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

Yay! Football season is back!

Who is the pathetic CMU homer?

MAC Preseason Poll:

MAC East Division
1. Ohio (24) 144
2. Miami 107
3. Buffalo 100
4. Kent State 62
5. Akron 54
6. Bowling Green 37

MAC West Division
1. Toledo (15) 127
2. Western Michigan (5) 112
3. Northern Illinois (3) 103
4. Eastern Michigan 83
5. Ball State 43
6. Central Michigan (1) 36

I like that poll, the MAC West always goes through Toledo and even NIU, both will be tough games on the road this year.

Time to put up or shut up smiling Tim!

Definitely bodes well. Essentially they're thinking it'll come down to WMU@UT, and are predicting an 8-4 kind of year.

I'm happy for now.

If Wassink plays 12 games, I think this is our year and we're back at Ford Field.

Ohio is easily the front-runner in the East, and everything behind them is up for grabs.

The MAC West on the other hand has 4 tough teams in a logjam at the top. Toledo, NIU, WMU, EMU. All 4 will be good. All 4 have big question marks. All 4 teams finished last regular season at 7-5.

The reigning champs are the biggest question mark because of the new coaching staff there. Can Coach Hammock continue the winning ways or will they take a step back this year?

I believe WMU can and will win the West this year, provided Wassink stays healthy. WMU is the most experienced team in the MAC, has the best QB in the West, probably the best OL in the MAC, and possibly the best RB in the MAC. Lester is in year 3, with his system and his players in place. He needs to prove though, that he can win a big game. Getting blown out in 5 out of our 6 losses last year was not encouraging. And that game against Ohio was the ugliest thing I've ever seen. Time for Lester to walk the walk, and if he can't get us past the usual .500ish season, he can walk right out the door. That being said, I'm excited to see the changes made on defense and to see what some of our young talent can do.


As for CMU getting 1 vote to win it all, that's an annual thing. I think I heard that it's the sports writer for the Dismal Flats newspaper that picks them as champions every year. I don't know why that clown keeps getting invited to participate in the poll.

Most previews I see point to Wassink's health as being key to a successful season. But I think improvement in defense trumps this.

If opponents continue to score in the 30s and 40s against us, then 6-6 is our ceiling again, no matter who's under center.

(07-24-2019 07:11 AM)Motown Bronco Wrote:  Most previews I see point to Wassink's health as being key to a successful season. But I think improvement in defense trumps this.

If opponents continue to score in the 30s and 40s against us, then 6-6 is our ceiling again, no matter who's under center.

That and we must have marked improvement in kicking game, especially punting.

Last year our defense was fifth in MAC in rushing defense, eighth in passing defense, sixth in total defense - but 10th in scoring defense.

Why the discrepency? In part because they were playing on short fields because of our poor punting. Offenses didn't have to rack up a lot of yards to score. The bad field position led defense to have to gamble-blitz more which led to more big plays (both ways).

(07-24-2019 08:22 AM)MajorHoople Wrote:  

(07-24-2019 07:11 AM)Motown Bronco Wrote:  Most previews I see point to Wassink's health as being key to a successful season. But I think improvement in defense trumps this.

If opponents continue to score in the 30s and 40s against us, then 6-6 is our ceiling again, no matter who's under center.

That and we must have marked improvement in kicking game, especially punting.

Last year our defense was fifth in MAC in rushing defense, eighth in passing defense, sixth in total defense - but 10th in scoring defense.

Why the discrepency? In part because they were playing on short fields because of our poor punting. Offenses didn't have to rack up a lot of yards to score. The bad field position led defense to have to gamble-blitz more which led to more big plays (both ways).

Ditto Major! I’m also looking to see improved tackling. Way too many whiffs last season.

I agree with the defense being key and I think the health of the Wideouts and Bellamy is essential. With the experience Eleby got last fall, he will be fine if Wassink goes down again. Definitely in a better spot this year if that happens compared to the past 2 years.

Could see the season go 6-6 at worst and 9-3 and best. I think 9 win season would prove to the world that WMU is a top tier G5 program without Fleck. That being said 6 wins wouldn’t surprise me given WMUs athletic history. Still upset we hired an inside HC when we don’t have a history of winning here.

(07-24-2019 11:46 AM)Fthechips Wrote:  Could see the season go 6-6 at worst and 9-3 and best. I think 9 win season would prove to the world that WMU is a top tier G5 program without Fleck. That being said 6 wins wouldn’t surprise me given WMUs athletic history. Still upset we hired an inside HC when we don’t have a history of winning here.

We have a history of winning, just not winning the big games. Looking back at our history, with one exception our coaches who struggled the most were still playing .500 ball.

I think we can all agree we got sick of Miami Dolphins mediocrity and this can be a special year if executed properly.

I get what you are saying, but no need to run us down. I would take a few bad seasons if it meant a few special years. However, being like Ohio is much better than being like Kent State. I'd bet Kent State fans would be envious of a program that pegs 6 wins as a severe disappointment.

I just don't want us to turn into spoiled Red Wings fans!

Idiot from the Mount Pleasant MORNING SUN should have his vote taken away.

That said in 1966 Doolittle voted for us to win MAC in Pre-Season coaches' poll (and then went out and did it).

He said he really believed we could and that if he didn't believe in his team, who would?

Problem is, every year after that he was stuck - if he DIDN'T vote for Broncos to win MAC, implication was he didn't believe in the team. And if he did made his ballot somewhat meaningless in years we obviously weren't a contender.

(07-24-2019 12:02 PM)RunningGame Wrote:  

(07-24-2019 11:46 AM)Fthechips Wrote:  Could see the season go 6-6 at worst and 9-3 and best. I think 9 win season would prove to the world that WMU is a top tier G5 program without Fleck. That being said 6 wins wouldn’t surprise me given WMUs athletic history. Still upset we hired an inside HC when we don’t have a history of winning here.

We have a history of winning, just not winning the big games. Looking back at our history, with one exception our coaches who struggled the most were still playing .500 ball.

I think we can all agree we got sick of Miami Dolphins mediocrity and this can be a special year if executed properly.

I get what you are saying, but no need to run us down. I would take a few bad seasons if it meant a few special years. However, being like Ohio is much better than being like Kent State. I'd bet Kent State fans would be envious of a program that pegs 6 wins as a severe disappointment.

I just don't want us to turn into spoiled Red Wings fans!

We have a history of mediocrity, not winning.

(07-25-2019 09:09 AM)Fthechips Wrote:  

(07-24-2019 12:02 PM)RunningGame Wrote:  

(07-24-2019 11:46 AM)Fthechips Wrote:  Could see the season go 6-6 at worst and 9-3 and best. I think 9 win season would prove to the world that WMU is a top tier G5 program without Fleck. That being said 6 wins wouldn’t surprise me given WMUs athletic history. Still upset we hired an inside HC when we don’t have a history of winning here.

We have a history of winning, just not winning the big games. Looking back at our history, with one exception our coaches who struggled the most were still playing .500 ball.

I think we can all agree we got sick of Miami Dolphins mediocrity and this can be a special year if executed properly.

I get what you are saying, but no need to run us down. I would take a few bad seasons if it meant a few special years. However, being like Ohio is much better than being like Kent State. I'd bet Kent State fans would be envious of a program that pegs 6 wins as a severe disappointment.

I just don't want us to turn into spoiled Red Wings fans!

We have a history of mediocrity, not winning.

Agree on mediocrity, but we've won a lot more games than we've lost in program history. We have a history of winning, just not winning big games or many championships. We have a better win percentage than 71 FBS programs. We can be realistic without saying we're losers, because we're not. Kent State—god bless them—has a history of losing.

We're like a Saint Louis Blues, a franchise that is generally pretty good, but has only won the 'Grand Prize' once, usually not being able to get past the Blackhawks , Red Wings, etc.

Want 9-3 or better, expect 6-6 or worse.

(07-28-2019 12:39 PM)Nacho Wrote:  Want 9-3 or better, expect 6-6 or worse.

Would be happy with 8-4, but also expecting 6-6.