Keys To Victory: Western Kentucky vs. Sam Houston St.
Here's how the Bearkats can bring down Big Red
As the inexCUSAbly awesome Conference kicks off it's October weeknight matchups, Sam Houston puts its undefeated conference record to the test as the Hilltoppers of Western Kentucky invade Bowers Stadium Wednesday night at 6pm. Neither Sam nor WKU have lost a conference game, so expect fireworks in a matchup that will play a big hand in deciding the conference. A win further crystalizes Sam’s plays as Conference USA contender and makes Sam bowl elidable for the first time in it’s FBS history. Here are a few keys to the game.
Limit Turnovers
Lost in the rightful excitement of Sam’s catapult into conference contention is the fact the Bearkats have had a against each opponent not named Rice. This has to change as the quality of conference opponent begins to improve. The main culprit is quarterback Hunter Watson, with a mix of interceptions and fumbles when he tucks it and runs. This limits his otherwise excellent contributions, where defenses are forced to account for his arm or his legs. Coach KC Keeler said the bye week was good for Watson, as he focused on cleaning up those errors. If he can limit or eliminate the mistakes, Sam will continue it’s breakout season in FBS football.
Establish the run early
If there is a weakness to point out in the Western Kentucky it’s their run defense. The Hilltoppers have allowed 100 rushing yards in all but one of their games. This presents an opportunity to get running backs Jay Ducker and DJ McKinney going along with a healthy sprinkling of QB Hunter Watson. Wearing down the WKU defense will create short down situations and allow opportunities for home run darts to house.
Control the clock
As we will discuss in the second bullet, Western Kentucky’s has a solid passing attack, ranking tops among Conference USA. Quarterback Caden Veltkamp is the best passer in the conference and wide receiver Kisean Johnson tops among CUSA. This mean Sam will need limit the Hilltoppers possessions, and that involves winning the time of possession. Going on nice, long, sustained drives will give the Kats a much better chance at victory.
Don’t let Veltkamp beat you with his arm
As previously discussed, Veltkamp isn’t afraid to sling it around. It’s a reason he is the top passer is CUSA. He will be in Huntsville looking for the big play, but the good news for Sam comes in the form of Caleb Weaver. The conference leader in INTs will need to be a hawk for the Bearkats, keeping a lid on what the Hilltopper passing attack is able to accomplish.
Stay Hungry
Head coach KC Keeler will tell you that Sam has not been reading its own headlines and there is still always a chance of human nature coming in and throwing you off your mark. Fortunatley, the Bearkats do not seem to give off that vibe, as Keeler called WKU the toughest team they will see not named Central Florida. The Hilltoppers have experience, facing off against Alabama and a narrow loss to Boston College. An all around effort with limited mistakes will be needed to defeat this opponent.
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