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

WMU among the "big winners" of the coaching carousel, according to Yahoo's Pat Forde:

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/biggest-win...ncaaf.html

Didn't know Forde was a lapdog.

Quote:The longer WMU can keep this rising star, the better.

I wouldn't call it a big win, but he is certainly getting people's attention. I doubt he will stay through the current contract.

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Now all our Rising Star has to do is win something - MAC West, MAC championship, bowl game - in next three years.

And get a winning record.

Yeah, I wouldn't say PJ is a "big winner". Maybe if this year was his first year. I would put it under "Winners?", with the question mark. Because this upcoming year's going to be VERY TOUGH. Toledo & NIU on the road -- both being better squads. Ball State will improve better than last year. CMU is going to be the only team that will be worse (assuming they don't get some instant-breakout-new-coach) than they were this year.

Add to that, we have MSU, @Ohio State, and @GA-Southern -- a new hardcore mid-major. After this year, Fleck won't be worth putting down for Winners or Losers. THAT is to be determined in 2016.

We should expect to go 5-3 in the MAC (Losses: @Toledo, @NIU, [BGSU/BSU/Ohio/CMU])... and we should expect to go 1-3 OOC (MSU, @OSU, @GA-South).

5-7 not probable
6-6 most likely
7-5 possible, but a stretch
8-4 not probable

I said 4-8 for this year and was pleasantly surprised.

With that said I'm expecting 6-6 (maybe/maybe not on the bowl appearance), here's to hoping I'll be pleasantly surprised again.

Too early for season predictions (prefer to wait until after Spring Football), but -

Obvious underdogs vs. MSU and OSU, probably vs. Georgia Southern too because it's on the road. Also NIU and Toledo.

Based on last year and expected improvement with experience of young roster reasonable to assume we could win other seven.

If we could surprise Huskies or Rockets, that would be eight, possible MAC-West share.

Winning a bowl could get us to nine.

It's the whacky MAC, so I think we pull off a win at either UT or NIU, but lose a game we "should" win, i.e., Ohio or Ball St or someone.

I think with it being opening day and at Waldo, we'll keep it interesting for a good chunk of the game vs. MSU. But OSU is one of those that could get ugly really early.

They will definitely be battle tested before hitting the MAC portion of the schedule.

(01-26-2015 09:26 AM)Motown Bronco Wrote:  It's the whacky MAC, so I think we pull off a win at either UT or NIU, but lose a game we "should" win, i.e., Ohio or Ball St or someone.

I think with it being opening day and at Waldo, we'll keep it interesting for a good chunk of the game vs. MSU. But OSU is one of those that could get ugly really early.

This team is giving me the vibe that we will rarely again lose the games we are supposed to win. We blew the NIU game and were a little outclassed in our bowl game, but I get the feeling the coaching staff and players are learning from these things.

Absolutely right! That is the plus of having a young coaching staff and a young roster. Whole lot of learning going on.

The difference with this group is the learning seems to have positive results. Even the losing is productive.

That does NOT happen everywhere. Some are learning hard lessons without making progress.

Row the Boat, A Better Best, The What, The Who, The How, etc. Good stuff. Wait a minute, The Who is a rock group. But they were good too.

Quote:It's the whacky MAC, so I think we pull off a win at either UT or NIU, but lose a game we "should" win, i.e., Ohio or Ball St or someone.

Yep, I agree. Where a mild-upset happens For us, a mild-upset is just as likely Against us.

The MAC is going to be better next year + our OOC schedule is going to be tougher. Instead of a 2-2 situation, it's going to be a 1-3 situation.

@Ohio-State: 5%
MSU: 15%
@NIU: 30%
@Toledo: 30%
@GA-Southern: 35%
BGSU: 60%
@Ohio: 60%
BSU: 65%
CMU: 70%
Miami-OH: 75%
@EMU: 85%
D1AA: 97%
= 6.27W - 5.73L (6-6)

Why would we just be expected to lose at Toledo ??????? They only have 12 starters coming back next year according to one site.
I think we go over there and kick some ass....Should have beaten them this year..

I expect us to lose to Toledo too. Phillip Ely, Kareem Hunt, Terry Swanson, Corey Jones, Alonzo Russell all back on O. That's all I need to know.

(01-27-2015 10:00 AM)Hoekjeness Wrote:  I expect us to lose to Toledo too. Phillip Ely, Kareem Hunt, Terry Swanson, Corey Jones, Alonzo Russell all back on O. That's all I need to know.

Entire OL will be new...Cant do much without them, don't care how talented your skilled players are

I agree that Toledo and NIU are not expected losses. We return our entire offensive production, guys. Our front 7 is going to be deep and experienced. The team is going to be even better this year.

(01-27-2015 10:59 AM)Cant make this sh t up Wrote:  

(01-27-2015 10:00 AM)Hoekjeness Wrote:  I expect us to lose to Toledo too. Phillip Ely, Kareem Hunt, Terry Swanson, Corey Jones, Alonzo Russell all back on O. That's all I need to know.

Entire OL will be new...Cant do much without them, don't care how talented your skilled players are

Much has been said about how much having experience on the OL matters. With so much talent returning at the skill positions - but almost no starting experience returning on the OL (I assume they have a couple players who have gotten spot starts filling in for injured starters) - Toledo will be a fascinating case study next season.