That issue was never more evident than Saturday, when an inept ground attack allowed Vanderbilt defenders to focus their efforts on getting after Hilltopper QB Mike White.
By the end of the day, WKU had a negative rushing total, a beat-up quarterback and a 31-17 loss to the Commodores at Vanderbilt Stadium.
Officially, the Toppers (5-4) finished with a dismal -6 rushing yards on 30 carries. Sack yardage is factored into that number. The rushing total, not counting Vandy’s six sacks for 37 yards, stood at 31 yards on 24 carries – a 1.3 yard-per-carry average that makes it tough to beat anyone, much less a Southeastern Conference opponent with superior size and raw talent.