Football | August 18, 2016

KALAMAZOO, Mich. – One of the most publicized groups on the 2016 Western Michigan football team is the wide receivers, and rightfully so. At the top of the group is senior Corey Davis, who was just recently named a CBS Preseason All-American.
 
But who is going to step up to take some of the pressure off of Davis? That will be one of the most exciting things to see during the 2016 season.
 
"I think everyone will have to step up this year but that's the expectation that we put on the offense," wide receivers coach Matt Simon said. "Obviously Corey is special. Not just what he is able to do physically, but what he is able to do mentally with the younger players on the team. He's the guy that comes out every single day and he is the hardest working guy at practice and it rubs off on the team."
 
Davis, who hails from Wheaton, Ill., is a two-time First Team All-Mid-American Conference (MAC) honoree. He was the 2013 MAC Freshman of the Year, was named to the 2016 Maxwell Award Watch List (for America's College Player of the year), is just 400 yards shy of becoming the MAC's all-time leading receiver and will enter the season as the leading active receiver in the country with 3,785 yards. Even with all this attention, one thing you won't hear or see from Davis, is the preseason pressure getting to him.
 
"I'm just not focusing on (the media attention), I'm just focusing on the game, the team, the process and where we have to get to," Davis said. "I'm mainly taking it one day at a time in camp, mentally and physically preparing myself as much as I can."
 
One of the guys lining up alongside Davis will be redshirt senior Carrington Thompson, a Houston, Texas native who made eight catches for 89 yards and two touchdowns last season. Thompson is a leading candidate to take some pressure off of Davis, but as long as it's helping the team win he's all for it.
 
"I'm just trying to do the best I can to help the team out every day, and if the opportunities do come my way I would like it as long as I'm helping the team out" Thompson said. "We all have to step up. There are no individuals because we are one unit and it doesn't all fall on Corey."
 
Other notable receivers include senior Michael Henry and redshirt freshman Keishawn Watson, who both have been stepping up and making big plays in camp according to Davis. The Broncos open the 2016 season up at Northwestern on Sept. 3, leaving plenty of time for other players to make a name for themselves.
 
"When Davis comes out here and works his tail off it becomes contagious and that's the expectation and the standard that (the receivers) have started to hold themselves to," Simon added. "That's the best for me, our group and really our team. It's not just rubbing off on the receivers or the offense, the defense sees Davis running down the field working his tail off and they start to do it as well."