GAME 1:
WESTERN MICHIGAN (0-0) vs. Saint Francis (Pa.) (0-0)
 
Date: Aug. 31, 2023
Kickoff: 7:02 p.m. EDT
Location: Kalamazoo, Mich. 
Stadium: Waldo Stadium (30,000)
TV: ESPN+
Radio: Bronco Media Network
Live Stats: https://www.statbroadcast.com/events/statbroadcast.php?t=1&gid=wmu
All-Time Series: First Meeting

THIS WEEK
The Western Michigan football team begins its 118th season on Thursday when it welcomes St. Francis (Pa.) for a 7 p.m. kickoff at Waldo Stadium. The game officially opens the Lance Taylor era. Taylor was named the 17th head coach in program history on Dec. 8, 2022. 

The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ and can be heard live on the Bronco Media Network. Tickets are available at www.wmubroncos.com/tickets.

THE MATCHUP
- This is the first meeting between Western Michigan and St. Francis. 
- The Broncos have not played a team from the Northeastern Conference since a 49-14 win over Wagner back on Sept. 23, 2017. 
- WMU has won each of its last four home-openers against FCS competition, dating back to the 2014 season.
- Dating back to 1987, the previous five WMU head football coaches have gone 4-1 in their home-openers. 

THE FIT
The Broncos will be wearing white uniforms, white pants and white helmets at home. Last season the Broncos did not wear all white once.  

CommUniverCity
Thursday is Western Michigan's 31st installment of its annual CommUniverCity Night. Launched in 1992, CommUniverCity is a pre-game corporate tailgate event held at the Kanley Track & Field Complex prior to the game against St. Francis. The event brings together the Kalamazoo Community, Western Michigan University and the city of Kalamazoo. 

MEET THE NEW BOSS
Taylor came to Western Michigan after spending one season as the Offensive Coordinator at Louisville. Prior to that he was the running backs coach and run game coordinator for three seasons at Notre Dame. He has spent five years coaching in the NFL, spending 2013, 2017 and 2018 as the wide receivers coach for the Carolina Panthers and three years with the New York Jets in quality control. The Mt. Vernon, Ala., native also spent three seasons as the running backs coach at Stanford.

Many notable players have been coached by Taylor, including Heisman Finalist and current San Francisco 49er Christian McCaffrey  and Heisman Finalist Bryce Love at Stanford. Fifth round draft pick Kyren Williams at Notre Dame. D.J. Moore, Curtis Samuel and Torrey Smith at Carolina, along with current Panther Damiere Byrd.

Taylor has been mentored by some of the best head coaches in college football history, spending two seasons as a graduate assistant at his alma mater under Nick Saban. He also spent three seasons on Brian Kelly's staff at Notre Dame.

WELCOME BACK, WELCOME BACK, WELCOME BACK
Graduate tight end Austin Hence returns for his fourth season with the Broncos. Hence's football career started back in 2016 at Mercyhurst. After red-shirting, he played three seasons before graduating in 2020 (Mercyhurst did not field a team in 2020 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic). Hence then joined the Broncos but suffered back-to-back season-ending injuries during camp. 

The Pickerington, Ohio, native is the son of Jamie Hence, a former Bronco great in track and field and football. Jamie was inducted into the WMU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2000. He was an All-American in the indoor 55-meter hurdles and left WMU fifth all-time in receiving touchdowns. 

ONLY THE LONELY
Western Michigan junior center Jacob Gideon was named to the 2023 Rimington Trophy Watch List. The Rimington Trophy is presented annually to the most outstanding center in Division I College Football. Gideon is the lone representative from the Mid-American Conference on the watch list.

PORTAL POWER
Head Coach Lance Taylor dipped into the NCAA Transfer Portal to add depth to the roster for his first season. WMU signed 12 transfers. Seven came from FBS programs and five from FCS.

- FBS TRANSFERS
Tate Hallock | DB | Michigan State
Chad Schuster | OL | Syracuse
Michael Shanahan | OL | Texas Tech
Donald Willis | LB | Minnesota
Hayden Wolff | QB | Old Dominion
Jacob Wahlberg | LB | Purdue
Cameron Peasley | P | Utah

- FCS TRANSFERS
Bilhahl Kone | CB | Indiana State
Ted Kushi | OL | Long Island
Nate Norris | LB | Lehigh Mountain
Leroy Thomas | WR | VMI
Kenneth Womack | WR | Sacred Heart

PRESEASON PROWESS
Several Broncos earned preseason accolades from various media outlets. 

- ATHLON
Jacob Gideon | C | Second Team
Keni-H Lovely | CB | Second Team
Jehlani Galloway | WR | Fourth Team

- PHIL STEELE
Keni-H Lovely | CB | Second Team
Marshawn Kneeland | DE | Second Team
Jacob Gideon | C |  Third Team
Addison West | G | Third Team
Zahir Abdus-Salaam | PR | Fourth Team
Jehlani Galloway | WR | Fourth Team

- COLLEGE FOOTBALL NETWORK
Keni-H Lovely | CB | First Team
Jacob Gideon | C | Third Team
Addison West | G | Third Team
Marshawn Kneeland | DE | Third Team
Anthony Sambuccci | PR | Fourth Team
Jehlani Galloway | WR | Honorable Mention

A LOOK AT THE RED FLASH
- WATCH OUT FOR COLE: Redshirt junior quarterback Cole Doyle is the reigning Northeastern Conference Offensive Player of the Year and was also a finalist for the Walter Payton Award. In nine games last season he threw for 1,502 yards and 19 touchdowns, while also running for 220 yards. He threw just two interceptions and completed 65 percent of his passes. His top returning receiver is redshirt junior Dawson Snyder. Snyder stands at 6-foot-4 and caught 38 balls for 758 yards and four touchdowns. He had a seven-catch, 163-yard and two touchdown performance in the NEC Championship game against Merrimack.  

- AGAINST THE MAC: St. Francis has recently tested its mettle against the Mid-American Conference, playing at Akron last season and Eastern Michigan in 2021. The Red Flash took the Zips to overtime before falling 30-23. At EMU, SFU fell short 35-15. 

- COMING IN HOT: The Red Flash went 9-3 on the season, including an undefeated run through the NEC with a 7-0 record. SFU fell to No. 23 Delaware State, 56-17, in the FCS Championship Playoffs. 

NEXT UP
Western Michigan heads on the road to take on the Syracuse Orange on Saturday, Sept. 9 at 3:30 p.m. The game can be watched live on ESPN+ and heard live on the Bronco Media Network.