2009 Western Michigan Broncos football team
Encyclopedia
The 2009 Western Michigan Broncos football team represented Western Michigan University
in the 2009 NCAA football
season. The WMU football team
was coached by Bill Cubit
and played their homes game in Waldo Stadium
in Kalamazoo, Michigan
. WMU finished the season 5–7, defeating fellow Mid-American Conference
(MAC) members Buffalo
, Eastern Michigan
, Miami
and Toledo
, Football Championship Subdivision team and losing to rival Central Michigan
, Kent State
, Northern Illinois
, Ball State
, Big Ten Conference
members Indiana
, Michigan
and Michigan State
.
Senior running back
Brandon West set NCAA and MAC records for career all-purpose yards and career kick return yards
during the week four game against Hofstra. West passed Miami
running back Travis Prentice
for all-purpose yards (6,111) and Eastern Michigan
's Trumaine Riley for kick return yards (2,541). West also currently holds the National Collegiate Athletic Association
record for active career record holder for all-purpose yards, kick return yards and kick returns.
member Illinois
and Western Athletic Conference
member Idaho
in the non-conference portion of the schedule. WMU participated in the Texas Bowl
, losing to Rice
38–14. Over the course of the season, the Broncos received votes in both the AP Poll
and the USA Today Coaches' Poll.
Hiller finished the game 22 of 38 for 259 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. WMU turned the ball over three times on the day, leading to seven Michigan points.
On defense, linebacker Austin Pritchard led the team with 13 tackles and a forced fumble.
Recap | Boxscore
Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University is a public university located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1903 by Dwight B. Waldo, and as of the Fall 2010 semester, its enrollment is 25,045....
in the 2009 NCAA football
2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on September 2, 2009, progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in Pasadena, California on January 7, 2010, featuring the...
season. The WMU football team
Western Michigan Broncos football
The Western Michigan Broncos football program represents Western Michigan University in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I and the Mid-American Conference . Western Michigan has competed in football since 1906, when they played three games in their inaugural season...
was coached by Bill Cubit
Bill Cubit
-External links:*...
and played their homes game in Waldo Stadium
Waldo Stadium
Waldo Stadium is a stadium in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It is primarily used for football, and is the home field of the Western Michigan University Broncos. Opened in 1939, it now has a capacity of 30,200 spectators.-History:...
in Kalamazoo, Michigan
Kalamazoo, Michigan
The area on which the modern city stands was once home to Native Americans of the Hopewell culture, who migrated into the area sometime before the first millennium. Evidence of their early residency remains in the form of a small mound in downtown's Bronson Park. The Hopewell civilization began to...
. WMU finished the season 5–7, defeating fellow Mid-American Conference
Mid-American Conference
The Mid-American Conference is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members...
(MAC) members Buffalo
2009 Buffalo Bulls football team
The 2009 Buffalo Bulls football team represented the University at Buffalo in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS college football season.-Notable players:* Naaman Roosevelt, Wide Receiver, 2008 First Team all-MAC....
, Eastern Michigan
2009 Eastern Michigan Eagles football team
The 2009 Eastern Michigan Eagles football team represented Eastern Michigan University in the college football season of 2009. They competed in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football during the football season...
, Miami
2009 Miami RedHawks football team
The 2009 Miami RedHawks football team represented Miami University in the college football season of 2009. They competed in the Mid-American Conference East Division of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football during the football season...
and Toledo
2009 Toledo Rockets football team
The 2009 Toledo Rockets football team represented The University of Toledo in the college football season of 2009. They competed in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football during the football season and as a member of the Mid-American...
, Football Championship Subdivision team and losing to rival Central Michigan
2009 Central Michigan Chippewas football team
The 2009 Central Michigan University Chippewas football team represented Central Michigan University in the college football season of 2009. They competed in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football during the football season. Central...
, Kent State
2009 Kent State Golden Flashes football team
The 2009 Kent State Golden Flashes football team represented Kent State University in the 2009 college football season. They competed in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football during the football season. Kent State competed as a member of...
, Northern Illinois
2009 Northern Illinois Huskies football team
The 2009 Northern Illinois Huskies football team represented Northern Illinois University in during the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Northern Illinois competed as a member of the Mid-American Conference West Division. The team was coached by Jerry Kill and played their home games in...
, Ball State
2009 Ball State Cardinals football team
The 2009 Ball State Cardinals football team represented Ball State University in the 2009 college football season. Ball State competed as a member of the Mid-American Conference West Division. The team was coached by Stan Parrish and played their homes game at Scheumann Stadium...
, Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
members Indiana
2009 Indiana Hoosiers football team
The 2009 Indiana Hoosiers football team represented Indiana University during the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Hoosiers were coached by Bill Lynch, who was in his third season season as head coach for the team. The Hoosiers played their home games in Memorial Stadium in...
, Michigan
2009 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 2009 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 2009 college football season. They played their home games at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan and competed in the Big Ten Conference...
and Michigan State
2009 Michigan State Spartans football team
The 2009 Michigan State Spartans football team competed on behalf of the Michigan State University in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Spartans were coached by Mark Dantonio, who was in his third season with the Spartans...
.
Senior running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Brandon West set NCAA and MAC records for career all-purpose yards and career kick return yards
Return yards
Return yards is an American football and Canadian football statistical measure that takes several forms. In American and Canadian football, progress is measured by advancing the football towards the opposing team's Goal line...
during the week four game against Hofstra. West passed Miami
Miami RedHawks football
The Miami University RedHawks, known as the Miami Redskins before 1996, are a NCAA Division I FBS college football program that competes in the Mid-American Conference...
running back Travis Prentice
Travis Prentice
Travis Jason Prentice is a former American football running back. Prentice holds the NCAA Division I-A records for career rushing touchdowns, total touchdowns, and points scored while playing running back for the Miami RedHawks.-High school career:Prentice attended duPont Manual High School in...
for all-purpose yards (6,111) and Eastern Michigan
Eastern Michigan Eagles football
The Eastern Michigan Eagles are a college football program at Eastern Michigan University. They compete in Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Mid-American Conference...
's Trumaine Riley for kick return yards (2,541). West also currently holds the National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
record for active career record holder for all-purpose yards, kick return yards and kick returns.
2008 summary
Western Michigan finished the 2008 season 9–4 overall and 6–2 in the Mid-American Conference. WMU finished tied for second in the West Division, defeating Big Ten ConferenceBig Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
member Illinois
2008 Illinois Fighting Illini football team
The 2008 Illinois Fighting Illini football team represented the University of Illinois in the 2008–2009 college football season. The team's head coach was Ron Zook. The Illini played their home games at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois...
and Western Athletic Conference
Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...
member Idaho
2008 Idaho Vandals football team
The 2008 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in NCAA Division I FBS college football during the 2008 season. Idaho competed as a member of the Western Athletic Conference , and played their home games in the Kibbie Dome...
in the non-conference portion of the schedule. WMU participated in the Texas Bowl
2008 Texas Bowl
The 2008 Texas Bowl was the third edition of the college football bowl game, and was played at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas. The game was played at 7:00 PM US CST on Tuesday, December 30, 2008. The game, telecast on NFL Network, featured the hometown Rice Owls against the Western Michigan...
, losing to Rice
2008 Rice Owls football team
The 2008 Rice Owls football team represented Rice University in the 2008 football season. The Owls played six home games at Rice Stadium in Houston, Texas The Owls finished the season with an overall record of 10-3 and a conference record of 7-1 in David Bailiff's second season.-Coaching...
38–14. Over the course of the season, the Broncos received votes in both the AP Poll
AP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
and the USA Today Coaches' Poll.
Mid-American Conference Player of the Week
- Jamail Berry, S
- Week 3 (Defense) – Recovered a fumble for a touchdown, one interception and a blocked PAT in 48–26 win over Miami. On the game's first play from scrimmage, Berry recovered a fumble and returned it 24 yards for the opening score. He recorded his first career interception on Miami's third possession. Berry blocked the PAT attempt in the third quarter.
- Week 11 (Defense) – Five tackles, career-high two interceptions and one recovered fumble in a 35–14 win at Eastern Michigan.
- Austin Pritchard, LBLinebackerA linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
- Week 2 (Defense) – Blocked fourth quarter field goal, game-high 12 tackles.
- Week 4 (Defense) – Recorded ten tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack in 24–10 win over Hofstra.
- Brandon West, RBRunning backA running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
/ KR- Week 6 (Offense) – Rushed for 153 yards and three touchdowns. Also threw for a touchdown pass in a 58–26 win vs. Toledo. West finished the game with 236 all-purpose yards.
- Week 8 (Special teams) – Gained 108 return yards, 282 all-purpose yards and two rushing touchdowns in 34–31 overtime win over Buffalo.
- Week 10 (Special teams) – Recorded 142 kick return yards and 262 all-purpose yards in a 49–14 loss against Michigan State. During the game, West set the NCAA Division I FBS record for kick return yards in a career. West broke the record of 2,945 return yards set by Jessie Henderson of SMUSMU Mustangs footballThe SMU Mustangs football program is a college football team that represents Southern Methodist University . The team competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member Conference USA...
. - Week 11 (Special teams) – Two kick returns for 43 yards and 183 all-purpose yards to set the NCAA Division I FBS record for career all-purpose yards in 35–14 win at Eastern Michigan.
Watch lists
- Ben Armer, P – Ray Guy AwardRay Guy AwardThe Ray Guy Award is presented annually to college football's top punter by the Greater Augusta Sports Council. The award is named after punter Ray Guy, a former All-American at Southern Mississippi and an all-pro player for the Oakland Raiders.-Criteria:...
- Tim HillerTim HillerTim Hiller is a American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at Western Michigan. Hiller is now head football coach at Gull Lake High School in Richland, Michigan.-Early...
, QBQuarterbackQuarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
– Davey O'Brien AwardDavey O'Brien AwardThe Davey O'Brien Award, officially the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award, named after Davey O'Brien, is presented annually to the collegiate American football player adjudged by the Davey O'Brien Foundation to be the best of all National Collegiate Athletic Association quarterbacks. The...
, Lowe's Senior CLASS AwardLowe's Senior CLASS AwardThe Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award is an annual college athletic award in the NCAA Division I. Qualified competitors must be seniors who have remained within their NCAA Division I college for a four-year commitment and achieved excellence in one of nine sports.....
, Manning AwardManning AwardThe Manning Award has been presented annually since 2004 to the collegiate American football quarterback adjudged by the Sugar Bowl Committee to be the best in the United States...
, Walter Camp AwardWalter Camp AwardThe Walter Camp Player of the Year Award is given annually to the collegiate American football Player of the Year, as decided by a group of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I-A head coaches and sports information directors under the auspices of the Walter Camp Football Foundation;... - Austin Pritchard, LBLinebackerA linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
– Lombardi AwardLombardi AwardThe Rotary Lombardi Award is awarded annually to the best college football lineman or linebacker. The Lombardi Award program was approved by the Rotary Club in Houston in 1970 shortly after the death of Vince Lombardi. The committee outlined the criteria for eligibility for the award, which... - Brandon West, RBRunning backA running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
– Doak Walker AwardDoak Walker AwardThe Doak Walker Award, first awarded in 1990, honors the United States's top college football running back. It is named after the Southern Methodist and Detroit Lions football player Doak Walker...
Schedule
Michigan
Michigan, 13 point favorites, scored 14 points in the first quarter and 17 in the second to lead 31–0 at halftime. WMU scored in the fourth quarter on a 73-yard touchdown pass from Tim Hiller to Juan Nunez to avoid the shutout. WMU outpassed Michigan 263 yards to 197, but only gained 38 yards on the ground.Hiller finished the game 22 of 38 for 259 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. WMU turned the ball over three times on the day, leading to seven Michigan points.
On defense, linebacker Austin Pritchard led the team with 13 tackles and a forced fumble.
Recap | Boxscore
Indiana
Recap | BoxscoreMiami
Recap | BoxscoreHofstra
Recap | BoxscoreNorthern Illinois
Recap | BoxscoreToledo
Recap | BoxscoreCentral Michigan
Recap | BoxscoreBuffalo
Recap | BoxscoreKent State
Recap | BoxscoreMichigan State
Recap | BoxscoreEastern Michigan
Recap | BoxscoreBall State
Recap | BoxscoreCoaching staff
- Bill CubitBill Cubit-External links:*...
– Head coach - Steve MorrisonSteve Morrison (American football)Steven Craig Morrison is a retired professional American football linebacker who played for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League from 1995 to 1998. He is currently the linebackers coach at Eastern Michigan University. He last served as the defensive coordinator for the Western...
– Defensive coordinator, linebackers - Ryan Cubit – Quarterbacks
- Tim Daoust – Defensive secondary
- Mike Grant – Wide receivers
- Rick Kravitz – Safeties
- Peter McCarthy – Defensive line
- Jake MorelandJake MorelandJake Moreland is a former player in the National Football League for the New York Jets andCleveland Browns in 2000 and 2001. Moreland currently serves as tight ends coach of the Western Michigan Broncos football team at his alma mater Western Michigan University.-References:...
– Tight ends - Mike Sabock – Running backs, special teams
- Bob Stanley – Offensive line
- Tim Knox – Director of football operations
- Brent Bassham – Defensive graduate assistant
- Matt Ludeman – Offensive graduate assistant