4 months ago
- Broncos
- Published: Jan. 06, 2026, 3:45 p.m.
KALAMAZOO, MI – Western Michigan’s championship-caliber rushing onslaught will look acquainted successful 2026.
Jalen Buckley, nan Broncos’ starring rusher from 2025, announced his return to Western Michigan connected Monday aft powering a rushing onslaught that led Western Michigan to its first Mid-American Conference title since 2016.
Buckley will walk his last play of eligibility successful Kalamazoo.
The prima shot bearer has been a champion successful caput coach Lance Taylor’s run-centric offense, signaling a brace of 1,000-yard rushing seasons – including his latest, a 1,003-yard run that led WMU to an unforgettable, historical year.
For nan first clip successful programme history, WMU won some a vessel crippled and a convention title successful nan aforesaid season, while posting conscionable its 2nd 10-win play ever.
Buckley was a awesome facet successful that, overcoming immoderate nagging injuries to erupt complete his last six contests. The 5-foot-11, 210-pound redshirt inferior concluded nan twelvemonth pinch 133, 193 and 174-yard performances crossed his last 4 games, including a spectacular 193-yard, 2-TD outing successful starring WMU to a 23-13 triumph complete Miami (OH) successful nan MAC title game.
It was an outing that earned him MAC title violative subordinate of nan crippled honors. He played that game, and overmuch of nan 2nd half of nan season, pinch a fractured correct wrist.
Buckley, a erstwhile walk-on, besides shined successful nan Myrtle Beach Bowl, wherever he exploded for 172 yards rushing successful nan first quarter, which group nan reside successful nan Broncos’ ascendant 41-6 triumph complete Kennesaw State. That excessively gave him Myrtle Beach Bowl MVP honors.
A powerful, bruising and shifty standout, Buckley burst onto nan segment successful 2023, rushing for 1,003 yards and 10 TDs connected 189 carries -- a play that earned him freshman All-American and MAC freshman of nan twelvemonth honors.
Buckley joins prima backmost Broc Lowry arsenic 2 cardinal returners for nan 2026 season. Lowry announced his return to WMU connected Sunday.
The lethal duo mixed for astir 69 percent of WMU’s rushing yards and 23 of nan Broncos’ 34 full rushing TDs, a immense portion of why Western Michigan was classed 2nd successful rushing successful nan MAC (204 yards per game).
With Buckley backmost successful nan fold, WMU’s backfield is group to beryllium its calling paper again successful 2026.
Matthew Ehler is simply a sports newsman for MLive.com and covers section sports successful Kalamazoo, including precocious schoolhouse sports and Western Michigan University athletics. Matthew has gained acquisition covering precocious school...
