Western Michigan Football: Broncos still adjusting after PJ Fleck

Two years removed from a New Year’s Six appearance, Western Michigan football enters the season with a rebuilding roster. How will the Broncos fare in 2018?

Back in 2016, Western Michigan ran the table as the MAC champion. It afforded the opportunity to consider scenarios where a Group of Five team could make the College Football Playoff. An undefeated regular season ultimately ended with a defeat at the hands of Wisconsin in the Cotton Bowl. Even with the downturn at the end, it was a landmark effort for the Broncos.

Last season was inevitably going to yield some more regression back to the mean. That became even more likely when P.J. Fleck left to “Row the Boat” down in Minneapolis with the Golden Gophers. Zach Terrell graduated after going 30-16 as a four-year starter (and 29-8 in his final three years as the full-time starter). Corey Davis, the all-time leader in career receiving yards at the FBS level, went on to the NFL as the fifth overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.

Even so, the Broncos gave USC grief in the season opener last year. A week later, Darius Phillips couldn’t put up quite enough points as Western Michigan fell by two touchdowns to Michigan State. Along the way, WMU went through growing pains but ultimately reached .500 by the end of the year. But with too few bowl spots for eligible teams, Western Michigan was one of three programs sidelined during the postseason despite reaching the requisite number of victories.

This year, Western Michigan will try to continue trending back upward in Tim Lester‘s second season at the helm. Given last year’s misfortune, the Broncos must get to at least seven wins to ensure a return to the postseason. Can WMU get to seven or more with their schedule and their roster?