That’s a common weight for a wide receiver or a defensive back – not a defensive end.
The sophomore Malone bulked up this offseason through weightlifting and nutrition. He says he’s up to 223 pounds on his 6-foot-4 frame.
A stronger Malone is one of the keys to a better Hilltopper pass rush during the 2018 season. Coordinator Clayton White’s defense ranked No. 125 of 130 FBS teams in sacks per game, with 0.92. WKU’s defense finished with 12 sacks for 70 yards, while its own offense gave up 48 sacks for 348 yards.
“We literally missed 10 tackles and ran by seven or eight sacks,” White said of his team’s 2017 pass rush.