KALAMAZOO, Mich. - When the 2008 Phil Steele's College Football Preview hits the shelves this month Western Michigan football will have 13 selections on the Preseason All-Mid-American Conference team with one Bronco earning a pair of nods. Jamarko Simmons and Londen Fryar were first team selections in the prestigious preseason publication.
Simmons and Fryar, who were also named NationalChamps.net Preseason All-America headlined a list of 12 WMU football student-athletes on this year's all-conference list presented by Phil Steele's College Football Preview. Simmons his coming off an all-conference season in 2007 when he set personal bests in receptions (84), yards (980) and touchdowns (6). Fryar set a conference and school record for pass breaks ups in a game with six against Akron, finishing the season with 16, which is second in a season at WMU. Fryar was also listed on the Bronco Nagurski Trophy watch list earlier this spring.
Earning second team nods were Branden Ledbetter on offense and a trio of Broncos on defense. Zach Davidson, Boston McCornell and Louis Delmas saw their names on the second-team defense. Ledbetter set a new program mark for TDs by a tight end with 14 so far in his career and had his second-straight year with at least six touchdown grabs. Davidson led the Broncos with 6.5 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss in 2007, while McCornell led the team with 99 tackles and Delmas added to his career interception totals with his eighth a season ago.
Brandon West, also a NationalChamps.net preseason All-America selection, earned third-team offense and fourth-team special team nods from Phil Steele's after setting WMU marks in all-purpose yards in a game (346), also a MAC record, and in a season (2,119). West led Western Michigan on the ground with 848 yards rushing as a sophomore in 2007.
Third-year sophomore Phillip Swanson earned fourth-team offense from the offensive guard position after starting all 12 of WMU's games as a redshirt freshman on an offensive front that was anchored by three seniors, a junior and Swanson. Swanson was second on the team in offensive snaps with 993.
Earning fourth-team defense was senior Nick Varcadipane at the defensive tackle position. The senior made 31 stops in 2007 with 3.5 TFLs and 1.5 sacks and provided leadership in the middle of a now very experienced defensive front.
WMU had three of other defensive starters receive honorable mention with defensive end Greg Marshall, cornerback E.J. Biggers and strong saety C.J. Wilson getting the nod. Marshall spent his first full season at defensive end in 2007, making 11.0 TFLs and sharing the team lead in sacks with 6.5. Biggers registered his fifth-career pick, while also breaking up seven passes and recovering a pair of fumbles. Wilson, the school and MAC record holder for interceptions returned for touchdowns in a career, recorded his third "pick-six" with a 46-yard scoring return at Missouri.
Western Michigan football opens preseason camp on August 3 and kicks off the 2008 campaign 27 days later in Lincoln, Neb., on Aug. 30.
Phil Steele's Preseason All-MAC Team (WMU selections)
First Team
Jamarko Simmons, WR
Londen Fryar, CB
Second Team
Branden Ledbetter, TE
Zach Davidson, DE
Boston McCornell, LB
Louis Delmas, FS
Third Team
Brandon West, RB
Fourth Team
Phillip Swanson, OG
Nick Varcadipane, DT
Brandon West, KR
Honorable Mention
Greg Marshall, DE
E.J. Biggers, CB
C.J. Wilson, SS
