(MAC) Western Michigan Broncos
The Broncos were only one point away from a winless season so there is clearly a lot of work to do in Kalamazoo. This year they have to at least beat their lone FCS opponent (they didn’t lasy year) or else that quest for a winless season might not elude them this season.
The Broncos used to be securely in the middle tier of the MAC but they have really fallen hard of late. This is not the season to expect a turnaround.
Western Michigan Broncos
Coach: P.J. Fleck
2013 Record: 1-11
Gambling Odds to win championship: 75/1 (field)
Gambling Odds to win (MAC) conference: 45/1
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Strengths
Sophomore receiver Corey Davis proved as a freshman that he is something special.
He comes into this season as a first team MAC selection, which unfortunately means he will be getting a lot of attention from opposing defenses. In a couple of season he and fellow sophomore Zach Terrell might be the best pass-catch combo in the league.
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The quality might not jump off the page but coach Fleck can’t complain that his offensive line doesn’t know what it is doing – all 5 starters return. Two are sophs as Fleck let a lot of players play last year.
Those sophomores will hopefully all be all MAC selections like Davis when they are seniors.
It is hard to predict just how quickly the effects will be felt but some think that Fleck has brought in one of the best recruiting classes in MAC history. The most notable recruit is probably QB Chance Stewart.
He was originially commited to Wisconsin but instead he should push Terrell immediately.
Weaknesses
A defense that was absolutely terrible last season against the run is unlikely to get much better with just 2 starters returning among the projected front 7.
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The Broncos are just too light up front and once teams realize that they don’t have to throw the ball they play it simple and hammer away at them – and it works.
As good ad Davis is they are going to need some other skill players to develop. He is the only returning starter of that group and some of the players the Broncos think they will be leaning on are part of this vaunted freshman class.
They are expecting an awful lot from some very unproven players.
Usually there is not that much pressure on a team off a 1-11 season but the university has significantly invested in the program and Fleck won’t have all that much grace even though there are positive signs.
They absolutely have to get that win over Murray State or he might not last the season.
Gambling prediction: 1-11
2014 Broncos Schedule:
Aug 30 – @Purdue
Sep 13 – @Idaho
Sep 20 – Murray State
Sep 27 – @Virginia Tech
Oct 4 – Toledo
Oct 11 – @Ball State
Oct 18 – @Bowling Green
Oct 25 – Ohio
Nov 1 – @Miami (OH)
Nov 15 – Eastern Michigan
Nov 22 – @Central Michigan
Nov 28 – Northern Illinois
Even though there is almost nowhere to go but up don’t expect all that much from Western Michigan this season. They don’t have the luxury of playing UMass this season so the way they measure this season could be based on whether they beat Eastern Michigan in November.
That might be the only lined game where it makes sense to back the Broncos unless the lines get overly ridiculous. This is the MAC afterall and the oddsmakers can not make those lines too silly.
Other than that one look the other way on WMU this season.
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