1997 Western Michigan Broncos football team

1997 Western Michigan Broncos football
ConferenceMid-American Conference
DivisionWest Division
Record8–3 (6–2 MAC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorBill Cubit (1st season)
Defensive coordinatorChuck Driesbach (1st season)
MVPTarrence McEvans
Home stadiumWaldo Stadium
Seasons
← 1996
1998 →
1997 Mid-American Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
East Division
Marshall x$   7 1     10 3  
Miami (OH)   6 2     8 3  
Ohio   6 2     8 3  
Bowling Green   3 5     3 8  
Kent State   3 5     3 8  
Akron   2 7     2 9  
West Division
Toledo x   7 1     9 3  
Western Michigan   6 2     8 3  
Ball State   4 4     5 6  
Eastern Michigan   4 5     4 7  
Central Michigan   1 7     2 9  
Northern Illinois   0 8     0 11  
Championship: Marshall 34, Toledo 14
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions

The 1997 Western Michigan Broncos football team was an American football team that represented Western Michigan University during the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their first season under head coach Gary Darnell, the Broncos compiled an 8–3 record and finished in second place in the West Division of the Mid-American Conference (MAC). In non-conference games, they defeated Temple (34–14) and Louisiana–Monroe (32–19) and lost to Michigan State (42–10).[1]

The team's statistical leaders were Tim Lester with 2,160 passing yards, Robert Sanford with 1,033 rushing yards, and Corey Alston with 32 catches for 761 receiving yards.[2] Sanford was named the MAC freshman of the year.[3]

Gary Darnell was hired as Western's head football coach on December 14, 1996. He had been an assistant coach at Texas since 1992, including three years as defensive coordinator.[4]

  1. ^ "1997 Western Michigan Broncos Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 30, 2015.
  2. ^ "1997 Western Michigan Broncos Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 30, 2015.
  3. ^ "Football History: Conference Awards". Western Michigan University. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  4. ^ Don Vander Veen (December 15, 1996). "WMU tabs Darnell new head coach: Texas assistant was Broncos' first choice". Detroit Free Press. p. 3E.