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1981 Western Michigan Broncos football team

The 1981 Western Michigan Broncos football team represented Western Michigan University in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) during the 1981 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their seventh and final season under head coach Elliot Uzelac, the Broncos compiled a 6–5 record (5–4 against MAC opponents), finished in a tie for fifth place in the MAC, and outscored their opponents, 206 to 170.[1][2][3] The team played its home games at Waldo Stadium in Kalamazoo, Michigan.[4]

1981 Western Michigan Broncos football
ConferenceMid-American Conference
Record6–5 (5–4 MAC)
Head coach
MVPBob Phillips
CaptainReggie Hinton, John Schuster
Home stadiumWaldo Stadium
Seasons
← 1980
1982 →
1981 Mid-American Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Toledo $ 8 – 1 – 0 9 – 3 – 0
Miami (OH) 6 – 1 – 1 8 – 2 – 1
Central Michigan 7 – 2 – 0 7 – 4 – 0
Bowling Green 5 – 3 – 1 5 – 5 – 1
Western Michigan 5 – 4 – 0 6 – 5 – 0
Ohio 5 – 4 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
Kent State 3 – 6 – 0 4 – 7 – 0
Ball State 2 – 6 – 0 4 – 7 – 0
Northern Illinois 2 – 7 – 0 3 – 8 – 0
Eastern Michigan 0 – 9 – 0 0 – 11 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion

The team's statistical leaders included Tom George with 1,419 passing yards, Shawn Faulkner with 701 rushing yards, and Bob Phillips with 809 receiving yards.[5] Reggie Hinton and linebacker John Schuster were the team captains.[6] Split end Bob Phillips received the team's most outstanding player award.[7]

On November 24, 1981, coach Uzelac was fired as the Broncos' head football coach. Athletic director Tom Wonderling said at the time: "The program has progressed tremendously under Elliot, but I think at the present time we need a change."[8] Wonderling was also critical of Uzelac's conservative offense, saying: "We're not like the Big Ten; we have to have something more."[8] In seven years at Western, Uzelac compiled a 38–39 record.[8]

Schedule

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DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 12at Kent State
W 20–17[9]
September 19Marshall*
W 14–3[10]
September 26at Wisconsin*
L 10–2167,195[11]
October 3at Bowling Green
W 21–720,325[12]
October 10Central Michigan
  • Waldo Stadium
  • Kalamazoo, MI (rivalry)
L 13–15[13]
October 17at Miami (OH)
L 19–20[14]
October 24Ball State
  • Waldo Stadium
  • Kalamazoo, MI
W 14–314,027[15]
October 31at Northern Illinois
W 23–12[16]
November 7Toledo
  • Waldo Stadium
  • Kalamazoo, MI
L 14–2817,784[17]
November 14at Ohio
L 20–37[18]
November 21Eastern Michigan
  • Waldo Stadium
  • Kalamazoo, MI
W 38–7[19]
  • *Non-conference game

References

edit
  1. ^ "Football Records: Annual Results". Western Michigan University. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
  2. ^ "Football Records: Year-By-Year Results - 1980 - 89". Western Michigan University. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
  3. ^ "1981 Western Michigan Broncos Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
  4. ^ "Waldo Stadium". Western Michigan University. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
  5. ^ "1981 Western Michigan Broncos Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
  6. ^ "Football History: All-Time Captains". Western Michigan University. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
  7. ^ "Football History: Team Awards". Western Michigan University. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
  8. ^ a b c Mick McCabe (November 25, 1981). "WMU fires grid coach Uzelac after seven years". Detroit Free Press.
  9. ^ "Western Michigan 20, Kent State 17". St. Petersburg Times. September 13, 1981. Retrieved November 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Caper's carries key WMU win". Lansing State Journal. September 20, 1981. Retrieved November 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Badgers plod to 21–10 win". The Reporter. September 27, 1981. Retrieved November 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "George passes WMU to second MAC win". The Grand Rapids Press. October 4, 1981. Retrieved November 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Central Michigan squeezes by Western Michgan 15–13". Star Tribune. October 11, 1981. Retrieved November 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Freshman edges foe". The Lima News. October 18, 1981. Retrieved November 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Broncos rally to stay in race". The Muskegon Chronicle. October 25, 1981. Retrieved November 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "WMU 'army' destroys Huskies". The Daily Chronicle. November 1, 1981. Retrieved November 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "Toledo knocks WMU from race". The Flint Journal. November 8, 1981. Retrieved November 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "Western comeback just short". The South Bend Tribune. November 15, 1981. Retrieved November 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "Huron losing skid lengthens". The Marion Star. November 22, 1981. Retrieved November 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.


 

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