Chris Willis
Sports Reporter
This season has been one with many unexpected turns for the Western Michigan University
football team.
Since the Broncos (3-5, 1-3 MAC) lost Timmy Keith on the opening kickoff of the season at
University of Illinois, the injury bug has bitten the WMU team like a plague,
and hasn’t left.
Broncos starting quarterback Alex Carder went down early this season with a hand injury
that required surgery to place a metal pin in his throwing hand. Not to mention
Keith was only the first one of the WMU receiving corps to be listed on the
injury report.
“I’ve always said in this league it’s injury and schedule,” said WMU head coach Bill Cubit.
“If you don’t get injured and can get on a roll you’ll have a chance to be
successful.”
Eric Monette, Jaime Wilson, Josh Schaffer are only a few of the WMU wideouts to miss significant time due to injuries.
“We’re playing some kids that probably shouldn’t be out there yet,” said Cubit. “Players
are just gonna have to step-up and fill some voids and be accountable.”
Now after suffering back to back Mid-American Conference losses on the road over the last
two weeks, The Brown and Gold return home to face its nemesis, the University of
Northern Illinois Huskies, who are once again atop the standings in the MAC
West Division standing at (7-1, 4-0 MAC).
WMU is looking to avoid its first three-game losing streak since the 2007 campaign
while beating an NIU team that’s had the Broncos number since the 2008 season. The
Broncos lead NIU 23-14 in the all-time series and are 13-6 overall against the
Huskies at Waldo Stadium.
“They’re great at what they do,” WMU receiver Josh Schaffer said of the Huskies defense.
“They don’t do too much, but what they do, they do great. They control the ball
a lot, so we’ve got to help out the defense will some long drives of our own.”
The Brown and Gold will only return home for one week after two road losses to lick their
wounds. Next week, the team heads back out on the road for the next two to face
WMU’s hated rival, the Central Michigan University Chippewas.
“We’re coming home looking to set a new tone and are taking each game as a new start
to the season,” Schaffer said. “We’re not making all the plays we’re supposed
to make while we’re getting the younger kids used to the situations.”
The six members of the 2012 WMU Athletic Hall of Fame class will be honored at Saturday’s game
in Kalamazoo. WMU will not induct a football player into the HOF for the first
time since 2002.
Kickoff is slated for noon as WMU looks to improve its home record to 4-1 on the season
and 17-15 under coach Cubit in October games.
“We’re still trying to win every game and become bowl eligible,” Schaffer said. “No one on
this team has given up yet, so we’re just gonna go out there and try to win the
last four games on the schedule.”
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