2008 Western Michigan Broncos - Rec. Class

Western Michigan Broncos 2008 Head Coach: Bill Cubit

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

- 2007 WMU Season
- 2007 WMU Preview
- 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.