The more I think about it, the more I strongly feel that the 2009 CMU football season comes down to really just two players:

Jake Olson and Rocky Weaver.

When you break down the CMU roster, the Chippewas seem pretty solid in almost every category. The quarterback is at the elite level, as are the wide receivers. You have a large group of young running backs, your linebacking core looks to have more depth and youth, the defensive secondary should be greatly improved, and your defensive line is thin, but has some top talent. Really, the big concern is at offensive line, yet the line will be anchored by two 3-year starters. Colin Miller and Jeff Maddux are reliable and senior Allen Ollenburger has playing experience to go on, but the two tackle positions, which are arguably the most important, are dominated with inexperience.

I hate to put the whole season on two young guys, but I really can't see things any other way. If Dan LeFevour has time to make throws, CMU will be just fine. But, in order for that to happen, Olson and Weaver have to play well.

I think early in the season against teams like Arizona and Michigan State, it could look ugly as the two get a feel for starting at tackle in a college football game. Hopefully by the start of the MAC schedule, they will feel better about the position.

CMU has all the talent in the world, but football is a team game and you are only as strong as your weakest link in the chain. Weaver and Olson are clearly coming into the season as the weak link, but can become the strongest link if they catch on to the position quickly. I know Butch Jones is high on Olson, so hopefully he can live up to that billing.

Let me know what you think. What do you think is the key this upcoming season for CMU or is there a particular player that you think will be the difference maker in 2009?

Sorry I haven't blogged as of late, not too much to talk about. Here are a few bullet points of CMU news and notes:

- The CMU men's basketball team added a preferred walk-on and welcomed back Brandon Ford to the team to replace the departing Adrian Hunter and Jeremy Allen. Ford is done with school but has a year of eligibility left and will come back, which will help the depth in the post for CMU next season.

-Sue Guevara got a significant contract extension with CMU. This is a big show of support for Coach G and well deserved. The women's basketball has clearly taken a step up in her two seasons here and based on her recruiting, it is only going to get better. This extension also shows that CMU has her back in this ongoing lawsuit.

- Bloomberg released information regarding Athletic Directors, their salaries, and their budgets from around the country. According to Bloomberg, Dave Heeke is the lowest-paid AD in the MAC at just under $160,000 a year. CMU's budget is second-highest in the MAC at $19.5 million, while the MAC as a whole ranks 10th of 11 conferences in averages salary for its ADs and average athletic budget of its schools. I would think with a new president coming in, Heeke may see more pay, or he may have interest in looking elsewhere to work.
(It should be noted that more goes into an athletic budget than just what Bloomberg listed as well, and CMU may not exactly be second in the MAC. I hope to do more on this figure and find out how things break down.)

- CMU didn't fare well in the NFL Draft, but the CFL is all about the Chippewas. Eric Fraser was taken eighth overall in the 2009 CFL draft and he now has a place to go following his senior year with CMU.

- Summer workouts will take up most of the next few months in terms of football, while recruiting is also big for basketball and football in the upcoming months. Football has yet to get a verbal for the 2010 season, but has garnered a lot of interest. For more on CMU recruiting, check out chippewacountry.com.

While I have not had it confirmed by the CMU coaching staff, I do have it on good authority that that Jeremy Allen and Adrian Hunter are no longer part of the Chippewa basketball program. Both left on their own terms, but also make the third and fourth departure in a matter of weeks.

While Hunter didn't provide CMU with as much as the coaches hoped and Allen regressed from last season and battled confidence issues all season, I feel that these two could have really helped the team next season. The Chippewas will now have a significant lack of experience on the floor in terms of the newcomers needing to play immediately.

Overall, these four departures can't be good for the APR of the program.

I will provide more information as I hear of it.