2014 Western Michigan Broncos football team

The 2014 Western Michigan Broncos football team represented Western Michigan University (WMU) in the 2014 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by second-year head coach P. J. Fleck and played their home games at Waldo Stadium as a member of the West Division of the Mid-American Conference (MAC). They finished the season 8–5, 6–2 in MAC play to finish in third place in the West Division. They were invited to the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl where they lost to Air Force.

2014 Western Michigan Broncos football
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, L 24–38 vs. Air Force
Conference	Mid-American Conference
Division	West Division
Record	8–5 (6–2 MAC)
Head coach	P. J. Fleck (2nd season)
Offensive coordinator	Kirk Ciarrocca (2nd season)
Offensive scheme	Spread
Defensive coordinator	Ed Pinkham (2nd season)
Base defense	4–3
Home stadium	Waldo Stadium
Seasons ← 2013 2015 →

2014 Mid-American Conference football standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
East Division
Bowling Green x		5	–	3					8	–	6
Ohio		4	–	4					6	–	6
Buffalo		3	–	4					5	–	6
Akron		3	–	5					5	–	7
UMass		3	–	5					3	–	9
Miami (OH)		2	–	6					2	–	10
Kent State		1	–	6					2	–	9
West Division
Northern Illinois xy$		7	–	1					11	–	3
Toledo x		7	–	1					9	–	4
Western Michigan		6	–	2					8	–	5
Central Michigan		5	–	3					7	–	6
Ball State		4	–	4					5	–	7
Eastern Michigan		1	–	7					2	–	10
Championship: Northern Illinois 51, Bowling Green 17
$ – Conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions y – Championship game participant

WMU lost its season opener against Purdue, 43–34. Freshman running back Jarvion Franklin rushed for 163 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries. The 163 yards were the third-highest by a freshman in the NCAA. He was named MAC West Offensive Player of the Week.^[1]

At the end of the 2014 season, head coach P. J. Fleck was awarded with the Mid American Conference Head Coach of the Year award. Jarvion Franklin was named the MAC Offensive Player of the Year, becoming the first freshman to ever receive the honor.^[2]

Recruiting class

College recruiting information (2014)
Name	Hometown	School	Height	Weight	Commit date
Lucas Bezerra TE	Troy, MI	Troy HS	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)	230 lb (100 kg)	Apr 13, 2013
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (N/A)
Jordan Billingslea WR	Southfield, MI	Southfield HS	5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)	153 lb (69 kg)	Jul 25, 2013
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (N/A)
Jamauri Bogan RB	Union Township, NJ	Union HS	5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)	164 lb (74 kg)	Jun 28, 2013
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (73)
Nathan Braster DE	Fort Wayne, IN	South Side HS	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)	240 lb (110 kg)	Jul 23, 2013
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (N/A)
Asantay Brown ATH	Muskegon, MI	Mona Shores HS	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)	190 lb (86 kg)	Feb 12, 2013
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (73)
Deontae Brown DB	Chicago, IL	Mount Carmel HS	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)	198 lb (90 kg)	Apr 20, 2013
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (69)
Curtis Doyle OL	Alma, MI	Alma HS	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)	287 lb (130 kg)	Apr 25, 2013
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (73)
Leo Ekwoge RB	Olney, MD	Good Counsel HS	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)	200 lb (91 kg)	Jul 25, 2013
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (73)
Jacari Faulkner DE	Detroit, MI	U of D Jesuit HS	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)	230 lb (100 kg)	May 6, 2013
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:
Kenny Finley DT	Muskegon, MI	Muskegon HS	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)	279 lb (127 kg)	Jan 5, 2013
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (76)
Jarvion Franklin RB	Tinley Park, IL	Andrew HS	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)	219 lb (99 kg)	Jul 25, 2013
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (N/A)
Jay Harris WR	Exton, PA	Downingtown East HS	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)	170 lb (77 kg)	Nov 14, 2013
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (77)
JaKevin Jackson LB	Milledgeville, GA	Georgia Military College	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)	226 lb (103 kg)	Nov 17, 2013
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (N/A)
Lonnie Johnson ATH	Gary, IN	West Side HS	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)	180 lb (82 kg)	Nov 19, 2013
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (81)
Elliot Jordan OL	Kentwood, MI	East Kentwood HS	6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)	255 lb (116 kg)	Nov 6, 2013
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (73)
Nick Matich DT	Clarkston, MI	Clarkston HS	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)	283 lb (128 kg)	Jun 29, 2013
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (N/A)
Chris McDaniel ATH	Detroit, MI	Cass Tech HS	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)	233 lb (106 kg)	Apr 11, 2013
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (N/A)
Zach Novoselsky OL	Lincolnshire, IL	Stevenson HS	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)	273 lb (124 kg)	Jul 19, 2013
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (72)
Chukwuma Okorafor OL	Southfield, MI	Southfield HS	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)	280 lb (130 kg)	May 4, 2013
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (74)
Wyatt Pfeifer OL	Delaware, OH	Buckeye Valley HS	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)	245 lb (111 kg)	Jul 25, 2013
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (N/A)
Delshawn Phillips LB	Detroit, MI	Cass Tech HS	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)	225 lb (102 kg)	Apr 11, 2013
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (N/A)
Javonte Seabury ATH	Orlando, FL	Timber Creek HS	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)	153 lb (69 kg)	Jan 2, 2014
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (74)
Alon Sims ATH	Royal Palm Beach, FL	Royal Palm Beach HS	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)	177 lb (80 kg)	May 2, 2014
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (N/A)
Robert Spillane ATH	Oak Park, IL	Fenwick HS	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)	217 lb (98 kg)	Mar 23, 2013
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (75)
Chance Stewart QB	Sturgis, MI	Sturgis HS	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)	207 lb (94 kg)	Apr 18, 2013
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (80)
Antione Stone ATH	Bedford, OH	Bedford HS	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)	180 lb (82 kg)	Jun 19, 2013
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (N/A)
Jason Sylva LB	Franklin, MA	Dean JC	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)	250 lb (110 kg)	Dec 16, 2013
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (N/A)
Jordan Van Dort OL	Zeeland, MI	Zeeland West HS	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)	283 lb (128 kg)	Oct 4, 2013
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (77)
Overall recruit ranking:   Scout: 56    Rivals: 58
‡ Refers to 40-yard dash Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, On3, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height, weight and 40 time. In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. Sources: "Western Michigan Football Commitment List". Rivals. Retrieved February 5, 2014. "Western Michigan Football Commitment List". Scout. Retrieved February 5, 2014. "Western Michigan Football Commitment List". ESPN. Retrieved February 5, 2014. "Scout.com Team Recruiting Rankings". Scout. Retrieved February 5, 2014. "2014 Team Ranking". Rivals. Retrieved February 5, 2014.

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
August 30	Noon	at Purdue*	Ross–Ade Stadium West Lafayette, IN	ESPNU	L 34–43	37,031[3]
September 13	5:00 pm	at Idaho*	Kibbie Dome Moscow, ID	ESPN3	W 45–33	14,721
September 20	7:00 pm	Murray State*	Waldo Stadium Kalamazoo, MI	ESPN3	W 45–14	22,226[4]
September 27	12:30 pm	at Virginia Tech*	Lane Stadium Blacksburg, VA	ESPN3	L 17–35	59,625[5]
October 4	7:00 pm	Toledo	Waldo Stadium Kalamazoo, MI	ESPN3	L 19–20 OT	11,493
October 11	3:00 pm	at Ball State	Scheumann Stadium Muncie, IN	ESPN3	W 42–38	11,237
October 18	2:00 pm	at Bowling Green	Doyt Perry Stadium Bowling Green, OH	BCSN[6]	W 26–14	15,201
October 25	2:00 pm	Ohio	Waldo Stadium Kalamazoo, MI	ESPN3	W 42–21	20,225
November 1	2:30 pm	at Miami (OH)	Yager Stadium Oxford, OH	ESPN3[7]	W 41–10	9,045
November 15	2:00 pm	Eastern Michigan	Waldo Stadium Kalamazoo, MI (Michigan MAC Trophy)	ESPN3	W 51–7	12,985
November 22	1:00 pm	at Central Michigan	Kelly/Shorts Stadium Mount Pleasant, MI (Victory Cannon, Michigan MAC Trophy)	ESPN3	W 32–20	17,265[8]
November 28	11:00 am	Northern Illinois	Waldo Stadium Kalamazoo, MI	ESPNU	L 21–31	11,195
December 20	5:45 pm	vs. Air Force*	Albertsons Stadium Boise, ID (Famous Idaho Potato Bowl)	ESPN	L 24–38	18,223
*Non-conference game Homecoming All times are in Eastern time

Schedule source:^[9][10]

Coaching staff

Name	Position	Year at WMU	Alma mater
P. J. Fleck	Head coach	2nd	Northern Illinois (2004)
Kirk Ciarrocca	Offensive coordinator	2nd	Temple (1990)
Ed Pinkham	Defensive coordinator, Defensive backs	2nd	Allegheny (1975)
Mike Hart	Running backs	1st	Michigan (2008)
Bill Kenney	Tight ends	2nd	Norwich (1982)
Tim McGarigle	Linebackers	3rd	Northwestern (2006)
Vinson Reynolds	Defensive line	2nd	Northern Illinois (2004)
Matt Simon	Wide receivers	1st	Northern Illinois (2004)
Rob Wenger	Special teams	2nd	Colgate (2008)
Brian Callahan	Offensive line	2nd	Eastern Illinois (1992)
Reference:[11]