Antonio Andrews Exploding onto the Scene for Western Kentucky

Sep 28, 2013; Bowling Green, KY, USA; Western Kentucky Hilltoppers running back Antonio Andrews (5) breaks a tackle against Navy Midshipmen safety Chris Ferguson (23) and cornerback Parrish Gaines (2) during the second half at Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium. Western Kentucky won 19-7. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports

Whenever he can, Western Kentucky head coach Bobby Petrino loves to have his quarterback sling the ball all over the field. Any chance he’s ever gotten, with whatever team he’s been with, he will arrogantly flash that passing game in front of your face. Running the ball, while necessary in the game of football, was never exactly a top priority.

Well, that was until he had a dynamic player in the backfield the likes of Antonio Andrews.

With five weeks of this college football season already in the books, if you take a look at some of the top statistical categories on offense in the nation, you’ll consistently see Andrews’ name.

He’s first in rushing yards (727), first in all-purpose yards (228.20 yards-per-game), tied for first in rushing touchdowns (8) and second in rushing yards-per-game (145.4).

Basically, this back is featuring himself so much, that even Petrino himself admitted that he has to change up the game plan on the field (via Washington Post):

"“We’re running the ball, and we had to just stick to it today and work hard at moving the sticks, work hard at working the clock when we had the lead,” Petrino said. “I’d love to take a couple shots there, but that’s not what we needed to do to win the game.”"

Andrews’ ability being that effective that he can stop Bobby Petrino, of all people, from “taking a couple shots” says all you need to know about how special the senior back is.

Even in Western Kentucky’s most inexplicable performance of the year, a 52-20 loss to Tennessee back on Sep. 7, he was still maybe the most impressive player on the field inside Neyland Stadium, rushing the ball 13 times for 111 yards.

Soon enough, the nation will get to see this versatile playmaker on national TV, as the Hilltoppers have upcoming, nationally televised games on the ESPN family of networks on Thursday and Tuesday evenings in the mid-week, Sun Belt games we’ve all been craving.

In those games, we always find one special player we latch on to at the sheer thought of being able to see them on our screens.

This year, Antonio Andrews is that must-see TV.