CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
OVERVIEW: 2009 must seem like decades ago for Central Michigan University football fans instead of only three years. It was in 2009 that the CMU football team won the Mid-American Conference. But after that year, coach Butch Jones took the same path former coach Brian Kelly did out of Mount Pleasant and headed to Cincinnati to coach the Bearcats. Enter current Chippewas coach Dan Enos, who in his first two seasons, has struggled on the sidelines at Kelly/Shorts Stadium, posting identical 3-9 overall marks, 2-6 in the MAC. In Enos’ defense, record-setting quarterback Dan LeFevour did graduate after the 2009 season, and dynamic wide receiver Antonio Brown was also gone, lighting it up for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL. But it is the third year for Enos, and in the college coaching ranks, year three, when you are struggling, is the time that you start hearing whispers from the fan base.
OFFENSE: The good thing for Enos is that he does return a lot of talent on both sides of the ball to try and win more than three games. Senior Ryan Radcliff returns as the quarterback. Last year Radcliff threw for 3,286 yards and 25 touchdowns. Both leading rushers, sophomore Anthony Garland and junior Zurlon Tipton, are back. The problem, though, is that they finished with just 378 and 370 yards respectively, and the Chippewas need to be able to run the ball better. The top two wide receivers are back in senior Cody Wilson and sophomore Titus Young, who combined to catch 88 balls for over 1,300 yards and 11 touchdowns. The line will be anchored by returning lineman Eric Fisher, so Central Michigan should score points.
DEFENSE: The defense will be led by its defensive backfield and returning starters senior Jaheel Addae and junior Avery Cunningham. Those two players ended up one and two in tackles last year, and it might not be considered a good thing, to have two defensive backs lead your team in tackles. But the MAC is a throwing league, so to have strong defensive back play is imperative. But the team will also need to get a pass rush this year to take the pressure off the defensive backs.
OUR TAKE: During the MAC Media Day, which was held at Ford Field last month, the preseason poll came out, and there was not much love thrown Central Michigan’s way. The Chippewas were predicted to finish last in the MAC West standings. Until we see something here at High School Sports Scene, we can’t throw any love Mount Pleasant’s way, either. Central Michigan should be better than 3-9, but not much with a schedule that includes home games with Michigan State and Navy and a trip to Iowa.
COACH’S COMMENT: “Our roster is the most complete it has been since I’ve been here. We have great depth at every position, and we’re excited to get the season going,” Enos said at MAC Media Day.
SCHEDULE
8/30 SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE 7 p.m.
9/8 MICHIGAN STATE 3:30 p.m.
9/22 Iowa TBA
9/29 Northern Illinois 3:30 p.m.
10/6 Toledo 3:30 p.m.
10/12 NAVY 8 p.m.
10/20 BALL STATE 3:30 p.m.
10/27 AKRON 3:30 p.m.
11/3 WESTERN MICHIGAN 1 p.m.
11/10 Eastern Michigan TBA
11/17 MIAMI 1 p.m.
11/23 Massachusetts TBA