Today, everybody is undefeated, and the slate is clean.
The Central Michigan football team kicked off practice on Friday ahead of the 2021 season, one that begins, thankfully, with the promise of normalcy – or least closer to normal – than the COVID-delayed and then abbreviated 2020 campaign.
The Chippewas finished 3-3 during that season after going 8-6 and earning a berth in the Mid-American Conference championship game in 2019, Jim McElwain's first season in charge of the program.
"When we first got here, I kind of circled year three," said McElwain in reference to the timetable that would be in line with the maturity of his first recruiting class at CMU. "I'm still excited about that. I wasn't able to predict was that all the teams we have to beat have their same teams back."
An effect of the 2020 season is that rosters of most Mid-American Conference teams are largely unchanged from 2019 because the NCAA did not count it as a season against a student-athlete's eligibility.
Still, the goal for the Chippewas is the same.
"Our expectation is to go win this thing," McElwain said. "I don't think you should ever go into anything without that expectation and yet really it's about our guys realizing what they have to do to get to that point."
29 Days
The Chippewas have 29 days until their season opener on Saturday, Sept. 4 at Missouri. It is the first of four-consecutive nonconference games, two of which are against Southeastern Conference opponents.
They are set to entertain Football Championship Subdivision foe Robert Morris in their home opener on Saturday, Sept. 11, and then go to LSU on Saturday, Sept. 18.
CMU then entertains Florida International on Saturday, Sept. 25, and then goes to Miami (Ohio) for its MAC opener on Saturday, Oct. 2. The Chippewas homecoming game is set for Saturday, Oct. 16 (3:30 p.m.) against Toledo; that is also the weekend that CMU will induct its 2021 class into the Central Michigan University Marcy Weston Athletics Hall of Fame.
QB Questions
Certainly, there is plenty to talk about from position group to position group, but as always, the spot that draws the most interest is quarterback.
The incumbent is redshirt freshman Daniel Richardson, who suffered a season-ending injury after four starts in 2020. He completed 63 percent of his pass attempts for 715 yards and four touchdowns against two interceptions.
Also in the hunt is Jacob Sirmon, a 6-foot-5, 230-pound sophomore who transferred to CMU from Washington, along with freshman Tyler Pape, a Spring Arbor native and graduate of Parma Western High School.
"We have to become more efficient at the quarterback position," McElwain said. "Let's call it the way it is. That's really what we're looking for through camp; what are those things that need to happen (at that position).
"This sounds pretty simplistic but it's the truth: Can they throw completions to our guys and not the other team. At that position, know where you're going with it, be accurate with it, and then it (becomes), Does the team move down the field with you behind center?"
Points of Emphasis
Third down, on both sides of the ball, was a huge issue for the Chippewas in 2020. That, McElwain said, needs to change.
The Chippewa offense ranked 11th in the MAC in 2020 in converting just 28.2 percent of the time on third down; the CMU defense was ninth in the MAC in allowing opposing teams to convert on third down 44.9 percent of the time.
"Our efficiency, obviously, on third down was atrocious last year and that's going to be big," McElwain said. "How many times did we have (opponents) where we wanted them and then gave up long third-down conversions?"
"Our efficiency down in the red area (has to improve). We've got to come up with touchdowns especially when we get inside the 10 (-yard line). That was a huge area for us. I felt like our kicker bailed us out a couple times, and yet those should have been seven-pointers instead of three-pointers."
Areas of Strength
McElwain said two areas of strength for his team in 2021 are the defensive backfield and running back, where reigning MAC Freshman of the Year Lew Nichols III and junior Kobe Lewis form a potent one-two punch that combined to average 6.33 yards per touch – rushing, receiving, returns – and scored 12 touchdowns last season.
Also in the running back group is converted defensive back Darius Bracy, who showed explosive flashes in taking snaps in the wildcat formation a year ago.
"I'd be hard pressed to think that there's a much better running back (group) than what we have right now," McElwain said. "I'm looking forward to the competition and I'm looking forward to what we're going to be able to do personnel wise in some packages where we get multiple guys on the field at the same time. It should be a lot of fun."
The secondary is particularly experienced and talented with the likes of veterans at safety and corner.
"I'm expecting Dishon McNary to have an unbelievable year for us," McElwain said. "It's time for him to show just how good we know he is. I'm excited to see him battle and play."
Back on the Field
The good news for the Chippewas on the injury front is the return of offensive lineman Luke Goedeke and defensive lineman LaQuan Johnson Jr. Both missed the entire 2020 season with knee injuries.
Johnson's return is particularly important since defensive tackle Robi Stuart, a mainstay along the defensive front since his arrival in Mount Pleasant before the 2017 season, is out for the season with an injury.
Johnson ranked second on the team in 2019 with six sacks and was third with 13 tackles-for-loss.
The 6-5, 310-pound Goedeke bolsters an offensive line led by senior center Jamezz Kimbrough and emerging talent Bernhard Raimann, who is up to 305 pounds in his second season starting at tackle after a move from tight end.
"I really believe in our runners, I really believe in that line," McElwain said. "Now we've got to get the production out of the play action and the accuracy out of the quarterback position. That's really what we need to do."
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August 07, 2021 at 09:19AM
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Football Kicks It Off - Central Michigan University Chippewas
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