Western Michigan Broncos Preview 2022: Season Prediction, Breakdown, Key Games, Players
Western Michigan continues to be SO frustrating.
The talent is there, but the consistent big seasons and wins aren’t. That’s a common theme in the MAC West, like with Toledo, but it just doesn’t make any sense.
The Broncos went 13-1 under PJ Fleck in 2016 and have been solid ever since – the program hasn’t had a losing season since 2013 – but last year’s team was No. 1 in the MAC in total defense, No. 2 in total offense, the running game was great, the skill guys were fantastic, the pass rush was among the best in the country, and the O line put up a phenomenal season, and …
Nope. Four MAC losses in a six game stretch killed the fun.
Beating Pitt was nice, and rolling a Nevada team without a slew of key parts was a good way to finish, but this needs to be a MAC Championship powerhouse, and that’s going to be tough this season.
Enough talent returns to be in the mix, but the schedule isn’t any easier, a slew of stars are gone, and it’s going to be hard to improve too much.
It’ll be a bowl season and another winning campaign, but Western Michigan is overdue to surprise on the positive side.
Western Michigan Broncos Preview
Head Coach: Tim Lester, 32-25, 6th year at WMU
2021 Preview: Overall: 8-5, Conference: 4-4
Keys To The Season
Season Prediction, What Will Happen
Western Michigan Top 10 Players | WMU Schedule
Western Michigan Broncos Preview 2022: Offense
The offense was terrific, but there’s some reworking to do. The Broncos finished 12th in the nation in total offense and averaged 32.5 points per game thanks to a strong rushing offense and good balance. It’s all going to start with …
The offensive line has to be back to form. It was one of the strongest in the MAC last season doing a great job at keeping teams out of the backfield with the high sack total mostly coming from then-QB Kaleb Eleby trying to make things happening.
Three starters have to be replaced, but getting Eleasah Anderson from Sam Houston State – and Baylor before that – to fit in at left tackle is a plus. Jake Gideon is a good one in the interior – he’ll likely work at center – and there’s more reshuffling from there.
The rushing combination of Sean Tyler and La’Darius Jefferson is fantastic. These two combined for close to 2,000 yards with 19 touchdowns with the speed of Tyler and power of Jefferson working in a good rotation.
It’s going to be so, so hard to replace Eleby. He was an ultra-efficient playmaker who didn’t make a lot of mistakes and did a great job of pushing the ball down the field.
Now it’s a fight for the job with backup Jack Salopek a smallish passer with good accuracy and Mareyohn Hrabowski a big, tough option who can do a little of everything. Also entering the mix is Stone Hollenbach transferring from Alabama.
Skyy Moore was unstoppable with 96 catches for 1,293 yards and ten scores, but now he’s off in the Kansas City Chief attack. Third leading target Jaylen Hall is at WKU and top tight end Anthony Torres is off to Toledo. However, Corey Crooms is back after averaging over 17 yards per catch with 44 catches and six scores.
List
Western Michigan Broncos Top 10 Players: College Football Preview 2022
Western Michigan Broncos Preview 2022: Defense
The defense was among the best in the nation at generating sacks, it was second in the nation in third down stops, and it finished first in the MAC in total defense allowing just 330 yards and 28 points per game.
Seven starters are back, but some of the star power is gone. The big problem is replacing …
Ali Fayad. He was the main man who got into the backfield, and Ralph Holley is done from the interior. Trying to help at tackle is Purdue transfer Bryce Austin, and Braden Fiske is a good playmaker on the nose. Andre Carter and Marshawn Kneeland aren’t Fayad, but they can get behind the line.
The linebacking corps is the team’s second biggest strength after running back. The top three tacklers are back with Corvin Moment, Zaire Barnes, and Ryan Selig all active tacklers with all-star potential.
The secondary has to pick off more passes, but it can tackle and it should be able to hold up just fine. Dorian Jackson broke up 12 passes and led the team with two picks, and in comes Anthony Romphf from Purdue to work at the other corner.
Delano Ware is a good veteran who made 40 stops and veteran Bricen Garner is back as a longtime part of the mix after finishing third on the team in tackles in 2020 before missing time last year.
Keys To The Season
Season Prediction, What Will Happen
Western Michigan Top 10 Players | WMU Schedule
Western Michigan Broncos: Keys To The Season, Top Game, Top Transfer, Fun Stats NEXT
Western Michigan Broncos: Keys To The Season, Top Game, Top Transfer, Fun Stats
Western Michigan Broncos: Key To The 2022 Offense
Keep the downfield playmaking going.
The running game will be great. The Broncos have the running backs, and they have the line that should be able to rise up and pave the way to another big season. However, without QB Kaleb Eleby and playmaking WR Skyy Moore around, the attack has to prove it can bomb away like it did late in the season.
WMU averaged close to nine yards per pass on the year, but it averaged close to 11 yards a throw over the last seven games. The chances will be there, and the new parts have to take advantage of them.
Western Michigan Broncos: Key To The 2022 Defense
Get the run defense working against the better teams.
There wasn’t a problem against all the offenses on the schedule that couldn’t or didn’t run, but when teams focused on powering away on the Broncos, it usually worked.
The 335 yards given up to Michigan was an outlier, and allowing almost ten yards to Northern Illinois didn’t matter in the win, but Eastern Michigan was able to steadily grind it out in the upset win, and Toledo ran 43 times and was able to take control of the game in its victory.
There was a problem whenever the D allowed 4.4 yards per carry or more. It has to start fast with Michigan State to kick off the season.
Western Michigan Broncos: Key Player To The 2022 Season
QB Jake Salopek, RFr.
Or Mareyohn Hrabowski, or Stone Hollenbach. Someone has to rise up and replace the production of Kaleb Eleby, who produced one of the better under-the-radar seasons of any quarterback in 2021.
The 6-1, 185-pound Salopek has the slight lead going into fall camp after being the main backup last year, but it’s still an open gig. He’s a pro style passer who can push the ball all over the field, but he’s not that big and he’s not a top runner.
On the plus side, if he can prove he can handle the job, it’s his for the next few years and can grow into the role.
Western Michigan Broncos: Key Transfer
OT Eleasah Anderson. Jr.
The offensive line that was so strong last season needed a few replacements. It got a big one in the 6-4, 345-pound Anderson, who started out his career at Baylor before moving over to Sam Houston State over the last three seasons. An all-star for two years at left tackle, now he’ll likely step in and be the anchor at the same spot for the Broncos.
Western Michigan Key Game To The 2022 Season
at Ball State, Sept. 10
Call this the exorcising the demons game.
Western Michigan was rolling right along. It lost to Michigan to start the season, won four straight, and then … boom. Ball State bombed away for 310 yards and four scores in a 45-20 win.
This time around, it’s a road game to kickoff the MAC season with the next away date not until late October. Win this, and with – on the conference slate – Eastern Michigan and Ohio coming up, there’s a shot at a great start before dealing with a rough finishing kick.
Western Michigan Broncos: 2021 Fun Stats
– 1st Quarter Scoring: WMU 114 – Opponents 54
– Time of Possession: WMU 35:17 – Opponents 24:12
– 3rd Down Conversions: WMU 83-of-180 (46%) – Opponents 41-of-153 (27%)
Offense, Defense Breakdown
Season Prediction, What Will Happen
Western Michigan Top 10 Players | WMU Schedule
Western Michigan Broncos Season Prediction, What Will Happen NEXT
Western Michigan Broncos Season Prediction, What Will Happen
So if Western Michigan was SO good last year, and it still managed to be a mediocre 8-5 with four MAC losses, why is this version going to be appreciably better with so many key changes on both sides of the ball?
That 8-5 includes a stunning win over Pitt that might not happen this time around, and there wasn’t the bad break of three road games in four dates – and WMU has to deal with that twice – like there is this year.
However, the systems on both sides should work, the running game will keep being great, and the defense will keep getting into the backfield. There’s enough to be all but certain of a winning season, but can this version break through and do more?
Set The Western Michigan Broncos Regular Season Win Total At … 7
Yeah, the Broncos beat Pitt last year, and the rematch is in Kalamazoo, but ut’s asking for a lot to get a repeat win. There’s a date at Michigan State, and there’s likely at least one loss between the road games at Ball State, Miami University, and Central Michigan.
The rest of the slate is relatively manageable. Going to San Jose State won’t be a breeze, and home games against Northern Illinois and Toledo are tough.
Repeating the seven wins of the 2021 regular season would be disappointing, but again, considering the changes it would hardly be bad.
Offense, Defense Breakdown | Keys To The Season
Western Michigan Top 10 Players | WMU Schedule
