Fleck to become Western Michigan football coach

Dec 18, 2012 - 12:39 AM Kalamazoo, MI (Sports Network) - Western Michigan will name P.J. Fleck as its new head football coach, the university confirmed on Monday.

Fleck, who is currently serving as the wide receivers coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, is tentatively expected to be introduced during a Tuesday press conference, though that could be pushed back due to his wife currently in labor with the couple's second child.

The 32-year-old Fleck began his coaching career as a graduate assistant under Jim Tressel at Ohio State in 2006 and spent the next three seasons on the staff at his alma mater, fellow Mid American Conference member Northern Illinois. He then had a two-year stint as wide receivers coach at Rutgers from 2010-11 before joining Greg Schiano in Tampa Bay when the former Scarlet Knights' sideline boss became the Buccaneers' head coach.

Fleck played four seasons as a wide receiver at Northern Illinois from 1999-2003 and also briefly played with the NFL's San Francisco 49ers from 2004-05.

The Illinois native replaces Bill Cubit, who was fired by Western Michigan following a 4-8 campaign in 2012.