# 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.
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.
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.

## Recruiting class

US college sports recruiting information for 2014 recruits :
| Name | Hometown | High school / college | 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 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: N/A |||||||
| Jordan Billingslea WR | Southfield, MI | Southfield HS | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | 153 lb (69 kg) | Jul 25, 2013 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: N/A |||||||
| Jamauri Bogan RB | Union Township, NJ | Union HS | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | 164 lb (74 kg) | Jun 28, 2013 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: 73 |||||||
| Nathan Braster DE | Fort Wayne, IN | South Side HS | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | 240 lb (110 kg) | Jul 23, 2013 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: N/A |||||||
| Asantay Brown ATH | Muskegon, MI | Mona Shores HS | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | 190 lb (86 kg) | Feb 12, 2013 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: 73 |||||||
| Deontae Brown DB | Chicago, IL | Mount Carmel HS | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | 198 lb (90 kg) | Apr 20, 2013 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: 69 |||||||
| Curtis Doyle OL | Alma, MI | Alma HS | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | 287 lb (130 kg) | Apr 25, 2013 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: 73 |||||||
| Leo Ekwoge RB | Olney, MD | Good Counsel HS | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | 200 lb (91 kg) | Jul 25, 2013 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: 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 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A |||||||
| Kenny Finley DT | Muskegon, MI | Muskegon HS | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 279 lb (127 kg) | Jan 5, 2013 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: 76 |||||||
| Jarvion Franklin RB | Tinley Park, IL | Andrew HS | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | 219 lb (99 kg) | Jul 25, 2013 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: N/A |||||||
| Jay Harris WR | Exton, PA | Downingtown East HS | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | 170 lb (77 kg) | Nov 14, 2013 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: 77 |||||||
| JaKevin Jackson LB | Milledgeville, GA | Georgia Military College | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 226 lb (103 kg) | Nov 17, 2013 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: N/A |||||||
| Lonnie Johnson ATH | Gary, IN | West Side HS | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 180 lb (82 kg) | Nov 19, 2013 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: 81 |||||||
| Elliot Jordan OL | Kentwood, MI | East Kentwood HS | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) | 255 lb (116 kg) | Nov 6, 2013 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: 73 |||||||
| Nick Matich DT | Clarkston, MI | Clarkston HS | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | 283 lb (128 kg) | Jun 29, 2013 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: N/A |||||||
| Chris McDaniel ATH | Detroit, MI | Cass Tech HS | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | 233 lb (106 kg) | Apr 11, 2013 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: N/A |||||||
| Zach Novoselsky OL | Lincolnshire, IL | Stevenson HS | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | 273 lb (124 kg) | Jul 19, 2013 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: 72 |||||||
| Chukwuma Okorafor OL | Southfield, MI | Southfield HS | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | 280 lb (130 kg) | May 4, 2013 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: 74 |||||||
| Wyatt Pfeifer OL | Delaware, OH | Buckeye Valley HS | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 245 lb (111 kg) | Jul 25, 2013 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: N/A |||||||
| Delshawn Phillips LB | Detroit, MI | Cass Tech HS | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | 225 lb (102 kg) | Apr 11, 2013 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: N/A |||||||
| Javonte Seabury ATH | Orlando, FL | Timber Creek HS | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | 153 lb (69 kg) | Jan 2, 2014 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: 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 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: N/A |||||||
| Robert Spillane ATH | Oak Park, IL | Fenwick HS | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | 217 lb (98 kg) | Mar 23, 2013 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: 75 |||||||
| Chance Stewart QB | Sturgis, MI | Sturgis HS | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | 207 lb (94 kg) | Apr 18, 2013 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: 80 |||||||
| Antione Stone ATH | Bedford, OH | Bedford HS | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | 180 lb (82 kg) | Jun 19, 2013 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: N/A |||||||
| Jason Sylva LB | Franklin, MA | Dean JC | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 250 lb (110 kg) | Dec 16, 2013 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: 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 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: 77 |||||||
| Overall recruiting rankings: Scout: 56 Rivals: 58 |||||||
| ‡ Refers to 40 yard dash Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, 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.com. Retrieved February 5, 2014. "Western Michigan Football Commitment List". Scout.com. Retrieved February 5, 2014. "Western Michigan Football Commitment List". ESPN.com. Retrieved February 5, 2014. "Scout.com Team Recruiting Rankings". Scout.com. Retrieved February 5, 2014. "2014 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved February 5, 2014. |||||||

## Schedule

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

## 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: ||||