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Conference USA · 2026 · History

Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

3-4 (2-1 Conference USA)Last: W 16-3 at Sam HoustonNext: vs Delaware

Tyson Helton · 8th season · .600 at Western Kentucky · .600 career since 2019

Rating
-8.6100
Adj Off
21.4107
Adj Def
30.098
WAP
-2.3990

Style profile

Style

What the offense does with the ball, and what the defense faces.

StatOffenseDefense
Run rate47.8%9350.1%69
Plays per game73.31163.398
Time of possession30:216529:3974
Yards per pass attempt6.11306.543
Yards per rush3.71165.6134
Points per game21.311330.6115
Points per opportunity3.49974.00109
Starting field positionOwn 2897Own 2865

Efficiency and EPA

Down-by-down quality, measured in predicted points.

StatOffenseDefense
EPA per play+0.025116+0.12696
Adj. EPA per play+0.033105+0.13488
Success rate36.6%12939.5%55
Explosiveness1.25581.40132
Rushing EPA per play-0.020116+0.252135
Passing EPA per play+0.073114+0.00322
Std downs success41.8%12644.0%45
Passing downs success27.3%10830.3%86

Situational

Red zone finishing, ball security, discipline, and money downs.

StatOffenseDefense
Red zone TD rate55.9%9155.6%73
Turnovers per game1.29710.86109
Penalties per game4.9164.4131
Penalty yards per game41.61542.6122
3rd down conversion40.7%6831.5%22
4th down tries per game2.00532.0046
4th down conversion50.0%8150.0%55

Rank out of 138 FBS teams. Green is good for the team, red is bad. Blue only orients neutral traits like tempo and run rate.

Schedule and resultsProjected 5.7-6.3

DateOpponentResult / projectionWAPOff EPADef EPA
Sep 5Wk 1@115NevadaL14-49-0.94+0.03+0.50
Sep 12Wk 2@3Georgia#5L20-70-0.23-0.18+0.56
Sep 19Wk 3@7Indiana#6L0-38-0.31-0.38+0.32
Sep 26Wk 4Mercyhurst(FCS)W52-70.00+0.53-0.11
Oct 1Wk 5@119New Mexico StateL13-34-0.95-0.21-0.05
Oct 8Wk 6128Missouri StateW34-13+0.01+0.33-0.05
Oct 14Wk 7@127Sam HoustonW16-3+0.03+0.02-0.28
Oct 27Wk 9109Delaware-5.263%+0.03——
Nov 7Wk 10@126Middle Tennessee-3.659%+0.04——
Nov 14Wk 1197Jacksonville State-1.955%+0.05——
Nov 21Wk 12@70Liberty+11.224%+0.19——
Nov 28Wk 13123Kennesaw State-8.170%+0.02——

Unplayed games show the projected spread from this team's view (negative = favored) and its win probability, from the ratings; their WAP is what a win would be worth. How the ratings work.

Key players

Sorted by how much of the offense runs through them. Bold rows are the primary option at each spot; the shade tracks their share.

Offense

Quarterbacks

Share of pass attempts
PlayerShareC/ACmp%YdsY/ATDINT
11Brock GlennFR51%67/12852.3%6635.252
5Rodney Tisdale Jr.FR47%79/11867.0%8627.342

Running backs

Share of rushes
PlayerShareCarYdsY/CTDRec
3Ajay AllenFR32%823324.0416
22Le'Kamren MeadowsFR10%261656.303
9Kalib HicksFR4%10232.301
25Jaden McGillFR3%8263.303

Receivers

Share of pass attempts
PlayerShareRecYdsY/RTD
80Jonathan Stafford Jr.WR FR16%413759.11
19Lofton HowardTE FR6%151318.71
4Cameron FlowersWR FR6%1415310.91
8Moussa BarryWR FR5%131229.40
12Quincy BurroughsWR FR4%913815.31
14CC EzirimTE FR3%812515.60
87Coleson ArendsTE FR3%88010.02

Defense

Defensive line

Total tackles
PlayerTklTFLSckHurPD
13Latrevion ThompsonDE FR201.51.001
17Zsacari MinnisDE FR122.51.010
45Josaiah KnightDE FR101.00.530
50Elin JonesDE FR82.52.021
52Jakeem FletcherDT FR81.50.000
33Zeiqui LawtonDT FR80.00.020

Linebackers

Total tackles
PlayerTklTFLSckPDINT
32Westen ArdLB FR415.52.530
21Jaylen WesterLB FR293.00.021
22Jordan DonaldLB FR161.51.000
20Zach SmithLB FR50.00.000
18Geajorm AkpalooLB FR50.00.000

Defensive backs

Total tackles
PlayerTklPDINTTFL
7Jaylen LewisDB FR58202.0
6Justin BrownDB FR34315.0
5Dave HerardDB FR19300.0
10Xavion GriffinDB FR18100.5
2Tony Newsome Jr.DB FR17520.0
14Braxton MyersDB FR15100.0
3Christian WhiteDB FR12000.0

Special teams

Kickers

By kicks attempted
PlayerFGFG%LongXPPts
99Karl CampbellFR8/8100%4515/1539
33Michael SmithFR0/0—02/32

Punters

By punts
PlayerPuntsAvgLongIn 20TB
43Jackson SmithFR3943.76494