MORE: Western Michigan game notes
Illinois is back in action on Saturday as it hosts Western Michigan of the Mid-America Conference. Kickoff is set for 3:01pm CT with the game televised on ESPNews.
In Coach PJ Flecks’s fourth season in Kalamazoo, Western Michigan is off to a 2-0 start for the first time since 1994. The Broncos opened the season with a 22-21 win over Northwestern. WMU defeated North Carolina Central 70-21 last Saturday. A win over Illinois would give the Broncos two wins against B1G opponents for the first time in school history.
Western Michigan sports the No. 20 scoring offense (46 ppg) in the nation and they lead the MAC. Illinois native Corey Davis is currently the active leading receiver in the FBS. The Broncos have the No. 13 rushing offense in the nation (278 yards per game) led by Jamauri Bogan with 236 yards through the first two games.
OrangeandBlueNews.com caught up with Jarritt Orlando from BroncoBlitz.com to the get the lowdown on Western Michigan ahead of Saturday's game.
Western Michigan is 2-0 including a big win over Northwestern, and now has a chance for wins over a second Big Ten team. What have you leaned most about this Bronco team so far?
Jarritt Orlando: We learned that this is the Bronco team fans have been waiting for. In PJ Fleck’s first season, his team won only one game and started 13 freshman. After back to back eight win seasons and a bowl win, hopes were high for this season. We knew the offense would be a strength of the team but we were unsure about how the defense would be. Saturday will be a good test of how good of a team WMU really is.
It looks like the Power 5 conferences missed the boat on wide receiver Corey Davis. What weren't they seeing from this kid coming out of high school? What does he bring to the field for the Broncos?
JO: I don’t think they missed the boat on Davis but this is a case of an 18-year-old kid who had potential, found the right fit and coaching in college. He had eligibility issues in high school and signed late with WMU. Since then, he’s devoted all his time to getting an education, helping in the community and perfecting his wide receiver skills. Davis is a workout warrior and has one of the best work ethics on the team. He also has good football genes. His older Titus is the all-time leading receiver and Central Michigan University.
Davis could be the best wide receiver Illinois will face this season and is one of the best pass catchers in the nation. . Quarterback Zach Terrell will work hard to get the ball in his hands, putting pressure on the Illini defense to stop the Bronco’s strong running game.
The Broncos lead the MAC in scoring offense after the first two weeks. What makes that offense go? What scheme do they run? And who are the key playmakers other than Corey Davis that Illinois should be a aware of?
JO: The run game makes this whole offense go. Jamauri Bogan is a small back but gets lost behind his big offensive line and bursts through the initial line for good chunks of yardage. Jarvion Franklin is the power back and Levante Bellamy is the change of pace guy. The QB Terrell is a senior and a great game manager. He’s developed and shown the ability to run the ball in the first two games of the season.
Wide receiver’s Carrington Thompson and Michael Henry are solid pass catchers and often get overlooked because of Corey Davis, which is understandable. Western Michigan has an offense that can compete with any team in the nation and is the strength of their team.
Illinois coach Lovie Smith said on Monday that the Western Michigan defense is designed to stop the run. Talk about that philosophy and scheme and how it will impact the Illinois game on Saturday. What defenders do the Illini need to be aware of?
JO: The Broncos play a bend-don't-break defense. They focus on stopping the run and not letting receivers get behind them. WMU’s strength on defense is its linebackers, led by Asantay Brown, who converted from safety to linebacker in the offseason. He flies around the field and looks more comfortable as a backer. Robert Spillane, an Illinois native, forced the key fourth quarter fumble in WMU’s win over Northwestern.
The secondary aside from junior Darius Phillips, a converted wide receiver, is young with two sophomores and a redshirt freshman starting, so that’s the weak spot in the Broncos defense.
How do you see the game playing out on Saturday? Keys the game? Prediction?
JO: Illinois is a Big Ten team with Big Ten talent. That being said, the key to the game will be defense. If WMU can stop the Illinois offense, I think the Broncos can pull this one out. If the Illinois defense shuts down the powerful Bronco offense, I think the Illini wins. Illinois is the home team so I think they pull out the win 31-27.
