KALAMAZOO, Mich. - Western Michigan football announced its Class of 2011 at a press conference held on National Signing Day in the "W" Club Room of the Donald J. Seelye Athletic Center. Head coach Bill Cubit welcomed a signing class of 21 student-athletes to don the Brown & Gold beginning in 2007.
"We are very happy with the student-athletes we have joining Western Michigan University. We recruited these young men along with programs from the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), Big 12 and Conference USA and they decided that WMU was a great fit for them. That speaks volumes to how far the program has come in a very short time," commented Cubit.
The Broncos again recruited in and out of the region, focusing primarily on the Southeast and Midwest portions of the country. Unlike last season when the main emphasis was on offense, this year's class was evenly split between offense and defense. Seven members of this year's recruiting class were named all-state at one point in their careers, while nine members have participated or have been selected to participate in at least one postseason all-star game.
WMU will be bringing in nine new members to its offensive unit, while the defensive side of the ball will welcome 11 new members. Western Michigan is also bringing in one punter with this year's class. Out of the nine offensive players joining the program, four are wide receivers and four are offensive linemen.
Western Michigan loses only one receiver, Joe Chapple, to graduation from the 2006 squad but there can never be too much depth at the skill position. These five newcomers, along with the corps of receivers returning will provide that depth to the Broncos. These rookies will join a group of returning receivers that accounted for 216 of the team's 252 receptions in 2006 and 2,087 of the team's 2,403 receiving yards.
WMU is also adding one highly touted tight end to its already stout unit. The Broncos' tight ends accounted for 48 receptions, 530 yards and 10 of the Brown & Gold's 20 aerial touchdowns a season ago.
The four offensive linemen will join a unit that is losing two members, one starter in Dominic Moran, heading into 2007. The combined weight of these rookies is 1,180 pounds for an average of 295 pounds. Three of the four linemen stand six-foot-four with the other standing six-foot-3. These freshmen are joining a unit that has boasted a 1,000-yard rusher the past two seasons and led the Mid-American Conference and ranked 14th nationally in sacks allowed per game (1.31).
Western Michigan brings in a pair of linebackers, one inside and one outside. The program welcomes two defensive tackles as well as a pair of defensive ends. Rounding out the defensive signees are five members of the secondary; three corner backs and two strong safeties.
Two members of this signing class enrolled in January and are currently taking classes at Western Michigan, which will enable them to participate in winter work outs and the entire spring season. The remaining 19 newcomers will get their first chance to officially take the practice field when preseason camp opens in August. One member of the recruiting class is coming from a junior college and another from a prep school.
The Broncos said good-bye to three starters on offense, four on defense and one on special teams, including all three team captains (Ryan Cubit, Moran and Jimmie Vincent) from a year ago. Eighty percent of the offensive line returns and three of WMU's front four come back on defense. The corps of running backs returns in tact as does the Broncos entire starting secondary.
Western Michigan opens its spring schedule on March 15 with practices during the week running from 8-10 a.m. and from 10:30 a.m.-noon on Saturdays, culminating in the annual Spring Game on April 15. The time of the Spring Game will be determined at a later date.
