Central Michigan Chippewas 2018 Football Preview
Opening Statement: After a bumpy start at 3-4 for CMU last fall, the Chippewas finished 5-0 in the regular season before falling in the bowl game to Wyoming to finish 8-5. The Chippewas allowed 21 points in the first quarter during that bowl game loss, and lost some key players on offense, including TE Tyler Conklin, so there are questions as to whether or not they can repeat that 8 win season from a year ago. Is another run in store? Another bowl game? Do the slip backwards?
Breakdown Offense: Central Michigan scored 28.5 points per game in 2018, and scored 31 points or more in each of those 5 wins to close out the regular season. They scored 17 points or fewer in their five losses, and only won one game when they scored less than 27 points (win over Ohio). Finding some consistency in scoring will be key.
Shane Morris passed for 27 TDs after transferring from Michigan, but he has now moved on. The job is up in the air now between Tony Poljan is the likely starter, but attempted just 21 passes as a freshman last season. Tommy Lazzaro and Austin Hergott are in camp as well, but neither has any experience, with Hergott being a RS freshman.
Jonathon Ward returns at RB after rushing for 1017 yards and 10 scores, but will likely have to be relied upon quite a bit more with a developing QB situation brewing. He averaged 5.68 yards per carry, which could drop if the QBs are not developing at a decent clip as defenses key in on the run more often. Kumehnnu Gwilley is the backup after rushing for just 204 yards last fall. Romello Ross is the 3rd option in the backfield.
Four of the top five receivers are gone, including Conklin at TE for the Chippewas, so the passing game could be in for a bit of trouble. 14 receivers came into spring ball, but not a lot of experience could be had from that group. Ward caught 48 passes out of the backfield, and he is the leading receiver returning. The next best of the group coming back? TE Logan Hessbrook, who caught 10 passes. He is likely the starting TE this fall. Jamil Sabbagh, Damon Terry, and Cameron Cole left spring ball with starting jobs, but that could change in fall camp.
The line has a big hole to fill as well, as the Center job is wide open heading into fall camp. Clayton Walderzak (LT), Shakir Carr (LG), Steve Eipper (RG), and Alex Neering (RT) left the spring holding jobs. Derek Smith was the only reserve that walked out of camp with a backup job locked down. This is going to be a thin unit.
Breakdown Defense: The defense allowed 27.5 points per game last fall, and allowed 28 points or more in each of their 5 losses. They only allowed 185.5 yards passing per game, while they allowed 185.23 yards rushing per game.
Mitch Stanitzek is back at DE, and is joined by Mike Danna, who starts on the opposite side. Stanitzek rolled up 6.5 TFLs last fall while Danna is going to have the impossible task of replacing Joe Ostman, who left after rolling up 20.5 TFLs last fall. That is a huge void. Again, depth is not a word to be associated with the DE position behind the starters.
Nate Brisson-Fast is the starting DT, and is one of the more impacting interior defenders in the MAC, as he finished with 9.5 TFLs last season. De'Andre Dill is the NT, and finished with 4.5 TFLs. Again, depth is something that must be found in camp, as backup battles rage on.
Malik Fountain returns to the MLB spot after leading the Chippewas in tackles last fall with 89. He is flanked to one side by another returnee in Alex Briones, who finished last season with 83 tackles, 8.5 of them going for loss. Michael Oliver also starts at OLB, and finished with 68 tackles in just 9 games. Tyler Apsey is back to give the Chippewas the slimmest amount of depth.
The secondary, like the D line, has a major loss to fill in for at Safety, as Josh Cox moves on after finishing with 87 tackles last season. His job is still a matter of battle as we head into the summer. Tyjuan Swain is back at Safety, but finished with just 10 tackles last fall. He tries to replace Darwyn Kelly, who also moved on after last fall. Again, depth is thin.
Sean Bunting and Darius Bracy are projected to start at CB. Bunting finished last fall with 5 PBUs, while Bracy is a RS freshman this fall. Da'Quaun Jamison and Brandon Brown are projected as the reserves. Jamison finished with 5 PBUs and could push into the starting lineup, while Brown is also a RS freshman.
Breakdown Special Teams: Michael Armstrong is back after hitting just 7/11 FG attempts last season, but could be pushed out by Kaden Keon. Jack Sheldon returns with the Punter job in his pocket after the spring, as he averaged 43.37 yards per punt in 7 games last fall.
Jerrod Davis will once again handle KR duties after averaging 26.56 yards per return last fall. He took one all the way back for a score. He may also be the PR man, as CMU must replace Mark Chapman there.
Final Analysis: The Chippewas are full of holes heading into 2018, and John Bonamego may have to do his best coaching job just to keep this team afloat through the hurdles, which should be plentiful early. Road trips to Kentucky and Michigan State may be particularly brutal early on in the season. This season will be all about filling spots and developing some young players, and in some course, finding some depth, which is woefully absent. I can still see this team coming together to win 5 games, but that all falls apart if th questions are not answered early, or if the injury bug sets in.
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