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

WE are getting knocked off the ball by 5 yards every play

Its gonna get ugly. I thought maybe coaches would make some sort of adjustments... but I was wrong

Adjustments are great, but there’s only so much a coaching staff can do when there’s a talent gap the size of Lake Michigan. We used to be able to hang with bottom-tier Big 10 teams, at least for a half, before we got completely overwhelmed.

Another bone head play on Special teams!!! Field the ball!!!!

Could someone remind me where Popeye Williams went?

Made 1 stop, but starting on the 1

We're only down 14. If we had that one more player, we'd be in this.

(08-29-2025 06:58 PM)ejd_5277 Wrote:  At some point there needs to be a serious conversation about splitting the Group of 5 (or however many) off into their own category. We’re nothing more than a minor/developmental league at this point. Windycitybronco is exactly right.

We went to the cotton bowl in 2016. I was on top of the world. We ponied up money and the coach, staff and a few players/recruits left anyway. It was the first time I realized, we are never gonna have nice things.
It has so little to do with our school, and so much to do with the MAC. We needed to leave, and didn’t.

A lot of a persons growth is about the company they keep, the people they measure themselves against. A football program, while being an infinitely less important entity, is similar. If you stay associated to the small, you will only grow so tall.

(08-29-2025 07:07 PM)Windycitybronco Wrote:  

(08-29-2025 06:58 PM)ejd_5277 Wrote:  At some point there needs to be a serious conversation about splitting the Group of 5 (or however many) off into their own category. We’re nothing more than a minor/developmental league at this point. Windycitybronco is exactly right.

We went to the cotton bowl in 2016. I was on top of the world. We ponied up money and the coach, staff and a few players/recruits left anyway. It was the first time I realized, we are never gonna have nice things.
It has so little to do with our school, and so much to do with the MAC. We needed to leave, and didn’t.

A lot of a persons growth is about the company they keep, the people the measure themselves against. A football program, while being an infinitely less important entity, is similar. If you stay associated the small, you will only grow so tall.

I agree with all of this. Say what you want about PJ Fleck but I’m convinced that he was literally the only coach in America that could have orchestrated that 2016 season. He had quality recruits and the buy-in of 100% of his players. He could have stayed and we might have become the next Boise State. Hell, we might have even gotten an invite to a better conference after a few years of consistency at that level.

What has he accomplished at Minny? Anything of note? Nope. He absolutely thrives in that underdog role.

I’ll remind everyone also that the BEST game that a Tim Lester-coached team played was the FIRST game of his coaching career-the close loss to USC. It was literally all downhill from there. It’s funny how Kathy followed up the BEST hire of her entire tenure with the WORST hire of her entire tenure, back to back.

(08-29-2025 07:14 PM)ejd_5277 Wrote:  

(08-29-2025 07:07 PM)Windycitybronco Wrote:  

(08-29-2025 06:58 PM)ejd_5277 Wrote:  At some point there needs to be a serious conversation about splitting the Group of 5 (or however many) off into their own category. We’re nothing more than a minor/developmental league at this point. Windycitybronco is exactly right.

We went to the cotton bowl in 2016. I was on top of the world. We ponied up money and the coach, staff and a few players/recruits left anyway. It was the first time I realized, we are never gonna have nice things.
It has so little to do with our school, and so much to do with the MAC. We needed to leave, and didn’t.

A lot of a persons growth is about the company they keep, the people the measure themselves against. A football program, while being an infinitely less important entity, is similar. If you stay associated the small, you will only grow so tall.

I agree with all of this. Say what you want about PJ Fleck but I’m convinced that he was literally the only coach in America that could have orchestrated that 2016 season. He had quality recruits and the buy-in of 100% of his players. He could have stayed and we might have become the next Boise State. Hell, we might have even gotten an invite to a better conference after a few years of consistency at that level.

What has he accomplished at Minny? Anything of note? Nope. He absolutely thrives in that underdog role.

I’ll remind everyone also that the BEST game that a Tim Lester-coached team played was the FIRST game of his coaching career-the close loss to USC. It was literally all downhill from there. It’s funny how Kathy followed up the BEST hire of her entire tenure with the WORST hire of her entire tenure, back to back.

Just like Dan Bartholomae. Hired two bums Taylor and Stephens.

Dumbest thing about this is if they were playing an equal P4 team, it'd be competitive for a while. In state school? Assbeating

(08-29-2025 07:07 PM)Windycitybronco Wrote:  

(08-29-2025 06:58 PM)ejd_5277 Wrote:  At some point there needs to be a serious conversation about splitting the Group of 5 (or however many) off into their own category. We’re nothing more than a minor/developmental league at this point. Windycitybronco is exactly right.

We went to the cotton bowl in 2016. I was on top of the world. We ponied up money and the coach, staff and a few players/recruits left anyway. It was the first time I realized, we are never gonna have nice things.
It has so little to do with our school, and so much to do with the MAC. We needed to leave, and didn’t.

A lot of a persons growth is about the company they keep, the people they measure themselves against. A football program, while being an infinitely less important entity, is similar. If you stay associated to the small, you will only grow so tall.

Lots of truth here. Hockey program joining the NCHC is the perfect example.

I WILL say, this Tucker kid has shown some fire here in this quarter.

We look terrible. Year 3 for Taylor and our QB was playing at a community college last year

It ain’t great but I don’t think we look THAT bad. Just don’t have the horses on the lines except for Tucker.

There’s not ONE player on Westerns starting 22 that would displace any of Sparties first string. Hell, I’d bet that MSU’s two deep might be better. Plus, it’s only going to get worse with NIL. Guys playing on the 3rd string at some Big 10 schools will make more than many first string MAC players.

(08-29-2025 07:37 PM)floridabronco Wrote:  There’s not ONE player on Westerns starting 22 that would displace any of Sparties first string. Hell, I’d bet that MSU’s two deep might be better. Plus, it’s only going to get worse with NIL. Guys playing on the 3rd string at some Big 10 schools will make that any first MAC string players.

Eh, other MAC teams were competitive already this weekend. Maybe MSU is comparatively better than the others played (they did bring in a lot), maybe we’re worse, maybe we’ll look back and Week 1 will be an overreaction. I think the G5 has suffered from NIL but not quite to the level some assert

(08-29-2025 07:46 PM)Cocksman Wrote:  

(08-29-2025 06:58 PM)ejd_5277 Wrote:  At some point there needs to be a serious conversation about splitting the Group of 5 (or however many) off into their own category. We’re nothing more than a minor/developmental league at this point. Windycitybronco is exactly right.

Football needs to fund our hockey program

Football can’t fund itself.

(08-29-2025 07:41 PM)wmubroncopilot Wrote:  

(08-29-2025 07:37 PM)floridabronco Wrote:  There’s not ONE player on Westerns starting 22 that would displace any of Sparties first string. Hell, I’d bet that MSU’s two deep might be better. Plus, it’s only going to get worse with NIL. Guys playing on the 3rd string at some Big 10 schools will make that any first MAC string players.

Eh, other MAC teams were competitive already this weekend. Maybe MSU is comparatively better than the others played (they did bring in a lot), maybe we’re worse, maybe we’ll look back and Week 1 will be an overreaction. I think the G5 has suffered from NIL but not quite to the level some assert

I want to be positive, I really do, but how many of those “competitive” games were won?

I think the MAC is a lot like the Washington Generals. Like a fake foe, meant just to supply an opponent for the show.

In the current college football landscape, competitive is a facade, you gotta win. Competitive gets you nowhere!

We suck a lot more than I expected. To be fair, if you play 2 QBs, you really have none.

Gonna be a long season. 6 wins would mean the MAC is really bad.