Visiting CMU, Western Michigan seeks to drown out rivalry of it all: ‘Minimize those things because they become distractions’
The Broncos and Chippewas are slated to square off in one of the most bitter rivalries in college football, but Lance Taylor wants his team to ignore the noise and focus on ball.
Kalamazoo — The Victory Cannon trophy, for now, resides in the Bill Brown Alumni Football Center, on the north side of Waldo Stadium.
It’s the well-won spoils for Western Michigan football, having bested bitter rival Central Michigan there last season to bring back the trophy. And Lance Taylor, Western Michigan’s head coach, knows just how fickle it can be to keep the upperhand in a big rivalry. A native of Alabama, son of an Alabama football player, and later a member of the Crimson Tide himself, Taylor referenced his playing days in Tuscaloosa and his experiences with the Iron Bowl (he went 2-2 in four tries) and how he hopes to translate what he learned then into a lesson his players can absorb before Saturday.
“What I really had to do as a player was really learn to control my emotions, not put the premium on, 'It's the Iron Bowl, and it's the biggest game in the world,'” Taylor said on Monday. “And, you know, it means more than it is. But really focus on my job and duty during the week, and I think I had really good coaches who, you know, helped me understand that. Helped me deal with my emotions, and really focus on what my job was.”
