Hunter Wilson/Daily News Freshman quarterback Marcus Vasquez, from Chula Vista, Calif., passes during practice on Saturday at Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium.

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Each fall, some of the top high school football talent in the country makes its way to various campuses with big dreams, lots of confidence and maybe just a little bit of nervousness.

Every fall, most feel they’re ready to jump right away into the college fray.

And like clockwork, every fall, many of them are swept up by the tornado that is college football.

For the 17 football freshmen at Western Kentucky, the scenario is the same.

“Man, it’s just been so fast,” said freshman quarterback Marcus Vasquez, who played high school ball in Chula Vista, Calif. “We move, we just move so fast, and for us, it’s just learning all that offense, all the signals, the plays and everything.

“And with everyone else going so fast, we’ve just got to learn really quickly.”

Increased speed is often the biggest challenge for freshmen.

“They don’t get it (at first), I promise you they don’t,” WKU coach David Elson said. “You always ask them at the end of the season about what’s the biggest difference between high school and college, and the first thing that always comes out of their mouth is the speed of the game.

“The competition level is higher, everybody’s pretty good and I think we do everything we can by having them here in the summertime and going through 7-on-7. But when it comes to putting those pads on, it’s always a bit of a shock to their systems.”

Freshman offensive lineman Adam Smith didn’t quite understand the change until he strapped on his helmet for the first time a few days ago.

“It’s completely different from high school, and you knew it would be, but you really never knew what to expect,” said Smith, who was sporting a fresh samurai-style hairdo, courtesy of his veteran linemates. “The guys are all great and it’s just something to be a part of, and I’m glad to be a part of it.

“It’s just overwhelming, and I really don’t know what to say.”

Despite the whirlwind of playbook study and cranked-up speed, the adjustment process appears to be going smoothly.

“So far it’s been good, it’s a lot of hard work and the tempo’s much higher here so you’ve got to go hard every play,” freshman linebacker Sergio Joyner said. “They’ve got everything planned out, you move quick from one period to another so fast.

“It caught me by surprise, but I’m adjusting to it kind of quick here. Everybody’s working great, and I feel a lot better now than when I first came in.”

Elson said freshmen typically take several practices to settle in and start playing to their full potential. The coaching staff and veteran players are prepared for that.

“They’ve been solid, we told them they wouldn’t be getting as many reps as they’re used to and some of them are getting a little more, they’re swimming a little bit,” Elson said. “But that’s normal, we put a lot in over five days and once everything starts to slow down for them and some of these words we throw at them start to mean something, they’ll get a little more aggressive.”

Meanwhile, adjusting to a new life away from home is another matter altogether. So relying on one another for support is something that this group began early in the summer when they arrived for 7-on-7 drills and workout sessions.

“The freshman group that came in is really close,” Vasquez said. “We’ve blended in well with the rest of the team, they’ve really welcomed us and really accepted us.

“A lot of people around here are from Georgia or Florida and I’m really the only person here from out west that far, but I’ve been here for a month now and everyone gets along pretty well.”

Elson thinks the camaraderie goes a long way.

“They’ve been great,” Elson said. “Being here in June and July for most of them has really help with building some chemistry and also with the older guys helping and putting their arms around them.

“As a class themselves, they’re pretty together and leaning on each other, so it’s been really positive at this point.”

Going from top dog in high school to the grunt work of the scout team in one year can be a roller coaster. But this year’s freshman class appears ready for the ride.

“In high school, you’re one of the best on the team,” Smith said. “And here, everybody’s exactly like you, so it’s different.

“But one of the things I love about this program is everyone’s together, we’re a team and we’re all brothers and when I came to college I was always scared about how we’d be treated, but everybody’s welcomed us in great and it’s been a plus.”