College Football News Preview 2020: Western Michigan Broncos Keys To The Season
Biggest Key To The Western Michigan Broncos Offense
Keep that running game going. Not having LeVante Bellamy around doesn’t help, but there’s a strong group of backs returning – helped by a few key transfers – and the receivers have the ability to be used more for the ground game.
With the veteran line up front, the team needs to push for 200 yards per game on a consistent basis. The O was able to averaging 205 per game, but that came in waves.
WMU has rushed for 93 scores in the three years under Tim Lester, and running for 200 yards or more hasn’t guaranteed anything – the team is 15-8 in three seasons when hitting the mark – but is 4-9 when under 150 yards.
Biggest Key To The Western Michigan Broncos Defense
The pass defense has to lock down. Teams are going to be able to once again be able to run on the Broncos enough to get by, but they’re going to have to throw to win.
Western Michigan allowed two touchdown passes or more seven times last season and went 1-6 – the one win was a 37-34 shootout over Ohio.
18 of the 21 touchdown passes came in those seven games, with just three given up in the other six – all wins.
Key Western Michigan Broncos Player To A Successful Season
C Wesley French, Sr.
Yeah, Kaleb Eleby has to rise up into a star at quarterback, but he’ll be fine. The difference between having a very good season and a special one could be the O line being the best in the conference, and it might be close.
Four starters are expected back to the veteran front, but First Team All-MAC center Luke Juriga is done. That means it’s likely up to the 6-5, 295-pound French to step in and shine after working on the offensive front early on in his career, and then moving to the defensive line, and then getting knocked out with an injury, and now getting the shot at being the leader in the middle.
If he’s great, the line should be phenomenal.
Key Game To The Western Michigan Broncos Season
at Central Michigan, Oct. 17
WMU beat CMU last year and had the West there for the taking before gacking in the regular season finale against Northern Illinois. This time around it’s in Mount Pleasant on the road after having to deal with Toledo.
The Broncos are 5-1 in the last six games in the series. If they can beat Toledo the week before and take this, the West race might be done before the MAC season even gets going.
– Western Michigan Schedule Breakdown & Analysis
2019 Western Michigan Fun Stats
– Sacks: Western Michigan 36 for 223 yards – Opponents 18 for 122 yards
– 2nd Quarter Scoring: Western Michigan 133 – Opponents 64
– 4th Down Conversions: Western Michigan 16-of-28 (57%) – Opponents 8-of-21 (38%)