3coordinators
Western Michigan reshapes unit with new coordinator, shifting expectations.
Lance Taylor's fourth season opens with a 10-4 record — the question is whether Western Michigan can sustain its identity beyond the 'Row the Boat' legacy.
Western Michigan10-4Cautious optimism is building around Western Michigan.
belief held flatvs prior week
Fanbase belief
Leaning up
58/100 · 78 mentions · top 23% of FBS
~ our readGrounding
running on emotion
4% cite a stat · 7% typical ✓ counted
~ our readVolatility
Chaotic
σ 23 pts
~ our readThe model
#53
CFB Zeitgeist · +3.5
✓ measured3Hope-Doping·Offseason
Western Michigan was picked seventh in the MAC and won the whole thing — a 23-13 title-game win over Miami, then a 41-6 bowl blowout, the Broncos' first conference title since the P.J. Fleck miracle of 2016.
Title DroughtSince 2016 · 9 yrs
Bronco fans are sick of being a punchline about a coach who left and a rowing slogan he took with him. They say a program picked seventh and crowned champion proved Kalamazoo can win on its own terms…
offseason · quiet
Roster Reload - Western Michigan
2026 snapshot - 2026-08-06Returning Production100%High continuity
Talent Composite#105 nationally247 composite 534.4
Portal Additions14Primary repair: S
Portal Losses13Primary pressure: EDGE
Draft Loss0No NFL Draft departures recorded
Recruiting Reload#112Depth class
EDGEin 1 - Austin Alexanderout 3 - Popeye WilliamsStarter Risk
current room: 237 lbs avg (2025 roster)
Sin 3 - Tahj Owensout 1 - Jason MitchellNeed Filled
current room: 188 lbs avg (2025 roster)
LBin 2 - Brenden Anesout 1 - Derek PenningtonEven
current room: 217 lbs avg (2025 roster)
QBin 1 - Trey Pettyout 2 - Brady JonesDowngrade
current room: 206 lbs avg (2025 roster)
CBin 1 - Willard Ferrellout 2 - Fitzroy LedgisterDowngrade
RBin 1 - AJ Greenout 2 - Tre' HartwellEven
current room: 204 lbs avg (2025 roster)
Belief EKG
WinLoss · hover for scorePrior seasons
Approaching
30 days
until kickoff · at Michigan · Sat Sep 5 · 23:30 UTC
The experience
Western Michigan is the MAC program whose P.J. Fleck 2016 13-1 + Cotton Bowl appearance + 'Row the Boat' origin define what scheme-and-brand-pioneer-G5-football looks like.
Offense: PoorRun/Pass: Run-heavy, ground-controlTempo: Methodical, ball-control
Western Michigan's 2026 season hinges on its high continuity roster and balanced portal churn
The team returns 100% of its players, with a recruiting rank of #112 and a transfer profile showing 14 incoming and 13 outgoing transfers. Its ceiling scenario projects a 10-3 record with a bowl game appearance.
- Roster reloadWestern Michigan returns 100% of its players, indicating high continuity.
Data as of 2026-08-03
·
Validated against program evidence
Buster Bronco is patient.
Western Michigan · the story right now
12 storylines developing
What Western Michigan's identity shift is really about
the open questionwhere does it go from here?
identitythis cycle~readnew
Lance Taylor's third season opens with a 10-4 record, but the fanbase remains uneasy as Western Michigan navigates its identity shift beyond the P.J. Fleck era.
what happenedWestern Michigan: the fanbase's identity shifting. ✓ fact
narrative tension · our read
coordinatorsthis cycle~read★new
Lance Taylor's fourth season opens with a 10-4 record — the question is whether Western Michigan can sustain its identity beyond the 'Row the Boat' legacy.
what happenedWestern Michigan: coordinator change reshaping a unit. ✓ fact
narrative tension · our read
garbage timethis cycle✓ factnew
Jalen Buckley does NOT see a usage spike in garbage time -- his workload holds steady regardless of score, and he's also efficient in competitive snaps -- the production isn't just garbage-time padding.
narrative tension · our read
coordinatorsthis cycle~readnew
Lance Taylor's third season at Western Michigan arrives with a 10-4 record but unease growing as the program seeks to redefine its identity beyond the Fleck era.
what happenedWestern Michigan: coordinator change reshaping a unit. ✓ fact
narrative tension · our read
deep threatthis cycle~attributednew
Aveion Chenault is a real deep-ball threat -- a high share of his targets come on throws past the sticks.
narrative tension · our read
deep threatthis cycle~attributednew
Baylin Brooks is a real deep-ball threat -- a high share of his targets come on throws past the sticks.
narrative tension · our read
deep threatthis cycle~attributednew
Blake Bosma is used almost exclusively underneath -- a low share of his targets are downfield shots.
narrative tension · our read
closerthis cycle~attributednew
Devin Miles gets LESS work in the fourth quarter with a lead than his overall workload would predict -- not the trusted closer raw carries might suggest.
narrative tension · our read
garbage timethis cycle~attributednew
Devin Miles sees a real spike in usage once the game is out of reach.
narrative tension · our read
short yardagethis cycle~attributednew
Jalen Buckley: a short yardage signal screened this season.
narrative tension · our read
program_outlookthis cycle~readnew
Western Michigan jumped 27 spots in SP+ — the 10-4 record and top-quintile returning production contrast with the 2025 SP+ rating, raising questions about sustainability under Lance Taylor.
what happenedWestern Michigan enters 2026 rated No. 78 in 2025 SP+ (-1.4), up 27 spots from 2024. ✓ fact
the contexttop-quintile returning production in FBS — 1% of production comes back
narrative tension · our read
portal2025-05-13~readnew
Nadame Tucker (EDGE) and Cole Cabana (RB) arrive in Lance Taylor's third season as additions to a 10-4 team returning 100% of its production — a calculated upgrade, not a rebuild.
what happenedWestern Michigan signed a top-98 transfer-portal class — 23 additions headlined by Nadame Tucker (EDGE) from Houston and Egypt Nelson (WR) from VMI. ✓ fact
the contexta top-3 portal class in the Mid-American this cycle
narrative tension · our read
How past storylines here turned out
ReplacedWestern Michigan's defensive coordinator spot turned over again the following season. See who's next →
Died downWestern Michigan's offensive coordinator change has died down — no clear next chapter yet.
The story
Transfer portal snapshot
-0.1 net portal points
(raw ledger: +4.1 — unweighted, no position adjustment)EDGE-7.4
starter risk
S+6.7
need not filled
IOL+3.5
low confidence
LB+3.2
QB-2.1
CB-2.1
TE+2.0
low confidence
LS+1.0
low confidence
DL-0.5
RB-0.2
WR+0.0
Top 3 commits
2026 class
★★★☆☆
Donovan Triplett
#1754 national
★★★☆☆
Brodon Moore
#1806 national
★★★☆☆
Max Baker
#1914 national
Profiles like a typical incoming interior lineman — 11 of his 25 closest recruiting profiles since 2018 shared the Two-Gap Base archetype.~our read · projection from recruiting profile — no college snaps yet
↑
Among the stronger offseasons on record for this program
77th percentile among FBS programs
Fan vs. market↑
77th
Fan percentile
(FBS mood rank)
(FBS mood rank)
7.5
Vegas O/U wins
(60th among FBS)
(60th among FBS)
Fans 17pp more bullish than market implies
Win total consensus · 3 books
Market outlook
Season expectations
Win total3 booksO/U 7.5
CFP championship#85 in field+100000
MAC title#1 in market+300
Sportsbook consensus · best odds across multiple books · 2026-08-06
Western Michigan · Next-Season Outcome Band
Western Michigan · Next-Season Outcome BandFloor / Base / Ceiling
Floor 5-7
Base 8-5
Ceiling 10-3
floor5-7No postseason.
base8-5Bowl game.
ceiling10-3Bowl game.
Final-season-aware projection: floor / base / ceiling include conference title and CFP games where the model supports them, so a ceiling can exceed a 12-game regular season.
How the room reacted
Following now · Western Michigan · Developing Confidence
Western Michigan: the fanbase's identity shifting.
Western Michigan: the fanbase's identity shifting.
CFB Zeitgeist Read · our take
Lance Taylor's third season opens with a 10-4 record, but the fanbase remains uneasy as Western Michigan navigates its identity shift beyond the P.J. Fleck era.
Source of record: Western Michigan: the fanbase's identity shifting.
How each room is reacting — tap to expand
📣Believers2 bullish items -- the case it's working.›
The optimistic read: momentum, and the 'this is real' takes.
“North Texas 2025 Season Rewatch: Mestemaker Leads UNT to Comeback Win Against MAC Champion Western Michigan”
Pistols Firing · 2026-08-04 · read ↗
“Men's Tennis Adds Filip Poklemba for 2026-27 Season”
Western Michigan University Athletics · 2026-07-28 · read ↗
“Western Michigan football fall camp is underway. See scenes from Day 1 of camp on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026.”
MLive.com · 2026-08-06 · read ↗
🧐SkepticsNo prominent dissent — the coverage runs one way.›
The analytical counter: rankings, results, and 'the hype is ahead of the tape' takes.
Nothing in our corpus yet — this door stays open for when there is.
💬The boards17% of recent board volume — the fanbase is locked in. Board mood this week: mostly neutral · anger notable (44%).›
This event was in 23 of 138 board posts (17%) over the last 60 days — a fanbase consumed by it. Fan text shown verbatim, attributed to the community not the individual poster.
"Western Michigan had a breakout year in 2025 under Lance Taylor. Now the Broncos enter 2026 looking for more 📌 QB Broc Lowry is back, he was great leading this offense but will nee"
r/WMU ~ fan take
"We are flying in to tour Western Michigan University, and are interested in staying in the Kalamazoo downtown area. I heard there are some sketchy areas that should be avoided. Can"
r/WMU ~ fan take
Board health this week (81 posts): 23% positive · 57% neutral · 20% negative. Team-level weekly mood — not specific to this event. The boards ≠ the fanbase: a self-selected vocal slice.
Following now · Western Michigan · Developing Confidence
Western Michigan: coordinator change reshaping a unit.
Western Michigan: coordinator change reshaping a unit.
CFB Zeitgeist Read · our take
Lance Taylor's fourth season opens with a 10-4 record — the question is whether Western Michigan can sustain its identity beyond the 'Row the Boat' legacy.
Source of record: Western Michigan: coordinator change reshaping a unit.
How each room is reacting — tap to expand
📣Believers2 bullish items -- the case it's working.›
The optimistic read: momentum, and the 'this is real' takes.
“North Texas 2025 Season Rewatch: Mestemaker Leads UNT to Comeback Win Against MAC Champion Western Michigan”
Pistols Firing · 2026-08-04 · read ↗
“Men's Tennis Adds Filip Poklemba for 2026-27 Season”
Western Michigan University Athletics · 2026-07-28 · read ↗
“Western Michigan football fall camp is underway. See scenes from Day 1 of camp on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026.”
MLive.com · 2026-08-06 · read ↗
🧐SkepticsNo prominent dissent — the coverage runs one way.›
The analytical counter: rankings, results, and 'the hype is ahead of the tape' takes.
Nothing in our corpus yet — this door stays open for when there is.
💬The boards17% of recent board volume — the fanbase is locked in. Board mood this week: mostly neutral · anger notable (44%).›
This event was in 23 of 138 board posts (17%) over the last 60 days — a fanbase consumed by it. Fan text shown verbatim, attributed to the community not the individual poster.
"Western Michigan had a breakout year in 2025 under Lance Taylor. Now the Broncos enter 2026 looking for more 📌 QB Broc Lowry is back, he was great leading this offense but will nee"
r/WMU ~ fan take
"We are flying in to tour Western Michigan University, and are interested in staying in the Kalamazoo downtown area. I heard there are some sketchy areas that should be avoided. Can"
r/WMU ~ fan take
Board health this week (81 posts): 23% positive · 57% neutral · 20% negative. Team-level weekly mood — not specific to this event. The boards ≠ the fanbase: a self-selected vocal slice.
Recent Form · last 10 games
Hot
Five straight. The momentum tier on every blog right now.
Streak W6Last 5 · 5-0Last 10 · 9-1
The forecast
Opens Sep 5
vs Michigan · away
Season line7.5 winsover +135
PoorRun-heavy, ground-controlMethodical, ball-control
✓ fact on line · ~ our read on style
Rival pulse
Eastern Michigan
Uneasy-9
Michigan MAC Trophy (WMU-EMU)
Central Michigan
Hopeful+18
Victory Cannon
Fan mood index · most recent r/cfb data
Recruiting Footprint · 2026
Recruiting Footprint · 2026
23
MI · 6MO · 3IN · 2KS · 2OH · 2WI · 2HI · 1IL · 1+4 more
MI leads the 2026 class with 6 commits. National footprint reaching 12 states.
Where they recruit · 2023-2026
88 signees across 18 states, 2023-2026. MI leads the pull.
r/cfb this year
[Postgame Thread] Western Michigan Defeats Rhode Island 47-14
Top community posts · last 12 months · r/cfb
Voter spread
2 of 66 AP voters have them ranked, final AP ballot (2025) — from #25, Alex Taylor (Wyoming Tribune Eagle), to #25, David Jablonski (Dayton Daily News). 64 voters left them off the ballot entirely.
Individual AP Top 25 ballots, final AP ballot, 2025 — 66 voters tracked.
National spotlight
8 games with TV coverage: 5 ESPN, 2 cable, 1 streaming
Kickoff windows: 1 noon, 1 afternoon, 5 primetime
Fumble luck
The bounces have gone their way on the fumbles they've forced: 78% recovered, vs. ~49% expected.
7 of 9 forced fumbles recovered; 9 of 16 own fumbles recovered themselves, 2025 only.
Takeaway conversion
Cashing in at a normal clip: 22% of disrupted passes intercepted, close to ~19% league-wide.
9 interceptions of 41 disrupted passes (32 deflected, 9 intercepted), 2025 only.
Penalty battle
Roughly even on flags: 64 penalties committed vs. 66 drawn on opponents.
562 penalty yards committed vs. 582 drawn on opponents, 2025 season total.
The Pulse on Western Michigan
58
Δ +0.4 vs last wk
78
mentions this week · conversation velocity
What moved it — fall camp · last 14 days
Camp
Fall camp open — install + scrimmage cycle
ongoing
Kickoff
Season opener in 16 days
kickoff
"Kalamazoo"
— Western Michigan fanbase · recurring line
Fanbase Signals
Cohort Divergence0 pctSpread between sub-fanbase cohorts in the Pulse window.
The Fever Year
Position = mood · width = volume · color = the kind of feeling
Cr/CFB
GGoogle News
HHustle Belt
CCampus paper
BBluesky
YYouTube
What little we hear
Only 5 cohort(s) cleared the signal floor this week, so we won’t stage a split we can’t back. Here’s the honest read:
Die-hards+0.18
National take+0.18
Gen Z+0.18
Analytics crowd+0.18
Millennials+0.18
How Western Michigan fans actually talk real · top-upvoted
The crowd’s loudest take by upvotes — read for mood, not as a side. The cohort read is the measured part.
What this fanbase keeps coming back to our read · topic model
Topics are model-labeled from Reddit — a rough signal of what this fanbase is circling right now.
176 mentions · 6 sources · week 2026-01. Counts, sources and the divergence rank are measured (fact). Cohort labels and sentiment are a source-weighted model read (our read) — never a quote attributed to a person.
Belief checklight on evidence
~ our readWestern Michigan fans are split right down the middle, but it's more feel than fact right now.
backed by facts
the mood
✓ counted We read 81 posts from Western Michigan fans this week.
Fanbase divided: 54% believers, 46% skeptics
Fan opinions split nearly 50/50 right now · See all divided fanbases →
Season storylines
Week 14
“Most recent championship for every remaining team: Villanova: 2009 Montana: 2001 Montana State: 1984 Illinois State, Stephen F. Austin, Rhode Island/UC Davis, South Dakota, Tarleton: never”— r/CFB
Week 2
“I'm not gonna call for Lance Taylor's job. He's a hell of a motivator, and this team is good, and they can accomplish their goals (win a MAC championship). But we need to stop messing around, and hand Lowry the starting job. This defense is good, and on offense we have the t…”— r/CFB
Week 17
“We took a lot of time to get going in several of our games this year so it was nice to start one on time for once. Playing from behind all the time isn’t great for a team’s morale.”— r/CFB
Week 15
“Parker Navarro struggles in Ohio Football’s 17-13 loss to Western Michigan WOUB Public Media -”— google_news_western-michigan
Week 3
“Oh my god, they did it! First win of the season, upending the Rockets, and actually going for two and the win! Can't believe this team pulled it out.”— r/CFB
Fanbase Health Index · Western Michigan · high confidence
Fanbase Health Index · Western Michigan · high confidenceGrowing (64)
DecliningStableGrowingSurging
On-Field — 10-4 (71% win rate)74
Volume — 450 effective signal-N83
Cohort Engagement — Divergence 0.00 — quiet35
Fanbase Voice
491 fan mentions
Measured
vs the 81 highest-volume fanbases - 2025 season
Key stats — 2025 — FBS rank
Points/game#85 / 138 · 39th pct24.9
Pts allowed/game#9 / 138 · 94th pct17.4
Total yards/gm#73 / 136 · 47th pct343.0
Rush yards/gm#13 / 136 · 91st pct204.5
Pass yards/gm#125 / 136 · 9th pct138.5
Yards allowed/gm#31 / 136 · 78th pct305.5
Rush yds allowed/gm#51 / 136 · 63rd pct125.6
Sacks#4 / 136 · 98th pct43
Interceptions#42 / 136 · 70th pct12
3rd-down conv#62 / 136 · 55th pct40.3%
All 98 stats
Offense / Defense
Total yards
Team4802343.0/gm5.20/play#73 / 136 · 47th pct#42 / 70 · 41st pct#3 / 12 · 83rd pct#8 / 12 · 42nd pct
Opp4277305.5/gm4.98/play#31 / 136 · 78th pct#23 / 70 · 69th pct#4 / 12 · 75th pct#3 / 12 · 83rd pct
Rush yards
Team2863204.5/gm3.10/play#13 / 136 · 91st pct#5 / 70 · 94th pct#2 / 12 · 92nd pct#2 / 12 · 92nd pct
Opp1758125.6/gm2.05/play#51 / 136 · 63rd pct#38 / 70 · 47th pct#3 / 12 · 83rd pct#3 / 12 · 83rd pct
Rush carries
Team61944.2/gm#7 / 136 · 96th pct#2 / 70 · 99th pct#1 / 12 · 100th pct#2 / 12 · 92nd pct
Opp46933.5/gm#89 / 136 · 35th pct#53 / 70 · 26th pct#7 / 12 · 50th pct#8 / 12 · 42nd pct
Rush TDs
Team312.2/gm#19 / 136 · 87th pct#10 / 70 · 87th pct#2 / 12 · 92nd pct#4 / 12 · 75th pct
Opp161.1/gm#45 / 136 · 68th pct#31 / 70 · 57th pct#4 / 12 · 75th pct#2 / 12 · 92nd pct
Net pass yards
Team1939138.5/gm2.10/play#125 / 136 · 9th pct#68 / 70 · 4th pct#10 / 12 · 25th pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct
Opp2519179.9/gm2.93/play#33 / 136 · 76th pct#17 / 70 · 77th pct#5 / 12 · 67th pct#3 / 12 · 83rd pct
Pass attempts
Team30521.8/gm#123 / 136 · 10th pct#68 / 70 · 4th pct#8 / 12 · 42nd pct#10 / 12 · 25th pct
Opp39027.9/gm#68 / 136 · 51st pct#33 / 70 · 54th pct#10 / 12 · 25th pct#8 / 12 · 42nd pct
Completions
Team18513.2/gm#119 / 136 · 13th pct#67 / 70 · 6th pct#7 / 12 · 50th pct#9 / 12 · 33rd pct
Opp21615.4/gm#34 / 136 · 76th pct#17 / 70 · 77th pct#7 / 12 · 50th pct#7 / 12 · 50th pct
Pass TDs
Team100.7/gm#127 / 136 · 7th pct#67 / 70 · 6th pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct
Opp141.0/gm#20 / 136 · 86th pct#15 / 70 · 80th pct#2 / 12 · 92nd pct#2 / 12 · 92nd pct
Passer rating
Team117.0117.0#123 / 136 · 10th pct#67 / 70 · 6th pct#9 / 12 · 33rd pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct
Opp118.4118.4#26 / 136 · 82nd pct#16 / 70 · 79th pct#3 / 12 · 83rd pct#1 / 12 · 100th pct
Interceptions thrown
Team60.4/gm#115 / 136 · 16th pct#60 / 70 · 16th pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct#9 / 12 · 33rd pct
Opp120.9/gm#84 / 136 · 39th pct#44 / 70 · 39th pct#7 / 12 · 50th pct#9 / 12 · 33rd pct
Sacks (def)
Team433.1/gm#4 / 136 · 98th pct#4 / 70 · 96th pct#1 / 12 · 100th pct#2 / 10 · 90th pct
Opp221.6/gm#53 / 136 · 62nd pct#29 / 70 · 60th pct#3 / 12 · 83rd pct#5 / 10 · 60th pct
Tackles for loss
Team835.9/gm#24 / 136 · 83rd pct#15 / 70 · 80th pct#2 / 12 · 92nd pct#4 / 10 · 70th pct
Opp674.8/gm#64 / 136 · 54th pct#35 / 70 · 51st pct#5 / 12 · 67th pct#6 / 10 · 50th pct
First downs
Team26518.9/gm#62 / 136 · 55th pct#35 / 70 · 51st pct#3 / 12 · 83rd pct#7 / 12 · 50th pct
Opp23116.5/gm#32 / 136 · 77th pct#22 / 70 · 70th pct#4 / 12 · 75th pct#5 / 12 · 67th pct
3rd-down conv
Team775.5/gm#35 / 136 · 75th pct#19 / 70 · 74th pct#1 / 12 · 100th pct#6 / 12 · 58th pct
Opp574.1/gm#15 / 136 · 90th pct#8 / 70 · 90th pct#5 / 12 · 67th pct#5 / 12 · 67th pct
3rd-down att
Team19113.6/gm#19 / 136 · 87th pct#9 / 70 · 89th pct#1 / 12 · 100th pct#1 / 12 · 100th pct
Opp18112.9/gm#81 / 136 · 41st pct#43 / 70 · 40th pct#9 / 12 · 33rd pct#10 / 12 · 25th pct
4th-down conv
Team141.0/gm#60 / 136 · 57th pct#35 / 70 · 51st pct#3 / 12 · 83rd pct#6 / 12 · 58th pct
Opp90.6/gm#15 / 136 · 90th pct#6 / 70 · 93rd pct#3 / 12 · 83rd pct#7 / 12 · 50th pct
4th-down att
Team322.3/gm#26 / 136 · 82nd pct#10 / 70 · 87th pct#1 / 12 · 100th pct#3 / 12 · 83rd pct
Opp201.4/gm#27 / 136 · 81st pct#15 / 70 · 80th pct#4 / 12 · 75th pct#8 / 12 · 42nd pct
Time of possession
Team456:0532:35/gm#10 / 136 · 93rd pct#8 / 70 · 90th pct#1 / 12 · 100th pct#3 / 12 · 83rd pct
Opp383:5527:25/gm#76 / 136 · 45th pct#39 / 70 · 46th pct#8 / 12 · 42nd pct#10 / 12 · 25th pct
Kicking & Punting
Field goals#112 / 135 · 18th pct14/21 (66.7%)
Extra points40/42
Punting#91 / 136 · 34th pct42.4 avg · 57 punts
Turnovers & special teams
Turnovers
Team151.1/gm#75 / 136 · 46th pct#31 / 70 · 57th pct#7 / 12 · 50th pct#7 / 12 · 50th pct
Opp241.7/gm#118 / 136 · 14th pct#62 / 70 · 13th pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct#9 / 12 · 33rd pct
Fumbles lost
Team90.6/gm#14 / 136 · 90th pct#5 / 70 · 94th pct#1 / 12 · 100th pct#5 / 12 · 67th pct
Opp120.9/gm#132 / 136 · 4th pct#68 / 70 · 4th pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct#9 / 12 · 33rd pct
INT return TDs
Team20.1/gm#18 / 135 · 87th pct#12 / 70 · 84th pct#1 / 12 · 100th pct#2 / 11 · 91st pct
Opp00.0/gm#1 / 136 · 100th pct#1 / 70 · 100th pct#1 / 12 · 100th pct#1 / 11 · 100th pct
INT return yards
Team21315.2/gm#24 / 136 · 83rd pct#15 / 70 · 80th pct#1 / 12 · 100th pct#3 / 12 · 83rd pct
Opp181.3/gm#9 / 136 · 94th pct#5 / 70 · 94th pct#2 / 12 · 92nd pct#3 / 12 · 83rd pct
Punt ret yds
Team1067.6/gm#84 / 136 · 39th pct#52 / 70 · 27th pct#7 / 12 · 50th pct#3 / 12 · 83rd pct
Opp795.6/gm#40 / 136 · 71st pct#27 / 70 · 63rd pct#1 / 12 · 100th pct#5 / 12 · 67th pct
Punt ret TDs
Team00.0/gm#43 / 135 · 69th pct#23 / 70 · 69th pct#5 / 12 · 67th pct#3 / 9 · 78th pct
Opp00.0/gm#1 / 135 · 100th pct#1 / 70 · 100th pct#1 / 12 · 100th pct#1 / 11 · 100th pct
Kick ret yds
Team65546.8/gm#17 / 136 · 88th pct#6 / 70 · 93rd pct#3 / 12 · 83rd pct#8 / 12 · 42nd pct
Opp38227.3/gm#67 / 136 · 51st pct#42 / 70 · 41st pct#2 / 12 · 92nd pct#1 / 12 · 100th pct
Kick ret TDs
Team00.0/gm#40 / 136 · 71st pct#17 / 70 · 77th pct#7 / 12 · 50th pct#8 / 10 · 30th pct
Opp00.0/gm#1 / 135 · 100th pct#1 / 70 · 100th pct#1 / 12 · 100th pct#1 / 10 · 100th pct
Penalty yards
Team56240.1/gm#107 / 136 · 22nd pct#50 / 70 · 30th pct#8 / 12 · 42nd pct#10 / 12 · 25th pct
Opp58241.6/gm#38 / 136 · 73rd pct#23 / 70 · 69th pct#6 / 12 · 58th pct#3 / 12 · 83rd pct
Other
Fumbles recovered#5 / 136 · 97th pct#3 / 70 · 97th pct#1 / 12 · 100th pct#6 / 12 · 58th pct120.9/gm
Kick returns#8 / 136 · 95th pct#3 / 70 · 97th pct#2 / 12 · 92nd pct#9 / 12 · 33rd pct332.4/gm
Passes intercepted opponent#9 / 136 · 94th pct#5 / 70 · 94th pct#1 / 12 · 100th pct#3 / 12 · 83rd pct60.4/gm
H1 epa per play opponent#14 / 167 · 92nd pct#10 / 70 · 87th pct#2 / 12 · 92nd pct0.10.0/gm
Fourth down go rate#16 / 138 · 89th pct#5 / 70 · 94th pct#3 / 12 · 83rd pct#4 / 12 · 75th pct0.50.0/gm
H2 epa per play opponent#22 / 143 · 85th pct#14 / 70 · 81st pct#3 / 12 · 83rd pct0.10.0/gm
Penalties (opp)#34 / 136 · 76th pct#20 / 70 · 73rd pct#5 / 12 · 67th pct#3 / 12 · 83rd pct664.7/gm
Punt returns#36 / 136 · 74th pct#21 / 70 · 71st pct#3 / 12 · 83rd pct#2 / 12 · 92nd pct201.4/gm
Punt ret (opp)#39 / 136 · 72nd pct#25 / 70 · 66th pct#2 / 12 · 92nd pct#4 / 12 · 75th pct110.8/gm
Interceptions (def)#42 / 136 · 70th pct#22 / 70 · 70th pct#4 / 12 · 75th pct#4 / 12 · 75th pct120.9/gm
Kick ret (opp)#86 / 136 · 38th pct#51 / 70 · 29th pct#5 / 12 · 67th pct#2 / 12 · 92nd pct241.7/gm
H2 epa per play#95 / 142 · 34th pct#49 / 70 · 31st pct#7 / 12 · 50th pct0.10.0/gm
H1 epa per play#96 / 162 · 41st pct#53 / 70 · 26th pct#5 / 12 · 67th pct0.20.0/gm
Penalties#104 / 136 · 24th pct#47 / 70 · 34th pct#10 / 12 · 25th pct#10 / 12 · 25th pct644.6/gm
Recruiting rating#104 / 138 · 25th pct#69 / 70 · 3rd pct#7 / 13 · 54th pct#8 / 12 · 42nd pct141.910.1/gm
Fumbles rec (def)#114 / 136 · 17th pct#62 / 70 · 13th pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct#7 / 12 · 50th pct90.6/gm
Red zone pass rate#144 / 154 · 7th pct#69 / 70 · 3rd pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct0.20.0/gm
First down pass rate#165 / 215 · 24th pct#65 / 70 · 9th pct#9 / 13 · 38th pct#10 / 12 · 25th pct0.40.0/gm
Situational
3rd-down conversion
Off40.3%#62 / 136 · 55th pct#37 / 70 · 49th pct#3 / 12 · 83rd pct#7 / 12 · 50th pct
Def31.5%#12 / 136 · 92nd pct#8 / 70 · 90th pct#2 / 12 · 92nd pct#3 / 12 · 83rd pct
4th-down conversion
Off43.8%#113 / 136 · 18th pct#62 / 70 · 13th pct#7 / 12 · 50th pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct
Def45.0%#31 / 136 · 78th pct#16 / 70 · 79th pct#5 / 12 · 67th pct#5 / 12 · 67th pct
Turnover margin#14 / 136 · 90th pct#10 / 70 · 87th pct#1 / 12 · 100th pct#2 / 12 · 92nd pct+0.64/gm
Sack rate (def)#3 / 136 · 99th pct#3 / 70 · 97th pct#1 / 12 · 100th pct#3 / 10 · 80th pct11.0%
Red Zone & Drive Efficiency (2014– , play-by-play derived)
Red zone trips
Team453.2/gm#61 / 167 · 64th pct#37 / 70 · 49th pct#3 / 12 · 83rd pct#8 / 12 · 42nd pct
Opp463.3/gm#123 / 166 · 27th pct#53 / 70 · 26th pct#9 / 12 · 33rd pct#7 / 12 · 50th pct
Red zone score %
Team68.9%68.9%#133 / 167 · 21st pct#66 / 70 · 7th pct#9 / 12 · 33rd pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct
Opp73.9%73.9%#45 / 166 · 73rd pct#20 / 70 · 73rd pct#8 / 12 · 42nd pct#2 / 12 · 92nd pct
Points / drive
Team1.90.1/gm#85 / 167 · 50th pct#49 / 70 · 31st pct#4 / 12 · 75th pct#10 / 12 · 25th pct
Opp1.60.1/gm#29 / 166 · 83rd pct#21 / 70 · 71st pct#4 / 12 · 75th pct#1 / 12 · 100th pct
Yards / drive
Team37.82.7/gm#109 / 167 · 35th pct#61 / 70 · 14th pct#4 / 12 · 75th pct#8 / 12 · 42nd pct
Opp34.72.5/gm#20 / 166 · 89th pct#13 / 70 · 83rd pct#3 / 12 · 83rd pct#4 / 12 · 75th pct
Plays / drive
Team6.80.5/gm#48 / 167 · 72nd pct#27 / 70 · 63rd pct#3 / 12 · 83rd pct#4 / 12 · 75th pct
Opp6.30.4/gm#38 / 166 · 78th pct#13 / 70 · 83rd pct#6 / 12 · 58th pct#8 / 12 · 42nd pct
Three-and-out rate
Team12.1%12.1%#59 / 167 · 65th pct#31 / 70 · 57th pct#2 / 12 · 92nd pct#10 / 12 · 25th pct
Opp22.5%22.5%#8 / 166 · 96th pct#4 / 70 · 96th pct#2 / 12 · 92nd pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct
Scheme Identity (2014– , play-by-play derived)
Rush rate over expected#6 / 145 · 97th pct#1 / 70 · 100th pct#1 / 12 · 100th pct+13.8%+13.8%
Havoc rate
Team17.2%17.2%#42 / 140 · 71st pct#27 / 70 · 63rd pct#5 / 12 · 67th pct
Opp13.1%13.1%#34 / 140 · 76th pct#17 / 70 · 77th pct#3 / 12 · 83rd pct
Standard-downs success
Team52.7%52.7%#22 / 154 · 86th pct#18 / 70 · 76th pct#1 / 12 · 100th pct
Opp42.0%42.0%#15 / 172 · 92nd pct#11 / 70 · 86th pct#2 / 12 · 92nd pct
Passing-downs success
Team26.1%26.1%#125 / 153 · 19th pct#66 / 70 · 7th pct#8 / 12 · 42nd pct
Opp28.2%28.2%#37 / 149 · 76th pct#21 / 70 · 71st pct#5 / 12 · 67th pct
Line yards / carry
Team3.23.2#20 / 143 · 87th pct#14 / 70 · 81st pct#2 / 12 · 92nd pct
Opp2.82.8#46 / 155 · 71st pct#28 / 70 · 61st pct#3 / 12 · 83rd pct
Stuff rate
Team15.2%15.2%#23 / 143 · 85th pct#13 / 70 · 83rd pct#2 / 12 · 92nd pct
Opp17.2%17.2%#97 / 155 · 38th pct#50 / 70 · 30th pct#9 / 12 · 33rd pct
Power success rate
Team76.1%76.1%#36 / 137 · 74th pct#20 / 70 · 73rd pct#3 / 12 · 83rd pct
Opp77.8%77.8%#117 / 141 · 18th pct#61 / 70 · 14th pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct
Efficiency
Completion %
Off60.7%#84 / 136 · 39th pct#53 / 70 · 26th pct#5 / 12 · 67th pct#9 / 12 · 33rd pct
Def55.4%#11 / 136 · 93rd pct#4 / 70 · 96th pct#2 / 12 · 92nd pct#3 / 12 · 83rd pct
Yards / attempt
Off6.4#116 / 136 · 15th pct#63 / 70 · 11th pct#9 / 12 · 33rd pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct
Def6.5#33 / 136 · 76th pct#21 / 70 · 71st pct#3 / 12 · 83rd pct#1 / 12 · 100th pct
Yards / completion
Off10.5#117 / 136 · 15th pct#63 / 70 · 11th pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct
Def11.7#76 / 136 · 45th pct#51 / 70 · 29th pct#4 / 12 · 75th pct#3 / 12 · 83rd pct
Yards / carry#48 / 136 · 65th pct#29 / 70 · 60th pct#3 / 12 · 83rd pct#8 / 12 · 42nd pct4.6
Yards / play#109 / 136 · 21st pct#61 / 70 · 14th pct#7 / 12 · 50th pct#10 / 12 · 25th pct5.20
Scoring margin#37 / 136 · 74th pct#29 / 70 · 60th pct#2 / 12 · 92nd pct#4 / 11 · 73rd pct+7.5/gm
FBS rankings · 2025 season · all stats vs 136 FBS programs
Player stats — 2025 season
Quarterbacks
| Player | # | G | Cmp/Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | TD | INT | Rate | QBR | Adj ANY/A | Sack% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scrambler · +0.18 EPA/play | 12 | 14 | 166 / 262 | 63.4 | 1803 | 6.9 | 9 | 3 | 130.2 | 51.3 | 6.3 | 5.4 | |
Yards by week → ScramblerMakes plays with feet when the pocket collapses. Efficiency still on the rise. All-Conference honorable mention / 2nd team — the recognition has started. 45 of 183 QBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Rush usage43.7% 98th percentile · FBS QBs, min. 80 attempts INT rate1.1% 88th percentile · FBS QBs, min. 80 attempts Trait fingerprint Plays like our readAscending: his CFB Index score went from the 8th percentile among FBS QBs to the 70th | |||||||||||||
| -0.23 EPA/play | 10 | 5 | 19 / 40 | 47.5 | 136 | 3.4 | 1 | 3 | 69.3 | 14.1 | — | — | |
Yards by week → | |||||||||||||
Running Backs
| Player | # | G | Car | Yds | Avg | TD | Long | 3rd Dn Use | Pass Dn Use | Stuff% | 10+% | Tgt Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balanced Back · +0.01 EPA/play | 6 | 13 | 179 | 1003 #44 FBS | 5.6 | 9 #65 FBS | 67 | 16.6 | 11.6 | 15.1 | 11.4 | 6.6% (17/259) | |
Yards by week → Balanced BackPlays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension. All-Conference honorable mention / 2nd team — the recognition has started. The most common profile in its group this season — 186 of 349 classified this way. Played in 13 of 21 games this season · junior our readUnranked recruit — top-quartile production against his own recruiting profile | |||||||||||||
| Balanced Back · -0.04 EPA/play | 5 | 14 | 99 | 425 | 4.3 | 3 | 32 | 7.3 | 9.4 | 13.4 | 7.2 | — | |
Yards by week → Balanced BackPlays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 186 of 349 RBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / carry4.5 bottom 26th percentile · FBS RBs, min. 40 carries Receiving share4.8% bottom 15th percentile · FBS RBs, min. 40 carries Trait fingerprint Plays like View Devin Miles's full player page | |||||||||||||
| Balanced Back · +0.04 EPA/play | 24 | 12 | 57 | 252 | 4.4 | 3 | 22 | 7.6 | 6 | 8.8 | 12.3 | — | |
Yards by week → Balanced BackPlays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 186 of 349 RBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / carry4.5 bottom 26th percentile · FBS RBs, min. 40 carries Yards / reception1.6 bottom 4th percentile · FBS RBs, min. 40 carries Trait fingerprint Plays like View Ofa Mataele's full player page | |||||||||||||
Receivers
| Player | # | G | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Long | 3rd Dn Use | Pass Dn Use | Tgt Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Possession Receiver · +0.21 EPA/play | — | 12 | 35 | 478 | 13.7 | 2 | 71 | 9.8 | 11 | 20.5% (53/259) | |
Yards by week → Possession Receiver· Boom-or-bustReliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive. his yards come in chunks — feast or famine 332 of 558 WRs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception12.6 bottom 44th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions EPA / play (adj)0.2 bottom 16th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Tailique Williams's full player page | |||||||||||
| Possession Receiver · +0.61 EPA/play | 82 | 13 | 27 | 372 | 13.8 | 0 | 42 | 4.8 | 5.2 | 14.3% (37/259) | |
Yards by week → Possession ReceiverReliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive. 332 of 558 WRs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception14.4 62th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions TD rate0.0% bottom 8th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Baylin Brooks's full player page | |||||||||||
| Possession Receiver · +0.24 EPA/play | 18 | 13 | 23 | 277 | 12.0 | 2 | 45 | 7.0 | 8.7 | 17.0% (44/259) | |
Yards by week → Possession ReceiverReliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive. 332 of 558 WRs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception13.6 54th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions EPA / play (adj)0.2 bottom 19th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Aveion Chenault's full player page | |||||||||||
| Complete TE · +0.43 EPA/play | 86 | 12 | 27 | 251 | 9.3 | 1 | 24 | 2.6 | 4.5 | 11.6% (30/259) | |
Yards by week → Complete TENo single go-to route — the receiving numbers show up inline and split out alike. 177 of 223 TEs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception9.3 bottom 33th percentile · FBS TEs, min. 8 receptions TD rate3.7% bottom 21th percentile · FBS TEs, min. 8 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Blake Bosma's full player page | |||||||||||
| Complete TE · +0.59 EPA/play | 2 | 9 | 12 | 119 | 9.9 | 2 | 36 | 4.3 | 2.3 | — | |
Yards by week → Complete TENo single go-to route — the receiving numbers show up inline and split out alike. 177 of 223 TEs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception3.5 bottom 39th percentile · FBS TEs, min. 8 receptions TD rate16.7% 83th percentile · FBS TEs, min. 8 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Michael Brescia's full player page | |||||||||||
| Possession Receiver · +0.21 EPA/play | 1 | 14 | 15 | 115 | 7.7 | 0 | 17 | 3.6 | 4.4 | 6.6% (17/259) | |
Yards by week → Possession ReceiverReliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive. 332 of 558 WRs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception5.4 bottom 2th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions TD rate0.0% bottom 8th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Christian Leary's full player page | |||||||||||
| +0.24 EPA/play | 17 | 7 | 7 | 102 | 14.6 | 0 | 52 | 4.2 | 3.1 | — | |
Yards by week → | |||||||||||
| Complete TE · +0.23 EPA/play | 15 | 6 | 8 | 55 | 6.9 | 1 | 15 | 1.6 | 0 | — | |
Yards by week → Complete TENo single go-to route — the receiving numbers show up inline and split out alike. 177 of 223 TEs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception5.1 bottom 5th percentile · FBS TEs, min. 8 receptions Reception volume8 bottom 12th percentile · FBS TEs, min. 8 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Cade Conley's full player page | |||||||||||
Defensive Line
| Player | # | G | Tot | Solo | TFL | Sack | Hur |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speed Rusher | 11 | 13 | 55 | 34 | 21.5 #1 FBS | 14.5 #1 FBS | 16 |
Speed RusherBends the edge and wins with first-step quickness. Lighter frame, relentless motor. All-Conference honorable mention / 2nd team — the recognition has started. 12 of 200 EDGEs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Sack rate26.4% 98th percentile · FBS EDGE, min. 10 tackles Plays like our readUnranked recruit — top-quartile production against his own recruiting profile | |||||||
| 3-Tech Penetrator | 99 | 14 | 42 | 18 | 8.5 | 7 #39 FBS | 10 |
3-Tech PenetratorDisruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield. Starter — over 60% of the snaps, holding the job. 269 of 809 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate20.2% 72th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like our readAscending: his CFB Index score climbed from the 70th percentile to the 96th among FBS IDLs | |||||||
| 3-Tech Penetrator | — | 13 | 34 | 12 | 1.5 | 0 | 5 |
3-Tech PenetratorDisruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 269 of 809 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate4.4% bottom 14th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Mustafi Algarawi's full player page | |||||||
| Two-Gap Base | 91 | 13 | 33 | 15 | 5.5 | 2 | 1 |
Two-Gap BaseStout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. The most common profile in its group this season — 388 of 809 classified this way. Played in 13 of 21 games this season · senior our readUnranked recruit — top-quartile production against his own recruiting profile our readBreakout: his CFB Index score went from the 14th percentile among FBS IDLs to the 96th | |||||||
| Pressure Merchant | 20 | 13 | 28 | 15 | 6.5 | 2 | 9 |
Pressure MerchantCollapses the pocket even when the sack doesn't come. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 23 of 200 EDGEs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Hurry rate0.3 88th percentile · FBS EDGE, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Kershawn Fisher's full player page | |||||||
| Nose Anchor | 64 | 10 | 16 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Nose AnchorThe heaviest frame on the interior. Sack production is intentionally not the point of this profile. 152 of 809 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Weight323 lb 92th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Race Stewart's full player page | |||||||
| 3-Tech Penetrator | 58 | 9 | 15 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
3-Tech PenetratorDisruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield. 269 of 809 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate20.0% 71th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles our readFading: his CFB Index score climbed from the 88th percentile to the 37th among FBS IDLs | |||||||
| Two-Gap Base | 98 | 6 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Two-Gap BaseStout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number. The most common profile in its group this season — 388 of 809 classified this way. Played in 6 of 21 games this season · sophomore View Dakari Frazier's full player page | |||||||
| 42 | 7 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |
Linebackers
| Player | # | G | Tot | Solo | Ast | TFL | Sack | PD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balanced Linebacker | 9 | 14 | 85 | 36 | 49 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Balanced LinebackerSolid in every phase without a signature dimension. Starter — over 60% of the snaps, holding the job. The most common profile in its group this season — 362 of 660 classified this way. Played in 14 of 21 games this season · senior our readUnranked recruit — top-quartile production against his own recruiting profile | |||||||||
| Balanced Linebacker | 10 | 14 | 77 | 27 | 50 | 5.5 | 1.5 | 0 | 1 |
Balanced LinebackerSolid in every phase without a signature dimension. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 362 of 660 LBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Tackle volume77 82th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles PD rate0.0% bottom 18th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Trait fingerprint Plays like View Sefa Saipaia Jr.'s full player page | |||||||||
| Balanced Linebacker | 47 | 10 | 23 | 11 | 12 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0 | 1 |
Balanced LinebackerSolid in every phase without a signature dimension. The most common profile in its group this season — 362 of 660 classified this way. Played in 10 of 21 games this season · junior our readAscending: his CFB Index score climbed from the 2nd percentile to the 30th among FBS LBs | |||||||||
| Balanced Linebacker | 12 | 9 | 19 | 10 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Balanced LinebackerSolid in every phase without a signature dimension. The most common profile in its group this season — 362 of 660 classified this way. Played in 9 of 21 games this season · junior View Dillon Moore's full player page | |||||||||
| 26 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Defensive Backs
| Player | # | G | Tot | PD | INT | TFL | Sack |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rover | 3 | 14 | 67 | 2 | 3 #56 FBS | 2 | 0.5 |
Rover· Takeaway threatHits like a linebacker and still takes the ball away. the kind of DB who takes it back the other way All-Conference honorable mention / 2nd team — the recognition has started. 83 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate3.0% bottom 25th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like our readUnranked recruit — top-quartile production against his own recruiting profile | |||||||
| Perimeter Tackler | 8 | 14 | 61 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
Perimeter TacklerTargeted often and asked to tackle in space on the perimeter. Starter — over 60% of the snaps, holding the job. 42 of 270 CBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Tackle volume61 99th percentile · FBS corners, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Jarvarius Sims's full player page | |||||||
| Box Safety | 18 | 13 | 60 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Box Safety· Takeaway threatLives near the line of scrimmage as a de facto extra linebacker. the kind of DB who takes it back the other way Starter — over 60% of the snaps, holding the job. 166 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Tackle volume60 80th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like View Micah Davis's full player page | |||||||
| Rover | 1 | 13 | 53 | 10 #20 FBS | 0 | 5.5 | 1.5 |
RoverHits like a linebacker and still takes the ball away. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 83 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate18.9% 93th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like our readUnranked recruit — top-quartile production against his own recruiting profile | |||||||
| Hybrid Nickel | 6 | 13 | 44 | 2 | 3 #56 FBS | 2.5 | 0.5 |
Hybrid Nickel· Takeaway threatMoves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB. the kind of DB who takes it back the other way Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 419 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate4.5% bottom 32th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like our readBreakout: his CFB Index score now sits at the 73rd percentile among FBS Ss, up from the 0th | |||||||
| Centerfielder | 5 | 12 | 33 | 8 #45 FBS | 1 | 1 | 0 |
CenterfielderSingle-high range who erases the deep middle of the field. 133 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate24.2% 99th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like View Aaron Wofford's full player page | |||||||
| Hybrid Nickel | 16 | 10 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Hybrid NickelMoves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB. 419 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate0.0% bottom 14th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like View Jaden Lyles's full player page | |||||||
| Ball Hawk | 24 | 10 | 14 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Ball HawkReads the quarterback's eyes and takes the ball away. 44 of 270 CBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate28.6% 94th percentile · FBS corners, min. 10 tackles Plays like View John Peters's full player page | |||||||
| 7 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 23 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 22 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
Kicking
| Player | # | G | FG M/A | FG% | XP M/A | Pts | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steady | 20 | 13 | 13/19 | 68.4 | 40/42 | 79 | 50 |
| 31 | 5 | 1/2 | 50 | 0/0 | 3 | 21 |
Punting
| Player | # | G | No | Yds | Avg | Long | In20 | TB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steady | 25 | 14 | 57 | 2417 | 42.4 | 56 | 18 | 6 |
Net average is unavailable — CFBD's punting feed carries gross yards only, with no return-yardage or touchback deduction.
Kick Returns
| Player | # | G | No | Yds | Avg | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balanced Back · -0.04 EPA/play | 5 | 14 | 21 | 495 | 23.6 | 0 | 72 |
Punt Returns
| Player | # | G | No | Yds | Avg | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rover | 1 | 13 | 6 | 82 | 13.7 | 0 | 30 |
| 84 | 7 | 9 | 16 | 1.8 | 0 | 12 | |
| Complete TE · +0.43 EPA/play | 86 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
2025 stat leaders
final
2025 stat leaders
1.
James Camden
LB
85.0 tot (def)
2.
Sefa Saipaia Jr.
LB
77.0 tot (def)
3.
Tate Hallock
S
67.0 tot (def)
4.
Jalen Buckley
RB
1,003 yds (rush)
5.
Jarvarius Sims
CB
61.0 tot (def)
Roster
2025
28
players carry a qualified CFB Index Score this season.
Nadame Tucker
EDGE
#1 of 420
Marcel Tyler
IDL
#19 of 330
Rodney McGraw
EDGE
#27 of 420
Tate Hallock
S
#86 of 544
Joshua Franklin
CB
#71 of 364
James Camden
LB
#129 of 583
+22 more
Western Michigan · 2025 schedule & results10-4Hard slateAverage opponent win rate 51% · 2 AP top-25 opponents on the schedule.
| Wk | Date | Us | Opp | Line | Opponent | Result | Record | Conf |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aug 29 | #62 | #80 | +21.5 | @Michigan State | L 6–23 125 | 0-1 | 0-0 |
| 2 | Sep 6 | #67 | #139 | +12.5 | North Texas | L 30–33 134 | 0-2 | 0-0 |
| 3 | Sep 13 | #85 | #29 | +27.5 | @Illinois | L 0–38 121 | 0-3 | 0-0 |
| 4 | Sep 20 | #81 | #47 | +11.5 | Toledo | W 14–13 141 | 1-3 | 1-0 |
| 5 | Sep 27 | #85 | #132 | -8.5 | Rhode Island | W 47–14 77 | 2-3 | 1-0 |
| 6 | Oct 4 | #78 | #166 | -12.5 | @Massachusetts | W 21–3 129 | 3-3 | 2-0 |
| 7 | Oct 11 | #70 | #204 | -9.5 | Ball State | W 42–0 122 | 4-3 | 3-0 |
| 9 | Oct 25 | #67 | #76 | +2.5 | @Miami (OH) | L 17–26 130 | 4-4 | 3-1 |
| 10 | Nov 1 | #71 | #98 | -5.5 | Central Michigan | W 24–21 115 | 5-4 | 4-1 |
| 12 | Nov 12 | #71 | #69 | -1.5 | Ohio | W 17–13 114 | 6-4 | 5-1 |
| 13 | Nov 19 | #71 | #180 | -7 | @Northern Illinois | W 35–19 126 | 7-4 | 5-1 |
| 14 | Nov 26 | #65 | #140 | -9.5 | @Eastern Michigan | W 31–21 128 | 8-4 | 6-1 |
| Conference Championship | ||||||||
| 15 | Dec 6 | #66 | #65 | -2.5 | Miami (OH) (N) | W 23–13 138 | 9-4 | 7-1 |
| Bowl Season | ||||||||
| 16 | Dec 19 | #68 | #106 | -3.5 | Kennesaw State (N) | W 41–6 | 10-4 | 7-1 |
Advanced box score (EPA, success rate, explosiveness)▼
| Date | Opp | Result | Yds | TO | TOP | EPA/play | Success% | Explosive% | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 19 | Kennesaw State | W 41–6 | — | — | — | +0.227 | 47.6% | 101.3% | Blowout win |
| Dec 6 | Miami (OH) | W 23–13 | 397 | 0 | 35:17 | -0.038 | 29.6% | 129.5% | |
| Nov 26 | @Eastern Michigan | W 31–21 | 378 | 0 | 32:21 | +0.290 | 44.4% | 131.6% | |
| Nov 19 | @Northern Illinois | W 35–19 | 393 | 1 | 33:49 | +0.296 | 60.0% | 85.7% | Season-high EPA/play |
| Nov 12 | Ohio | W 17–13 | 336 | 0 | 31:14 | +0.128 | 44.8% | 102.2% | One-score win |
| Nov 1 | Central Michigan | W 24–21 | 327 | 1 | 33:42 | +0.096 | 43.5% | 92.7% | One-score win |
| Oct 25 | @Miami (OH) | L 17–26 | 316 | 1 | 29:21 | +0.023 | 40.6% | 106.5% | |
| Oct 11 | Ball State | W 42–0 | 462 | 2 | 35:37 | +0.268 | 52.1% | 105.1% | Best defensive stand |
| Oct 4 | @Massachusetts | W 21–3 | 382 | 2 | 32:26 | +0.199 | 50.7% | 81.6% | |
| Sep 27 | Rhode Island | W 47–14 | 372 | 2 | 39:25 | +0.227 | 48.7% | 106.4% | Blowout win |
| Sep 20 | Toledo | W 14–13 | 292 | 3 | 30:18 | -0.022 | 41.4% | 96.7% | One-score win |
| Sep 13 | @Illinois | L 0–38 | 204 | 0 | 28:27 | -0.096 | 27.6% | 112.0% | Blowout loss |
| Sep 6 | North Texas | L 30–33 | 303 | 0 | 36:39 | -0.022 | 34.8% | 119.2% | Defense's roughest night |
| Aug 29 | @Michigan State | L 6–23 | 217 | 1 | 23:13 | -0.203 | 22.8% | 152.4% | Season-low EPA/play |
| Season average (14 games) | 337 | 1.0 | +0.098 | 42.0% | 108.8% | ||||
How They Play · 2025
How They Play · 2025Western Michigan fields a struggling run-heavy, methodical, ball-control offense behind an elite defense.
Opponent-adjusted percentiles vs all FBS. Bar = where this team ranks — right is better.
Team identity · competitive snaps only
How Western Michigan actually scores
31st percentile quality, 68th percentile boom-dependency. Garbage time excluded from both axes — the same correction that changes the Q4 story below.
View all FBS teams as a table
| Team | Quality percentile | Boom-share percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Air Force | 86th | 11th |
| Akron | 12th | 89th |
| Alabama | 58th | 17th |
| App State | 35th | 47th |
| Arizona | 64th | 37th |
| Arizona State | 41st | 62nd |
| Arkansas | 90th | 12th |
| Arkansas State | 17th | 66th |
| Army | 57th | 43rd |
| Auburn | 47th | 53rd |
| BYU | 78th | 19th |
| Baylor | 69th | 25th |
| Boise State | 66th | 20th |
| Boston College | 37th | 54th |
| Bowling Green | 2nd | 98th |
| Buffalo | 11th | 88th |
| California | 28th | 48th |
| Central Michigan | 52nd | 64th |
| Cincinnati | 89th | 16th |
| Clemson | 51st | 48th |
| Coastal Carolina | 17th | 83rd |
| Colorado | 18th | 84th |
| Colorado State | 16th | 83rd |
| Delaware | 38th | 58th |
| Duke | 80th | 14th |
| East Carolina | 63rd | 36th |
| Eastern Michigan | 49th | 42nd |
| Florida | 30th | 67th |
| Florida Atlantic | 62nd | 59th |
| Florida International | 42nd | 50th |
| Florida State | 83rd | 32nd |
| Fresno State | 26th | 73rd |
| Georgia | 81st | 3rd |
| Georgia Southern | 73rd | 21st |
| Georgia State | 36th | 70th |
| Georgia Tech | 84th | 5th |
| Hawai'i | 64th | 41st |
| Houston | 27th | 65th |
| Illinois | 75th | 26th |
| Indiana | 95th | 1st |
| Iowa | 44th | 40th |
| Iowa State | 68th | 22nd |
| Jacksonville State | 54th | 38th |
| James Madison | 65th | 44th |
| Kansas | 85th | 28th |
| Kansas State | 71st | 49th |
| Kennesaw State | 56th | 30th |
| Kent State | 21st | 86th |
| Kentucky | 15th | 85th |
| LSU | 14th | 81st |
| Liberty | 43rd | 56th |
| Louisiana | 19th | 73rd |
| Louisiana Tech | 39th | 61st |
| Louisville | 48th | 64th |
| Marshall | 55th | 39th |
| Maryland | 30th | 74th |
| Memphis | 80th | 24th |
| Miami | 76th | 5th |
| Miami (OH) | 34th | 67th |
| Michigan | 67th | 33rd |
| Michigan State | 27th | 75th |
| Middle Tennessee | 39th | 52nd |
| Minnesota | 29th | 77th |
| Mississippi State | 22nd | 77th |
| Missouri | 61st | 30th |
| Missouri State | 55th | 46th |
| NC State | 86th | 23rd |
| Navy | 94th | 17th |
| Nebraska | 48th | 57th |
| Nevada | 3rd | 97th |
| New Mexico | 58th | 60th |
| New Mexico State | 9th | 87th |
| North Carolina | 13th | 89th |
| North Texas | 98th | 7th |
| Northern Illinois | 8th | 92nd |
| Northwestern | 52nd | 36th |
| Notre Dame | 99th | 20th |
| Ohio | 67th | 18th |
| Ohio State | 93rd | 4th |
| Oklahoma | 20th | 80th |
| Oklahoma State | 5th | 95th |
| Old Dominion | 83rd | 45th |
| Ole Miss | 89th | 2nd |
| Oregon | 91st | 10th |
| Oregon State | 2nd | 98th |
| Penn State | 73rd | 33rd |
| Pittsburgh | 60th | 39th |
| Purdue | 25th | 78th |
| Rice | 6th | 94th |
| Rutgers | 70th | 27th |
| SMU | 74th | 42nd |
| Sam Houston | 4th | 96th |
| San Diego State | 24th | 76th |
| San José State | 45th | 69th |
| South Alabama | 36th | 58th |
| South Carolina | 23rd | 86th |
| South Florida | 87th | 23rd |
| Southern Miss | 40th | 55th |
| Stanford | 10th | 90th |
| Syracuse | 5th | 95th |
| TCU | 72nd | 35th |
| Temple | 70th | 34th |
| Tennessee | 96th | 11th |
| Texas | 45th | 55th |
| Texas A&M | 82nd | 14th |
| Texas State | 92nd | 8th |
| Texas Tech | 77th | 31st |
| Toledo | 50th | 61st |
| Troy | 14th | 80th |
| Tulane | 79th | 15th |
| Tulsa | 20th | 70th |
| UAB | 61st | 45th |
| UCF | 33rd | 82nd |
| UCLA | 23rd | 79th |
| UConn | 95th | 13th |
| UL Monroe | 11th | 92nd |
| UNLV | 88th | 9th |
| USC | 98th | 2nd |
| UTEP | 1st | 99th |
| UTSA | 77th | 51st |
| Utah | 97th | 6th |
| Utah State | 46th | 63rd |
| Vanderbilt | 100th | 0th |
| Virginia | 59th | 27th |
| Virginia Tech | 32nd | 71st |
| Wake Forest | 42nd | 72nd |
| Washington | 92nd | 8th |
| Washington State | 33rd | 52nd |
| West Virginia | 7th | 93rd |
| Western Kentucky | 53rd | 29th |
| Western Michigan | 31st | 68th |
| Wisconsin | 0th | 100th |
| Wyoming | 8th | 91st |
Fourth-quarter reliability, corrected
Western Michigan's 4th-quarter offense, before and after garbage time
Raw Q4 EPA/play ranks 7th percentile in FBS. Strip out snaps taken with a blowout margin and it climbs to the 22nd — the correction is the finding, not a footnote.
Standard downs vs. passing downs
Does Western Michigan hold up once the down-and-distance turns against them?
86th percentile success on standard downs, 16th on passing downs — a 70-point gap between the two.
View all FBS teams as a table
| Team | Standard-downs percentile | Passing-downs percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Air Force | 82nd | 69th |
| Akron | 20th | 36th |
| Alabama | 47th | 76th |
| App State | 41st | 80th |
| Arizona | 54th | 54th |
| Arizona State | 40th | 37th |
| Arkansas | 90th | 97th |
| Arkansas State | 51st | 40th |
| Army | 37th | 44th |
| Auburn | 73rd | 24th |
| Austin Peay | 56th | 13th |
| BYU | 91st | 46th |
| Ball State | 5th | 3rd |
| Baylor | 70th | 77th |
| Boise State | 42nd | 63rd |
| Boston College | 56th | 54th |
| Bowling Green | 10th | 17th |
| Bryant | 7th | 2nd |
| Buffalo | 29th | 20th |
| California | 25th | 66th |
| Central Michigan | 57th | 11th |
| Charlotte | 7th | 7th |
| Cincinnati | 89th | 65th |
| Clemson | 49th | 34th |
| Coastal Carolina | 16th | 22nd |
| Colorado | 8th | 48th |
| Colorado State | 29th | 35th |
| Delaware | 66th | 31st |
| Duke | 82nd | 63rd |
| East Carolina | 63rd | 91st |
| Eastern Michigan | 46th | 67th |
| Florida | 52nd | 45th |
| Florida Atlantic | 44th | 61st |
| Florida International | 50th | 26th |
| Florida State | 65th | 90th |
| Fresno State | 22nd | 71st |
| Georgia | 95th | 69th |
| Georgia Southern | 64th | 84th |
| Georgia State | 22nd | 75th |
| Georgia Tech | 92nd | 89th |
| Hawai'i | 33rd | 87th |
| Houston | 61st | 29th |
| Idaho | 30th | 78th |
| Idaho State | 93rd | 14th |
| Illinois | 79th | 95th |
| Indiana | 97th | 98th |
| Iowa | 74th | 19th |
| Iowa State | 80th | 58th |
| Jacksonville State | 59th | 56th |
| James Madison | 77th | 52nd |
| Kansas | 99th | 82nd |
| Kansas State | 37th | 59th |
| Kennesaw State | 44th | 67th |
| Kent State | 15th | 5th |
| Kentucky | 62nd | 29th |
| LSU | 18th | 52nd |
| Lafayette | 0th | 12th |
| Liberty | 65th | 53rd |
| Lindenwood | 4th | 1st |
| Long Island University | 24th | 78th |
| Louisiana | 24th | 23rd |
| Louisiana Tech | 41st | 24th |
| Louisville | 84th | 32nd |
| Maine | 3rd | 18th |
| Marshall | 71st | 62nd |
| Maryland | 11th | 86th |
| Massachusetts | 5th | 9th |
| Memphis | 75th | 68th |
| Merrimack | 1st | 83rd |
| Miami | 80th | 64th |
| Miami (OH) | 33rd | 39th |
| Michigan | 73rd | 74th |
| Michigan State | 48th | 39th |
| Middle Tennessee | 69th | 47th |
| Minnesota | 35th | 33rd |
| Mississippi State | 52nd | 35th |
| Missouri | 76th | 50th |
| Missouri State | 32nd | 50th |
| Murray State | 1st | 6th |
| NC State | 58th | 71st |
| Navy | 95th | 72nd |
| Nebraska | 78th | 51st |
| Nevada | 17th | 16th |
| New Mexico | 38th | 60th |
| New Mexico State | 16th | 33rd |
| North Carolina | 14th | 30th |
| North Texas | 100th | 97th |
| Northern Illinois | 9th | 5th |
| Northwestern | 48th | 88th |
| Notre Dame | 88th | 99th |
| Ohio | 69th | 76th |
| Ohio State | 99th | 99th |
| Oklahoma | 39th | 41st |
| Oklahoma State | 14th | 7th |
| Old Dominion | 72nd | 79th |
| Ole Miss | 83rd | 95th |
| Oregon | 93rd | 55th |
| Oregon State | 54th | 25th |
| Penn State | 76th | 73rd |
| Pittsburgh | 35th | 56th |
| Purdue | 46th | 88th |
| Rice | 20th | 0th |
| Rutgers | 71st | 84th |
| SMU | 50th | 57th |
| Sam Houston | 26th | 4th |
| San Diego State | 84th | 1st |
| San José State | 68th | 70th |
| South Alabama | 53rd | 28th |
| South Carolina | 31st | 8th |
| South Carolina State | 10th | 3rd |
| South Florida | 86th | 46th |
| Southern Miss | 27th | 38th |
| Stanford | 12th | 12th |
| Syracuse | 19th | 10th |
| TCU | 63rd | 82nd |
| Temple | 85th | 22nd |
| Tennessee | 97th | 81st |
| Texas | 27th | 61st |
| Texas A&M | 88th | 59th |
| Texas State | 60th | 93rd |
| Texas Tech | 45th | 65th |
| Toledo | 67th | 42nd |
| Troy | 18th | 27th |
| Tulane | 81st | 86th |
| Tulsa | 43rd | 43rd |
| UAB | 34th | 94th |
| UCF | 39th | 20th |
| UCLA | 28th | 48th |
| UConn | 96th | 37th |
| UL Monroe | 13th | 14th |
| UNLV | 78th | 85th |
| USC | 94th | 90th |
| UT Martin | 2nd | 41st |
| UTEP | 3rd | 10th |
| UTSA | 67th | 92nd |
| Utah | 87th | 96th |
| Utah State | 31st | 49th |
| Vanderbilt | 90th | 100th |
| Virginia | 36th | 73rd |
| Virginia Tech | 59th | 21st |
| Wake Forest | 21st | 31st |
| Washington | 98th | 93rd |
| Washington State | 61st | 44th |
| West Virginia | 12th | 18th |
| Western Kentucky | 55th | 80th |
| Western Michigan | 86th | 16th |
| Wisconsin | 6th | 27th |
| Wyoming | 23rd | 15th |
Halftime identity
Western Michigan by half
1st-half offense ranks 41st percentile in FBS; 2nd-half, 34th — competitive snaps only, garbage time excluded from both halves.
Schedule mirage
How much of Western Michigan's number is the schedule?
Raw EPA/play through week 21 is 0.10; 57th percentile once opponent strength is stripped out, it's 0.04. The widest gap came in week 1: -0.20 raw vs. -0.01 adjusted.
Western Michigan reads strongest in epa allowed (top 13%) and passing epa allowed (top 13%); the crux lives in explosive plays, where Western Michigan sits at the 0th percentile.
offense · strengths lead
defense · higher bar = harder to play against
hidden math · special situations
ELITE · 90+STRONG · 70+AVERAGE · 40-70CONCERN · 10-40BOTTOM · <10
Most Similar Programs · Western Michigan
Most Similar Programs · Western MichiganReads Like
AkronTier 3 · Prestige T3 · Similarly-sized rosters up frontApp StateTier 3 · Prestige T3 · Similarly-sized rosters up frontArkansas StateTier 3 · Prestige T3 · Similarly-sized rosters up front
Static-attribute similarity across tier, archetype, conference, and voice. Not a prediction — a calibration.
Home-Field Advantage · Western Michigan · 2018-present
Strong
67% home win rate vs 40% on the road. margin runs +13.8 better at home. Waldo Stadium seats 30,200, averaging 61% full (18,479 attendance, 19 games reported).
Home29-14Away19-28
Positional competition · RB room
The carries are split. The job isn’t.
Jalen Buckley and Devin Miles split the carries (173/270 vs 97/270) -- but the job isn't split the same way. Jalen Buckley produces in bigger chunks.
Jalen BuckleyDevin Miles
Carries
the baseline -- every row below is tested against this split, not a flat 50/50
Inside the 5
shared -- dots touch, this room really is a committee here
Q4, leading (competitive)
shared -- dots touch, this room really is a committee here
Targets
shared -- dots touch, this room really is a committee here
Top-5-carry share
concentration and EPA/carry agree -- a real boom/bust split
Screened 4 claims, 1 survived, 3 falsified
Positional competition · WR/TE room
The targets are split. The job isn’t.
Tailique Williams (WR) and Blake Bosma (TE) split the targets (53/82 vs 29/82) -- but the job isn't split the same way. Tailique Williams produces in bigger chunks.
Tailique WilliamsBlake Bosma
Targets
the baseline -- every row below is tested against this split, not a flat 50/50
3rd-down targets
shared -- dots touch, this room really is a committee here
Top-5-catch share
concentration and EPA/target agree -- a real boom/bust split
Screened 2 claims, 1 survived, 1 falsified
What changed
Western Michigan’s play-calling, before and after the change
Offense: Billy Cosh (2023) → Walt Bell (2024–2025)
The biggest shift: 1st-down pass rate moved down 8 points. The rest held closer to steady.
1st-down pass rate
Red-zone pass rate
Defense: Scott Power (2024) → Chris O'Leary (2025)
The biggest shift: red-zone pass rate moved down 12 points. The rest held closer to steady.
1st-down pass rate
Red-zone pass rate
Season by season
How Western Michigan’s current staff calls plays, year over year
Offense: Walt Bell (2024–2025)
1st-down pass rate
2024: 37% → 2025: 36% · 1-pt range · #171 of 171 · less than most
Red-zone pass rate
2024: 33% → 2025: 21% · 12-pt range · #91 of 171 · a typical amount
4th-down go rate
2024: 54% → 2025: 50% · 4-pt range · #166 of 171 · less than most
Defensive identity · pass zones
What this defense gives up, by zone.
On short passes, Western Michigan’s defense allows a completion rate below the FBS mean (62.8% vs 65.9% league-wide, shrunk toward the mean for its 137-play sample) — mid-pack, 15 of 133 qualifying defenses.
We won’t show a deep-ball leaderboard here: at the defense level, most teams face well under 30 rich-feed deep targets all season — too thin to tell a real tendency from noise, so we won’t guess.
Screened 133 claims, 133 survived · 2025 only, in the 399 games with the detailed play-text feed; n=137 short-zone plays faced, raw rate 59.9%
Venue texture
57°F average kickoff temp; 11% of games had measurable precipitation; 8 mph average wind.
Based on 66 home games with weather data.
The CFP Era
12 seasons inside the CFP era, no bids yet — the era the program is still trying to break into.
TRAJECTORY · quality-score line · AP rank dotted · CFP bids marked · coach regimes ribboned
Program Quality
AP Rank (inverted)
CFP Appearance
Western Michigan's 2014–2025 record is 85-62. The era is still being written; the CFP line is the one the program is arguing for.
All-Time Record
374-360-7
since 1917 · 82 seasons · .504 win rate
HOME
218-126-5
AWAY
151-222-2
NEUTRAL
5-12
1910s
1920s
1930s
1940s
1950s
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s
2020s
The program, in full — read the essay
Western Michigan was picked seventh in the MAC in 2025 and won the whole conference. A 23-13 title-game win over Miami (OH), then a 41-6 bowl demolition of Kennesaw State — the Broncos' first championship since P.J. Fleck's 13-1 miracle in 2016, by a team nobody saw coming.
Waldo Stadium in Kalamazoo is where 'Row the Boat' was invented, and the phrase belongs to a Minnesota coach now, but the program that built it just proved the philosophy was always bigger than the slogan. Lance Taylor took a roster the MAC picked seventh and turned it into a conference champion — and the way it happened matters. Not a fluke win, not a soft bracket. A 10-4 season, a 7-1 league record, a statement title-game victory, and then the most lopsided bowl performance the Broncos have put together in years.
The nine years between 2016 and 2025 weren't a failure exactly — Western Michigan stayed competitive, made bowls, developed NFL players — but the program knew what it had been and what it hadn't gotten back to. Fleck left for Minnesota and took the rowing metaphor with him, and the Broncos spent the decade between defined by a season their coach wasn't even there for anymore. Taylor's 2025 team answered that. Quarterback Broc Lowry ran the offense, the defense held together in the close games, and the MAC trophy came back to Kalamazoo. The internal question entering 2026 is one the fanbase has felt before: whether the breakthrough holds, or whether the program follows the 2016 pattern and dips once the season of a generation passes.
The 2026 schedule will answer a direct question: is Lance Taylor building a MAC power, or was 2025 the same thing 2016 was — one extraordinary year that makes the next few years feel smaller? The Broncos return enough of the 2025 roster to be a legitimate favorite. Whether they handle the weight of defending champions in a league full of teams pointing at them is the actual test.
How they play
Development football — the MAC model at its most rigorous. Western Michigan wins by maximizing its players' ceiling, not by out-recruiting the conference. The offense under Taylor runs with tempo, uses the quick passing game to manufacture yards after contact, and asks the QB to operate within structure rather than freelance. The 'Row the Boat' DNA runs underneath all of it: belief that effort compounds, that every opponent can be beaten with enough preparation. Waldo Stadium's 1939-vintage intimacy makes the home crowd a real factor on autumn Saturdays in Kalamazoo.
Declining
Western Michigan 2016–2025. Slipping -1.0 rungs across the last 10 seasons. Slope -0.20 rungs / year — moving down the prestige scale.
CFP Era · Western Michigan
12 seasons on file
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
down middle peak CFP year
Season Standing · 2025 · 10-4
Season Standing · 2025 · 10-4Bowl eligible
Western Michigan: 6+ wins, bowl access secured. The baseline of a successful FBS year.
R0R1R2R3R4R5R6R7R8R9
Sub-FBSBuildingBowlRankedContenderPlayoff
Mid-American Standing · 2025
1st in the Mid-American
Western Michigan sits at the top of the Mid-American at 7-1. Everyone else is chasing.
| # | Program | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western Michigan | 7-1 |
| 2 | Ohio | 5-2 |
| 3 | Toledo | 5-2 |
| 4 | Central Michigan | 5-3 |
| 5 | Miami (OH) | 5-3 |
| 6 | Akron | 4-4 |
| 7 | Buffalo | 4-4 |
| 8 | Ball State | 3-4 |
| 9 | Kent State | 3-4 |
| 10 | Eastern Michigan | 2-5 |
| 11 | Bowling Green | 2-6 |
| 12 | Sacramento State | 0-0 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | 0-7 |
Coaching Era · Western Michigan
Coaching Era · Western MichiganLance Taylor
Lance Taylor has held the program for 4 seasons — the era is established.
Era Lance Taylor · 2023–presentPrev: Tim Lester (2017–2022)OC: Walt BellPrev OC: Billy Cosh (2023)DC: co-Greer Martini / co-Duane VaughnPrev DC: Chris O'Leary (2025)
4
years · era
Rituals
Three gameday rituals — the ones outsiders never quite catch.
P.J. Fleck Era (2013-2016)
since 2013
P.J. Fleck — age-32 youngest FBS head coach at the time — produced the program's modern peak: 2016 13-1 + MAC championship + Cotton Bowl appearance + #15 final AP rank. Fleck's 'Row the Boat' mantra + recruiting culture + program-rebuilding methodology made WMU national G5 case study. Fleck's 2017 departure to Minnesota took the Row the Boat brand with him.
Row the Boat Origin
since 2013
'Row the Boat' — P.J. Fleck's defining mantra — was born at WMU during the 2013-2016 era. The oar-as-team-symbol + the rowing-as-cohesion metaphor + the senior-class oar-handoff ritual originated here before traveling to Minnesota with Fleck. The Row the Boat trademark + brand identity are uniquely WMU's contribution to CFB.
Waldo Stadium Tradition
since 1939
Waldo Stadium (built 1939) — Western Michigan's on-campus venue with 30,200 capacity — anchors the program. The historic stadium + Kalamazoo geographic setting + MAC conference identity + the 1939 dedication tradition create a venue distinct from larger flagship-state programs.
Program memory
What this program never forgets
Most weeks vanish. These didn’t.
2016
The 13-1 Cotton Bowl season
An undefeated regular season, a MAC title, and a Cotton Bowl berth — the program's high-water mark
The 2025 MAC championship
A 23-13 title-game win over Miami (OH) for the first conference crown since 2016, by a team picked seventh
2025
Myrtle Beach Bowl rout
A 41-6 demolition of Kennesaw State that capped a 10-win season
Moment of the Year · Western Michigan · 2025
Moment of the Year · Western Michigan · 2025Postseason · Won 41-6 vs Kennesaw State
Week 16 of 2025. Postseason win — the season-defining moment.
Bowl / Postseason Ledger
Bowl / Postseason LedgerRecent postseason (2014-2025): 3-5
Most recent: 2025 — win 41-6 (home). Last 5 postseason: 2-3.
20252024202120192018
NFL Draft Pipeline
2022–2025
NFL Draft PipelineDeveloping
4 picks last 5 cycles. Pipeline emerging.
4
picks · 0 R1
#54
Skyy Moore
Wide Receiver · 2022 · Kansas City
#56
Marshawn Kneeland
Defensive Edge · 2024 · Dallas · #189/418 final season
#178
Bilhal Kone
Cornerback · 2025 · Baltimore · #144/327 final season
#103 all-time · 2 first-round picksthe talent factory →
Unit lineage
Western Michigan’s offense and defense, by coordinator
FBS-relative efficiency percentile per season (2014–2025), same population as the Coordinator Mirror board. Dashed vertical lines mark a coordinator change.
Offense2014–2025
2014–2016 · Kirk Ciarrocca2017 · Kevin Johns / co-Jake Moreland2018–2020 · Jake Moreland2021 · co-Mike Bath / co-Eric Evans2022 · Jeff Thorne2023 · Billy Cosh2024–2025 (ongoing) · Walt Bell
Defense2014–2025
2014–2016 · Ed Pinkham2017–2018 · Tim Daoust / co-Lou Esposito2019–2023 · Lou Esposito2024 · Scott Power2025 · Chris O'Leary
Hired for 2026: co-Greer Martini / co-Duane Vaughn — not yet reflected in on-field data.
Elite (≥70th pct)AveragePoor (≤30th pct)
Chronicle Visuals
Among the most continuous rosters into 2025 — 100% back, anchored by the qb room, only offense to settle.
The portal upgraded the IOL room but opened a hole at EDGE.
1 player drafted in 2025; the reload runs through the portal and recruiting.
Western Michigan converts recruit talent into draft picks better than its class rank suggests.
r/cfb moments
141
[Postgame Thread] Western Michigan Defeats Buffalo 24-17
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