Central Michigan vs. Oklahoma State - CMU Football Game Winning Hail Mary
Central Michigan opened its season in impressive fashion Thursday night with a 49-3 home victory over Football Championship Series opponent Presbyterian.
Now the Chippewas set their sights on the meat of the schedule, beginning with a trio of difficult non-conference challenges Oklahoma State, UNLV and Virginia before embarking on the quest for a Mid-American Conference championship.
Central Michigan continues its season Saturday with a noon kickoff against the Cowboys in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
Here are 15 reasons to care about as the Chippewas 2016 season unfolds:
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1. Any list should begin with fifth-year senior and four-year starting quarterback Cooper Rush, one of four captains on the roster. Rush began the season in somewhat mundane fashion by completing 16-of-26 passes for 237 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions on back-to-back throws during the second quarter. But make no mistake, Rush has proven himself as the real deal and there is a reason CBS Sports currently lists him as a projected fourth-round selection in the 2017 NFL Draft. He needs 3,315 more passing yards to surpass Dan LeFevour as the all-time leader in passing yards at Central Michigan, a good bet considering he threw for over 300 yards eight times a year ago.
2. After an underwhelming five-year stretch under previous head coach Dan Enos, the Chippewas were reinvigorated in 2015 after the hiring of current head coach John Bonamego. He led CMU to an unlikely share of the MAC West Division title in his inaugural year and has his sights set on bringing bigger hardware to Mount Pleasant this year and in future years. Aside the wealth of knowledge and experience he brings to the football field, the Central Michigan alum bleeds maroon and gold which makes him a favorite to students and the entire fan base.
3. Two MAC West first-place votes in the conferences preseason poll. Although the Chippewas were tabbed fourth, ultimately preseason polls meaning nothing and yet the two votes to win it serve as notice that they will not be surprising anyone this season.
4. The running game looks to be re-energized after finishing dead last in the MAC in 2015. Gaining 255 yards and scoring five touchdowns on the ground in the opener might be the start of a strong bounce back year. The triumvirate of junior Devon Spalding (15 carries, 135 yards, 1 TD), senior Jahray Hayes (9 attempts, 43 yards, 3 TDs) and true freshman Jonathan Ward (7 carries, 79 yards, 1 TD) all offer different running styles. When sophomore Romello Ross returns from injury next year, it will continue to trend upward as a position of strength.
5. The No. 21 legacy jersey worn each week by a selected CMU player in remembrance of late former teammate Derrick Nash is a reminder of what is great about college football. Last season, the Chippewas player who wore the No. 21 routinely had an outstanding game. That did not change in week one of 2016 when senior safety Winslow Chapman drew the honor and came up with a momentum-changing first-half interception.
6. Watch out for redshirt freshman defensive end Mike Danna out of Warren De La Salle High School. He was much talked about over the summer as the 250-pounder showcased a 42-inch vertical leap that. In the opener, he registered a sack and showed he has the potential to be a nuisance for quarterbacks the next several years. Danna is one of a number of underclassmen who will play a key role in the future of the Central Michigan football program.
7. It is always nice when the Chippewas roster carries some local flavor. Redshirt freshman tight end Logan Hessbrook (Ithaca) plus true freshman fullback Hunter Buczkowski (Mount Pleasant) and punter Kaden Keon (St. Louis) give the Chippewas plenty of mid-Michigan flair. The latter two are likely redshirt candidates.
8. Central Michigan has an assistant coach in offensive coordinator Morris Watts who began his coaching career in 1961, before much of the Chippewas coaching staff was even born. He proved to be an innovative play caller in 2015 and expect that to remain the same with plenty of veteran personnel this season.
9. The starting left tackle for CMU in the opener was junior Joe Austin. He was undersized for the position when he arrived on campus from Bridgeport High School, hardly a powerhouse. Austin bulked up, saw some playing time after injuries last year, was surprised with a scholarship after the spring game and is now penciled in as a starter. Thats a college sports success story.
10. Senior safety Tony Annese is constantly referred to as a ball hawk, a moniker that stuck after he began his collegiate career with interception returns for touchdowns in his first two starts as a redshirt freshman. With former counterpart Kavon Frazier now gone to the NFL, expect Annese to raise his game even further. He was right around the ball as usual Thursday when Central Michigan forced one of its three turnovers in what was a dominating defensive effort.
11. Sixth-year senior wide receiver Jesse Kroll leads a group of ball catchers that all return from a year ago and provide Rush with a plethora of weapons. Many different CMU wide receivers will likely be the stat leader depending on the Saturday.
12. Former Chippewas four-year basketball player Austin Stewart decided to give football a try for the first time since high school. He did not make a catch during the opener, but it will be interesting to see how he might be utilized in future weeks. You cannot teach 6-foot-6 size and elite jumping ability.
13. All five CMU senior captains Rush, Annese, fullback Joe Bacci plus defensive tackles Jabari Dean and Kelby Latta are very deserving. Bacci stands out as someone who has flown under the radar, but is invaluable for what he provides. The 69-yard TD run by Spalding in the first minute of Thursdays game does not happen without key seal blocks by Bacci and junior right tackle Derek Edwards. There is no shortage of leadership on the Chippewas.
14. Central Michigan employed a pair of punters in sophomores Cooper Mojsiejenko and Jack Sheldon in game one. Expect that trend to continue. Each provides a different skill set and will be used situationally. Mojsiejenko showed a bigger leg in the small sample size of one game, but Sheldon provided proof he can pin opponents deep and will likely be used going forward in angling situations. Mojsiejenkos father, Ralf, punted for seven years in the NFL, while Sheldon joins a growing trend of collegiate punters arriving from Australia.
15. What would college football be without supremely talented and entertaining marching bands? The Chippewas has an elite band, known affectionately as The Marching Chips. For casual and die-hard football fans alike, a fantastic marching band is an extra incentive to pony up the admission cost to attend a game. Central Michigans football program understands how important its marching band is and makes sure the support is mutual. Bonamego surprised senior band member Alex Markarian prior to the season opener with a $1,000 dollar scholarship with the entire CMU football program present.
Source: http://www.themorningsun.com/article/MS/20160906/SPORTS/160909856
