Western
Michigan Broncos
2008
Recruiting Class
Star of the Class
Mitch Zajac ILB 6-1
220 Fr./Fr. Holt, Mich./Holt HS
Earned 12 varsity letters heading in football, wrestling and track &
fi eld … 2007 All-State Dream Team Member … 2007 Academic All-State
award recipient … 2007 Football Michigan ‘Great 8’ Finalist …
selected to the Michigan All-Star East vs. West Game in 2007 …
received honorable mention for all-state as a junior … preseason and
postseason all-area Defensive Player of the Year as a senior …
four-time All-Capital Area Activities Conference (CAAC) selection …
three time All-Area Dream Team selection … holds football program
records for tackles in a season (165) and games started in a career
(44) … member of four-time CAAC championship football team … team
finished in the Associated Press Top 10 each year … combined
four-year record of 37-7 … named Team MVP and Team Defensive Player
of the Year in 2007
Potential Instant Impact Players
Kevin Galeher OT 6-5
295 Fr./Fr. Evergreen Park, Ill./Saint Rita HS
Ranked No. 43 overall in Illinois by Scout.com … team amassed
32-8 record (2005-07) en route to winning 2007 City Championship …
team went 13-1 in 2006 on its way to winning Chicago Catholic League
Blue championship and the Illinois High School Association (IHSA)
State Championship … earned All-Chicago Catholic League Blue as a
junior and senior … named all-state and all-area in 2006 and 2007 …
varsity starter on football and wrestling teams since sophomore
season … placed second (275 lbs.) at state wrestling tournament in
2005.
Jeff Zipfel TE 6-6 215 Fr./Fr.
Ixonia, Wis./Kettle Moraine HS
Ranked No. 9 in Wisconsin by Scout.com and
WisconsinPreps.com … named First Team All-Classic Eight
Conference in 2007 … earned Second Team All-Classic Eight Conference
in 2006 … member of a team that went 6-1 in the conference and
finished second … compiled 62 career receptions for 1,073 career
yards and 17 touchdowns … posted career highs in receptions (28) as
a senior … had career season in terms of yards (481) and receiving
touchdowns (8) in 2006 … averaged over 13 yards a catch in 2005
(13.0), 2006 (20.0) and 2007 (16.5) … three-year varsity
letterwinner in football … two-year starter for the basketball team
… qualified for state track & field meet in the high jump in 2006
and 2007.
Rest of the Class
Jamail Berry SS 6-0 190
R-So./Jr. New Castle, Del./Coffeyville CC Kansas/William Penn HS
Freddie Bishop III DE 6-4 247 Fr./Fr. Inkster, Mich./Carleton
Airport HS
Ryan Byrne DT 6-0 275 Fr./Fr. Woodstock, Ga./Etowah HS
Alex Carder QB 6-2 205 Fr./Fr. Shawnee, Kan./Shawnee Mission
Northwest HS
Kelly Dawsey DB 6-0 177 Fr./Fr. Valdosta, Ga./Lowndes HS
Blake Hammond TE 6-5 236 Fr./Fr. Mokena, Ill./Lincoln Way East HS
Lawrence Henning OLB 6-2 205 Fr./Fr. Chicago, Ill./Mount Carmel HS
Samuel Jaeger OL 6-5 321 Fr./Fr. Westville, Ind./Chesteron HS
Kyle Lackner ILB 6-3 230 Fr./Fr. Naperville, Ill./Naperville North
HS
Deauntay Legrier DE 6-1 240 Fr./Fr. Rochelle, Ga./Wilcox County HS
Drew Nowak DE 6-4 250 Fr./Fr. Green Bay, Wis./De Pere HS
Seth Patterson WR 6-3 185 Fr./Fr. Round Rock, Texas/Stony Point HS
Weston Peiffer DE 6-4 245 Fr./Fr. Chaska, Minn./Chaska HS
John Potter K 6-2 195 Fr./Fr. Grand Haven, Mich./Grand Haven HS
Josh Price DB 6-0 195 Fr./Fr. Jacksonville, Fla./Terry Parker HS
Chris Prom DE 6-4 220 Fr./Fr. Saukville, Wis./Port Washington HS
Waymon Ross OLB 6-1 225 Fr./Fr. Marathon, Fla./Marathon HS
Ravelle Sadler CB 5-10 175 Fr./Fr. Cincinnati, Ohio/Colerain HS
Jamie Simpson RB 6-1 237 Fr./Fr. Dowagiac, Mich./Dowagiac Union HS
Alexander Starkey OL 6-4 280 Fr./Fr. Winter Park, Fla./Lake Howell
HS
Doug Wiggins WR 5-11 197 So./So. North Miami Beach, Fla./North Miami
Beach HS
Aaron Winchester RB 5-9 190 Fr./Fr. North Miami Beach, Fla./North
Miami Beach HS
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2007 WMU Season
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2007 WMU Preview
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2006 WMU Season
2007 Schedule
CFN Prediction:
6-6
2007 Record:
5-7
Sept. 1 at W Virginia L 62-24
Sept. 8
Indiana L 37-27
Sept. 15 at Missouri L 52-24
Sept. 22
Cent Conn. St
W 51-14
Sept. 29 at Toledo W 42-28
Oct. 6
Akron
L 39-38
Oct. 13
at No Illinois
W 17-13
Oct. 20
Ball
State L 27-23
Oct. 27
at Eastern Mich
L 19-2
Nov. 6
Central Mich
L 34-31
Nov. 17 at Iowa W 28-19
Nov. 24
Temple
W 16-3 |
2008 Early Lookahead
Why to get excited: The offense should go ballistic. QB Tim
Hiller needed a year to get everything together after missing 2006 hurt,
and now he should be among the league's most productive passers with WR
Jamarko Simmons, TE Brandon Ledbetter, and pass-catching RB Brandon West
to work with. The defense was a bit of a disappointment, but it wasn't
all that bad and now all 11 starters are back, and all are seniors.
Why to be grouchy: The line wasn't exactly a rock when it came to
pass protection, and now three starters are gone including both tackles
and All-MAC center Robbie Krutilla. The kicking game was a positive with
Mike Jones hitting 11 of 15 field goals and P Jim Laney leading the way
to a solid 36.31 team net average. Both are gone.
The number one thing to work on is: Turning the dogs loose on
defense. Without Ameer Ismail, the pass rush was inconsistent after
dominating in 2006. The sacks were there at times, and now, with
everyone back on D, there's no reason to not spend the off-season
figuring out how to get more out of the seniors and start wreaking havoc
in the backfield game in and game out. With so many good MAC offenses
this year, having a disruptive defensive front could be the difference.
Biggest offensive loss: OT James Blair
Biggest defensive loss: FS Anthony Gebhart
Best returning offensive player: WR Jamarko Simmons, Sr.
Best returning defensive player: CB Londen Fryar, Sr.
2007 Recap
Recap:
Although the talent level and expectations were high enough for the
Broncos to be playing in December, the execution and consistency was
not, resulting in a disappointing 5-7 season. With a break here or
a timely big play there, the final record could just have easily
been 8-4 for Western Michigan, which lost three league games in a
span of five weeks by a combined eight points. The Broncos finished
the regular season strong, especially on defense, lending hope that
the good vibes will bleed into the offseason.
Offensive Player of the Year: RB Brandon West
Defensive Player of the Year: CB Londen Fryar
Biggest Surprise: With the postseason officially out of
reach, the Broncos turned a Nov. 17 trip to Iowa City into their own
personal bowl game. Western Michigan floored Iowa on Senior Day,
28-19, getting 367 yards and three touchdown passes from Tim Hiller,
easily the quarterback’s most complete performance of the season.
Biggest Disappointment: Although there were a few to choose
from, losing on Oct. 6 to Akron on the final play was an outcome
that sent Western Michigan into a month-long funk. Seemingly on
their way to a 3-3 record, the Broncos inexcusably permitted an
89-yard kick return for a touchdown with time running out, losing
39-38.
Looking Ahead: Assuming the right side of the offensive line
can be rebuilt, Western Michigan has enough returning veterans to
erase the memory of last season’s underachievement. It’s incumbent
upon Hiller to build on last year’s solid finish, and make the
offense more explosive.
Nov. 24
Western Michigan 16 ... Temple 3
It took a while for Western Michigan to wake up, but a
five-yard Branden Ledbetter touchdown catch in the second quarter would be all
the points needed. The Temple offense gained a mere 146 yards and managed just
three points on a second quarter Jake Brownell field goal. The Broncos put the
game away with a one yard Mark Bonds touchdown run and a 33-yard Chris Kelly
field goal in the third.
Player of the
game:
Western
Michigan RB Mark Bonds ran 24 times for 105 yards and a touchdown, and caught a
pass for 13 yards.
Stat Leaders: Temple - Passing: Vaughn Charlton, 6-25, 92
yds
Rushing: Jason Harper, 9-40. Receiving: Jason Harper, 2-44
Western Michigan - Passing: Tim Hiller, 24-39, 276 yds, 1
TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Mark Bonds, 24-105, 1 TD. Receiving: Herb Martin, 7-100
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
Considering this was a disappointing year, closing
out with wins over Iowa and Temple certainly eased the pain. The defense showed
up and the team started winning again. With so many close losses, and with the
way the team played against the Hawkeyes and Owls, there's some momentum
generated into the offseason. It shouldn't take much work to get into MAC title
contention next year.
Nov. 17
Western Michigan 28 ... Iowa 19
Western Michigan stunned Iowa with three Tim Hiller touchdown
passes including strikes to Anthony Middleton from 35 and seven yards out, with
the first one making it 19-0 midway through the first half. Iowa found its
offense with three Jake Christensen touchdown passes, but three turnovers proved
costly hurt most by a fumble in the final few minutes leading to a
game-clinching 30-yard Chris Kelly field goal. The Broncos outgained the
Hawkeyes 489 yards to 397.
Player of the game:
Western Michigan QB Tim Hiller completed 26 of 45
passes for 367 yards and three touchdowns.
Stat Leaders: Western Michigan - Passing: Tim Hiller,
26-45, 367 yds, 3 TD
Rushing: Brandon West, 30-116. Receiving: Brandon West, 9-93, 1 TD
Iowa - Passing: Jake Christensen, 20-37, 249 yds, 3 TD, 2
INT
Rushing: Albert Young, 17-95. Receiving: Brandon Myers, 6-59, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
That's the Tim Hiller the MAC has been waiting for. He bombed away on Iowa with
confidence in his throws and making good decisions time and again taking what
the defense was giving him. For one of the first times all year, the defense
started to resemble last year's group that got into the backfield early and
often with four sacks. Most shocking was the time the O line gave Hiller to
work. It was fine for the running game, but Hiller had just enough time to
operate and make almost every keep throw to keep control of the game.
Nov. 7
Central Michigan 34 ... Western Michigan 31
Central Michigan sealed the MAC West title with a one-yard Dan
LeFevour sneak with 12 seconds to play, after just missing on a sneak on the
play before, to cap a wild fourth quarter. CMU held a 10-7 after three, and then
the fireworks began with each team scoring 24 points in the fourth quarter.
Western Michigan got two Tim Hiller touchdown passes in the final frame to keep
up with CMU, who got a five-yard LeFevour run along with a 14-yard touchdown
pass to Antonio Brown as the two defenses couldn't come up with a stop until
late. Trying to run out the clock, LeFevour fumbled leading to a 15-yard Brandon
West touchdown with 1:34 to play for a 31-27 WMU lead. A long pass to Bryan
Anderson set up the final score, going 65 yards in eight plays.
Player of the
game:
Central Michigan
QB Dan LeFevour completed 23 of 38 passes for 235 yards and a
touchdowns with an interception, and ran 18 times for 72 yards and two scores.
Stat Leaders: Central Michigan - Passing: Dan
LeFevour, 23-35, 235 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Den LeFevour, 18-72, 2 TD. Receiving:
Bryan Anderson, 7-120
Western Michigan - Passing: Tim Hiller, 27-37,
311 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Brandon West, 12-72, 1 TD. Receiving: Herb
Martin, 7-38, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... Lack
of a consistent running game and struggles early on cost WMU a chance to beat
Central Michigan. The D did what it could on the late goal line stand, but by
then the big play had already happened to all but seal the win for the Chippewas.
There was about a minute left when CMU had the ball on the six-inch line down
four. WMU should've thought about allowing the score to get the ball back with a
shot at a field goal. Instead, the inevitable touchdown gave the ball to the
Broncos with just enough time for an ill-fated attempt at a miracle. Now comes a
trip to Iowa to likely make the lousy season plunge further into the abyss.
Oct. 27
Eastern Michigan 19 ... Western Michigan
2
Eastern Michigan held on to the ball for 40:29, including
12:41 in the fourth, getting a 55-yard Dontayo Gage touchdown run, a 19-yard
Jacory Stone catch, and Zach Johnson field goals from 25 and 50 yards out as
part of a 19-0 scoring run. Western Michigan started off the scoring with a sack
for a safety, but the offense turned it over six times and only managed 199
yards of total offense.
Player of the game:
Eastern Michigan RB
Pierre Walker ran 33 times for 151 yards, and caught a pass for seven yards.
Stat Leaders: Western Michigan - Passing: Tim Hiller,
10-18, 117 yds, 2 INT
Rushing: Brandon West, 10-37. Receiving: Jamarko Simmons, 6-59
Eastern Michigan - Passing: Kyle McMahon, 8-17, 74 yds, 1
TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Pierre Walker, 33-151. Receiving: Jacory Stone, 5-70, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... What was
that? Eastern Michigan's defense isn't that good, but the WMU offense crashed
and burned giving up six turnovers and didn't threaten to change things around
after the game started going south. The defense isn't blameless, giving up 255
rushing yards and allowing the Eagles to convert third down after third down.
This disappointing season could take a good turn up with a win over Central
Michigan next week, but it'll be too little, too late.
Oct. 20
Ball State 27 ... Western Michigan 23
Ball State went 79 yards in nine plays, capped off by a
one-yard Frank Edmonds touchdown run with 1:09 to play, to get the
win. Western Michigan got three Mike Jones field goals a one-yard
Tim Hiller touchdown run, and a 50-yard scoring pass to Jordan
White, but Ball State kept pace with Nate Davis touchdown passes
from 34 and 44 yards out, along with Jake Hogue field goals, until
the final drive. The two teams combined for 15 penalties.
Player of the
game:
Ball State QB
Nate Davis completed 25 of 48 passes for 358 yards and two
touchdowns
Stat Leaders: Ball State - Passing: Nate Davis,
25-48, 358 yds, 2 TD
Rushing: Frank Edmonds, 9-41, 1 TD. Receiving: Dante
Love, 11-101
Western Michigan - Passing: Tim Hiller, 21-38,
237 yds, 1 TD, 3 INT
Rushing: Brandon West, 21-171. Receiving: Jamarko
Simmons, 9-110
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
Devastating. Western Michigan needed one
defensive stop against Ball State late, didn't get it, and now the
MAC title hopes might be gone, as are any bowl hopes, without
winning out. Fortunately, there are winnable dates with Eastern
Michigan and Temple ahead, along with the showdown against Central
Michigan. First, beating EMU is a must, and to do that, the mistakes
have to stop. Tim Hiller can't throw three picks again.
Oct. 13
Western Michigan 17 ... Northern Illinois 13
Western Michigan got a one-yard Mark Bonds touchdown run in
the second quarter, took the lead with a seven-yard Branden
Ledbetter scoring catch in the third quarter, and led the defense do
the rest, as NIU couldn't score in the second half after getting a
59-yard Matt Simon touchdown catch in the first quarter and a Chris
Nendick field goal in the second. NIU was outgained 396 yards to 333
and only had the ball for less than nine minutes in the second half.
Player of the
game:
Western Michigan
QB Tim Hiller completed 20 of 29 passes for 226 yards and a
touchdown with an interception
Stat Leaders: Western Michigan - Passing: Tim
Hiller, 20-29, 226 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Mark Bonds, 27-104, 1 TD. Receiving: Jamarko
Simmons, 5-57
Northern Illinois - Passing: Ryan Morris,
13-25, 144
Rushing: Justin Anderson, 29-132. Receiving: Matt Simon,
6-160, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
It might not have been the prettiest offense performance in the win
over Northern Illinois, but with the defense cranking things up a
notch for a full 60 minutes, the Broncos got over the crushing loss
to Akron to get back into the MAC race. Tim Hiller had an efficient
day throwing the ball, and Mark Bonds provided nice balance, but
there will have to be more explosion to beat Ball State next week.
Oct. 6
Akron 39 ... Western Michigan 38
A wild game with 992 yards of total offense became a
game-of-the-year candidate with an all-timer of an ending. Western
Michigan took a 38-24 lead with 12:25 to play on a seven-yard Mark
Bonds run. Akron couldn't respond until Jabari Arthur caught a
51-yard touchdown pass, his third score of the day, with less than
five minutes. to play. WMU couldn't run out the clock, and instead
of risking a punt return for a score, chose to take a safety with 15
seconds to play. On the free kick, Alphonso Owen fielded the ball
and went 11 yards before getting stopped. Before going down, he was
able to get the ball to Andre Jones, who took it 78 yards for an
improbable score with no time left on the clock for the 39-38 win.
The play overshadowed a huge day from Arthur, who caught 15 passes
for 223 yards and three touchdowns, and big performances from both
quarterbacks. Akron's Chris Jacquemain threw for 389 yards and four
scores, and WMU's Tim Hiller threw for 375 yards and three
touchdowns.
Player of the
game:
Akron's Alphonso Owen and Andre Jones, for combining on the 89-yard
kick return for a touchdown to win the game. Jones made five tackles
on the day, and Owen caught three passes for 58 yards
Stat Leaders: Akron - Passing: Chris Jacquemain,
23-41, 389 yds, 4 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Bryan Williams, 14-72. Receiving: Jabari
Arthur, 15-223, 3 TD
Western Michigan - Passing: Tim Hiller, 27-40,
375 yds, 3 TD
Rushing: Mark Bonds, 26-83, 1 TD. Receiving: Jamarko
Simmons, 10-172, 2 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
How mentally tough is Western Michigan? After losing in brutal
fashion to Akron, the team has to quickly regroup, forget about this
gaffe, and blowout a bad Northern Illinois team on the road. The
parts are working. Tim Hiller has been excellent. There's good
offensive balance, and there's consistency and explosion. The
defense is a big problem, but the offense should be able to outbomb
most teams anyway. The season is far from lost, but now there's no
margin for MAC error.
Sept. 29
Western Michigan 42 ... Toledo 28
Western Michigan ran for 280 yards, with Brandon West and Mark
Bonds each going over 100, and each scoring twice as part of a 28
point mid-game run for a 35-14 lead. Toledo kept fighting, getting a
late 35-yard Jalen Parmele touchdown run, and a 15-yard Andrew
Hawkins score, but it wasn't nearly enough. WMU held on to the ball
for 37:48.
Player of the game:
Western Michigan RBs Brandon West and Mark Bonds combined for 245
yards and three touchdowns on 51 carries.
Stat Leaders: Western Michigan - Passing: Tim
Hiller, 21-29, 229 yds, 3 TD
Rushing: Mark Bonds, 26-143, 2 TD. Receiving: Herb
Martin, 7-71
Toledo - Passing: Clint Cochran, 7-12, 112 yds
Rushing: Jalen Parmele, 20-130, 1 TD. Receiving: Nick
Moore, 4-110, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... WMU
is starting to wake up. The running game dominated Toledo, while the
defense started to play a little like it was expected to when the
season started. There still isn't much of a pass rush, but the pass
defense was tough, allowing the Rockets to complete just nine of 23
passes, while Tim Hiller was ultra-efficient. This was how the team
was expected to play, and now it has to be considered among the MAC
favorites again after a lousy 0-3 non-conference start.
Sept. 22
Western Michigan 51 ... Central
Connecticut State 14
Helped by five turnovers forced by the defense, Western
Michigan rolled without a problem. A 32-yard Boston McCornell
interception return for a touchdown gave the Broncos a 17-0 first
quarter, and then after a three-yard Adrian Hull touchdown run for
CCSU, the Bronco offense exploded for 34 straight points helped by
Tim Hiller's second touchdown pass of the day and a five-yard Mark
Bonds touchdown run.
Player of the
game:
Western Michigan
LB Boston McCornell had eight tackles, two tackles for loss, one
sack, and a 32-yard interception return for a touchdown..
Stat Leaders: Central Connecticut State - Passing:
Aubrey Norris, 2-4, 16 yds
Rushing: Ralph McKenley, 16-57. Receiving: Nicholas
Colagiovanni, 3-27
Western Michigan - Passing: Tim Hiller, 17-27,
140 yds, 2 TDs, 1 INT
Rushing: Mark Bonds, 12-66, 1 TD. Receiving: Brandon
West, 3-41
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
Finally, Western Michigan gets its first win of the year, and it
doesn't matter that it came against Central Connecticut State. The
defense started to play like the D of last year, with several plays
made in the backfield and forcing several mistakes and turnovers.
The offense wasn't exactly clicking, but it took advantage of every
opportunity. Now the real season begins with a date at Toledo next
week. Could this be the spark needed for the rest of the year?
That's asking for too much, but it was a much needed win.
Sept. 15
Missouri 52 ... Western Michigan 24
Missouri got out to a 31-3 halftime lead highlighted by a
24-yard Jeremy Maclin touchdown catch and a 25-yard Tommy Saunders
scoring grab. But Western Michigan came back to make it interesting,
starting with a 46 yard interception return for a touchdown from C.J.
Wilson. Tim Hiller connected with Branden Ledbetter for a 27-yard
score to make it 38-24 Mizzou, but that was as close as the Broncos
would get. Daniel ran for a 35-yard score and Chase Patton added an
18-yard touchdown run to pull away.
Player of the
game:
Missouri QB
Chase Daniel went 27-of-46 for 328 yards, two touchdowns and two
interceptions, while adding 60 yards and another score on five
carries.
Stat Leaders: Western Michigan - Passing: Tim
Hiller, 30-43, 240 yds, 1 TD, 2 INTs
Rushing: Mark Bonds, 14-82, 1 TD. Receiving: Jamarko
Simmons, 10-98
Missouri - Passing: Chase Daniel, 27-46, 328
yds, 2 TDs, 2 INTs
Rushing: Tony Temple, 16-96, 2 TDs. Receiving: Martin
Rucker, 11-115
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
Frustration can't start creeping in yet. At the end of the day, WMU
was supposed to get blown out be West Virginia and Missouri and it
was supposed to lose on the road to Indiana. The offense has taken
too long to get going, but when it does, there's been good
production from Tim Hiller and the passing game. Now it has to
figure out how to roll from the opening kickoff. What's the team's
biggest difference from last year? The pass rush isn't there.
Sept. 8
Indiana 37 ... Eastern Michigan 27
Indiana jumped out to a 31-7 first half lead helped by two
James Hardy touchdown catches, a 24-yard Josiah Sears scoring grab,
and a 44-yard Greg Middleton fumble recovery for a score, and then
Western Michigan came back. Down 34-7, the Broncos answered a
23-yard Austin Starr field goal with a 98-yard Brandon West kickoff
return for a score as part of a 20-3 run. It wasn't enough as the
Hoosier defense finally stiffened late, but not before Tim Hiller
found Jamarko Simmons and Brandon Ledbetter for touchdowns.
Player of
the game ... Indiana QB Kellen Lewis completed 20 of 40
passes for 221 yards and three touchdowns wit an interception, and
he ran 15 times for 59 yards
Stat Leaders: Western Michigan - Passing:
Tim Hiller, 28-51, 343 yds, 3 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Brandon West, 12-51 Receiving:
Jamarko Simmons, 14-158, 1 TD
Indiana - Passing: Kellen Lewis, 20-40, 221
yds, 3 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Marcus Thigpen, 22-81 Receiving:
Ray Fisher, 9-77
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... The
Broncos aren't bringing the pressure they were able to throughout
last year, and it's killing the defensive back seven. The offense
took a while to get going against the Hoosiers, and it was helped by
IU letting up, but QB Tim Hiller still
came through with a strong 343-yard performance with Jamarko Simmons
showing why he's one of the MAC's elite offensive playmakers with 14
catches. To have any shot against Missouri, the offense has to be
bombing away from the word go, but there has to be decent pass
protection for Hiller, who was sacked eight times by IU.
Sept. 1
West Virginia 62 ... Western
Michigan 24
Western Michigan shut down the West Virginia running game was
shut down ... in the first quarter. The Mountaineers only gained 16 on the
ground in the first frame, but still had a 14-7 lead as Pat White threw a
19-yard touchdown pass to Dorrell Jalloh and combined with Steve Slaton on a
50-yard score. Eventually, everything worked as usual for the Mountaineers, who
finished with 316 rushing yards and turned the jets on with White tearing off a
brilliant 38-yard run and Slaton scoring on two one-yard runs to go along with a
58-yard dash. Western Michigan stayed around for a half on the first of two
Jamarko Simmons touchdown catches and a two-yard Tim Hiller run, but the defense
couldn't slow down the WVU machine.
Player of the game ...
West Virginia RB
Steve Slaton ran 16 times for 109 yards and three touchdowns and caught two
passes for 61 yards and a score.
Stat Leaders: Western Michigan- Passing: Tim Hiller, 16-25,
160 yds, 2 INTs
Rushing: Glenis Thompson, 8-23 Receiving: Jamarko Simmons,
14-144-2
West Virginia - Passing: Patrick White, 10-18, 192 yds, 2
TDs
Rushing: Steve Slaton, 16-109, 3 TDs Receiving: Darius Reynaud, 5-92
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... West
Virginia can rumble on anyone in America, so there's no reason to be too
concerned about the way the Broncos were blown out. The problem was how the
offense couldn't keep up the pace with an attack good enough to throw on almost
any secondary. At least, it should be good enough. The quarterback situation is
still up in the air, as Tim Hiller and Thomas Peregrin each struggled. On a
positive note, Jamarko Simmons was incredible catching 14 passes for 144 yards
and two scores.