The unofficial online home for fans of the Western Michigan University Broncos. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

If you missed the game, here are some highlights.

http://www.ncaa.com/video/football/2017-...highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNRcfpyCkqM


Broncos have earned respect. Evident in the coverage.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-usc-vs-...story.html

Of course, for a team expecting to be in the hunt for a playoff spot, the inevitable article on what does this do for their playoff hopes?

http://www.latimes.com/sports/usc/la-sp-...story.html

The game was closer than the final score indicated.

https://www.sbnation.com/college-footbal...sults-2017

Without Stephen Carr, where would USC have been?

http://www.dailynews.com/sports/20170902...n-michigan

The Detroit News runs the AP article. Freep runs a shorter edited version.

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/...105250358/

Backhanded compliment of the week:

Paul Meyerberg, USA Today Sports Column: Week One winners and losers. Scroll down to find this under losers.....

Quote:Southern California.The 49-31 final score of the Trojans’ win against Western Michigan doesn’t illustrate just how USC battled with the reigning Mid-American Conference champs. The Broncos aren’t a pushover. But we all expected more from Clay Helton, Sam Darnold and the gang. The good news? It’s just one game, and no one will remember the 50 minutes of lackluster play come next Saturday. The bad news? The same performance won’t cut it next week, when the Trojans play host to David Shaw and his bullying Stanford team.

Grudging respect, I guess. The old backhanded compliment. It is in our best interests if USC goes on to dominate the PAC-12. It is in their best interest if the Broncos win 10 or more. Both could happen. Is USC for real this year? With Jones healthy, probably. But we'll have to watch it all play out. That and today are why they play the games - and why I love college football.

Overall, the coverage shows that the brand is out there and getting respect. Too bad the final wasn't 35-28. I say that not out of a sense of antipathy for our kids, because they played their azzes off. I say it because our game was not on a national channel that people all get and the score gives an improper idea of how the game went. The Broncos were actually on the verge of winning it with under 8 minutes to go and had led for significant chunks of time.

Still, heck of a fun day for this Bronco fan.

Thanks for the post.

Here is one more...

Quote:“We came to play today,” Phillips said. “I know people might not have expected much from us, but we can feel good tomorrow because we showed up. We just ran out of gas a little bit.”

It is unlikely anyone else will beat the Broncos by more than 18 points if at all, not even Michigan State next week. Western Michigan returned 15 starters from a team that won 13 games last season. If you judge teams by how long their seasons lasted, WMU went as far as USC did. They both played their final game on Jan. 2, with the Broncos losing the Cotton Bowl hours before USC’s Rose Bowl crucible with Penn State.

As the Broncos came off the field, the USC fans around the tunnel area clapped respectfully, which is not habitual behavior. Helton and his staff were already impressed. They ran out Jake Olson, the long snapper who has lost his sight, for the final extra point. Aware of the situation, Western Michigan let Olson take his time and did not rush.

“Didn’t try to yell in my ear or anything,” Olson said.

“That’s a first-class organization,” Helton said.

http://www.dailybulletin.com/2017/09/02/...c-trojans/

Quotes

http://www.wmubroncos.com/sports/2017/9/...uotes.aspx

Our program has come a long way in terms of fitness, preparation and (for lack of a better word) professionalism in the last few years. Its a small sample but I'm impressed with this staff so far.

In an article about Studs and Duds on USC's fan site was this gem in the Studs section.

Quote:WMU’s coaching staff:

Western Michigan was up against a giant in USC, but you have to give credit to their coaching staff. The Broncos were not afraid of the moment and were not intimidated by a talent USC squad.

The offensive game plan was phenomenal as well. WMU constantly shifted formations and ran motion to take advantage of Cameron Smith’s absence in the first half. Then as USC adjusted to its rarely used three-man front with Malik Dorton on the field, WMU started attacking the edge with the zone read.

They even mixed in a gadget play, which barely worked, but it did and they scored. A great game plan that was executed well.

Darius Phillips:

Head coach Clay Helton referred to Philips as the Adoree’ Jackson of WMU. That comparison turned out to not be hyperbole when at a critical juncture he made a big play.

With USC going up 28-21 and looking like they were about to get rolling, Phillips took a kickoff and returned it 100 yards for a touchdown.

Helton also called Phillips a legitimate NFL prospect, that potential was on full display during the return.

https://reignoftroy.com/2017/09/02/5-tak...-michigan/

Speed kills. We always hear and see elite teams with speed. The Broncos showed the PAC-12 that MAC teams also have some speed - Phillips, Bellamy and Eskridge all gave shining examples yesterday.

Quoted from the SB Nation article: "Western Michigan won’t be what it was last season, when it went 13-1 and made the Cotton Bowl under P.J. Fleck, who’s now gone to Minnesota."

Oh yeah?? Stay tuned! It wasn't P.J. Fleck who coached the Broncos to the near upset of #4 yesterday! This is Tim Lester's team now, and I'm really liking what I see. Not missing the ADD dog-and-pony show at all. It's obvious that our players don't need it to be successful and ELITE! Coach Lester has them in a great place mentally, emotionally, and physically.

GO BRONCOS!! You have what it takes to reign in 2017!

(09-03-2017 06:18 PM)Whinny1 Wrote:  Quoted from the SB Nation article: "Western Michigan won’t be what it was last season, when it went 13-1 and made the Cotton Bowl under P.J. Fleck, who’s now gone to Minnesota."

Oh yeah?? Stay tuned! It wasn't P.J. Fleck who coached the Broncos to the near upset of #4 yesterday! This is Tim Lester's team now, and I'm really liking what I see. Not missing the ADD dog-and-pony show at all. It's obvious that our players don't need it to be successful and ELITE! Coach Lester has them in a great place mentally, emotionally, and physically.

GO BRONCOS!! You have what it takes to reign in 2017!