WMU press conference after defeating Buffalo

Western Michigan Broncos head coach P.J. Fleck speaks with media on Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2016. (Bryan Bennett | MLive.com)

(Bryan Bennett)

KALAMAZOO, MI -- If the rumors swirling around the Western Michigan football program and head coach P.J. Fleck are affecting the team, it doesn't show.

The Broncos are 12-0 (8-0 in the Mid-American Conference), and for weeks Fleck's name has been brought up for potential coaching vacancies throughout the nation.

Whether it involves Purdue, Houston, Oregon, USC or others, Fleck has continually refused to discuss speculation or rumors. But Monday, in advance of Friday's MAC championship game against Ohio at Ford Field, he did say what he's told his players about all the reports.

"I met with our leadership council about four weeks ago when rumors started to circulate," Fleck said of the player-based council within the team made up of all classes. "I told them with success comes all types of speculation, rumors, this and that. I said 'guys, just so you know, I'm 100 percent committed to you and this process and that's all we're going to focus on.'

"I said 'you're going to get 100 percent of me every single day,' and I let them say what they had to say too. We're very open and honest in this program. I never want anything to ever come out of left field. I think they understand how the business works."

Over the weekend a sports columnist from Indianapolis suggested a source of his said Purdue was ready to announce Fleck as their new head coach.

Broncos athletic director Kathy Beauregard quickly quelled that rumor on Twitter.

"PJ Fleck has not talked to any teams. He is committed to the WMU Broncos and preparing for the MAC Championship game," Beauregard tweeted.

Fleck said he thinks his players understand the reasons behind the speculation but wants them to know he will continue to be truthful with them.

"I think they understand when there's rumors and speculation," Fleck said. "We're a very close-knit family here, and I believe they deserve to know what's going on and what the truth really is and things like that because they are my children, they're my kids, that's the way I look at it.

"Some coaches don't look at it and would rather not talk to their players about it but I can't hold them accountable for not telling me about everything when I don't tell them everything. I love these kids, I love our team and we just continue to take one day at a time and give each other 100 percent from player to coach and coach to player and that's all we can control."