Michigan Football: 3 things you need to know about Western Michigan
By Alex Hinton
Michigan football will host Western Michigan on Saturday and here are three things you need to know about the Broncos heading into that matchup.
We are just days away from Michigan football being back in our lives. The Wolverines will welcome Western Michigan to the Big House. Here are three things to know about Western Michigan. For a more in-depth preview of the Broncos, click here.
Western Michigan has one of the best offenses in the country
Western Michigan only played six games last season, but last season offensively it ranked among the best in the country.
The Broncos had the ninth highest-scoring offense in the country 41.7 points. In Kaleb Eleby, the Broncos have one of the best quarterbacks Michigan football will see this year. He is the most efficient returning passer in the country after posting a 195.1 passer rating.
Eleby has a big arm but he has the accuracy to go with it. There is a good chance you will see him playing on Sundays down the line.
Eleby gets most of his top weapons back this season. Western Michigan gets its top three rushers back in LaDarius Jefferson, Sean Tyler, and Jaxson Kincade. Jefferson led the team with 624 rushing yards and five touchdowns.
Last year, Western Michigan had a dynamic trio of wide receivers in D’Wayne Eskridge, Jaylen Hall, and Skyy Moore. Eskridge is off to the NFL but Hall and Moore are back.
Hall is a 6-foot-4 deep threat who can win with speed or jump balls. He caught a touchdown on 58.3% of his catches last season. Moore is a 5-foot-9 speedster who can work in the slot or line up outside.
Left tackle Jaylon Moore was also an NFL draft pick, but Western Michigan returns four starters on its offensive line.
Last year, Western Michigan was excellent in pass protection, only surrendering seven sacks in six games. It also paved the way for a solid ground attack as Jefferson, Tyler, and Kincade each averaged at least 5.6 yards per carry.
Left guard Mike Caniello leads the unit as a first-team All-MAC selection last year, but this season he will be moving to center.