Enjoy head coach Brian Kelly now, because he isn't going to be around for long.
One of the rising stars of the coaching ranks after putting together CMU's first winning season since 1998, Kelly will soon attract plenty of interest from the big boys if he can keep CMU on track and become even more of a player in the West race. First things first, the team has a chance to take another step up and be this year's Akron.
CMU got blown out by Penn State, lost in an opening day heartbreaker to Indiana, and lost three MAC games by a total of 13 points. Eight of the team's 11 games were decided by a touchdown or less, and CMU should be on the right side of more of those battles this season with 33 lettermen and 16 starters returning.
There's reason to worry about a porous secondary that isn't going to be any better, and the loss of steady QB Kent Smith isn't going to help the offense, but everything else is in place from four returning starters on a rock of an offensive line to an improved receiving corps to one of the MAC's best linebacking corps. And there's also star power to rally around.
Northern Illinois RB Garrett Wolfe will likely be everyone's MAC preseason offensive player of the year, but CMU RB Ontario Sneed will be in the discussion with his workhorse ability and great hands as a receiver. CMU DE Dan Bazuin should be a serious threat for 20 sacks on his way to being every NFL scouts' hidden gem.
It's all there for the Chippewas to have a fantastic season and even hope for their first bowl bid since 1994 while shooting for back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 1990 and 1991. There's reason to get excited around Mount Pleasant, but it might still be a rough start because of ...
The Schedule: The good news: CMU gets four of its final seven games at home with two of those road trips at Temple and Buffalo. Akron has to come to Kelly/Shorts Stadium, as does Bowling Green and Western Michigan. The bad news: CMU plays four of its first six games on the road including a nasty three-game road swing at Eastern Michigan, Kentucky and Toledo. Things do start off interesting with Boston College coming to town followed up by a road trip to Michigan.
What you need to know on offense ... The offense became balanced and consistent last year thanks to no injuries on the line, the emergence of RB Ontario Sneed, and the play of QB Kent Smith. The line returns four starters, and Sneed should be an All-MAC candidate, but replacing Smith is going to be tough. Five players are in the mix for the starting quarterback job with big Brian Brunner the front-runner. The winner gets a talented and experienced receiving corps to work with.
Best Offensive Player: Sophomore RB Ontario Sneed. Sneed filled in as a true freshman after all the off-the-field problems of Jerry Seymour. Now Sneed has to make sure he can hold up for a full season after handling the ball over 20 times a game over the last eight. He's a 1,000-yard rusher who's also one of the MAC's top receiving backs making 51 grabs last year.
What you need to know on defense ... If nothing else, it'll be one of the MAC's most interesting defenses. New coordinator Joe Tresey inherits a whale of a front seven with, arguably, the MAC's best linebacking corps along with All-America candidate and superstar pass rusher Dan Bazuin at end. And then there's the secondary. A weak spot last year, it should have major problems this season with a shaky cornerback situation, no proven depth, and decent, but unspectacular safeties.
Best Defensive Player: Senior DE Daniel Bazuin. The senior is known for being one of the nation's dominant pass rushers with 16 sacks and 26.5 tackles for loss last year, but he's also a tremendous run defender finishing second on the team in tackles. Watch his profile skyrocket if he has big games early against Boston College and Michigan.
Key player to a successful season: Senior CB Terrance Robinson. The secondary was the team's weak link last year and it doesn't look like a prize going into 2006. The corner situation is so rocky that starting safety Pacino Horne will move to one spot, while the 5-6 Robinson will get the first look on the other side.
The season will be a success if ... Central Michigan wins seven games. The schedule might be a wee bit too demanding to win the MAC West, but there's too much experience and too many good things happening on both sides of the ball to shoot for anything fewer than seven wins.
Key game: Sept. 16 vs. Akron. The Chippewas will desperately need a win over the defending MAC champions to get the conference season off to a good start. This is the only home oasis in the with three road games to follow and the Michigan game the week before.
2005 Fun Stats:
- CMU opponent second quarter scoring: 119 - CMU opponent fourth quarter scoring: 31
- Penalties: Central Michigan 92 for 857 yards - Opponents 63 for 483 yards
- Rushing touchdowns: Central Michigan 15 - Opponents 6
The Last Time Central Michigan …
…played in a bowl game…1994 (Las Vegas Bowl vs. UNLV)
…missed a bowl game…2005
…pitched a shutout…1996 (Akron)
…was shutout…2002 (Northern Illinois)
…scored 50 points…2004 (Eastern Michigan)
…went undefeated…1979
…won a conference title…1994 (MAC)
…had a 3,000-yard passer…never
…had a 1,000-yard rusher…2005 (Ontario Sneed)
…had a 1,000-yard receiver…1999 (Jammarl O’neal)
…had a first-round draft choice…never
