Head Coach David Elson was fired Sunday night in his seventh year as head coach of the Toppers and 14th with the program. But if players and coaches are dwelling on the situation, they aren’t showing it.

With three games left to play, Elson said “the plan is business as usual,” and senior receiver Jake Gaebler said the team is on board with that message. This week, the Toppers got back to work and will continue to control what they can — playing football.

“I think the main thing is to not take this week any differently than we’ve taken every other week,” Gaebler said. “We’ve talked about it as a team. We’re just going to go there and give it everything we have. We’ve been doing it all season, and hopefully it works out well for us these last three weeks.”

That doesn’t mean the Toppers haven’t felt the impact of Elson’s impending departure from the program.

Athletics Director Wood Selig suggested at Monday’s press conference announcing Elson’s firing that players might “go out and prove President (Gary) Ransdell and Wood Selig wrong.”

Senior offensive lineman Cody Hughes declined to comment on Selig’s words but did say the situation is fueling motivation for this Saturday’s game at Louisiana-Monroe.

“I personally want to win this game for coach Elson,” Hughes said. “He’s my coach. He’s my leader. He’s the reason I’m here today. I owe that man a lot. I owe him my college degree when I get it.”

Elson said he didn’t notice any difference from practice this week compared to game weeks of the past.

“The only thing I’m aware of that’s happened is that we turned the page from Troy to Louisiana-Monroe, and so I’m not sure what’s different as far as any of that’s concerned,” Elson said.

Elson added that the players shouldn’t have to concern themselves with anything other than preparation for their next game, which will take place six days after the firing.

Had Sunday night’s events occurred a week later, the Toppers would have spent a bye week mulling over what freshman tight end Jack Doyle called a “surprise” before facing Florida Atlantic on Nov. 28.

Being able to bounce back and return to the regular routine has been an advantage in overcoming emotions, Doyle said.

“Football is a great outlet for just being out here and practicing, taking that attitude away,” Doyle said. “On Monday, I was just thinking a lot. Really, right now we’re just going to play one game at a time.”

Hughes said he looks at Western’s coaching situation as another obstacle to overcome in a senior season gone awry. The Toppers are 0-9 and carry a 17-game losing streak into the game with Louisiana-Monroe on Saturday.

That’s not to say that the team has given up on its season — or its coach.

“It’s something we’re looking past,” Hughes said. “The way this season’s gone, we’ve had to shake a lot of things off, and we’ve had to overlook a lot of circumstances. This is just another bump in the road. We control what we can control, and this is not something we can control.

“I’m focused on three victories to end the season and sending coach Elson out the way he needs to be sent out.”