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| | Monday, September 6 | |||||
| 1998 Record: 7-4 (5-3) | 1998 statistics | 1999 schedule Head coach: Gary Darnell Returning starters: 17 (offense 9, defense 7) Outlook With 17 starters back -- including the best MAC offense you don't know about -- Western Michigan wants to show the conference isn't Marshall and the 12 also-rans. Quarterback Tim Lester is poised to challenge Chad Pennington for top signalcaller honors, and along with that the position of league MVP. But an easy middle of the schedule is bookended by non-conference games at Florida and Missouri in September and a double-dip of a home contest vs. Marshall and a road trip to Toledo to close out the regular season. Winning two of those four games should put the Broncos in good position for a bowl bid. Offense Lester set school records with 3,311 yards and 22 TDs last year. With four of five starters on the line, a solid tight end and both starting receivers back, he should build on those numbers. His 53 career touchdown passes put him first in the WMU record book and leave him second all-time in the MAC. His favorite targets will likely be Steve "The Real Deal" Neal (63 catches, 1,121 yards in '98) and tight end Jake Moreland, who will be starting for the fourth season. Moreland grabbed 44 passes last season. The only question mark is at running back, but it's a small one. The team will miss Darnell Fields, his 1,000-plus yards and 12 TDs but fullback Robert Sanford is ready to switch over to tailback in his place. Sanford is no stranger to carrying the ball. He gained 1,033 yards as a freshman in '97 to earn MAC Freshman of the Year honors but injuries limited him to 523 yards last season. If Sanford can't cut it, sophomore Benny Clark -- the leading rusher in Michigan prep history -- is waiting in the wings. Four starters return along the line. Tackle Charlie Knapp is the best of the bunch. It's a good sign if: Sanford regains his freshman form.It's a bad sign if: Lester takes a few too many hits from Florida and Missouri. Defense Garrett Soldano, Mario Evans, Scott Niles and Jared Pike form a formidable linebacking crew, possibly the best in the league. Soldano is a classic middle linebacker, always searching for another ballcarrier to plant into the turf. He led the team with 106 tackles, and Evans added 78 more (good enough for third on the team). The secondary is also blessed with experience. Cornerback Eric Nunlee is set to start for the fourth season, and fellow corner Ronald Rogers is a good cover man. William Reed, the starter at free safety the past two seasons, moves to strong safety. His spot will be filled by sophomore Carlos Smith, who made an impact as a special teams player last season. The one area of concern is the line. Tackle Dan Falcon and end Nate Wolkow combined for 122 tackles last season but both are gone. Tom Rozema (6-6, 266), who started eight games over the last two years as an interior lineman, switches out to end and Jeremy Johnson (6-3, 273) moves from nose guard to tackle. Senior end Eric Bettys, who made 73 stops last season, returns. It's a good sign if: The linebackers continue to improve at the rate they've shown the last two seasons.It's a bad sign if: The switching of positions along the line causes confusion early in the season. Special Teams The kicking duties are in good hands (feet?) with Brad Selent, the conference's top special teams player from a season ago. He nailed 18 of 26 field goals, including a 56-yarder. He also had two game-winners and was perfect (40-40) on PATs. J.D. Brink, a freshman, is tops on the depth chart. -- Greg Collins |
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