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 | |
|---|---|
| Conference | Mid-American Conference |
| 1981 record | 6–5 (5–4 MAC) |
| Head coach | Elliot Uzelac (7th season) |
| MVP | Bob Phillips |
| Captain | Reggie Hinton, John Schuster |
| Home stadium | Waldo Stadium |
| 1981 Mid-American Conference football standings | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Toledo $ | 8 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 9 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Miami | 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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 12 | at Kent State | W 20–17 | |
| September 19 | Marshall | W 14–3 | |
| September 26 | at Wisconsin | L 10–21 | |
| October 3 | at Bowling Green | W 21–7 | |
| October 10 | Central Michigan | L 13–15 | |
| October 17 | at Miami | L 19–20 | |
| October 24 | Ball State | W 14–3 | |
| October 31 | at Northern Illinois | W 23–12 | |
| November 7 | Toledo | L 14–28 | |
| November 14 | at Ohio | L 20–37 | |
| November 21 | Eastern Michigan | W 38–7 |
References
- "Football Records: Annual Results". Western Michigan University. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
- "Football Records: Year-By-Year Results - 1980 - 89". Western Michigan University. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
- "1981 Western Michigan Broncos Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
- "Waldo Stadium". Western Michigan University. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
- "1981 Western Michigan Broncos Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
- "Football History: All-Time Captains". Western Michigan University. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
- "Football History: Team Awards". Western Michigan University. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
- Mick McCabe (November 25, 1981). "WMU fires grid coach Uzelac after seven years". Detroit Free Press.