(RB Jalen Buckley – Rodney Coleman-Robinson/MLive.com)
Key Players Returning:
QB Hayden Wolff, RB Jalen Buckley, WR Anthony Sambucci, WR Kenneth Womack, OC Jacob Gideon, OG Addison West, OT Ted Kushi, DE Corey Walker, DT Isaiah Green, DT Mason Nelson, LB Jacob Wahlberg, LB Donald Willis, CB Bithal Kone, CB Aaron Wofford, NB Damari Roberson, SS Tate Hallock, KR Jamal Hailey, PR Zahir Abdus-Salaam, and PK Palmer Domschke.
Key Players Departing:
WR Leroy Thomas, TE Austin Hence, OG Trevor Campbell, OT Michael Shanahan, DE Tag Bonnema, DE Marshawn Kneeland (Cowboys R2), LB Nate Norris, CB Keni-H Lovely, and PT Carson Voss (Michigan State transfer).
(ATH Carlos Mitchell Jr. – Palm Beach Post)
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: DS Najiib Anderson (Conyers, Georgia).
3 Star Recruits: ATH Carlos Mitchell Jr. (Lakeland, Florida), DE Jordan Buckley (Batavia, Illinois), QB Broc Lowry (Indiana transfer), EDGE Popeye Williams (Louisville transfer), EDGE Noah Bishop (Detroit, Michigan), WR Terence Marshall (Navarre, Florida), DS Armani-Eli Adams (FAU transfer), EDGE Joshua Lloyd (Ft. Lauderdale, Florida), and ATH Jayquan Reid (Miami, Florida).
2023 Results:
G01 ST. FRANCIS U W 35-17
G02 @ Syracuse L 7-48
G03 @ #25 Iowa L 10-41
G04 @ Toledo L 31-49
G05 BALL STATE W 42-24
G06 @ Mississippi State L 28-41
G07 MIAMI (OH) L 21-34
G08 @ Ohio L 17-20
G09 @ Eastern Michigan W 45-21
G10 CENTRAL MICHIGAN W 38-28
G11 @ Northern Illinois L 0-24
G12 BOWLING GREEN L 10-34
Team Info:
2023 Overall: 4-8 (4th in MAC West)
Home: 3-2
Away: 1-6
Neutral: 0-0
MAC: 3-5
Non-MAC: 1-3
Head Coach: Tim Lester
Western Michigan: 4-8
Career: 4-8
Bowls: 0-0
WR Kenneth Womack – AP Photo)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Hayden Wolff (148-226, 1505 yards, 65.5%, 6.7 avg., 8 TD, 5 INT)
Rushing: Jalen Buckley (189 car., 1003 yards, 5.3 avg., 10 TD)
Receiving: Kenneth Womack (76 rec., 691 yards, 9.1 avg., 1 TD)
TD’s Scored: Jalen Buckley (10)
Sacks: Donald Willis (4.5)
Tackles: Tate Hallock (75)
Interceptions: Tate Hallock/Aaron Wofford (2)
Pass Deflections: Bilhal Kone (8)
Tackles For Loss: Corey Walker (8)
Forced Fumbles: Tate Hallock/Damari Roberson/Corey Walker (2)
Kick Returns: Jamal Hailey (12 ret., 227 yards, 18.9 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Zahir Abdus-Salaam (5 ret., 48 yard, 9.6 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: Palmer Domschke (9-15 fg/fga., 60%, 35-35 xp/xpa., 62 pts.)
Punting: Hayden Wolff (1 punts, 23 yards, 23.0 avg., 0 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 11 Hayden Wolff (RS SR/TR)
RB: 6 Jalen Buckley (RS SO)
WR: 5 Anthony Sambucci (SR)
WR: 9 Michael Womack (RS SR/TR)
WR: 1 Devaughn Mortimer (JR/TR)
TE: 86 Blake Bosma (RS JR)
LT: 71 Adam Vanderwest (SR)
LG: 51 John Hofer (RS JR)
OC: 77 Jacob Gideon (SR)
RG: 75 Addison West (RS SR)
RT: 63 Jack Sherwin (RS SR)
KR: 28 Jamal Hailey (RS SO)
PK: 37 Palmer Domschke (JR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 2 Popeye Williams (JR/TR)
NT: 54 Mason Nelson (RS JR)
DT: 10 Isaiah Green (JR/TR)
DE: 93 Corey Walker (RS JR)
LB: 15 Donald Willis (RS SR/TR)
LB: 8 Jacob Wahlberg (RS SR/TR)
NB: 4 Damari Roberson (RS SR)
CB: 2 Bilhal Kone (JR/TR)
CB: 5 Aaron Wofford (RS JR)
FS: 9 Ryan Raybuck (RS SR/TR)
SS: 3 Tate Hallock (GR/TR)
PR: 10 Zahir Abdus-Salaam (SR)
PT: 37 Palmer Domschke (JR)
(QB Hayden Wolff – Icon Sportswire/Getty Images)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: C
Running Backs: A
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: B
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: B
Secondary: B
Special Teams:
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: C
Punters: C
Schedule:
08/30 @ Wisconsin Badgers | Western Michigan trails the series 1-4. The Broncos lost (16-24) the last meeting between schools in 2016.
09/07 @ Ohio State Buckeyes | Western Michigan lost (12-38) the only prior meeting between schools in 2015.
09/14 BETHUNE-COOKMAN WILDCATS | First meeting between schools.
09/28 @ Marshall Thundering Herd | Western Michigan leads the series 22-12. The Broncos lost (21-31) the last meeting between schools in 2004.
10/05 @ Ball State Cardinals | Western Michigan leads the series 28-22. The Broncos are 7-3 since 2014, and their last series loss (20-45) was in 2021.
10/12 AKRON ZIPS | Western Michigan leads the series 16-5. The Broncos won (45-40) the last meeting between schools in 2021.
10/19 @ Buffalo Bulls | Western Michigan leads the series 8-2. The Broncos won (24-17) the last meeting between schools in 2021.
10/26 KENT STATE GOLDEN FLASHES | Western Michigan leads the series 36-20-1. The Broncos won (64-31) the last meeting between schools in 2021.
11/06 NORTHERN ILLINOIS HUSKIES | Western Michigan leads the series 27-22. The Broncos are 4-6 since 2014, and their last series win (42-21) was in 2021.
11/12 @ Bowling Green Falcons | Western Michigan trails the series 20-34-3. The Broncos are 3-3 since 2014, and their last series win (49-10) was in 2019.
11/19 @ Central Michigan Chippewas | Western Michigan leads the series 53-40-2. The Broncos are 8-2 since 2014, and their last series loss (30-42) was in 2021.
11/30 EASTERN MICHIGAN EAGLES | Western Michigan leads the series 35-22-2. The Broncos are 6-4 since 2014, and their last series loss (23-45) was in 2022.
Predictions:
Home: 5-0
Away: 3-4
Neutral: 0-0
MAC: 6-2
Non-MAC: 2-2
Overall: 8-4 (4th in MAC)
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