WKU wraps up spring with Red & White Showcase

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – WKU Football wrapped up the spring on Saturday at Houchens-Smith Stadium with the Red & White Spring Showcase, presented by DQS Solutions and Staffing.

The event, which was free for fans to attend, saw the Hilltopper offense face off against the defense in a four-quarter, running-clock scrimmage.

“It was a good spring game. It’s always good. The Tops won today, so that was good,” WKU Head Coach Tyson Helton said. “It was great. Everybody got to play and the fans got to see what they’ll see during the season. We’ve got a lot of talent out here. We’ve got to build from here. We’ve got a big summer ahead of us. We’ve got to train hard and we’ve got to add some more pieces. Recruiting is nonstop, so we’re in the thick of recruiting right now. I really like our football team coming out of spring. We still have a lot of competition in a lot of areas that throughout the summer and fall camp we’ll have to see, but overall, it was a good spring and a good showing today.”

No score or stats were kept for the Red & White Spring Showcase. Offensively, WKU opened the game with a 41-yard pass from TJ Finley to Dalvin Smith and later capped off the drive with a 47-yard field goal from Lucas Carneiro. Finley also threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Easton Messer later in the exhibition. Jaleel Walker caught two touchdown passes in the scrimmage – a 5-yard pass from Turner Helton and a 9-yard strike from Caden Veltkamp, who also had a 35-yard touchdown pass to Smith in the contest. Helton capped off the Spring Showcase with a 7-yard scoring pass to Denzil Alleyne.

Virgil Marshall highlighted the day defensively for WKU with an interception after the offense marched down the field and into the red zone on the first series of the second half, and he also had a third-down pass breakup in the end zone on the next drive.

Prior to the Red & White Spring Showcase, the team gathered with former players for the WKU Football Alumni Spring BBQ Banquet and team award ceremony.

Defensive end Deante McCray was the recipient of the Al Almond Award, which has been given since 1968 to a Hilltopper player who displays devotion to character, loyalty, ability, and love of fellow man. Defensive back Alex Ford earned the Jimbo DeVries Outstanding Walk-On Award, which has been presented since 2008. The Darryl Drake Award, presented in honor of a player who has displayed remarkable perseverance, was given to offensive lineman Evan Wibberley.

Running back Elijah Young was named the team’s Spring Offensive MVP, while defensive backs Upton Stout and Anthony Johnson Jr. were named Spring Co-Defensive MVPs. Receiver KD Hutchinson was named Spring Offensive Most Improved Player and defensive lineman Dallas Walker was named Spring Defensive Most Improved Player.

The Hilltoppers are scheduled to kick off the 2024 regular season at Alabama on Aug. 31. WKU’s 2024 home opener is scheduled for Sept. 7 against Eastern Kentucky.