Western Michigan University Athletics

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P.J. (Philip John) Fleck was announced as the 15th Head Coach in the 108 year history of the Western Michigan football program on Tuesday, December 18, 2012 to rebuild the program. Coach Fleck has received the reputation of being a program “turn around” coach by being under the tutelage of proven program builders including; Joe Novak (retired- Northern Illinois), Jerry Kill (Minnesota, Southern Illinois, Northern Illinois, Emporia State, Saginaw Valley State), Greg Schiano (Rutgers), and Jim Tressel (Youngstown State, Ohio St.).  He is distinguished as one of two Head Coaches (along with Jim Harbaugh) currently in college football (FBS) that has played and coached in the NFL. 

2015: Coach Fleck coached the Broncos to their first bowl win in program history, beating Middle Tennessee State 45-31, at the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl on Dec. 24. Western Michigan finished the season 8-5 after rattling off six straight wins during MAC play. The Broncos finished the regular season, beating No. 24 Toledo 35-30 for their first win over a ranked opponent in program history. The win gave the Broncos their first share of a MAC West title since 2000. The team featured the fourth straight MAC Freshman of the Year, as Jamauri Bogan ran for over 1,000 yards and 16 TDs. He was named the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl Offensive MVP after rushing for 215 yards and four touchdowns. Off the field, Fleck led Western Michigan to its highest team GPA in program history with a 2.93 in the fall semester. For its academic pursuits, the team featured a program record 12 Academic All-MAC Team selections and five MAC Fall Scholar-Athletes.

2014: Coach Fleck engineered the single greatest turnaround in WMU football history and the second-best turnaround in MAC history after leading the team to an 8-5 record overall, a 6-2 record in the MAC and a berth in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. Fleck was named Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year and was also a semifinalist for the Maxwell National Coach of the Year award. His recruiting expertise produced the MAC Offensive Player of the Year, MAC Freshman of the Year and USA Today Freshman All-American running back Jarvion Franklin. In total, 11 Broncos were named All-MAC, including First Team selections Franklin, Corey Davis, Donald Celiscar. Celiscar and Third Team All-MAC selection Ronald Zamort ended the season as NCAA Statistical Champions for passes defended. The countless hours of charity in the community continued under Fleck as did excellence in the classroom with nine Academic All-MAC selections and three MAC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete selections. The team boasted a GPA of 2.91, the second-highest recorded GPA in program history.

2013: Under the leadership of Coach Fleck WMU had three All-Mid-American Conference selections, including MAC Freshman of the Year WR Corey Davis, Davis was also selected for All-MAC Second Team Offense. Linebacker Travonte Boles was selected for the All-MAC Second Team Defense. Defensive Back Donald Celiscar was selected for the All-MAC Third team. In the classroom Coach Fleck had 17 Academic All- MAC players including: Kyle Lark,  Justin Currie, Chris Prom, Leo Alba, Andrew Aurand, Darrin Duncan, Brian Fields, Jon Hoffing, Taylor Moton, Alec Moulton, Clark Mussman, Kirk Nakama, J. Schroeder, Cory Sueing, Zach Terrell, Tyler Van Tubbergan, and Zack Wynn. Coach Fleck orchestrated the best recruiting class in the history of the MAC, ranking 58th nationally according to Rivals.com. It was the highest ranked recruiting class amongst all non-power five conference schools.  Sporting News named Coach Fleck the “Best Head Coach Recruiter”, and Sports Illustrated’s “Campus Union” blog named him the “Best Hire” of 2013.  Fleck campaigned for funds which brought new turf for Waldo Stadium and the Seelye Center, WMU’s indoor practice facility, and a complete renovation of the team’s locker room and The Bill Brown Alumni Football Center. After the season Coach Fleck was inducted into the Kaneland High School Hall of Fame class of 2014 for his personal achievements. 

2012: Coach Fleck followed Rutgers head Coach Greg Schiano into the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After just one season with Fleck as a wide receivers coach both Mike Williams and Vincent Jackson had the best seasons of their careers with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Jackson ranked fifth in the NFL in receiving yards (1,226), ninth in TDs (8) and fifth in receiving yards per game (87.6). Jackson went on to start for the NFC in the 2012 Pro Bowl for the first time in his career. Williams set a new career-best with 996 yards receiving and signed a multi-year deal worth approximately 46 million dollars in the off-season.

2010-11: The pipeline to the next level as a wide receivers coach continued for Fleck at Rutgers under Coach Schiano. Mohamed Sanu (Cincinnati Bengals), Quron Pratt (Philadelphia Eagles), Mark Harrison (Kansas City Chiefs), Brandon Coleman (New Orleans Saints), and Tim Wright (Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New England Patriots) all saw success at Rutgers before heading to glory in the NFL. Sanu finished the 2011 season setting both a school and Big East Conference record with 115 receptions for 1,206 yards and seven touchdowns, earning All-Big East honors and becoming one of the top-rated prospects in the 2012 NFL Draft.

2007-09: Coach Fleck returned to his alma mater, Northern Illinois, for three seasons as the wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator (2009). The recruiting classes that Coach Fleck put together went on to have record-breaking success with players such as Jordan Lynch, Martell Moore (Atlanta Falcons), Perez Ashford (New England Patriots, Cleveland Browns, Seattle Seahawks), and Cameron Stingily. Under his tutelage, Wide Receivers Britt Davis (New York Jets, Denver Broncos, New England Patriots), current WMU wide receivers coach Matt Simon (New Orleans Saints), Nathan Palmer (San Francisco 49ers, Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, Denver Broncos) and Landon Cox (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) all advanced on to the NFL.

2006: Coach Fleck was an offensive graduate assistant with Ohio State for their Big Ten Championship season. The Buckeyes went 8-0 in conference play and 12-1 overall with a trip to the BCS National Championship Game. Fleck worked with wide receivers Ted Ginn Jr. (Miami Dolphins, San Francisco 49ers, Carolina Panthers, Arizona Cardinals), Anthony Gonzalez (Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots), Brian Hartline (Miami Dolphins), Roy Hall (Indianapolis Colts, New Orleans Saints, Detroit Lions) and Brian Robiskie (Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars, Detroit Lions, Atlanta Falcons, Tennessee Titans), all of which went on to substantial careers in the NFL.

NFL Playing Career

2004-2005: Fleck played for two seasons with the San Francisco 49ers (2004-05). After signing with the 49ers as a free agent in 2004, he spent most of that season on the practice squad before making an appearance versus the New England Patriots late in the year. He was placed on the injured reserve roster in 2005. In 2006, he left the 49ers to begin his coaching career.

Collegiate Playing Career (1999-2003): Coach Fleck played from 1999-2003 at Northern Illinois, capping his collegiate career with the Huskies defeating Maryland, Alabama and Iowa State, rising to a No. 10 national ranking en route to a 10-2 mark.  He ranks third in career receptions (179) and fourth in career receiving yards (2,162) in NIU history.  Fleck has the second most receptions in a season (77) and led the Huskies in receiving yards in both 2001 (732) and 2003 (1,028).  He holds the school record for punt returns (87) and ranks second in punt return yards (716) in a career. Fleck was named the National Player of the Week against Ohio University in 2003. In that game Coach Fleck had 14 receptions for 234 yards which ranks as the second best single game performance in NIU history.

Fleck earned First Team All-Mid-American Conference in 2003 along with being named Academic All-MAC and Second Team CoSIDA Academic All-American.  Fleck showed his propensity for winning at the high school level (Maple Kaneland), winning 2 state championships in football.  He was awarded all-state honors in three different sports three years in a row (football, basketball, and track).

Fleck (35/DOB: 11-29-1980) is married to Heather Jackson. The couple has four children, Gavin, Carter, Paisley (P.J.) and Harper.