Western Michigan
Western Michigan

Western Michigan Team Report

Updated: April 26, 2012 02:37 EST

The meltdown of Western Michigan's defense during the second half of the 2011 football season was cause for alarm. The group looked great early in the season, but regressed to the point of being a major question mark heading into the offseason.

The defense is switching to a 3-3-5 alignment this season, and Broncos head coach Bill Cubit liked what he saw from the unit during spring practice.

The final impression, during Western Michigan's spring game, was of players such as Paul Hazel, Donald Celiscar, Lewis Toler and Johnnie Simon making big plays.

"It was a little watered down, but they made some big plays," Cubit said of the defense. "Donald (Celiscar) made a big play with the interception. (Demetrius) Pettway made a big play (with an interception).

"I wanted them to feel good when they walked out of here, like they had a chance to be really good. There's a lot of work to do, but they have a chance. It's the same way on offense."

The No. 1 defense intercepted three passes in the game and broke up seven more.

Hazel made seven tackles. Celiscar picked off a pass and ran it back 35 yards for a touchdown. Pettway made two interceptions while playing for the starting and backup defense, and Toler had an interception.

Running back remains a question mark position going into the fall, and not a lot of answers came forth during the spring. Only one back was healthy enough to play in the spring game. Antoin Scriven responded with 19 rushes for 111 yards.

Dareyon Chance, Brian Fields and Tevin Drake will add to the running back mix in the fall.

"I don't know what it's going to be (like) there," Cubit said. "I don't know how much Tevin will bring back when he comes back this summer. There's work to do there."

--Former Western Michigan basketball player Flenard Whitfield is trying to find a spot on the Broncos' football team this fall. The 6-foot-7, 238-pound senior, being used as a tight end, is behind most of the players on the Broncos' roster. Whitfield caught three passes in the spring game but fumbled twice. Yet he is an intriguing prospect. "We'll evaluate everything and break down packages and we'll tell him, 'Flenard, you have to know this, this and this,' " WMU coach Bill Cubit said. "We'll give him maybe five things and if he progresses, we'll give him a little more."

--S Johnnie Simon is expected to be a disruptive player for opposing offenses. He showed why in the spring game by showing up just about everywhere on the field.

--Starting QB Alex Carder, one of the top players in the Mid-American Conference at his position, played sparingly in the spring game and completed 6-of-10 passes for 75 yards. Backup Tyler Van Tubbergen responded to extended action by completing 21-of-33 passes for 265 yards and three touchdowns, but he threw three interceptions.

SPRING MOVERS:

WR Eric Monette -- The senior is being looked at as a prime target in the passing game and he showed why by catching 11 passes for 146 yards in the spring game. Monette earned a scholarship for the 2012 season.

DE/OLB Paul Hazel -- He is expected to play a big role for a defense that is switching to a hybrid 3-3-5 alignment. Hazel made seven tackles (three sacks) and deflected two passes in the spring game.

WR Timmy Keith -- The redshirt freshman looked comfortable this spring as he bids for playing time. In the spring game, he made three catches for 52 yards and a touchdown while playing with the starting offense.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "A lot of guys changing positions and moving to new places for the first time, I think spring football helps them. Looking back on a lot of guys when we first started to now, a lot of guys have improved on both sides of the ball." -- Safety Johnnie Simon on Western Michigan's defense.

2012 OUTLOOK: Western Michigan has several serious issues to address if it hopes to become a challenger in the Mid-American Conference West title race this year. The Broncos have the marquee QB a team needs to win a title in senior Alex Carder, but he doesn't have established weapons at his disposal. And he doesn't have a defense that has demonstrated it can be an effective unit. Carder has to be at the top of his game this year and the defense and special teams have to find a way to be effective.

SCOUTING THE OFFENSE: Alex Carder is one of the top quarterbacks in the Mid-American Conference, but he likely will be challenged early in the season by a receiving corps that graduated its top three targets. The spring and summer will be important for Carder as he tries to develop a good relationship with his new targets. Eric Monette, who caught 29 passes for 306 yards and a touchdown a year ago, will get a chance to lead the receiver group. The Broncos' offensive line appears more physical than it was a year ago. When Western Michigan played its first game in 2011, two of the starters up front had been on campus only three weeks.

SCOUTING THE DEFENSE: The Broncos have all kinds of questions about their defense. Rich Nagy has taken over as coordinator after Dave Cohen left for a coaching job at Rutgers. Nagy will find good depth in the secondary, but playmakers need to be found to fill the losses of DT Drew Nowak (MAC defensive player of the year) and LB Mitch Zajac. DT Travonte Boles will be given a chance to fulfill a larger role on the line.

SCOUTING THE SPECIAL TEAMS: Western Michigan is starting over in most areas of special teams after losing its punter, placekicker and top returner. "The kicking game is an issue," Broncos coach Bill Cubit said. Redshirt freshman Andrew Haldeman has the inside track on kickoffs, but the punting and field-goal kicking jobs are wide open. Kendrick Roberts will get first shot at kick and punt returns.

TOP NEWCOMERS:

S Demetris Ates -- He is a highly skilled and athletic player who will add length and size in the back of the defense. He had an offer to run track at a Big Ten school.

OLB Terry Eason -- He provides a different type of athlete for the Broncos than they've had at the position. He's big at 6-2, 230 pounds, and runs particularly well.

WR Jamie Wilson -- He was perhaps the most coveted of all the Broncos' recruits. He's a highly skilled receiver whose coach in high school was Jessie Hester, who played 12 years for the Oakland Raiders. Wilson also was tutored by Reidel Anthony, who played in the NFL five seasons.

ROSTER REPORT:

--Flenard Whitfield completed his basketball eligibility at Western Michigan in March, and he is trying out for the football team. The 6-foot-7 power forward in basketball is trying to make the football team as a tight end. He showed flashes of potential in spring practice but clearly has a long way to go to get on the field with regularity.

--Backup QB Mike Perish will transfer to Indiana State for an opportunity to play right away next season. The sophomore was well behind Alex Carder and Tyler Van Tubbergen on Western Michigan's depth chart.