Michigan Football: 10 Things You Need to Know About Western Michigan

Western Michigan head coach Bill Cubit knows the odds.  His Broncos have never beaten the Wolverines, and nobody gives him much of a chance this Saturday.  

Michigan, in fact, has only lost one game against a MAC school, that being the 10-7 loss to Toledo in 2008. 

Cubit, now in his seventh season with WMU, has several players who can compete individually with Michigan, just not enough of them.  

Let's look at some of the Western Michigan stars and how they might figure in an unlikely upset.  

QB Alex Carder: A Star in the Making

Alex Carder is the type of quarterback who can engineer an upset over a team like Michigan.  

At 6'2", 224 lbs., Carder's not only a dangerous passer, he's strong enough to battle for the extra yard.  

In 2010, Carder (a junior) completed 289 of 458 passes for 3,334 yards and 30 touchdowns.  He ran for an additional 226 while throwing just 12 interceptions.

"His attitude is just infectious with everybody." coach Cubit told Athlon Sports.  "This is his baby. He proved to himself how good a player he was.  Now everyone else (on the team) knows."

Jordan White: Carder's No. 1 Target

Most football teams would be ecstatic when a receiver with 94 catches is in the lineup. Sure, senior Jordan White returns to be Alex Carden's No 1 target, but missing is Juan Nunez, who caught 91 passes a season ago.  

Look to wide receiver Ansel Ponder and tight end Dallas Walker to pick up the slack.  Ponder snared 28 passes last season, while Walker caught nine. 

Complimentary Running Game

The offensive backfield is another cause for guarded optimism.  Both running backs showed promise in 2010 despite limited carries.  

Brian Fields and Tevin Drake combined for 787 yards as freshmen last year.

Drake totaled 405 yards on just 40 carries, while Fields ran for 362 yards on 56 carries. 

At 5'11", 211 lbs., Drake could be the durable runner WMU needs to compliment the passing game.

Team Train Wreck

Back in the 1960s and 70s it was popular for teams with a good pass rushers to receive nicknames. 

First it was the "Fearsome Foursome" of the Detroit Lions, and later it was the L.A. Rams of the same name. The famous Minnesota Vikings defensive line was called the Purple People Eaters and the most recent was the "New York Sack Exchange," given to the New York Jets.

When Western Michigan invades the Big House Saturday, off the bus will come "Team Train Wreck," specifically ends Paul Hazel and Freddie Bishop, and tackles Drew Nowak and Travonte Boles.

The group totals a robust 1,056 pounds, and had 147 tackles between them in 2010.

Hazel led with eight sacks and Bishop added four.

Don't forget to listen for something resembling "Train Wreck" which might be shouted from the Michigan student section.    

Lewis Toler: Man on an Island

A huge plus for the Broncos has been the emergence of cornerback Lewis Toler.

As a freshman, Toler has five interceptions and appeared like an up and coming, shut-down corner.

With Toler able to play one-on-one, the defense will become more aggressive, allowing more blitz packages.

If that's the case, look for more stunts from the defensive line, something which might give Denard Robinson more to think about.  

Can the Bronco's Stop Shoelace?

Probably everyone remembers Denard Robinson's first-ever run from scrimmage in the 2009 opener...especially the Western Michigan defense, which failed to contain the freshman quarterback on his exciting 43-yard scoring scamper.

“The thing I remember was when he came in, when he dropped the ball, kicked the ball, picked it up...it’s on SportsCenter a ton,” Broncos coach Bill Cubit told mlive.com.

“He just took off and made a bunch of guys miss. And you’re watching from the sideline and you go, ‘So that’s all the hoopla, that’s what it’s all about.’ ”

Western Michigan, like everyone else, is looking for a scheme to stop Robinson.

But the Wolverines promise a more balanced attack on Saturday, which should make the Broncos' job that much tougher.  

Solid Kicking Game

Unlike Michigan, Western Michigan's kicking game is on solid ground.  

Both kicker John Potter and punter Ben Armer enter their senior season after posting lofty numbers in 2010.

Potter connected on 10-of-12 field-goal attempts, while Armer averaged 41.2 yards per punt.

Broncos End 2010 on a High Note

Another reason for optimism was the Broncos' season-ending success.

Western's three-game winning streak began with a 45-30 win over Eastern Michigan.  It continued with a 38-3 victory over Kent State and a 41-7 win at Bowling Green.  

Much of the nucleus returns, so it's just a matter of Coach Cubit filling in the blanks. If all goes well, Western could contend for the MAC's Western Division title.

Head Coach Bill Cubit

Head coach Bill Cubit enters his seventh season knowing his team is somewhat of an enigma.  

While Cobit looks to potential superstars like quarterback Alex Carder, receiver Jordan White and cornerback Lewis Toler, he also sees an inexperienced offensive line and questionable linebacking corps. 

Cubit, who has accumulated a 40-33 record at Western, has also taken the Broncos to a pair of postseason bowl games.  

Waldo Stadium: Home of the Broncos

Located in Kalamazoo, Western Michigan is one of three directional schools which help make up the Mid-American Conference.  Eastern Michigan and Central Michigan are the others.

The joke around Kalamazoo is that there have been more songs written about it than the Broncos have championships.

Western finished the 2010 season with a 6-6 record, 5-3 in the MAC.

Waldo Stadium, which seats just over 30,000, features a FieldTurf surface..