Western Michigan's Defensive Coordinator: Steve Morrison

The defensive coordinator for the Western Michigan Broncos has a familiar name to most Wolverine fans. It's Steve Morrison, who played linebacker for the Michigan Wolverines between 1990 and 1994 under then Wolverine head coach Gary Moeller.

Here's Mr. Morrison take on the Broncos young defensive secondaryquoted from Yahoo.com's Western Michigan Team Report:

“You can, as coaches, try to prepare them and put them in situations, and that’s what we do. We try to get them in as many negative situations and see how they respond. But certainly it’s still going to be that first time they line up and the first time something goes bad—and it will. And how are they going to respond to that?”

The Broncos secondary this fall will feature mainly upperclassmen, including safeties Mario Armstrong (Jr.) and Jamail Berry (Jr.) and cornerbacks Josh Price (So.) and Andy Dorcely (Sr.). However, Mario Armstrong is only player with significant game experience and statistics, with 64 tackles and 1 interception recorded in 2008.

Sources from inside Michigan's practices this week indicate that the Broncos' secondary will very likely face Michigan freshman quarterback Tate Forcier on the first offensive series for the Wolverines on Saturday. The other two Wolverine quarterbacks, Denard Robinson and Nick Sheridan, are also expect to rotate in during the course of the contest.

Western Michigan's historical football team record over the last 20 years on opening day can be described in only one word: abysmal. In fact, despite a tremendous overall record in Kalamazoo, Bill Cubit is 0-4 so far in season openers since coming to Western Michigan in 2005.

The last time the Broncos won their season opener was in 2004 versus Tennessee-Martin 42-0. The last BCS (Division I) opponent that Western Michigan defeated on opening day was in 1997 versus Temple 34-14.

When Carcajous Attack Broncos

Michigan vs. Western Michigan, September 5, 2009 – Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Michigan

When You Crave Irrational Exuberance On A Level Only Brett Musberger Can Deliver:
Well, it’s almost here folks! Eight days away! The 2009 football season has finally arrived. Fasten your seat belts Wolverine fans. Rich Rodriguez and the 2009 Michigan football team are going to try to bury a number of things all at once on that fateful Saturday, including:

1.) Memories of the worst Wolverine football season (3-9 in 2008) since Lyndon Johnson occupied the White House (1967).

2.) A 2 year losing streak in season openers (Appalachian State in 2007 and Utah in 2008)

3.) Recent failures to put far less talented MAC teams back in their place. Lackluster Wolverine performances at home against Ball State in 2006, against Eastern Michigan in 2007, and versus Toledo in 2008 all haunt Michigan. WMU’s 2009 football team is likely much better than any of those teams combined.

4.) Michigan’s 27% 3rd down success rate of 2008

5.) A total defense ranking of 67th in the nation in 2008, 9th in the Big Ten.

6.) A scoring defense ranking of 85th in the nation, 10th in the Big Ten.

All of it a daunting task to be sure, especially when one considers the overall youth of the Wolverine football team on both sides of the ball this season.

Three Great Reasons to Wipe That Ridiculous Smile Off Your Face:

1. Bronco Billy
I’m sorry, but Bill Cubit is simply not to be trusted. Since taking over for former Western Michigan coach Gary Darnell in 2005 following a 1-10 season, the Broncos have never looked back. Cubit’s offenses have been explosive on a consistent basis inside the MAC conference, and his Broncos have won notoriety for recent road upsets of once proud programs like Virginia (Markus CORRECTION: Not Florida State), Iowa, Illinois. The recent success of past Michigan opponents like Appalachian State and Toledo (in front of 105,000+ “down in fronters” inside Michigan Stadium no less!) will only serve to embolden Cubit. He will no doubt pull out all of the stops on this day to become the third straight team to shock Michigan on opening day.

2. Broncos Senior Quarterback Tim Hiller
Michigan’s defensive ends, linebackers and secondary are all on notice. Broncos quarterback Tim Hiller is going to play football on Sundays once he graduates from WMU. Beating Michigan on national television this fall would be a nice feather in his cap. In Cubit’s system, Hiller can do it all. He’s a veteran, battle-damaged, and highly-respected team leader and a very accurate thrower. Perhaps most frightening of all, Hiller’s got some wheels. In last year’s opener at Nebraska, Hiller was 30 of 49 for 342 yards, 2 TDs and 1 INT. Unfortunately, WMU this year lacks the same spectacular receivers a pro arm like Hiller’s justly deserves. He is protected by a massive, veteran offensive line, and can easily dish the ball off to some talented running backs and some experienced tight ends. Yet, as great an athlete as Tim Hiller is, he’s going to require plenty of help from his teammates, and quite frankly some cooperation by Michigan, to win this football game.

3. Threat of Michigan Injuries
Unfortunately this item will probably be a main stay adder for all of Michigan’s games in 2009, regardless of the opponent. In all games, Michigan desperately needs to hang on to the health of its starting line ups - by bloodied, chipped fingernails if necessary. No where is this threat more acute than on defense, particularly all secondary and defensive line positions. Suffice it to say that for some defensive positions on Michigan’s roster, utter disaster and a 2008 season redux is all but one freak injury away.

When Carcajous Attack! On Defense:
It’s actually a damn good thing for Cubit and Hiller that WMU returns with a veteran offensive line this fall. The multiple fronts and flex linebacker sets of Wolverine defensive coordinator Greg Robinson are going to be confusing to read, and difficult to properly match up against on a consistent basis. Modern science plus Michigan’s 2008 run defense statistics are practically begging Cubit to run the ball in this game with impunity behind that behemoth OL and talented Bronco ball carrier Brandon West, who slashed for over 1,000 yards, 8 TDs and 5 yard per carry average last year. Western Michigan serves as an excellent early test for Michigan’s defense to stop a truly balanced opponent offensively. The truth is that it takes tremendous self-control for pass-happy Bronco Billy to not chuck the pigskin on every damn play! Hiller has WR Juan Nunez returning as the key pass catching weapon in 2009. Nunez had 700 plus yards receiving and 7 touchdowns in 2008. Michigan’s secondary is probably not going to be very good this year, but it is experienced in places and talented enough to cover what will essentially be a greatly reduced Bronco receiving corps. Western will try to soften Michigan up with the run first and then use Hiller’s arm to exploit size mismatches with Nunez on the outside and with the tight ends over the middle. The most important thing to watch for on defense will be Michigan’s defensive line versus Western’s experienced offensive line. To win this game, Wolverine defensive end Brandon Graham and defensive tackle Mike Martin must chair several important “meetings” with Tim Hiller in the Bronco backfield.

When Carcajous Attack! On Offense:
Nothing suggests that Western Michigan’s defensive unit can stop any opposing football team from moving up and down the field at will - least of all opponents that happen to run a read spread option attack. As good as WMU’s secondary was supposed to have been with defensive backs Louis Delmas and E.J. Biggers, both now in the NFL, WMU sure got taken to task by opposing quarterbacks in the yardage category. It is difficult to be kind about this, but if you can fog a mirror, you can pass the football with success against Western Michigan. Look no further than what Todd Graham’s Rice football team did to Western Michigan defense in the last year’s bowl game (Graham was a defensive coordinator for Rich Rodriguez at West Virginia). Rice’s quarterback Chase Clement threw for 300 yards, 3 TDs and rushed for another 72 yards and 1 TD. Or what about the Central Michigan game last fall, where backup Chippewa quarterback Brian Brunner was 20 of 28 for 346 yards and just 1 passing TD. In WMU’s 51-28 win over Idaho junior Vandal QB Nathan Enderle was 25 of 39 for 334 yards and 3 TDs. Cody Cielenski is the only starter with meaningful tackle and sack numbers along the Bronco defensive line. Linebackers Austin Pritchard and Justin Braska are arguably the best players on the entire Broncos defense. The Broncos secondary was decimated by graduation last fall and have Mario Armstrong as the only returning player with considerable number of game tackles (64 in 2008). Offensively Michigan should be able to run the ball off-tackle until the cows come home, and also exploit the WMU secondary with the downfield forward pass. The dual-threat play making ability of Tate Forcier and Denard Robinson must be accounted for, and should leave big openings for other Wolverine players to explode into the Broncos secondary. The only thing that might stop Michigan’s offense in this football game is going to be Michigan.

The Last Time:
Michigan last played Western Michigan was on September 7, 2002. In this game, the eleventh ranked Wolverines rolled to a decisive victory in Michigan Stadium 35-12. The last time Bill Cubit and Rich Rodriguez faced off was September 1, 2007 when West Virginia pummeled Western Michigan in Morgantown 62-24.

What to Expect:
If there’s a year for Western Michigan to upset the Michigan Wolverines, this would be it. Unfortunately, WMU has not won a road opener in like…forever. Bill Cubit will attempt a balanced attack on the Wolverines up until Michigan gains the lead, at which point Hiller will be called upon for late game throwing and running heroics. Initially I expect a close game with plenty of youthful errors and turnovers by Michigan. The Broncos will find success running the football, but there will be a considerable number of sacks by Michigan’s defense. Despite the DL pressure by UM, Hiller and Nunez should have a great outing with high passing yardage.

However, Michigan is probably going to ground the Broncos into dog food in this football game with the rushing attack of Brandon Minor, Carlos Brown, Tate Forcier, Denard Robinson and freshman Vincent Smith. The Michigan quarterbacks, particularly Forcier and Robinson, should have a great game passing against this WMU defense, and Michigan fans will be relieved to discover that indeed the Wolverines do possess some fine wide receivers, tight ends and slot receivers (and that they’ve been on the roster the entire time). I would not be at all surprised to see Michigan rush for well over 100 yards, and have well over 300 yards passing in this game. With WMU’s linebackers Braska and Pritchard trying desperately to shore up the Broncos DL against the run of Brandon Minor and Forcier/Robinson, watch for Michigan’s tight ends Koger and Webb to have eye opening performances catching the football.

WCA Prediction: Michigan 34, Western Michigan 17

Mustaches For Michigan, Carcajous And Dual Threat Quarterbacks

The first post on this new Michigan football blogging experiment of mine, entitled When Carcajous Attack!, proudly featured a quote from Ernest Thompson Seton, a renowned 19th century wildlife artist and author, as he described the animal called the carcajou (a.k.a wolverine) using a rather eloquent choice of words:

"Picture a weasel -- and most of us can do that, for we have met that little demon of destruction, that small atom of insensate courage, that symbol of slaughter,sleeplessness, and tireless, incredible activity --picture that scrap of demoniac fury, multiply that mite some fifty times, and you have the likeness of a Wolverine." Ernest Thompson Seton from "Lives of Game Animals". 1925 - 1928. Vol. II

And I was always rather fond, and dare I say jealous, of Mr. Seton's most distinguished-looking of cookie dusters.

It is therefore with great pride and espirit de corps that the When Carcajous Attack! Blog announce it's full support and endorsement for Mustaches For Michigan, around which Wolverine football fans everywhere have already begun to rally in one massive effort to will the Michigan team to victory on the gridiron this coming September 5th!


Indeed some of you may be shocked to find out what you may look like in the mirror with a brand new facial shrubbery with coordinates due south of the nostrils.

Do not be afraid, for I submit to you what could possibly be a more profound gesture of solidarity and support for our honorable and mighty Michigan Wolverine football players than a distinct, and handsome mustache to hail our Maize and Blue brethren!


Listen to me when I tell you that a Michigan Stadium jam-packed with over one hundred thousand mustache-brandishing Wolverine partisans on September 5th would be such a stunning sight - so powerful and endearing - and far too magnanimous for resentment, no one will be able to capture such an event and put it to words or music.

Just how in the world can Western Michigan head coach Bill Cubit possibly prepare his Broncos for such a phenomenon so beautiful, and at the same time so horrific?

The truth is, he cannot.

"My God, Tim! It's full of mustaches!"

And while it is true that Michigan head coach Rich Rodriguez may be yelling profanities in your general direction right now in the name of all upper lips unshaven, Michigan remains steadfast in it's full adherence to integrity, trust and family values.
After being on the receiving end of such obscene tirades, perhaps some of you Michigan men (and women) might pause and consider quitting before those post-nasal bristles have even started their shoots.

Do no such thing! Do not pause nor hesitate!

The last great dual-threat quarterback at Michigan did not quit. He did not deviate. Quarterback Steve Smith ran the triple option attack for the Michigan Wolverines between 1981-1983 and accepted the punishment that was sure to come from the oncoming defensive ends and cornerbacks. He suffered a separated shoulder and bounced back to lead Michigan on to victory and offensive success! Most importantly, Mr. Smith proudly displayed is facial wares every Saturday for the Maize & Blue, weakening the very will of any and all Michigan opponents.



Oh, the message is so basic. So fundamentally sound. Even people who consider carcajous to make excellent house pets have received the directive and understood its meaning loud an clear:


Grow a mustache and support Michigan Wolverines football!

Michigan vs. WMU Game On ABC: Ready for Some Ridicule

The good news is that Michigan's opener versus Western Michigan is going to be televised by ESPN/ABC on September 5. The kickoff time has been moved to 3:30 p.m. Eastern time.

Of course, the bad news is that this game will be broadcast by ESPN ABC.

You can bet your Maize & Blue construction hats that ABC's Bret Musberger will use an over-the-top, sensationalist lead in storyline that includes footage of Michigan's losses to Appalachian State, Utah, Toledo, Michigan State and Ohio State followed by a "Oh how the mighty have fallen!" schtick. Then he'll ask super genius Gary Danielson or some other sideshow tool the following: "Gee Gary, can these Wolverines even survive the Bronco stampede into this construction site called Michigan Stadium?!!!"

Pretty catchy, huh?

Well, you just know this is going to happen.

There you go Bret!

I give you permission to used the above material. Just include my name in the ABC program credits at game's end. Thanks.