|
QB
Dan LeFevour |
|
|
2007
Statistics |
Coach:
Butch Jones
8-6,
1 year |
2007
Record: 8-6 |
|
at
Kansas |
LOST
7-52 |
TOLEDO |
WON
52-31 |
at
Purdue |
LOST
22-45 |
NORTH
DAKOTA ST |
LOST
14-44 |
NORTHERN
ILLINOIS |
WON
35-10 |
at
Ball State |
WON
58-38 |
ARMY |
WON
47-23 |
at
Clemson |
LOST
14-70 |
at
Kent State |
WON
41-32 |
at
Western Michigan |
WON
34-31 |
EASTERN
MICHIGAN |
LOST
45-48 |
at
Akron |
WON
35-32 |
MAC
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME |
vs.
Miami OH |
WON
35-10 |
MOTOR
CITY BOWL |
Purdue |
LOST
48-51 |
|
2007
Final Rankings
AP-UR, Coaches-UR, BCS-UR
|
2008
Outlook |
For
107 years, Central Michigan
has put forth a quality pigskin
product. Once they became an
I-A program in 1975, only four
years went by before their first
MAC title was won. The Chippies
didn’t spawn a losing
campaign until 1992. It has
been since 1980 that CMU had
won back-to-back MAC titles.
Then last year, Butch Jones
arrived. Jones took over the
league champions and an offense
that proved to be the top scoring
group in the league. Jones kept
the momentum from 2006’s
MAC Championship-winning squad
going enough to again capture
the crown. That doesn’t
leave much room to improve,
but there are enough challenges
in this upstart league that
Central Michigan is no lock
for anything in 2008.
The
offense loses two receivers
and two guards…that’s
it from their pass-first, but
balanced multiple-WR system.
This spring, the offense looked
to be in mid-season form already.
There are two main components
that need to stay healthy for
the Chippies to have their best
chance for the most wins –
junior dual-threat Dan LeFevour
and sophomore Antonio Brown,
the past two MAC Freshmen of
the Year. These two have Bryan
Anderson (more receiving yards
than Brown) and Notre Dame RB
transfer Justin Hoskins to lean
on and a line that will make
it all work. But when you have
one of two players to ever run
for 1,000 yards while also passing
for 3,000 yards in a season
at this level (Vince Young did
it before LeFevour), everyone
else seems like a supporting
cast member compared to their
special signal caller.
That said, the defense ranked
second-to-last in stopping the
pass and went from allowing
22 points per game in ’06
to 37 per game last year. That
meant two more losses than in
’06, so even if the offense
sets school records, no stopping
power will mean struggles weekly.
Allowing North Dakota State
(FCS, formerly I-AA) to score
44 - as well as allowing Kent
State (3-9) and Akron (4-8)
to each score 32 (even Eastern
Michigan got 48 for the win)
- is not a good omen for things
to come. Chippewa grad Tim Banks
may be in over his head leading
the D, for the statistical slips
he allowed reflect a huge step
back. The spring only confirmed
this slipping trend. Coach Jones
has to be concerned with the
secondary since almost everyone
is back from the nation’s
second-to-worst passing defense.
The new LBs look like they may
be better in coverage, and with
a staunch DL that can manage
on its own, better stopping
power may be found. But that’s
only an iffy proposition, at
best…they’ll have
to show us the D before we believe
it’s been resurrected.
The
slate has three big non-cons,
and they are all away. Going
to Athens to face the No.2 Bulldogs
is ambitious, but holding them
under 50 will be the realistic
challenge. If that happens,
the D can grow from that moral
victory and hopefully apply
lessons learned when they go
to Purdue two weeks later. Sequentially,
three games are played away,
then three straight at home
follow, only to then again play
three more away. Like last year,
the game with Ball State will
probably decide the MAC West,
and that game is at home. The
revenge game with Eastern Michigan
closes out the regular season,
a possible concession if the
conference title is out of reach.
Jones
and his staff seem to be split,
with the offense looking deadly
under OC Mike Bajakian and the
defense seeming overmatched
under Banks. Jones cannot be
afraid to pull the trigger on
Banks if LeFevour comes back
next year. The defense will
then be an albatross around
his/the teams’ neck and
that will be a sure way to waste
this much offensive firepower
once again. This Chippewa squad
should be special, one that
should win national rankings
and accolades that they can
then ride into 2009. A team
like this needs everything working
for it, and cannot afford a
marginal defense if Central
aspires to break out of the
mundane mold within which most
MAC teams struggle.
Projected
2008 record: 8-4
|
|
CENTRAL
MICHIGAN
*POWER RATINGS |
Offense |
Defense |
QB
- 4.5 |
DL
- 3 |
RB
- 3.5 |
LB
- 2.5 |
WR
- 3.5 |
DB
- 2 |
OL
- 3.5 |
.. |
|
CENTRAL
MICHIGAN
2007 Statistical Rankings |
OFFENSE |
|
National |
Conf. |
Rushing: |
36 |
3 |
Passing: |
32 |
4 |
Total
Off: |
21 |
2 |
Sacks
Allow: |
36 |
3 |
|
DEFENSE |
|
National |
Conf. |
Rushing: |
57 |
1 |
Passing: |
118 |
13 |
Total
Def: |
109 |
13 |
Sacks: |
94 |
11 |
|
|
RETURNING
LEADERS |
Passing:
Dan LeFevour, 355-543-13, 3652
yds., 27 TD
Rushing: Dan LeFevour,
188 att., 1122 yds., 19 TD
Receiving: Antonio Brown,
102 rec., 1003 yds., 6 TD
Scoring: Dan LeFevour,
20 TD, 120 pts.
Punting: None
Kicking: Andrew Aguila,
9-14 FG, 60-64 PAT, 87 pts.
Tackles: Nick Bellore,
102 tot., 45 solo
Sacks: Frank Zombo, 7.5
sacks
Interceptions: Josh Gordy,
4 for 19 yds., 1 TD
Kickoff Returns: Antonio
Brown, 40 ret., 26.2 avg., 1 TD
Punt Returns: Antonio Brown,
13 ret., 10.9 avg., 0 TD
|
|
|
OT
Andrew Hartline |
|
|
|
CENTRAL
MICHIGAN |
|
|
OFFENSE
- 8 |
----RETURNING
STARTERS---- |
DEFENSE
- 8 |
|
KEY
LOSSES |
OFFENSE:
Justin Gardner-WR, Duane Brooks-WR,
Mike Decker-OG, Eric Tunney-OG |
DEFENSE:
Steven
Friend-DT, Ike Brown-SLB, Red
Keith-WLB, Curtis Cutts-SS, Tony
Mikulec-P |
|
|
2008
OFFENSE |
QUARTERBACK
The difference in this offense from
2006 through last year was significant.
Second-year coordinator Mike Bajakian
– the 2002 & ’03 QBs
coach – took the production
of QB Dan LeFevour and cranked it
up from its already-efficient state
to nearly All-American levels. Accountable
for 75% of the Chippy’s yards
from scrimmage (passed or ran it 68%
of the 1076 total plays), the MAC
Offensive Player of the Year increased
his passing yardage by around 15%
and he more than doubled his net rushing
gains. Big and quick footed (not much
blazing speed in the open field, though),
LeFevour’s ability to read the
opposing D and make the right play
is pretty superior. He could cut down
on his INTs (13 last year was up from
10 as a frosh, but he threw it 150
more times), but he’s looking
good for a job on Sunday’s.
LeFevour runs this spread, pass-first
approach best, but backup Brian Brunner
is in his senior year and has yet
to truly prove whether or not he could
do well if given the reigns. His one
big effort was to lead CMU to their
27-14 win over EMU in 2006 with a
20-for-29, 214 passing yard effort,
topped by two rushing TDs and 72 ground
yards, so he has the chops to succeed
and should do fine in keeping the
offense moving if need be.
RUNNING
BACK
The running game allows LeFevour to
decide when he will make his runs,
but the actual running plays when
he doesn’t keep it will be distributed
amongst two seniors. All-MAC Justin
Hoskins came here from Notre Dame
as a rare three-star recruit after
serving in South Bend during his underclassman
days. With 4.4-second speed, Hoskins
is excellent catching the rock out
of the backfield. As is Ontario Sneed;
even with five more carries, Sneed
had less spectacular rushing results
(178 yards less), but he did have
more yards with the same number of
catches. Hoskins being healthy secures
he starts. Christmas baby Carl Volney
didn’t impress in his RS frosh
campaign, but he’s going to
break out sometime soon with his skill
package after his huge spring. Jahleel
Addae is the three-star prize of this
year’s class, but he offers
no size difference to change things
up out of the backfield. Marcel Archer
does change things up for those two-back
sets seen less than 25% of the time,
but he needs more than two carries
a game so he can get into a groove
and keep defenders off LeFevour.
RECEIVER
/ TIGHT END
The guy responsible for nearly twice
as many all-purpose yards as LeFevour
is Antonio Brown. The nation’s
second leading freshman receiver with
102 catches, Brown is a former dual-threat
QB who followed up LeFevour’s
MAC Freshman of the Year by earning
the award for himself. Brown makes
up for his size with speed and football
savvy, getting open in the four-WR
sets easily with so many distractions.
There were only six 1,000-yard tandems
in FBS last year, and one set was
found here. 6’5 Bryan Anderson
gets to go out a bit further downfield,
piling up yards and proving to be
the guy they go to for scores most
often. Brown is more of a “get
him in open space and he’ll
YAC it up” kind of achiever.
Gardner and Brooks are tough to replace
as excellent first-stringers, but
Kito Poblah and Taylor Bradley have
‘breakaway threat’ written
all over both of them. Jean Pitts
is the best of the viable backups,
but the drop-off to the second team
isn’t so bad that a few injuries
couldn’t be handled. Rocky Weaver
is a snarler who has a tight end tag
in a multiple-WR scheme…not
good for getting many reps.
OFFENSIVE
LINE
The line is back with a healthy mix
of old and young faces, and they bring
a gelled foundation. Miller, Wojt
and Hartline started every game together
last year, and Maddux was first-team
for nine games. How Colin Miller didn’t
receive All-Freshman recognition seems
criminal after the prep wrestling
champ (Virginia super heavyweight)
led the line of upperclassmen to new
heights. Andrew Hartline earned All-MAC
two straight years, and the former
state discus champ will earn three
if he remains healthy. Out of the
Detroit area, Jeff Maddux is a rare
Chippy who weighs in over 300 pounds
but can still display superior footwork.
Ex-TE Ollenburger earns his spot after
doing extensive research at guard
as a reserve. Since the line isn’t
as deep as it might be at a school
where agile big men abound, this isn’t
the deepest group. But the ability
for Bajakian and head coach Butch
Jones to make the most of the blockers
at hand is assured.
Moreover,
what Jones brings as an offensive
technician after working as an offensive
assistant under Rich Rodriguez during
the 2005-06 heydays at West Virginia
is the difference between the knife-through-butter
results now and the run-heavy, belabored
production seen here when Jones was
OC from 2001-03. The efficiency seen
now is the wave Central rides into
our top 50.
|
|
WR
Antonio Brown
|
|
|
CENTRAL
MICHIGAN 2008 DEPTH CHART
Returning Starters/Key
Players |
OFFENSE |
QB |
Dan
LeFevour-Jr (6-3, 226) |
Brian
Brunner-Sr (6-3, 241) |
RB |
Justin
Hoskins-Sr (5-10, 195) |
Ontario Sneed-Sr (5-11,
203)
Carl Volny-So (5-11, 189) |
WR |
Antonio
Brown-So (5-11, 175) |
Jean
Pitts-Jr (5-10, 170) |
WR |
Kito
Poblah-So (6-2, 196) |
Joe
Bockheim-Sr (6-2, 197) |
WR |
Bryan
Anderson-Jr (6-5, 205) |
Brandin
Friske-Fr (6-3, 207) (TE) |
WR |
Taylor
Bradley-So (6-1, 189) |
Matt
Torres-So (6-1, 189)
Sean Skergan-So (6-1, 204) |
TE |
Rocky
Weaver-Fr (6-6, 220) |
Tyler
Reed-So (5-11, 220) (FB)
Marcel Archer-Jr (5-11, 195) (FB) |
OT |
Andrew
Hartline-Sr (6-5, 297) |
Anthony
Quinn-So (6-4, 252) |
OG |
Jeff
Maddux-So (6-4, 318) |
.. |
C |
Colin
Miller-So (6-3, 280) |
.. |
OG |
Allen
Ollenburger-Jr (6-4, 245) |
Joe
McMahon-Jr (6-2, 285) |
OT |
Greg
Wojt-Sr (6-4, 285) |
Adam
Antonides-Jr (6-3, 284) |
K |
Andrew
Aguila-Jr (6-0, 175) |
.. |
|
|
2008
DEFENSE |
In
his first year as a coordinator at
any level, alum Tim Banks saw his
eleven allow nearly 120 more yards
per game than the Chippy D did in
2006. Only three foes were held under
the 30-point barrier, with five going
over the 40-point line. No one on
this side of the ball earned all-conference
status.
DEFENSIVE
LINE
We can scrutinize the run stopping,
but even allowing 156 yards per game
rushing meant leading the MAC in this
category. The inside starter still
here is Casey Drosca, a quick-on-his-feet
tackle who plays bigger than his smallish
size (his 11 TFLs tied for team lead).
Todd Johnson really bolsters the entire
line since he is a real-sized tackle
and now the biggest guy on the D.
Johnson passed on Nebraska and Okla.
St. to get the chance to play immediately
here, so he will be in the mix, if
not a starter, by fall. He could displace
Allison, who is not proven and will
be exposed by Georgia for his lack
of size. Williams also brings size,
and he brings a Miami Central (prep)
résumé that now seems
to be more prevalent in Mount Pleasant
than most would expect (eight players
in this year’s class and 21
Chippewa players overall hail from
the Sunshine State). At nearly 260,
Sterling Height’s Frank Zombo
also weighs in with the needed girth
and is the team’s sack leader
(7.5). Larry Knight holds up his end,
as does ex-starting TE Sammy Williams
when he gets the nod (six starts here
last year). With so many bodies back,
we see improvements for the results
up front.
LINEBACKER
Nick Bellore sits in the commander’s
chair (MLB) and does a strong job
tying the defense together. Injuries
(shoulder/neck surgery) kept Hissong
from earning his starting slot this
spring after bumping up from safety.
Junior Barron Miles holds onto the
starter’s job, but the entire
weakside looks just that (weak) due
to most of the two-deep hovering around
200lbs (and that’s on a heavy
day after eating from the buffet).
Ex-WR Mike Petrucci looks like the
next great SLB here; he flew up the
depth chart this spring and impresses
with the speed to match up against
anyone in coverage. Lapsey started
12 games on the 2006 D that was much
tighter, so his experience/availability
will be key to forming the best LB
rotation out of the available hats.
DEFENSIVE
BACK
The biggest focus has to be on improving
the pass defense. With all but one
main cog back, expectations have to
be on improving from those hard lessons
of ’07, ones which allowed 34
passing TDs (to go with the 31 rushing
scores) and allowed the most passing
yards of any defense (4,249…no
other team allowed over 4,000 yards).
Banks oversees the corners and second-year
man Mike Kolakowski the safeties,
but their one-year result has many
wondering if they can maximize the
elements at hand. Chaz West bumps
back to safety, and that move seems
to have helped somewhat. West’s
all-around effort fits better there,
and, as a great open-field tackler,
he can prevent more scores if the
ball is in front of him. Eric Fraser
was also part of the 2006 defense,
but his stat line (except tackles)
seems bare as he was spread too thin
and never really took off in Banks’
system. The same can be said for Brazzel
(might bump to LB), McLaughlin and
Edwards, all of whom started, but
none with much regularity and the
results suffered due to the weekly
shuffling. Reports are HC Jones is
going to keep the “musical chairs”
going in back. Fraser and West starting
together looks like a solution to
the many field management issues,
but the staff has to stay committed
to them once they are both healthy.
Corner Josh Gordy is a speed merchant
(10.5 in the 100), but an ankle injury
last year kept his efforts limited.
A clean bill of health will mean Gordy
is the No.1 corner, and five-time
starter Tommy Mama will have to hold
off Agnew, a Grand Rapids product
looking to prove much after getting
his feet wet last year in a reserve
role. Ex-RB/WR LaVarus Williams also
has a Chippy attitude - this burner
wants to fit into the CMU two-deep
in his first year of eligibility and
show why he will stay entrenched on
the outside for years to come. Four
other DBs in the newest class make
the future a bit brighter for those
dark November upstate days.
The
bottom line for this defense is plain
and simple: knowing their offense
will pour on the points, how much
the defense improves will dictate
how many more wins Central can expect.
|
|
CB
Josh Gordy
|
|
|
CENTRAL
MICHIGAN 2008 DEPTH CHART
Returning Starters/Key
Players |
DEFENSE |
DE |
Larry
Knight-Jr (6-3, 243) |
Sam
Williams-Jr (6-4, 218) |
DT |
Josh
Allison-Fr (6-2, 245) |
John
Williams-Fr (6-0, 270)
Mark Dietz-Fr (6-3, 255) |
NG |
Casey
Droscha-Sr (6-1, 258) |
Todd
Johnson-Jr (6-4, 280) (JUCO) |
DE |
Frank
Zombo-Jr (6-4, 259) |
Tredale
Kennedy-So (6-3, 250) |
SLB |
Mike
Petrucci-Fr (6-2, 208) |
Jonathan
Lapsley-Sr (6-2, 254) |
MLB |
Nick
Bellore-So (6-1, 234) |
Matt
Berning-So (6-1, 235) |
WLB |
Barron
Miles-Jr (6-2, 202) |
Calvin
Hissong-Jr (6-4, 196)
Shane Torzy-So (6-2, 197) |
CB |
Josh
Gordy-Jr (5-11, 190) |
LaVarus
Williams-Fr (5-11, 185) |
CB |
Tommy
Mama-Jr (5-10, 187) |
Vince
Agnew-So (5-11, 188) |
SS |
Chaz
West-Jr (5-11, 181) |
E.J.
McLaughlin-So (6-0, 203)
Tim Brazzel-Jr (6-0, 185) |
FS |
Eric
Fraser-Jr (6-0, 202) |
Kirkston
Edwards-Jr (6-1, 183)
Bobby Seay-So (5-11, 185) |
P |
Brett
Hartmann-So (6-3, 215) |
.. |
|
|
|
2008
SPECIAL TEAMS |
Brett
Hartmann doesn’t look like much of
an improvement after averaging 35 yards
per punt in prep. He looks more viable as
a place kicker, and even though Andrew Aguila
seems to have that spot sewn up, Aguila
only went 2-for-5. Antonio Brown has the
ability to return both kinds of kicks. Brown
had one return for a TD as a freshman, so
a few this year would be no surprise.
|
|