It's the play call which every defensive player loves to get.

Blitz.

Against Michigan State last Friday, Western Michigan University redshirt sophomore safety Joey Pope did just that. The first-year starter, who came to WMU as a walk-on, tore into the backfield and dropped running back Elijah Tau-Tolliver for a five-yard loss, marking Pope's first career tackle from his defensive position.

''I came over to Coach O'Leary (defensive coordinator/safeties coach Chris O'Leary) and told him I loved the play call,'' Pope said. ''I hear a lot about how small I am (5-feet-11, 165 pounds) so it was nice to get out there, make a play and show I can play with some of the bigger guys.''

However, that was the second-best thing which happened to Pope last week.

The first thing came in the week leading up to the MSU game.

''We were in a team meeting and Bos (tight end Blake Bosma) was doing his thing and then he told me to look at a piece of paper in my desk to see what head coach Lance Taylor had written,'' Pope said. ''It said, 'You are on scholarship.' ''

In an online video which has gone viral, the meeting erupted in hugs and screams as Pope's teammates congratulated him.

''He's earned the scholarship,'' Taylor said. ''He's loved by his teammates, works really hard and it's a really cool moment for me, being that I was a walk-on at Alabama.

''I called his mom earlier in the day and told her and she broke down crying.''

The now-scholarship safety might have more blitzes called his way on Saturday when the Broncos (0-1 overall), host pass-happy University of North Texas in a 3:30 p.m. start.

After coming to WMU as a preferred walk-on, redshirting and playing on the scout team as a wide receiver his first year, Taylor approached him during spring drills in 2024.

''We moved him over to safety in spring drills out of necessity only because we didn't have enough bodies,'' Taylor said. ''It was like, 'can anyone play defense?' and he went over there, embraced his role and found a way to help us on special teams, and for a year now, he's been a guy who we've wanted to get on the field more and more because every time we give him something, he does the right thing.''

For Pope, math played a big part in the move.

''I was behind like 10 receivers and we had maybe three safeties in spring drills,'' he said. ''I knew if I moved over to defense, I would have a better chance to get on the field.

''That first spring, I was thrown in there with the second team guys and I didn't even know what the defense was. Looking back, I'm grateful I made the move.''

He knows the defense now. Against Michigan State, Pope was the second-leading WMU tackler with four solos and three assists. Defense wasn't the only time he was on the field, though. Last season, he became a mainstay on special teams and he doesn't plan on giving up his spot this season.

''I think people forget if you make a play on special teams, sometimes those are the big moments which can change a game,'' he said. ''You could make a big hit on a kickoff, get a fumble, block a punt, block the right way and then you could watch your teammate run up the sideline for a touchdown.

''It's easy when you are just running down the field on special teams, though, but it's different when you have 40 checks on defense.''

Pope is now learning the safety position from an experienced guy. O'Leary coached safeties for the NFL's Los Angeles Chargers last season.

''I got here in February, and from then on until now, every single day he has been the same guy in that he goes to work, makes plays in practice, plays with energy, enjoys football and loves competing,'' O'Leary said. ''I've been around some great safeties who have been receivers who transitioned to defense and I think there is an advantage, gaining an instinctual special awareness from being a wide receiver.''

Added Pope: ''I think Coach O'Leary has transformed my game. A lot of my mechanics at safety were very raw and coach helped me settle in on the details which helped me get better on the bigger things, like where my eyes should be and cleaning up my breaks.''

Now Pope has to learn to settle down before the game.

''I didn't sleep at all the night before the Michigan State game,'' he said with a smile.

Pope and WMU's defense know they will have their hands full Saturday. Last week, North Texas quarterback Drew Mestemaker threw for 329 yards and three touchdowns in a 51-0 win over Lamar.

''They run a super-fast offense and it's the stuff which throws people off their game,'' Pope said.