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

(08-29-2025 10:20 PM)Broncodan Wrote:  

(08-29-2025 09:46 PM)ColinApocalypse Wrote:  This game went about how I thought it would. We were over-matched, especially in the trenches, but played pretty tough. I think the team settled down a bit in the 2nd half. MSU had their starters in the entire game and our defense held them to zero points in the 2nd half. I feel like this defense will be improved over last year. 4 sacks and 10 TFLs tonight. Guys like Tucker, Camden, and Hallock might wreak havoc in the MAC. It's nice that we have some semblance of a pass rush again. I actually feel okay about this team after game 1. Lots of things to clean up what with all the transfers and new starters, but there's talent to work with. Interesting that WMU actually had more passing yards than MSU despite rotating QBs.

O-line had a rough game, but that was expected. Game 1 of all new starters and going up against a Big Ten line. And we rotated in a lot of different guys.

I noticed all over the field how often we had different guys coming in. Lots of players got playing time and I hope the coaches are able to sort things out based on what they saw tonight.

The offense really struggled to get going, again...not unexpected. New QBs, new O-line, new receivers. Lowry and Jones both looked pretty good, just things to clean up with miscommunications. It's nice that both of them are more mobile than our last few QBs. The O-line didn't allow our RBs or QBs to do much. Buckley was met in the backfield every time he touched the ball. Tailique Williams and Baylin Brooks looked really good tonight. We might have found some receivers. The freshman Chenault also saw significant minutes.

Nadame Tucker is that dude. He was making Sparty linemen look silly all night and they started double-teaming him in the 2nd half.

Special teams was the lone really negative area. I can't believe Sabock is back and picked up right where he left this unit last season. I hold my breathe every time we field a punt or kick a FG.

Yeah special teams is truly special.

I mean what is any team doing having their guy field a punt in the endzone and then trying to bring it out?!!

Umm what??

I missed the second punt that was downed at the 1 so not sure on that one. The first one was IMO correctly let go, it bounced well inside the 10 but was just an excellent kick, had good backspin but I wouldn't expect the returner to make that split second call. The one fielded in the end zone was inexplicable, felt like a player trying to overcompensate by fielding it no matter what.

Pick SIX
https://x.com/macsports/status/1961614508725866869?s=42

Game somewhat a mismatch as expected. But I’m optimistic. I think it is going to come together.

Made me cringe to see Devin Miles get absolutely creamed first two kickoffs. Special teams sucked.

Brady Jones had a great first game, he’s going to be special. Takes a couple games to get in the groove.

D could be killer. They played most of the game with little rest between series. That’s tough.

Curious to see how North Texas goes. If we can go 2-2 in first four games we’ll be in good shape.

Not much to be positive-get excited about Friday night other than maybe Tucker-pass rush.

MSU was picked for 16th in Big Ten Pre-Season and didn't look much better than last year.

I shut it off at half time, was expecting 56-0 after the 1st half.

It looks like we played a lot better in the 2nd half. I agree even from how awful it was in the 1st half, our QB looks like he could be decent & sounds like defense really played as good as you can in the 2nd half. How can you play better then that?

My opinion is, a loss is a loss, but at least looking at the end score, I think it went okay.

Offense F
Defense B +
Special Teams F
Coaching C

Lots of bad, some good. Definitely some surprises…to me at least (Tucker was great!). My preseason concerns are still there.

Defensively, we were brutal stopping the run in the 1st half. Didn’t see much of anything on the interior D-Line to get excited about. Throughout the 2nd half, we seemed to play a ton of guys on the defensive side of the ball. I do think our overall depth has improved…just not seeing that our first line guys are where they need to be to see real improvement.

Offensively, the lack of push up front was pretty evident overall as well. I noticed just flat out several missed/poor blocks on the interior. The bad snaps showed up as we were putting together a decent drive. My biggest surprise is that I really don’t recall seeing the massive portal O-Line guys we picked up. Don’t know the names yet but I don’t recall seeing the big O-Line pickups from Michigan, Illinois and Wake Forest. Seems like we went with some of our younger O-Lineman that we were on the squad last year. Could be wrong on that. Both QBs had their moments, better overall receiving corp I think, not really sure about the backup RBs yet (what’s wrong with Cole Cabana…the RB transfer from Michigan?). Great to see Vandervest return after what looked to be a tough injury!

Plenty of Special Teams miscues to choose from but I won’t even list them as they were terribly obvious.

Overall…I’d give the performance about a C-. There’s no doubt the constant coaching position turnover doesn’t help…especially in the first game of the year.

Not terrible, but still disappointing. 23-6 isn't a bad final on papar, we've obviously dealt with worse, but it felt apparent too early that an upset wasn't going to happen.

An offensive shutout at Ohio State is one thing, but at MSU... yikes. Obviously the pleasant surprise was blanking them in the second half. I'd like to think it was more us getting settled and making adjustments as opposed to the Spartans doing a second half lazy swoon after getting up 3 TDs, which wouldn't be a great reflection on their coach, tbh. And to be fair MSU's second TD was a small miracle for them - Chiles had 3 guys rushing toward his face, flings it at the last second to a WR who was pretty well covered in the endzone, and he got it.

I know it's silly for any of us to read much from Game #1, and I don't want to entertain the thoughts of "uh well, another 5-6 win season" this early, even if it's tempting.

There might be no better benchmark than North Texas coming up. They are picked #8 in a good AAC, we're home.

(08-30-2025 09:24 AM)Broncos1983 Wrote:  Lots of bad, some good. Definitely some surprises…to me at least (Tucker was great!). My preseason concerns are still there.

Defensively, we were brutal stopping the run in the 1st half. Didn’t see much of anything on the interior D-Line to get excited about. Throughout the 2nd half, we seemed to play a ton of guys on the defensive side of the ball. I do think our overall depth has improved…just not seeing that our first line guys are where they need to be to see real improvement.

Offensively, the lack of push up front was pretty evident overall as well. I noticed just flat out several missed/poor blocks on the interior. The bad snaps showed up as we were putting together a decent drive. My biggest surprise is that I really don’t recall seeing the massive portal O-Line guys we picked up. Don’t know the names yet but I don’t recall seeing the big O-Line pickups from Michigan, Illinois and Wake Forest. Seems like we went with some of our younger O-Lineman that we were on the squad last year. Could be wrong on that. Both QBs had their moments, better overall receiving corp I think, not really sure about the backup RBs yet (what’s wrong with Cole Cabana…the RB transfer from Michigan?). Great to see Vandervest return after what looked to be a tough injury!

Plenty of Special Teams miscues to choose from but I won’t even list them as they were terribly obvious.

Overall…I’d give the performance about a C-. There’s no doubt the constant coaching position turnover doesn’t help…especially in the first game of the year.

The P4 cast offs we get can’t get in the 2 deep there and usually don’t work out to well at the G5 level.

(08-30-2025 10:11 AM)GRBRONCO Wrote:  

(08-30-2025 09:24 AM)Broncos1983 Wrote:  Lots of bad, some good. Definitely some surprises…to me at least (Tucker was great!). My preseason concerns are still there.

Defensively, we were brutal stopping the run in the 1st half. Didn’t see much of anything on the interior D-Line to get excited about. Throughout the 2nd half, we seemed to play a ton of guys on the defensive side of the ball. I do think our overall depth has improved…just not seeing that our first line guys are where they need to be to see real improvement.

Offensively, the lack of push up front was pretty evident overall as well. I noticed just flat out several missed/poor blocks on the interior. The bad snaps showed up as we were putting together a decent drive. My biggest surprise is that I really don’t recall seeing the massive portal O-Line guys we picked up. Don’t know the names yet but I don’t recall seeing the big O-Line pickups from Michigan, Illinois and Wake Forest. Seems like we went with some of our younger O-Lineman that we were on the squad last year. Could be wrong on that. Both QBs had their moments, better overall receiving corp I think, not really sure about the backup RBs yet (what’s wrong with Cole Cabana…the RB transfer from Michigan?). Great to see Vandervest return after what looked to be a tough injury!

Plenty of Special Teams miscues to choose from but I won’t even list them as they were terribly obvious.

Overall…I’d give the performance about a C-. There’s no doubt the constant coaching position turnover doesn’t help…especially in the first game of the year.

The P4 cast offs we get can’t get in the 2 deep there and usually don’t work out to well at the G5 level.

Last year our leading rusher, top 3 tacklers, plus guy with the most INTs were all P4 transfers.

The game went about as I expected. I was glad to see that this group didn't mail it in during the second half. They kept playing hard.

Impressed with Tucker. Kind of felt bad for Buckley. Nowhere to run, as our OL was being dominated. With 2 new QBs, they will likely settle down against non B1G competition. I think we may have some pretty decent WR, as well.

Not a whole lot to be learned from this one. The remaining OOC games may tell us a bit more about what we've got.

I don't recall but did we lose anybody to injury?

For all of the special team woes, I'll give credit where it's due. We at least have a kicker that can put kickoffs into the end zone now. And that onside kick was executed perfectly.

Well, a year where WMU is good & Michigan St is terrible & we still didn't beat them. I'd still like to see that someday

(11-15-2025 10:48 PM)Bronco14 Wrote:  Well, a year where WMU is good & Michigan St is terrible & we still didn't beat them. I'd still like to see that someday

On one hand, we were juggling two new QBs, and the defense looked a mess early but found their footing in the second half. It's tempting to think if we played them today, we'd make it even closer, or even win, especially if you consider MSU's confidence is flat and Smith may be a lame duck. But it's really hard to say, the gap between the lower P5 and upper G5 seems a bit wider these days. The MAC itself feels muddy with plenty of overlap across the Top 6-7 teams and no "giant killer" standout.

Opening week is usually a struggle for WMU. Most of our P5 upsets were week 2 or 3, I think.