Toppers working on fundamentals

More than noticeable this week was the scout team offense’s ability to move the ball against the first team defense. Head Coach David Elson said the receivers were “unconscious,” crediting their success to the simplicity of running plays from cards rather than perfection of the system.

But Elson added that the defense isn’t getting beat down due to a talent gap, but because the coaching staff may have gotten ahead of themselves in implementing a complicated system.

“I think that’s been part of our problem maybe is that we’ve focused too much on the Xs and Os and not enough on the fundamentals,” Elson said. “You’re wanting guys to know what they’re doing, and then you get to a point that you work so hard at ‘he’s got to know where to line up, he’s got to know who to block or what gap to be in.’ Then you look back at it and say, ‘now we’ve got to team him how, which is the fundamentals aspect of it.’”

Elson says Brown best in the Sun Belt Conference

Western has faced many great quarterbacks this season, including Tennessee’s Jonathan Crompton and South Florida’s Matt Grothe. But Elson said that when it comes to Sun Belt signal callers, Troy senior quarterback Levi Brown is the best.

“He’s so accurate and has such a great presence and feel with what they’re doing,” Elson said. “I think you’ve got to say he’s the one that’s above the rest of them based on what they’re doing.”

Brown has passed for 4,556 yards in his career at Troy and has thrown for over 350 yards in each of the Trojans’ past three games.

Troy hasn’t lost since its second game of the season, at Florida on Sept. 12. Elson noted that the Trojans’ success “all starts with (Brown).”

Crennel to address team Friday night

Elson said he expects Western legend Romeo Crennel to address the Toppers Friday night. Crennel, who was a four-year starter at Western and now owns five Super Bowl Rings, will be in town for homecoming to accept his induction into Western’s Hall of Distinguished Alumni.

In addition, former Head Coach Jack Harbaugh will be in attendance for Saturday’s game against Troy on former Topper quarterback Willie Taggart’s behalf. Taggart is also entering the Hall this weekend.

Injuries mounting

As with the stretch run of any college football team, the injury list is growing for Western.

The biggest news this week revolves around former Bowling Green High School standout and current sophomore defensive back Ryan Beard. Beard re-injured his posterior cruciate ligament before last week’s game against North Texas and will miss the rest of the season, according to Elson.

Junior receiver Quinterrance Cooper is still undergoing evaluation after suffering two concussions this season. Junior defensive back Orlando Misaalefua and freshman defensive back Kareem Peterson will also miss with concussions.

Junior linebacker Chris Bullard sat out of practice sick this week, sophomore center Shelley Anthony is doubtful with an elbow injury and Elson said junior offensive tackle Preston King is questionable with a leg injury.

No division in the locker room

With a 16-game losing streak in hand, senior receiver Jake Gaebler said the Toppers are refraining from pointing fingers.

“If anything, you see guys on the defensive or offensive side of the ball step up and take responsibility for the way things are going,” Gaebler said. “There definitely isn’t any division or finger pointing in the locker room, which is good to see.”

Gaebler has fought through the best and worst, from two winning seasons to now two in a row losing. And of the teams he‘s been a part of, Gaebler said the attitude of this one stands out.

“It says a lot about our character and the type of people we have on our team,” he said.

The issue: Alumni will return to Western’s campus this weekend to participate in Homecoming activities.

Our view: While they’re here, the alumni should share any concerns they have with administrators about the state of Western’s football and tailgating situation.

Western’s lack of success on the football field this season has had several consequences.

A lack of respect from other teams and fan outcry for coaching changes are just a couple of examples of what happens when a team goes winless this late in the season.

Perhaps a more saddening effect is one that’s become almost palpable leading up to this weekend’s Homecoming game — fans just aren’t excited.

Despite its place as a beloved fall tradition at every university, Homecoming has lost some of its appeal at Western, following the team’s shortcomings on the field.

Those involved with Homecoming activities might not feel the change, but the majority of students checked out of football mode once the new tailgating rules were implemented.

For all the growth and good aspects of the university, the tailgating scene and the football game is the snapshot alumni will take away from this weekend.

That begs the question of how their impression of Western will change after seeing the diminished nature of both those areas compared to previous years.

Students have made their opinions known to administrators by pulling their support for the football team and abandoning their tailgating routines.

Now it’s the alumni’s turn to speak up.

Considering the donations that Western enjoys from its alumni, administrators would be wise to pay attention to what’s being said this weekend.

Failing to keep the alumni happy, especially during the current economic climate, would undoubtedly slow the rate of growth Western has enjoyed the past decade.

Considering the spike in hotel reservations for this weekend, Western should expect plenty of loyal alumni to return for the Homecoming celebration.

The Herald hopes those who return won’t refrain from making their concerns known.

After all, who better to help guide the future of Western than those who know where we’ve been?

This editorial represents the majority opinion of the Herald’s 11-member editorial board.

Western’s 68-49 loss last weekend at North Texas was arguably the Toppers’ best shot at winning this season.

The team also made it a point to say the game was their biggest heartbreak.

But according to redshirt freshman quarterback Kawaun Jakes, the Toppers haven’t given up on the season yet. Instead, Jakes insisted that this Saturday’s game against Troy is the best time to end the team’s Football Bowl Subdivision-leading 16-game losing streak.

“We don’t want to lose 21-20 and know we had a chance,” Jakes said. “We want to actually get a victory. At Homecoming, playing against Troy, the best team in the Sun Belt, we want to get that win.”

Jakes said the goal for the remainder of the season was to win out the final four games, a sentiment echoed by sophomore defensive back Mark Santoro.

“We’ve taken everything off the board and said just win,” Santoro said. “We’ve definitely struggled this year, especially these past few Sun Belt games. I think we’ve shown a lot of signs. We just need to stay consistent with it.”

Though Santoro has two more seasons of eligibility following this one, it’s the guys that will be sent off after only four more games that he said the defense continues to draw motivation from.

“The good thing about this team is that we really care, and we’re close with all of our seniors,” Santoro said. “If there’s something to fight for this season, those are the guys. You want them to go out on a high note.”

Despite the efforts this season, Head Coach David Elson said the Toppers are struggling with certain fundamentals — namely tackling — and Elson is working to influence them. This week at practice, Elson upped the intensity, flying around the field in encouragement of his team on both sides of the ball.

The coach said his team has responded well to his pushes, but the wins just haven’t followed.

“It hasn’t produced the results that we want, and that’s really, really frustrating,” Elson said. “But it’s like I told (the players) before: I can’t guarantee you success just because you have the right attitude and you’re working hard, but I can guarantee you failure if you don’t have the right attitude and you’re not working hard.”

A little more of the right attitude could go a long way for the Toppers this weekend.

In the Toppers’ two previous meetings with Troy, Western lost by a combined 14 points. This time around, Elson said Western is looking for more than a moral victory.

“We’re going to get out of this,” Elson said. “We’re going to get through this. Why not do it against the best in the league?”

Troy and Western kick off at 4 p.m. on Saturday.

Senior running back Tyrell Hayden reached an important milestone this season — not in yards gained but shoes compiled.

Now more than 50 pairs deep, Hayden’s shoe collection has become part of a lifestyle adopted from the running back’s mother. Thankful for the hobby, Hayden said he always tries to give back.

“I’ve always loved shoes, but I get it from my mom,” he said. “She loves shoes. If there’s a present I give, it’s always a gift card to a shoe store.”

Hayden said he tries to never throw away any shoes from his collection, comprised mostly of size 10 Nike Air Max 95s. The footwear he doesn’t want usually ends up on the feet of his younger brother.

Junior linebacker Chris Bullard said Hayden could stand to give away a few more pairs.

“He has the worst shoe collection,” Bullard said. “He has pink shoes, green shoes, lime green, ugly — I’m talking about they are ugly. Tyrell is an ugly dude, so to him they’re pretty. We try to tell him, but he just doesn’t listen.”

Hayden’s love of shoes has spilled into every facet of his life. On the football field, the running back said he’s always pushing for a new pair of cleats. Off it, he said there’s nothing better than the first walk in a fresh pair of Nikes.

But Hayden hasn’t found many people who understand his devotion, and his friends joke that the compassion for footwear sometimes goes too far.

“I came in the house one day, and he was literally cleaning the bottom of his shoe with a toothbrush,” senior running back Marell Booker said. “That makes absolutely no sense to me.”

Booker added that he still doesn’t understand why his roommate of more than two years feels the need to store his shoes in plastic bags rather than boxes in an attempt to keep the footwear “fresh.” Hayden could only shrug.

Bullard, who said he personally owns two pairs of shoes, said Hayden’s taste in shoes often carries over to the rest of his wardrobe.

“He tried to put on some pink Nike-type shoes with a lime green shirt and some blue jeans, and I said, ‘Man, you’ve gotta slow down with that,’” Bullard said.

But slowing down is the last thing on Hayden’s mind.

The running back has played in every game but one since arriving at Western in 2006.

Hayden rushed for a season-high 84 yards in Saturday’s 69-48 loss to North Texas, including a 50-yard touchdown in the first quarter that gave the Toppers their first lead of the game.

The performance placed Hayden, who has contributed 161 yards on 32 carries this season, only two yards away from 2,000 in his career.

And traveling for better shoes and better prices has never been out of the question for Hayden, even as a busy student-athlete.

“I like to go to secret spots,” Hayden said. “I travel to get shoes — to outlets in Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, Indiana — just trying to see if I can catch anything good.”