As WKU Football looks to keep its place as the top team in Conference USA, I talked with Kai Millette, sports editor of the Kennesaw State Sentinel, to talk about KSU Football.
The Owls have had a rough start in their initial season as a Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) team. KSU started their season 0-6, being outscored in those games 194-78. Last week, however, in a game Millette said he was “dreading attending,” KSU took their first win as an FBS school against then undefeated Liberty in a 27-24 upset.
“I don’t think there was a single person who expected KSU to pull out that win,” Millette said. “Give all the credit in the world to our guys, they earned that win. It wasn’t fluky. We figured some things out on offense and defense, made crucial stops when they needed to and we didn’t look as out-matched as I think we all expected.”
Offensively, Millette said that quarterback Davis Bryson played “the game of his career up to this point” against the Flames. Bryson regained his starting spot after being benched against Middle Tennessee State the previous week and completed 16 of his 20 passes for 189 yards and a touchdown.
“We’re going to need him to be closer to that version of himself in every game to have a chance,” Millette said.
Millette also said that the offensive line play against Liberty improved after a “very poor” first six weeks.
“It seemed like the offensive line really started to gain trust and it’s showing. Running lanes are opening back up,” he said.
Last week the Owls picked up 154 yards on the ground but are averaging 106.6 rushing yards per game on the season. He said that running backs Qua Ashley and Michael Benefield are two backs that are both “very capable… it’s just a matter of what kind of push our offensive line is going to be able to get.”
Millette said other guys to look out for on the offense are receivers Tykeem Wallace and Christian Wallace.
On the defense Millette said tackling was “leaps and bounds better” against Liberty than it has been the entire season.
“I can’t tell you how many short yardage situations out linebackers came up huge in that Liberty game,” he said.
He also said the secondary has improved in the last couple games. Millette said defensive backs Tyler Hallam, JeRico Washington Jr. and Sidney Porter and linebackers Garland Benyard and Donelious Johnson are names to look out for on the defense.
For Kennesaw State to pull off another upset this week, Millette said the KSU secondary will have to build on last week’s performance.
“The secondary is going to have to improve on the best game they’ve ever played and play an even better game,” Millette said. “In all honesty, from what I can tell. I think Western Kentucky is a better offensive team than Liberty.”
He also said the Owls are “gonna need the ball to bounce our way.”
“We’re going to have to get lucky bounces… I would consider this one a bigger upset than Liberty just looking at past results and the way they (WKU) run their offense,” he said.
Millette expects the game will be closer than it should be in the first half, but thinks WKU pulls away in the second half.
“This is going to be the most confident team we’ve seen in the first half all year,” Millette said. “I think it’s going to be close for longer than some people anticipate, but I see Western Kentucky pull this one out pretty easily.”
Sports Editor Jake McMahon can be reached at [email protected].
