CNNSI.com - 2000 College Football Preview - CNNSI.com's Western Michigan preview

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Western Michigan Broncos

Loss of Lester leaves big hole

College Football: The New Century

'99: 7-5, 6-2 MAC

Coach

Gary Darnell (fourth season, 22-13; 25-16 overall)

Key offensive players

Steve Neal, WR, Sr.
School's career leader in receptions (168), receiving yards (2,751) and touchdown receptions (24).

Robert Sanford, TB, Sr.
Doak Walker Award candidate has topped 1,000 yards twice in his career.

Key defensive players

Ronald Rogers, CB, Jr.
Had an end-zone interception in the MAC title game.

Ivan Maisel's Player of the Century: Jerome Persell, RB, 1976-78
"Three-time conference Player of the Year is still the Broncos' all-time leading rusher."

Brightest Moment: Lost to Fresno State, 35-30 in the 1988 California Bowl. The Broncos compiled 503 yards as 15 Cal Bowl records were broken and another seven tied in a four-hour affair.

Lowest Moment: The Broncos suffered through a 1-10 season in 1975.

Mario Evans, LB, Sr.
Ranked second on the team with 107 tackles last fall.

Key newcomer

Ryan Harris, QB, Jr.
At Ricks (Idaho) Junior College, Harris set career marks in completions (382), completion percentage (.617) and touchdowns (51).

Throwback

Linebacker Garrett Soldano plays with great emotion and is very physical.

21st century player

Split end Steve Neal is very fast with solid hands, one of the nation¹s top receivers.

Fast fact

Graduated WMU quarterback Tim Lester is sixth in NCAA history in career touchdown passes with 83.

Outlook

Western Michigan will definitely miss quarterback Tim Lester, who set 17 school records and six MAC records. Still, the Broncos return 15 starters and JUCO signee Harris or little-used Jeff Welsh should be able to get the job done at quarterback. This team has a returning 1,000-yard rusher in Sanford, a 1,000-yard receiver in Neal and four starters returning in the offensive line. Much of the success will depend on the play of Harris or Welsh.

--Stan Crawley