KALAMAZOO, Mich. – With six practice sessions in the books, the Western Michigan football team makes its final preparations before having next week off with the university on spring break. Following the time away, the Broncos will return to the gridiron on Tuesday, March 10.
 
ON DEFENSE, BRONCOS ARE FLYING TO THE BALL
Lou Esposito is entering his second full season as the WMU defensive coordinator and has seen the growth of his unit from last fall. For Esposito, relentless energy is a key.
 
"The biggest thing for our defense as a whole is continuing to build on what we did last fall, which is playing with unbelievable energy," Esposito said. "We know the calls now. We're not changing calls, adding calls or installing a whole new defense. Now it's – we're running this, here's where we're weak, how can we help that? Or it's – this is where we're really strong, this is the offensive formation and what are we going to see? This has been really good for us. We have some kids who have been in the system and know it."
 
The squad learned throughout the campaign and held opponents to just 25.9 points per game to stand second in the Mid-American Conference. The mark was the best for the program since yielding 19.8 in 2016. Western Michigan finished the 2018 season ranked 10th in the league, surrendering 34.5 points per contest.
 
"We've developed tremendously," rising senior defensive end Ali Fayad said of the defense's growth from January of 2019. "This is the best defense I've seen us have so far. Physically and athletically we're there. Everybody clicks on defense. We all have a better bond on defense, too. In the spring, I want to know that we got better than we were last spring and better than the last time we took the field as a unit in a game. Overall, we're coming together and flying to the ball."  
 
FAYAD BACK FOR FINAL SEASON IN BROWN & GOLD
One of the Broncos' most versatile defensive options is Fayad, who earned second team All-MAC honors last fall. The Dearborn, Mich., product collected 53 tackles, 15.0 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, nine quarterback pressures, four caused fumbles, one fumble recovery and one pass breakup during the 2019 season.
 
"At the end of the season, Ali and I sat down and went over the plays he made, plays he didn't make and plays he probably could have made," Esposito said. "If we can cut the plays he could have made in half, we will be a tremendous defense. We want to get him to be the best we possibly can. There were times last year when Ali was trying to make every play, like every good player does. He's not doing that now. He's doing his 1/11th and sticking to his job. He's sticking to his gap and doing his assignment. It's going to make him make more plays, which is going to be really, really good."
 
"This spring, I've just wanted to work on the little things of pass rushing," Fayad said of his goals for these 15 spring practices. "I've really wanted to work on my footwork, eyes, hand fighting and getting all the little things correct. I want to work on those things that will take me from a good player to a great player. I thank God for my experience as a freshman. I learned a lot quickly. Playing the pass, playing the run and everything involved has gotten better from playing for three years, making plays and making plays in the backfield."
 
Fayad ended the year tied for fifth nationally with four caused fumbles and was ranked by Pro Football Focus as the 13th best returning defen­sive lineman in college football heading into 2020. In the regular season finale against at Northern Illinois last November, Fayad tallied 4.5 TFL, the most by a Bronco in a game since Drew Nowak's 5.0 versus Akron on November 25, 2011.
 

"Fayad's spin move is lethal."

Back for more in 2020??@AFAYAD3 ??13th in @PFF_College's list of Top 25 Returning Defensive Linemen ??

??: https://t.co/laGLIWOCrP pic.twitter.com/Vo13hTgCUX

— WMU Football (@WMU_Football) January 29, 2020

 
"When Ali says something, the defensive line listens because they know he's been through it," Esposito said. "He's played against really, really good competition and played at a high level. He's done it."
 
"Steel sharpens steel," offensive coordinator Jake Moreland said of Fayad's impact on the WMU offense. "That will be forever something that is said in the world of football. When you're playing against the best, you have to up your game every single day. That's one thing that the offensive and defensive lines have is that they're so competitive. They work so hard and well together. When you're going against good players, when your game isn't up, you get exposed very quickly. You have to bring your A game every time you step on the field."
 
VOCAL LEADERSHIP BLOSSOMS ON DEFENSE
Western Michigan returns six defensive starters from the 2019 group, including Fayad, All-America linebacker Treshaun Hayward and third team All-MAC honoree Patrick Lupro. Leadership, especially vocal leadership, will be a continuing area of growth for the team throughout the offseason.
 
"Our guys who have come back, especially in the linebacker corps, have been very vocal," Esposito said. "That has been good for us. They're the quarterbacks of the defense. For us, the guys who are going into their fourth and fifth years here have really, really blossomed vocally. They've become better leaders. At the end of the day, if you have more leaders and are more vocal, you're going to be better on defense."
 
The Broncos graduated all five team captains from the 2019 squad: defensive end Antonio Balabani, running back LeVante Bellamy, center Luke Juriga, safety Justin Tranquill and quarterback Jon Wassink.
 
OFFENSIVE LINE STRIVES FOR CONTINUITY AND CONSISTENCY
Western Michigan's offensive line is again poised to be a strength this fall as it returns four starters. In 2019, the unit helped the Broncos close the year ranked 18th nationally in fewest sacks allowed per game (1.38), 24th in third-down conver­sion percentage (.453), 25th in total offensive yards per game (445.7), 28th in rushing yards per game (205.1) and 30th in points per game (33.1).
 
"Continuity in general is what we're striving for all around," Moreland said. "We want to be consistent with who we are and what we're trying to accomplish. Graduating a senior quarterback, running back and tight end who were all explosive playmakers is tough, but we want continuity and consistency with everybody."
 
Last year's offensive line helped the Broncos finish as the only Mid-American Conference team to compile 2,600+ rushing yards and 3,000+ passing yards.
 
Leading the way as returners are rising redshirt seniors Mike Caliendo and Jaylon Moore, who both earned second team All-MAC accolades last fall and started all 13 games, Caliendo at left guard and Moore at left tackle. Rising redshirt senior Jordan Ashbury started 11 games at right guard a year ago while rising redshirt seniors Mark Brooks and Spencer Kanz shared the starts at right tackle with Kanz getting the first 10 and Brooks the final three.
 
WIDE RECEIVER DEPTH BRINGS EXCITEMENT
Helping Western Michigan's offense in 2020 will be the return of rising sophomore wide receiver Skyy Moore and rising redshirt sophomore wide receiver DaShon Bussell. A year ago Moore caught 51 passes, tied for the team lead, and finished with a squad-high 802 receiving yards (15.73 yards per catch) and three touchdowns. Nationally among freshmen, he finished fourth in receiving yards. Moore became the first MAC true freshman wide receiver to be first team all-league since Roger Lewis of Bowling Green in 2014, the first in WMU history and just the third in the MAC since 1982.
 
"This spring, I have wanted to smooth out things I struggled with last fall," Moore said. "Whether that's routes, coming out of breaks or anything I struggled with last fall. Everything is really starting to slow down for me. I'm learning I can change speeds and let the game come to me. It's not as fast as it was in August."
 

.@skyymoore_3 doing @skyymoore_3 things#LetsRide pic.twitter.com/831zDshugY

— WMU Football (@WMU_Football) February 22, 2020

Bussell caught 27 passes for 445 (16.48) yards and two touchdowns. He turned in a 116-yard performance in his debut against Monmouth, becoming the second WMU freshman to have 100 or more receiving yards in his debut game under Lester, joining Jayden Reed's 121 receiving yards against Syracuse on August 31, 2018. Bussell also excelled against Western Kentucky in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl, hauling in four passes for 51 yards and a score.
 
Rising redshirt junior Jaylen Hall and rising sophomore Corey Crooms are back after combining for 28 receptions, 435 yards and three scores in 2019.
 
"It brings so much excitement," Bussell said of this year's wide receiver depth. "As soon as we come out, the next rotation comes in. We trust them to do the same things we're doing. Then the same thing with the next rotation. We're all versatile and switching. We're all doing what we need to be doing and pushing each other. Making plays is all I want from our group. I want us to be able to go out and make plays."
 
"I want to see us making plays as a group and celebrating with each other," Moore added. "We will be happy about it all together."
 
WIDE RECEIVERS COACH PUSHES MINDSET & MENTALITY
New wide receivers coach Greg Harbaugh Jr. is making the most of the spring and his return to Western Michigan. Harbaugh Jr. was with the Broncos in 2015 and 2016 as they won the Mid-American Conference championship and earned a berth in the 2016 Cotton Bowl. Western Michigan also won the 2015 Bahamas Bowl with Harbaugh Jr. on staff.
 
"Getting a new coach always gives us new ways of thinking and playing," Bussell said. "Coach Harbaugh has really worked with us on our releases. We know we're going to get pressed this year so that's a big focus of our game right now."
 
Last fall, Harbaugh Jr. was with the University of Minnesota as a quality control assistant, helping the Gophers to a 31-24 Outback Bowl victory against No. 9 Auburn. Minnesota finished the season with an 11-2 record, capturing 11 victories for the first time since 1904. The Gophers also posted two Associated Press top 10 wins (No. 5 Penn State and No. 9 Auburn) for the first time since 1956. 
 
"It's the mindset and alpha mentality he has brought to our wide receiver room," Moore said of what he's learning from Harbaugh Jr. "When I'm on the field, I have to be that guy, want the ball and make the play. That's the standard he puts on our room."
 
QUARTERBACKS EAGER, STAYING WITHIN OFFENSE
With a handful of practices in the books, the Bronco quarterback unit has made some early impressions.
 
"They're eager and eager to do things the right way," Moreland said. "It's not a knowledge thing, but a repetition thing so they can get comfortable just being themselves. Once they get a chance to be themselves, they can turn it loose and go play ball. Right now, you see glimpses of guys thinking through things, being themselves and staying in the construct of what we want to do offensively. That's when they can really turn it loose and push the ball downfield."
   
Last fall, rising redshirt junior Griffin Alstott came on in relief of Wassink in four games while rising redshirt sophomore Kaleb Eleby and rising redshirt freshman Nick Kargman both redshirted.
 
BELLAMY RUNS FRIDAY AT NFL COMBINE
Western Michigan's Bellamy has been in his hometown of Indianapolis all week for the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine and will take part in his on-field workout Friday. NFL Network will have live coverage of all the running back workouts Friday from 4-11 p.m.
 

Here's what Bellamy had to say about growing up dreaming of taking part in the combine. pic.twitter.com/B4q19kPbqu

— Jamal Spencer (@JamalWZZM13) February 26, 2020

Bellamy will continue to prepare for the NFL Draft, scheduled for April 23-25 in Las Vegas.
 
Former Broncos in the NFL include Sam Beal (New York Giants), Corey Davis (Tennessee Titans), Taylor Moton (Carolina Panthers), Chukwuma Okorafor (Pittsburgh Steelers), Darius Phillips (Cincinnati Bengals) and Robert Spillane (Pittsburgh Steelers).

#LetsRide