Western Michigan coach P.J. Fleck says Broncos have become a close family
By Brandon F
KALAMAZOO – For first-year Western Michigan coach P.J. Fleck, it does not matter what the scoreboard says Friday.
SEP 15, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Western Michigan Broncos wide receiver Jaime Wilson (4) makes a ten yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter at TCF Bank Stadium. The Gophers defeated the Broncos 28-23. Mandatory Credit: Marilyn Indahl-USA TODAY Sports
He’s already won.
When he took over the job last December, he did not recognize any of the faces or know any of the names on his depth chart. Now he considers those same faces and names part of his family.
“Our team has come together as a team,” Fleck said Monday. “When I first took this job, we were as far apart as a team as you can possibly get. Now, I think we’ve really come together as a true football team.”
Those are strong words from the 32 year old who knows something about coaching winning football teams.
Fleck spent time as a graduate assistant with Ohio State, coached two years at Rutgers, worked as the offensive coordinator for Northern Illinois, and had a cup of tea as a wide receivers coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Now he’s using his past experiences to build a family-sized program in Kalamazoo.
“This team has really bought into the actual family concept,” Fleck said. “It’s definitely amazing how close this team has come.”
WMU visits Michigan State for the season opener at 8 p.m. Friday, and no one, not even Las Vegas, is giving his guys a chance to win on the big stage.
“There’s no expectations,” Fleck added. “This staff has never coached this football team. This football team has never played for this staff when it has truly counted. There’s no expectations, so the sky is the limit.”
That is certainly true, especially when no one expected Fleck to land 27 recruits in the 2014 class before the start of the season. Not to mention he has already upgraded team facilities, made the local community interested in WMU football again, and eliminated the losing culture left behind by former coach Bill Cubit. No one expected any of that to happen immediately.
Fleck’s mantra for his team is “row the boat,” and WMU’s first tidal wave comes in East Lansing this weekend.
Let’s see if the Broncos sink or swim in their debut.