Perhaps most evident in Lance Taylor's young tenure atop the Western Michigan program: He makes good hires.
Taylor, who's lost numerous staffers to Power Conference opportunities, FCS head coaching post and the NFL earlier this year when Trevor Mendelson was hired by the Jacksonville Jaguars, has found a new strength and conditioning coach, numerous sources tell FootballScoop.
Taylor and Western Michigan are hiring Andre Bernardi away from Furman University, Clay Hendrix's FCS program that's been a perenniel Southern Conference and FCS Playoffs Contender since Hendrix took over at his alma mater in 2017.
Bernardi had headed up Furman's strength program for football since 2019; he also had been elevated to assistant athletics director during that time and two years ago was promoted to associate head football coach. He was Furman's director of sports performance across all sports.
The Paladins just recently had two more former players earn NFL opportunities during the recent NFL Draft period.
Hendrix had hired Bernardi away from NCAA Division II North Greenville University, where Bernardi had been a three-time All-America football player.
Taylor has compiled a 10-15 mark through two seasons at the helm of Western Michigan, which he guided to the Salute to Veterans Bowl after the 2024 regular season.
WMU opens its 2025 season at in-state foe and Big Ten resident Michigan State, hosts North Texas in non-conference action a week later and then faces another Big Ten road test at Illinois.