Jakes. “The only way the offense will play well is if he steps up.”

Vasquez’s injury came when after he got tackled on the game’s next-to-last play.

It’s the second consecutive season that Vasquez has sustained a year-ending injury, as the former quarterback suffered a broken collarbone against Florida Atlantic in 2010.

Vasquez had a team-high 134 receiving yards through three games.

His injury hurts an already slim receiving corps that lost sophomore wide receiver Willie McNeal during spring practice, also to an ACL tear.

The next highest total from a wide receiver is 68 yards from true freshman Boe Brand.

“All those other guys will have to step up and help us,” Taggart said of an inexperienced WKU receiving corps. “They’re on scholarship, too.”