(DY #2) WMU 2011 Season Preview - arotwlv's Dynasty

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(DY #2) WMU 2011 Season Preview

Posted on September 1, 2011 at 01:28 AM.

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KALAMAZOO - With experience at quarterback, good talent at the skill positions and enough pieces everywhere else, Western Michigan University figures this is the year to make something happen.

By that, the Broncos mean, competing for the division title in the Mid-American Conference, earn a spot in a bowl game and, above all, beat their in-state rivals Central Michigan University.
Those are all expectations, according to new WMU head coach Scott Simmons.

"It's our time to get it done. We are challenging these guys, challenging the coaches, to do everything we can to get the job done," Simmons said. "We know all about that elephant in the room, we see it. We have to go out there and win that game."
That game would usually be top of mind for any WMU fan or player, but it is even more so this year as the Broncos are looking at five straight losses against Central Michigan.

Beating CMU would go a long way toward allowing the Broncos to also chase a Mid-American Conference title. Sixth-year senior wide receiver Jordan White has his eyes on both of those goals.

"I have been here six years. As long or longer than everybody here. Basically I am tired of coming up short. I haven't beaten Central yet. Nobody in our locker room has beaten Central yet. I am ready for that to change," said White, who has had his career at WMU extended due to injury red-shirt season. "I'm also ready to win the MAC Championship and not come up short in that also. And I think, with the way the guys came out this summer, and what we have here, a lot of those things are going to change this year."

Scott Simmons agrees with his senior, especially when it comes to the MAC race. The Broncos last finished first in the conference in 2000.
"It would be a disappointment if we don't win the MAC, that's how I feel. Some years you can't say that, because you are missing some pieces. But this year I don't think we are missing any pieces, I really don't," coach Simmons said.

Those pieces start with returning starting quarterback Alex Carder. Carder returns after starting every game for the Broncos last year, throwing for 3,334 yards. He had four games of 300 yards or more during his first season as a starter and eclipsed 400 yards against Toledo. His 30 touchdown passes make him only the third WMU QB to surpass that amount for a season.

While those are good numbers, Carder said at WMU's media day that he thinks he can improve on his first-season stats.
"I think I have to be more persistent. I think I have to be more patient. I think I need to take what the defense is giving me more often. I need to understand situations better. I just need to become a veteran quarterback, because last year was my rookie year and I can't make those same mistakes anymore," Carder said.

A key element to the WMU offensive attack is the passing game and Carder has some good players to throw to, starting with White, who is the school record holder for receiving yards and 100-yard receiving games. White caught 94 passes for 1,378 yards and 10 touchdowns past year.
Giving the team some balance will be a running attack that returns three players that rushed for more than 300 yards on the season last year in Tevin Drake, Brian Fields and Aaron Winchester.

WMU has some questions to answer on the offensive line, only returning two starters in Dann O'Neill and Anthony Parker.

The Broncos don't have that problem on the defensive line, returning the entire group and making that a strength of this team. WMU is led on the defensive front by senior defensive tackle Drew Nowak who had 42 tackles from his interior spot. Junior defensive end Paul Hazel also returns after coming up with eight sacks last year.

WMU's leading tackler from a year ago returns in linebacker Mitch Zajac, who had a career-best 97 stops last year, but he is the lone returner in that group this season.

Freshman All-American Lewis Toler leads a WMU defensive backfield that will lack experience. He is the lone full-time starter from a year ago and had five interceptions.

WMU will look to get all of those position groups up and running quickly as the Broncos have plenty of work ahead of them with a very tough early schedule.

The Broncos open with the University of Michigan on Saturday and also play at Big Ten power Illinois and at UConn, which went to a BCS Bowl last year, all in the first five games.

"The first five games of the schedule are tough, but that's what we do here. Our team embraces that, our administration embraces that and our fans should embrace that," Simmons said. "And it all starts with the first game against Michigan, and that's what we are pointing at right now."