Sun Sports Blog - Drew Ellis of The Morning Sun

CMU vs. Bowling Green - The Tale of the Tape

2012-01-25T07:59:00.000-08:00

The Central Michigan men’s basketball team is looking to end a three-game losing streak tonight when it heads to Bowling Green for a 7 p.m. tipoff. You can listen to the broadcast here or watch a live stream here.

Here is a quick look at both teams entering this Mid-American Conference game:

CMU (7-11, 2-3 MAC, 2-8 on the road)

· 63.7 points per game (9^th in MAC)

· 67.4 points allowed per game (10^th in MAC)

· 40.7% shooting as a team (10^th in MAC)

· 65.0% free throw shooting (11^th in MAC)

· 41.9% 3-point shooting (5^th in MAC)

· 34.9% defensive field goal percentage (3^rd in MAC)

· Leading scorer – So. Trey Zeigler (16.0 per game)

· Leading rebounder – So. Trey Zeigler (6.7 per game)

· Longest Winning Streak – 2

· Longest Losing Streak – 3

· Current Streak – Lost 3

· RPI – 244

Bowling Green (8-10, 2-3 MAC, 6-3 at home)

· 68.0 points per game (7^th in MAC)

· 66.7 points allowed per game (9^th in MAC)

· 45.7% shooting as a team (3^rd in MAC)

· 68.4% free throw shooting (6^th in MAC)

· 34.0% 3-point shooting (6^th in MAC)

· 44.8% defensive field goal percentage (11^th in MAC)

· Leading scorer – Jr. A’uston Calhoun (13.3 per game)

· Leading rebounder – Sr. Scott Thomas (6.7 per game)

· Longest Winning Streak – 2

· Longest Losing Streak – 2

· Current Streak – Lost 1

· RPI - 177

CMU football news and notes

2012-01-19T12:03:00.000-08:00

- According to my friends at Chippewa Country, Dorian Dawson is transferring to a school in California. Dawson, a 6-1, 280-pound defensive tackle played as a true freshman this season, appearing in seven games and racking up six tackles and 0.5 tackles for loss. Dawson hails from Los Angeles, so the move from CMU to California isn’t all that surprising.

- Last week four players from the 2011 CMU football team were named to the academic All-MAC team. Long snapper Brian Bennyhoff, linebacker Mike Petrucci, quarterback Ryan Radcliff, and receiver Cody Wilson were the honorees for the Chippewas.

- A couple of former assistants from the 2009 team have made some changes recently. The big one is Tim Banks, who was the defensive coordinator for the Chippewas during the 2007-09 seasons, making the move to Illinois to be defensive coordinator for former Toledo coach Tim Beckman. Banks joined Butch Jones in Cincinnati following the 2009 season, but held just a co-defensive coordinator label with the Bearcats for the last two seasons.

- Former Chippewa WR coach, Zach Azzanni has been hired to coach the receivers at Wisconsin. Azzanni was the first of the 2009 coaching staff to leave CMU, as he joined Urban Meyer in Florida. He was receivers coach with the Gators until the 2010 season but then moved on to be offensive coordinator at Western Kentucky for the 2011 season.

CMU vs. Ball State - The Tale of the Tape

2012-01-18T08:07:00.001-08:00

The Central Michigan men’s basketball team is looking to stay atop the Mid-American Conference West Division standings on Wednesday at 7 p.m. when they host Ball State. You can listen to the broadcast here or watch a live stream here.

Here is a quick look at both teams entering this Mid-American Conference game:

CMU (7-9, 2-1 MAC, 3-1 at home)

· 64.6 points per game (9^th in MAC)

· 67.2 points allowed per game (9^th in MAC)

· 41.5% shooting as a team (10^th in MAC)

· 64.2% free throw shooting (12^th in MAC)

· 36.1% 3-point shooting (2^nd in MAC)

· 41.2% defensive field goal percentage (4^th in MAC)

· Leading scorer – So. Trey Zeigler (16.4 per game)

· Leading rebounder – So. Trey Zeigler (6.8 per game)

· Longest Winning Streak – 2

· Longest Losing Streak – 3

· Current Streak – Lost 1

· RPI – 218

Ball State (10-5, 2-1 MAC, 3-4 on the road)

· 65.9 points per game (8^th in MAC)

· 58.1 points allowed per game (1^st in MAC)

· 43.3% shooting as a team (6^th in MAC)

· 67.6% free throw shooting (6^th in MAC)

· 32.5% 3-point shooting (10^th in MAC)

· 37.6% defensive field goal percentage (1^st in MAC)

· Leading scorer – Sr. Jarrod Jones (17.8 per game)

· Leading rebounder – Sr. Jarrod Jones (8.5 per game)

· Longest Winning Streak – 6

· Longest Losing Streak – 2

· Current Streak – Lost 1

· RPI - 231

CMU vs. NIU - The Tale of the Tape

2012-01-14T07:07:00.000-08:00

The Central Michigan men’s basketball team is looking to start the Mid-American Conference season 3-0 on Saturday with a 4:30 p.m. tip at Northern Illinois. You can listen to the broadcast here or watch a live stream here.

Here is a quick look at both teams entering this Mid-American Conference game:

CMU (7-8, 2-0 MAC, 2-6 on the road)

· 64.5 points per game (9^th in MAC)

· 66.8 points allowed per game (8^th in the MAC)

· 41.8% shooting as a team (10^th in MAC)

· 62.8% free throw shooting (12^th in MAC)

· 35.7% 3-point shooting (3^rd in the MAC)

· 40.5% defensive field goal percentage (4^th in MAC)

· Leading scorer – So. Trey Zeigler (16.3 per game)

· Leading rebounder – So. Trey Zeigler (6.9 per game)

· Longest Winning Streak – 2

· Longest Losing Streak – 3

· Current Streak – Won 2

· RPI – 169

Northern Illinois (1-13, 0-2 MAC, 1-7 at home)

· 54.4 points per game (11^th in MAC)

· 67.4 points allowed per game (10^th in the MAC)

· 36.0% shooting as a team (12^th in MAC)

· 67.0% free throw shooting (8th^th in MAC)

· 28.6% 3-point shooting (11^th in MAC)

· 42.4% defensive field goal percentage (8^th in MAC)

· Leading scorer – Sr. Tim Toler (11.4 per game)

· Leading rebounder – Sr. Tim Toler (5.1 per game)

· Longest Winning Streak – 1

· Longest Losing Streak – 11

· Current Streak – Lost 2

· RPI - 341

CMU vs. EMU – The tale of the tape

2012-01-11T11:44:00.000-08:00

The Central Michigan men’s basketball team is in Ypsilanti tonight to take on Eastern Michigan for a 7 p.m. tip. You can listen to the broadcast here or watch a live stream here.

Here is a quick look at both teams entering this Mid-American Conference game:

CMU (6-8, 1-0 MAC, 1-6 on the road)

64.9 points per game (9^th in MAC)
67.6 points allowed per game (9^th in the MAC)
42% shooting as a team (10^th in MAC)
62.9% free throw shooting (12^th in MAC)
35.2% 3-point shooting (4^th in MAC)
40.3% defensive field goal percentage (4^th in MAC)
Leading scorer – So. Trey Zeigler (16.7 per game)
Leading rebounder – So. Trey Zeigler (6.4 per game)
Longest Winning Streak – 2
Longest Losing Streak – 3
Current Streak – Won 1
RPI – 189

Eastern Michigan (6-9, 1-0 MAC, 3-1 at home)

53.0 points per game (12^th in MAC)
60.9 points allowed per game (2^nd in the MAC)
36.9% shooting as a team (11^th in MAC)
70.2% free throw shooting (4th^th in MAC)
26.8% 3-point shooting (12^th in MAC)
41.6% defensive field goal percentage (6^th in MAC)
Leading scorer – Sr. Darrell Lampley (14.4 per game)
Leading rebounder – Jr. Jamell Harris (6.3 per game)
Longest Winning Streak – 3
Longest Losing Streak – 5
Current Streak – Won 1
RPI - 203

Hope for a strong 2011-12 season comes with balance

2012-01-10T12:09:00.001-08:00

Nobody is going to argue with you that the 2010-11 college basketball season was a disappointment for Central Michigan University.

This season, while there have been some down points in non-conference play, there are some noticeable numbers that lead me to believe that MAC play should be a successful one for the Chippewas.

The big thing I notice is balanced scoring.

If you look at last season’s totals, just three Chippewas averaged 7 points or more per game for the season. Trey Zeigler averaged 16.3 points per game while Jalin Thomas had 15.9 ppg and Derek Jackson was at 7.5 ppg. Basically if Zeigler and Thomas were having an off night, CMU was going to struggle to score.

This season, the Chippewas have five players averaging 6.9 points ore more.

Zeigler is leading the team at 16.7 ppg, but Jackson is putting up 11.3 ppg while freshman Austin McBroom is posting 10.2 ppg.

Add in Andre Coimbra scoring 9.1 ppg and Olivier Mbaigoto scoring 6.9 ppg and you can see that the starting five for CMU all have scoring ability.

What is even more promising is that the three leading scorers of the team are sophomores and a freshman.

While there is a lot of MAC play left, the Chippewas should be able to compete for the MAC West because of their scoring options that they didn’t have a season ago.

Zeigler vs. McCrea, A MAC rivalry

2012-01-09T11:23:00.000-08:00

Ever since Trey Zeigler committed to become a member of the Central Michigan Chippewas back in the spring of 2010, he was largely granted the MAC Freshman of the Year award for the 2010-11 season.
However, when it was all said and done, the 6-5 guard was edged for the award by Buffalo’s Javon McCrea, a 6-7 forward.
This season, Zeigler has seemed to have an intensity about him on the floor. Not much for words, he is letting his play do his talking, as he is averaging 16.7 points per game, 6.4 rebounds per game, and 2.8 assists per game. All of which rank in the top 13 in the MAC or better, with his scoring average putting him fourth in the conference.
Not to be outdone McCrea has been the leader of the Bulls this year, averaging 17.5 points per game and 7.7 rebounds per contest while shooting a league-best 62.5 percent from the field. His points put him third in the MAC and his rebounding average is fifth in the conference.
Both players helped lead their teams to wins in their MAC openers and Buffalo is now at 8-4 on the year while CMU is 6-8.
While there are plenty of talented players in the MAC this season, Zeigler and McCrea are providing some excitement about the future of the conference as well.

UIC vs. CMU Live Chat

2011-12-16T07:57:00.000-08:00

Join me at 7 p.m. for a live chat during tonight's CMU vs. Illinois-Chicago men's basketball game.

UIC vs. CMU Live Chat

CMU vs. Toledo Live Chat

2011-11-18T11:48:00.000-08:00

The CMU football team closes its season out with Toledo tonight. Join me for a live chat during the game, starting at 7:45 p.m.

Toledo vs. CMU Live Chat

Charlotte vs. CMU Live Chat

2011-11-15T08:02:00.000-08:00

The CMU men's basketball team takes on Charlotte tonight at 7 p.m. I will be hosting a live chat then from McGuirk Arena.

Charlotte vs. CMU Live Chat

The Extra Point 11-14-11

2011-11-14T11:52:00.001-08:00

The final Extra Point of the 2011 football season takes place tonight at 7 p.m. Join me to share your final thoughts about the season and your expectations for Friday's game with Toledo.

The Extra Point 11-14-11

Ferris State vs. CMU MBB Live Chat

2011-11-12T10:23:00.000-08:00

The CMU men's basketball team opens its regular season Saturday night at 7 p.m. against Ferris State. Join me for a live chat during tonight's game.

Ferris State vs. CMU MBB Live Chat

Ohio vs. CMU Live Chat

2011-11-09T17:39:00.001-08:00

Join me at 7:15 p.m. on Thursday night for a live chat during the CMU vs. Ohio college football game.

Ohio vs. CMU Live Chat

The Extra Point 11-7-11

2011-11-07T08:12:00.000-08:00

Join me tonight at 7 p.m. for The Extra Point. We will talk the wild finish at Kent State and Thursday's game with Ohio

The Extra Point 11-7-11

CMU vs. Kent State Live Chat

2011-11-03T20:22:00.001-07:00

Join me at 7:45 p.m. on Friday night for a live chat during the CMU vs. Kent State game.

CMU vs. Kent State

The Extra Point 10-31-11

2011-10-31T08:40:00.000-07:00

Join me tonight at 7 p.m. for The Extra Point. We will talk CMU holding on to beat Akron and the possibility of a two-game winning streak at Kent State on Friday.

The Extra Point 10-31-11

CMU vs. Akron Live Chat

2011-10-28T17:53:00.000-07:00

Join me at 11:45 a.m. for a live chat during the CMU vs. Akron college football game.

CMU vs. Akron Live Chat

The Extra Point 10/24/11

2011-10-24T06:27:00.001-07:00

My weekly live chat on CMU football gets started at 7 p.m.

The Extra Point 10-24-11

CMU vs. Ball State Live Chat

2011-10-21T15:59:00.000-07:00

Join me at 1:45 p.m. for a live chat during the CMU-Ball State football game.

CMU vs. Ball State Live Chat

CMU Men's Basketball Practice Notes

2011-10-17T17:17:00.000-07:00

I got a chance to watch about 90 minutes of CMU men's basketball practice today and wanted to share a few notes on the team.

- The freshmen guards looked to be fitting right in. Austin McBroom and Jordan Myrick both look comfortable at the point and I suspect each will get their chance to earn the starting spot. Both seem to be about passing the ball and running the offense, which should allow Trey Zeigler to be more of a scorer away from the ball. Austin Keel hit some nice outside shots and will be CMU's threat on the 3-point line. I don't know that he will be able to create a lot of shots on his own, but he probably won't get a lot of defensive attention early on either.

- CMU will really be tested in the post. Andre Coimbra will likely have to play the 5 in most situations, but he had a real history of foul trouble last year. If he gets into foul trouble, I am not sure who fills in at center. Zach Saylor might be the answer there, but he has missed the last two seasons with injury issues and is still pretty raw.

- At the 4, I think Colin Voss will be given the chance to start, but juco forward Olivier Mbaigoto looks to be a good option too. Mbaigoto has a really nice wingspan and will be a shot blocker for the team. Neither player really has the bulk to play the 5, but they will need to be rebounders for this team. Sophomore Jevon Harden and redshirt freshmen Auston Barnes are there too, but Harden has some knee issues that have plagued him and Barnes still seems small in height and weight at 6-6, 196 pounds.

- Trey looks to have filled out a little more and I think he will be the leader of this team, both in scoring, and in leadership. I think he knows that pressure that is on this team to win this year.

Media Day is Tuesday and I hope to get to another practice this week to get a better feel for the squad as they prepare for their exhibition opener on Nov. 2.

The Extra Point for 10-17-11

2011-10-17T10:29:00.000-07:00

Join me at 7 p.m. on Monday night for The Extra point where we will talk about CMU's loss to Eastern Michigan and how the Chippewas can rebound against Ball State.

The Extra Point 10-17-11

EMU vs. CMU Live Chat

2011-10-14T16:19:00.001-07:00

Join me at 2:45 p.m. on Saturday for a live chat during the CMU vs. EMU contest.

EMU vs. CMU Live Chat

The Extra Point 10-10-11

2011-10-10T11:11:00.000-07:00

Join me again at 7 p.m. tonight for The Extra Point. The Lions and Tigers have the main stage, but that doesn't mean we can't talk CMU football while its going on.

The Extra Point 10-10-11

CMU-NC State Live Chat

2011-10-07T15:32:00.001-07:00

Join me at 3:30 p.m. for Saturday's live chat during the CMU-NC State football game.

CMU vs. N.C. State Live Chat

The Extra Point 10-3-11

2011-10-02T20:20:00.001-07:00

Join me at 7 p.m. on Monday night to talk CMU's win over NIU and this week's upcoming game with N.C. State.

The Extra Point 10-3-11

CMU vs. NIU Live Chat

2011-09-30T16:27:00.001-07:00

Join me at 3:15 p.m. on Saturday for a live chat during the CMU-NIU football game.

Northern Illinois vs. Central Michigan

President Ross on Athletic Issues

2011-09-28T08:41:00.000-07:00

Central Michigan University President George E. Ross talked football to a group of alumni in Midland Tuesday night.
“I know you’re paying attention to football. We’ve had a rough start. I’ll remind you we’ve had new coaches before with rough starts. I am very supportive of Dan Enos and very supportive of the football players,” Ross said.
He foresees good things in the future for the team.
“I think the turn-around is coming. I will ask for your patience. For those of you who might not quite believe, I have two words for you—Detroit Lions. Its coming,” Ross said.
Coach talk and “playing clean”
“When I talk to coaches on campus, the athletic director and staff, I tell them ‘we are going to play clean at CMU.’”
“Since 1953 the NCAA has been tracking major violations across athletics. There’s 17 programs in America that have never had a major violation and CMU is one of them. We gotta play clean,” Ross said.
Money talk
Ross said the university athletics program needs financial support and he needs the help of the coaches to raise money.
“They do a pretty decent job, but we can do better. I can do better raising funds too,” he said.
Alumni survey
Ross told the group of alumni that a survey was conducted last year where 5,000 surveys were mailed out. He said 67 percent of the alumni said the number one reason they stay attached to CMU was athletics.

The event where Ross spoke took place at the Great Hall Banquet and Convention Center in Midland and was sponsored by CMU’s Great Lakes Bay Region Chapter.

The Extra Point 9-26-11

2011-09-26T06:55:00.000-07:00

Join me at 7 p.m. tonight for The Extra Point where we will talk about the CMU quarterback situation and the MSU loss as well as this week's upcoming game with Northern Illinois.

The Extra Point 9-26-11

CMU vs. MSU Live Chat

2011-09-23T16:25:00.000-07:00

Join me starting at 11:45 a.m. for a live chat during the CMU vs. MSU game on Saturday. I will be joined by Ross Maghielse, who covers the Big Ten for the Oakland Press. We will be taking your comments and questions all game long.

CMU vs. MSU

Q&A with LSJ's Joe Rexrode

2011-09-23T11:07:00.000-07:00

Joe Rexode, who covers Michigan State football for the Lansing State Journal, and I exchanged some questions about Saturday’s game. Here were Joe’s thoughts on Michigan State and Saturday’s game.

How much anticipation has MSU had for this game following the loss in 2009?
A: That's tough to say. This is a classic "sandwich" game, placed between Notre Dame and Ohio State, so it's not like the Spartans have been pointing to this week in the offseason. But they're definitely talking about that 2009 game this week. I'm sure that was a rough day for Mark Dantonio, but he probably doesn't mind it as much now because it should help him get his team's attention. The problem with the revenge thing is that most of the players who beat MSU that day don't play for CMU anymore.

How do Spartan players or fans view the CMU football program given the all-time series between these two?
A: I think players have respect and fans probably have a lot of ill feelings. I mean, 4-3, that says a lot. And just wait until next season, when MSU has a new quarterback, CMU should be better and the Spartans travel to Mount Pleasant. Older MSU fans remember the early 1990s -- and back then, losing to a MAC team was a much bigger setback than it is today.

Given the injury issues with the offensive line, what are the big concerns in regards to the MSU offense and how the CMU defense could capitalize?
That's the concern. MSU is strong at every skill spot but that doesn't matter nearly as much if you're offensive line isn't getting the job done. This will be the Spartan's third OL starting lineup in four games, with a redshirt freshman center who has yet to play a down in college. MSU has very high hopes for Travis Jackson, but that's a tough position for a second-year player. If I'm CMU, I blitz often, take some gambles, try to get some sacks and turnovers and really rattle that line.

How is the team dealing with the loss to Notre Dame? Does the fan base already feel like this season is trending toward a disappointment?
A: Well, some fans are going to panic after any loss -- or even unimpressive wins -- but I'd say there's definite cause for concern after the performance at Notre Dame. The defense was not bad but the special teams continue to suffer critical errors and the offensive line ... well, you know. The team seems pretty upset by the loss, and justifiably so. It'll be interesting to see if the Spartans can come with effort and fewer mental errors Saturday.

What concerns did the loss to Notre Dame raise about this team?
A: Again, we're going back to that offensive line. I hate to keep harping on it, but that's that concern. Of course, that was all the talk in preseason camp, too. Special teams would be the area that has been surprisingly poor. Last year, I'd argue MSU had as strong and impactful a kicking game as anyone in the country. Also at Notre Dame, the defensive line wasn't quite as disruptive as it expected to be or needs to be as the season continues.

What chance do you give CMU to win and what are the keys to the game in your eyes?
A: I give CMU a very slight chance. I think in a matchup like this you need a great quarterback playing at the highest level (as we saw with a certain QB for CMU in 2009), and the Chippewas don't appear to have that right now. I agree with you that the start of the game will be very important for CMU's confidence, and perhaps to give the Spartans a little doubt. Radcliff needs to go off, CMU needs to win big in turnover margin and the Chippewas need to batter that offensive line. That's a lot of conditions. I like MSU by about four touchdowns.

Here is the link of my answers to Joe's questions: http://noise.typepad.com/hey_joe/2011/09/lets-talk-central-michigan-and-more.html#more

The Extra Point for 9-19-11

2011-09-19T07:16:00.000-07:00

Join me at 7 p.m. on Monday night to share your thoughts on CMU-Western and the upcoming Michigan State game.

The Extra Point 9-19-11

Central-Western Live Chat

2011-09-16T10:45:00.000-07:00

What is a Central-Western game without a live chat? Join me on Saturday at 11:45 a.m.

Central-Western Live Chat

The Extra Point for 9-12-11

2011-09-12T15:50:00.001-07:00

Chat starts at 7 p.m.

The Extra Point 9-12-11

CMU vs. Kentucky Live Chat

2011-09-09T15:03:00.001-07:00

Join me starting at 11:45 a.m. for a live chat during Saturday's game.

CMU vs. Kentucky

The Extra Point - 9/5/11

2011-09-04T12:14:00.001-07:00

Join me at 7 p.m. on Monday to talk about CMU's win over South Carolina State and this week's game with Kentucky.

The Extra Point - 9/5/11

CMU - South Carolina State Live Chat

2011-08-30T06:51:00.001-07:00

Join me here at 6:45 p.m. on Thursday night

CMU vs. South Carolina State

CMU faculty strike and CMU athletics

2011-08-22T08:37:00.000-07:00

I had a chance to ask CMU President George Ross how athletics is and could be affected by the faculty work stoppage. Here is his answer:

"There are a minimum number of teaching days required in order for intercollegiate athletes to stay eligible. I will leave it at that. Right now, football is in practice. Soccer is playing. Volleyball is playing. Athletes are on campus. We have to get back to class. It could have an adverse effect on our ability to play intercollegiate sports. It could have an adverse effect on our ability to issue financial aid. Because there are certain requirements by the federal government."

This could be a problem if the strike continues for a long period of time.

CMU Scrimmage Notes for 8/20

2011-08-20T09:55:00.000-07:00

Today marked the second and final team scrimmage for the Central Michigan football team.
Before things even got started, there was a noticeable absence, as quarterback Ryan Radcliff sat out of practice with a thumb injury to his throwing hand.
Following practice, Enos said that the injury was minor, just some blood had to be drained from under his thumb. Radcliff was sitting out the scrimmage as a precaution.
Also Aaron McCord was out of practice with an injury while Rocky Weaver continues to sit out of contact drills. Kashawn Fraser is now on crutches. It appears he may have had an operation to his knee.
With Radcliff out, A.J. Westendorp handled the first team QB duties while Brandon Fricke was the backup. Alex Niznak never appeared in a series.
The coaches did a lot of shuffling with positions and after the opening few series, it was hard to determine a first or second team.
Still, here are some notes from each possession.

1 & 10 at CMU 31 – First Team Offense/Second Team Defense (Westendorp at QB)
Zurlon Tipton started with a nice physical run and then broke off a big run to the 5-yard line. He was able to get outside and cut up field, but was tackled by Leron Eaddy. Tipton eventually got the TD run as well, running over Kyle Smith at the goal line.

1 & 10 at CMU 31 – Second Team Offense/First Team Defense (Fricke at QB)
The unit went 3 and out as Joe Kinville batted down a third down pass by Fricke. The groups restarted and Jarrett Fleming had a nice reception where he carried numerous defenders before getting tackled. John Williams and Jason Chomic each had tackled for loss to end the drive for the offense.

1 & 10 at CMU 31 – First Team Offense/Second Team Defense (Westendorp at QB)
Westendorp had a first down scramble and then found Connor Odykirk for a nice long pass. However, Eaddy forced a fumble of Odykirk, which was recovered by Kenny McClendon.

1 & 10 at CMU 31 – Second Team Offense/First Team Defense (Fricke at QB)
It was a quick 3 and out for the defense as Jahleel Addae made a nice tackle on Jordan McConnell on third down. McConnell was running a cross route and was hit upon catching the pass.

1 & 10 at Visitor 49 – First Team Offense/Second Team Defense (Westendorp at QB)
Westendorp had a nice play where he moved out of the pocket and found Fleming on a deep pass that would have been a touchdown, but Fleming dropped the pass. It hit him right in the hands. Westendorp had a 20-yard scramble later in the drive and then found David Blackburn for a short first down pass. The offense got down to the 2 and then kicked a field goal. It was good by David Harman. They kicked on first down, so the offense could have went on to score.

1 & 10 at Visitor 49 – Second Team Offense/Second Team Defense (Fricke at QB)
Jake Bentley had a nice trip-up tackle on Austin White to prevent a big run early in the possession and then Fricke was unable to hit Courtney Williams on a slant route on third down. Williams could have run the wrong route, but the pass was way off.

1 & 10 at Visitor 20 – First Team Offense/Second Team Defense (Westendorp at QB)
Westendorp ran a play action pass to Caleb Southworth that got down to the 1-yard line and then the offense kicked a field goal. Harman hit the 18-yard attempt.

1 & 10 at Visitor 20 – Second Team Offense/Second Team Defense (Fricke at QB)
The opening play saw the defensive line knock down a Fricke pass attempt. Eventually, Harman hit a 23-yard field goal to hit a drive.

1 & 10 at Visitor 20 – First Team Offense/Second Team Defense (Westendorp at QB)
Westendorp hit Odykirk on a touchdown pass on the first play of the drive. Odykirk was heading to the corner of the end zone and Westendorp was on target with his throw.

1 & 10 at Visitor 20 – Second Team Offense/Second Team Defense (Fricke at QB)
The offense moved down toward the goal line, but Denzel Wimberly was stuffed on two run attempts at the 1-yard line.

1 & 10 at CMU 34 – First Team Offense/Second Team Defense (Westendorp at QB)
This was the two minute drill. White had a big run early on in the possession and took a big hit from Kevin King in the process. The drive ended on a short pass to Jason Wilson and he broke away from the defenders to get to the end zone. He showed good break away speed.

That’s it from me. I will have a few more practice updates next week before we enter the first week of the 2011 season.

VanArendonk leaves CMU basketball program

2011-08-18T11:25:00.000-07:00

CMU redshirt freshman forward Nate VanArendonk has decided to leave the men's basketball program and transfer to Hope, according to head coach Ernie Zeigler.

Zeigler cited wanting to be closer to family as to reasons for the 6-foot-10's VanArendonk's departure.

CMU Scrimmage Notes from 8/13

2011-08-13T10:31:00.000-07:00

Alright folks, I will save the observations for the end. The CMU football team had its scrimmage today with the first team offense taking on the second team defense and second team offense against the first team defense. Both third teams got some work as well. Here is a summary of each possession in order:

- Drive starts at CMU 30 – 1st team offense/2nd team defense (Radcliff at QB)
Radcliff hit David Blackburn for a pair of first down passes including a 23-yard pass to begin the drive. Connor Odykirk also caught a first down pass, as Radcliff looked to the TE a lot. Kenny McClendon had a pass deflection at the line of scrimmage for the defense, but ultimately, Radcliff had a 17-yard touchdown run on a scramble. He actually showed good instinct by running and made a couple moves to score. David Harman hit the PAT.

- Drive starts at CMU 30 – 2nd team offense/1st team defense (Westendorp at QB)
Ben Brown made a first down on a screen pass and the offense got another first down on a Lorenzo White pass interference call, which I thought was bad penalty by the ref. A lengthy pass play to Jarrett Fleming was called back on a hold by the offensive line, and ultimately a Steve Winston sack ended the drive.

- Drive starts at CMU 30 – 3rd team offense/3rd team defense (Niznak at QB)
Denzel Wimberly had a pair of nice runs to start his solid day. Freshman Courtney Williams had a dropped pass in the drive and then on fourth down and short, Austin White was crushed at the line and stopped short of the first down.

- Drive starts at CMU 30 – 1st team offense/2nd team defense (Radcliff at QB)
Paris Cotton got a big gain on a pass play as he had a delayed release from the line. Tyler Lombardo then caught a pass that brought the drive to the 3-yard line where Zurlon Tipton finished it off by plowing through the line for a score. Harman made the PAT.

- Drive starts at CMU 30 – 2nd team offense/1st team defense (Westendorp at QB)
John Williams knocked down a Westendorp pass at the line of scrimmage. AJ then bounced back by finding Caleb Southworth for a first down. The drive stalled thanks to a tackle for loss by Winston against Austin White and then Billy Myler took a nasty hit on the sideline from Jahleel Addae to force a punt.

- Drive starts at CMU 30 – 2nd team offense/1st team defense (Westendorp at QB)
Westendorp found Jason Wilson on the sideline for a first down but followed that up with a near interception. He threw behind a receiver in the flat and Shamari Benton nearly picked off the pass. But, AJ bounced back, finding Cedric Fraser on a 55-yard touchdown pass. However, it appeared Jason Chomic had a sack of AJ, but they could only touch the quarterbacks, not tackle them. Harman made the extra point.

- Drive starts at 50 – 1st team offense/2nd team defense (Radcliff at QB)
Tipton had a long run to the 10-yard line to spark the scoring drive and then Radcliff had a nice rollout pass to Connor Odykirk in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown. Harman made the extra point.

- Drive starts at 50 – 2nd team offense/1st team defense (Westendorp at QB)
Titus Davis had a first down catch but the drive stalled out quickly, resulting in a punt situation.

- Drive starts at 50 – 3rd team offense/3rd team defense (Niznak at QB)
This drive went 3 and out.

- Drive starts at CMU 3 – 1st team offense/2nd team defense (Radcliff at QB)
Tim Phillips had a long run to the opponent’s 21-yard line for the best rush of the day. He also drew a facemask penalty from Leron Eaddy on the tackle. Freshman CB Stefon Armstead knocked away a potential touchdown pass to Jerry Harris in the end zone and the offense settled for a 28-yard field goal from Harman, which was good.

- Drive starts at CMU 3 – 2nd team offense/1st team defense (Westendorp at QB)
Westendorp was sacked in the end zone on the first play for a safety. I believe Winston had the sack.

- Drive starts at Visitor’s 20 – 2nd team offense/1st team defense (Fricke at QB)
Fricke had his only drive of the day here. He nearly threw a pick six to John Carr, but Carr was unable to catch the ball. Harman eventually made a 29-yard field goal on the possession.

- Drive starts at Visitor’s 20 – 1st team offense/2nd team defense (Radcliff at QB)
Radcliff found Blackburn early in the possession for a touchdown. Harman made the extra point.

- Drive starts at Visitor’s 20 – 1st team offense/2nd team defense (Radcliff at QB)
Tipton had a physical 10-yard run early in the drive, but the offense stalled out at the 3-yard line after an incomplete pass from Radcliff to Titus Davis. Harman made a 20-yard field goal.

- Drive starts at Visitor’s 20 – 2nd team offense/1st team defense (Westendorp at QB)
The offense didn’t do much here, settling for a 31-yard field goal attempt from Harman, which was blocked at the line. Not sure who got the block. It was the only miss on the day for Harman.

- Drive starts at Vistior’s 4 – 1st team offense/2nd team defense (Radcliff at QB)
Kevin King tripped up Ben Brown for a loss on the first play. On third and goal, Tipton was stuffed by Eaddy and Darryll Stinson, but he got the last laugh by running over Eaddy for a touchdown on fourth and goal. Harman made the extra point.

- Drive starts at Visitor’s 4 – 2nd team offense/1st team defense (Westendorp at QB)
Freshman CB Jarret Champman knocked away a touchdown pass in the end zone to start the drive, but Brown eventually scored on a 1-yard run a few plays later. Harman made the extra point.

- Drive starts at Visitor’s 20 – 3rd team offense/3rd team defense (Westendorp at QB)
Wimberly caught a 10-yard pass from Niznak to start the drive. A touchdown was called on a fade pass from Niznak to Jason Wilson in the corner of the end zone. Wilson battled Derek Carter for the ball and made a juggling catch as he landed. He looked out of bounds on the play, but the ref gave him the score.

- Drive starts at CMU 34 – 1st team offense/2nd team defense (Radcliff at QB)
This was a possession where 2:48 was put on the clock and the offense is trying to run the clock out. Tipton picked up a first down run on the drive, but the defense ultimately forced a punt with 1:37 left near midfield.

- Drive starts at CMU 34 – 2nd team offense/1st team defense (Westendorp at QB)
The offense didn’t get a first down. Austin White was the running back and the defense made a stop on third down to force fourth and inched with 2:30 on the clock.

- Drive starts at CMU 34 – 1st team offense/2nd team defense (Radcliff at QB)
This was the 2-minute drill with 1:43 put on the clock. Phillips picked up 31 yards on a screen pass to start the drive and then Radcliff found Cedric Fraser on a 35-yard TD pass. Fraser got past freshman CB Dennis Nalor for the score. Harman made the extra point.

- Drive starts at CMU 34 – 2nd team offense/1st team defense (Westendorp at QB)
2-minute drill again. Ben Brown had a nice 22-yard run early in the drive and Odykirk caught a 9-yard pass to follow that. Westendorp then ran for a first down but was sacked by Caesar Rodriguez on the next play. On fourth and long, Westendorp found Jason Wilson for a first down and then Harman made a 25-yard field goal with a few seconds left on the clock.

- That was all of the possessions. As you can see, Brandon Fricke had just one drive. Not sure what that means for the QB depth chart.
- There was a lot of mixing and matching at positions, as the coaches wanted to see different players play with different teammates. Paris Cotton and Armond Staten didn’t get many reps, but I would guess that is because they don’t need them, being seniors with a lot of experience.
- Nobody really blew me away on the day but I thought Winston had a good effort as did freshmen running backs Wimberly and Brown. Both ran with a lot of force and effort.
- The first team offense threw the ball well but didn’t have that much success running the ball against a second string defensive line. Tim Phillips had some good plays and Tipton grinded out a few runs, but the offense wasn’t getting steady 4-yard gains.
- The offensive line struggled on the second team. Winston and John Williams seemed to be in the backfield a lot early on. I think it speaks to the lack of depth on the line. Rocky Weaver and Mike Repovz were still out of practice with injuries.
- Clearly the tight end position is a focal point of the offense and I would expect more production out of it this season.

That’s it for today. Hope that was helpful. I will be off tomorrow and get back to a practice early next week. The regular season is getting closer and closer.

Practice notes from Friday, 8/12

2011-08-12T09:32:00.000-07:00

Was able to get back to practice today. Not much to note, but here are a few things that stood out.

- On the injury front, a lot of the WR's have healed up. A couple of new names in red were OL Rocky Weaver and Mike Repovz as well as LB Alex Smith. It didn't appear as if any were too serious.
- With Weaver and Repovz out, the offensive line was slightly shuffled. Eric Fisher stayed at Left Tackle while Jake Olson moved to right tackle. Darren Keyton moved from center to guard while Aaron McCord was at the other guard spot and Andy Phillips was at center. There is some buzz on Phillips that he is really impressing the coaching staff and may find his way onto the starting lineup.
- True freshman Dennis Nalor was taking first team snaps at CB. I think Enos and the staff could be rotating in freshmen to see how they perform at the position. I think they really want to know what they have in their true freshmen at CB before they decide what to do with their other guys (i.e. Avery Cunningham, Derek Carter, etc.)
- The quarterbacks looked somewhat unimpressive today. Radcliff had some nice throws in drills but then struggled during scrimmage periods. Westendorp struggled with his accuracy as well. Fricke had a real nice deep ball to Billy Myler during practice and Niznak continues to do some good things and some bad things.
- Myler was taking a lot of reps with the first string in four-WR sets. He appears to be second on the depth chart at slot receiver. He has been doing a lot of work on punt returns as well.
- Jerry Harris looks to be the guy winning the race for the outside receiver position. He was running a lot with the first team offense and Radcliff. He made a few nice catches as well.

That's about all for today. CMU is having a scrimmage tomorrow with refs on hand, so it should be interesting to see who steps up. I will try to provide as much play-by-play and info as I can.

Practice Notes from Tuesday, 8/9

2011-08-09T09:53:00.000-07:00

Today was the first practice in pads. A lot of hitting going on. Here are a few observations from the day.

- Jahleel Addae went from red (no contact) to a yellow (limited contact) jersey today. He appears to have a rib or abdominal injury. He is expected to be back for 100 percent contact this week.
- Darren Keyton was also back at practice and ran with the first team for the entire session.
- True freshman Jarret Chapman was running with the first team defense at cornerback opposite Lorenzo White. Derek Carter had been moved down to second team.
- Speaking of Chapman, he had some highs and lows on the day. He made a nice pass deflection in the corner of the end zone during red zone skeleton. He leaped and just deflected the ball from Cody Wilson on a nice pass from Ryan Radcliff. On the slightly embarrassing side, he was hurdled by TE David Blackburn for a touchdown earlier in the practice. It was quite an athletic play by Blackburn.
- Leron Eaddy made a nice interception on Brandon Fricke. He stepped in front of Billy Myler to make the INT. It was a nice instinctive move by Eaddy.
- In terms of the quarterbacks, it is pretty clear that Ryan Radcliff throws the best ball in the group. He has the best arm strength and touch and also has improved his accuracy. I thought A.J. Westerndorp struggled today, especially with his accuracy.
- Alex Niznak clearly is still on the learning curve. I would be shocked if he was anything but redshirted. A lot of people talk about the speed of the game picking up for freshmen and think about the improved speed of defensive backs for quarterbacks. But, I think Niznak is also struggling with the improved speed of his receivers. He is throwing behind and short to a lot of his guys. Clearly the speed and talent of his receivers at CMU are an upgrade from the ones he had at Ithaca.
- The receivers CMU has look solid. Cedric Fraser looks very talented and like the best outside receiver, but he just hasn't been able to put it on the field in games. Jerry Harris has been hobbled with an injury, but still shows some good things. I think were CMU is strongest though is with its redshirt and true freshmen. It is a really talented group that should be amazing in a couple of years.
- At tight end, Connor Odykirk has looked good behind David Blackburn, while Jarrett Fleming looks impressive in size. He has really added some mass and should be a nice addition to the offense.
- At running back, freshman Anthony Garland looks good. He really likes to deliver the hits and isn't afraid of contact. He probably won't see time this year because of the top-heavy depth at the position, but he will be in the mix in years to come.
- In full team drills, the first team offense seemed to have their way with the first team defense, especially in the running game. Defensive Coordinator Joe Tumpkin wasn't too pleased with his unit. I don't know if this is a positive for the offense or negative for the defense. Maybe both.

That's it for today. Not sure if I will be able to stop out tomorrow for practice. Still working out my schedule. I will have more updates during the week and for Saturday's team scrimmage.

CMU Football Practice Notes from Monday, 8/8

2011-08-08T10:11:00.001-07:00

Well, what a difference a day makes. I missed Sunday's practice for a family function and apparently CMU racked up some injuries.
- Jahleel Addae didn't go through contact with an injury that didn't seem too serious as he was pretty upbeat and active throughout practice.
- Darren Keyton wasn't at practice at all but came back at the end of the day. Not sure if it is injury related. He is not in any hot water with the team or coaches.
- During practice, Mike Petrucci and Jerry Harris both got banged up. Petrucci took a hard hit in the upper body and sat out the last few drills. Didn't look serious. Harris made a great leaping catch in the corner of the end zone over Avery Cunningham on a nice pass from Ryan Radcliff. On his way down, Harris hit hard and was slow to get up to end practice.
- Others currently in red are: FR WR Jesse Kroll, FR WR Andrew Flory, RFR TE Joe Sawicki, RFR WR Johnathan Taylor, SR DE Kashawn Fraser, FR DL Matt Losiniecki, SO LB Ben Masztak, SO FB Adam Fenton, and RFR WR Deon Butler. Guys in Yellow (Limited Contact): SR WR Cedric Fraser, JR LB Jake Bentley, and SO LB Jason Johnson.
- The injuries gave opportunities to some young guys. Cunningham was taking over for Addae at safety and then moving to nickel CB in three CB sets. In nickel sets, Leron Eaddy would play Addae's safety spot.
- Cunningham had some nice plays on defense. He had a nice break on a pass and made some tips throughout practice.
- True Freshman Titus Davis got some snaps with the first team due to the injuries. He shows some nice raw talent, but he is still somewhat thin.
- Cedric Fraser shows some real talent, but as a senior, it seems like he has been more about potential than production.
- Harris dropped a beautiful deep ball from Radcliff on a well-run play. Harris beat the CMU DB's deep and had it put right in his lap, but let the ball fall through his arms. It was a pretty bad drop to have.
- Alex Smith moved to MLB for Petrucci when he got injured. I think the coaches like Smith, but he hasn't been able to beat out Benton for the WLB spot.
- In the punting game, Curtis Huge seems to have some competition from Richie Hogan. Hogan was booting some nice kicks and Huge had one punt that was just awful, about 10 yards.
- In the FG kicking, David Harman has been pretty good. He hit a few from outside 40 today. He had one kick blocked by Lorenzo White. Huge had some good kicks as well, but had one blocked be Leterrius Walton in the middle. Harman also had some impressive kickoffs, getting the ball to the end zone.
- Enos continues to show more intensity this season and seems to be more confident that this is his team. I think he was tentative at times, since last year's players were coming off such a successful season. But, he is clearly commanding this team this season.

That's it for today. Tomorrow is the first practice in full pads. Should get interesting.

CMU Football Day 2 Practice Notes

2011-08-06T10:26:00.000-07:00

Not as much to say today. Enos felt the practice went a little better today and was toned down with his anger at the end of the day.
Here are some notes and observations from the practice:

- WR Cedric Fraser and DE Darryll Stinson were among the injury additions from Friday. Fraser was in red, Stinson was in yellow. Fraser appeared to have hurt his ankle on Friday while I am not sure what happened with Stinson. Stinson was on the sidelines trying to help incoming freshman, which I think is a real positive to see.
- Rocky Weaver appeared to suffer a leg injury during the practice. Didn't look to be serious. Cody Pettit took his place during drills.
- Freshman Jesse Kroll had a nice diving catch during the practice, but hurt his hand in the process. Not sure what happened but the reaction of his teammates made it sound like he broke or dislocated his finger, and it wasn't a pretty sight.
- Ryan Radcliff had nice touch and accuracy during the practice. He was hitting his receivers on their breaks, something he struggled with at times last year. I spoke with him after practice and he knows that his INT's have to be cut down significantly. He looks more confident on the field.
- There is no QB battle, but A.J. Westendorp continues to impress me. He doesn't have the technical skills that Radcliff has in terms of accuracy or delivery, but he finds a way to make a bad play into a positive one. He did just that on the 2-minute drill where he took a broken play and made it a big gain on a pass. I think many fans (and myself at one time) felt Alex Niznak would just take over for Radcliff in a few years, but AJ might be making the case to earn the starting spot in 2013 when he is a senior.
- Brandon Fricke is not doing anything to stand out. He isn't doing anything bad either, but just not making an impression at all, which isn't a good thing.
- Alex Niznak continues to go through the ups and downs of being a freshman quarterback. I would be surprised if he was anything but redshirted this season.
- Deon Butler has had some nice plays during the first few days. He has good size for a redshirt freshman WR and I think he will be in the steady rotation of WR's with Cody Wilson and Jerry Harris.
- At tight end, Connor Odykirk has been getting a lot of reps. He is one of the few veterans at the position. I don't know if the coaches are waiting for the young TE's to develop, or if they really feel that Odykirk is a player they can count on.
- Two other locals, WR's Jordan McConnell and Billy Myler are doing some good things as well. McConnell could see the field this season while I think Myler will be a backup in the slot and possibly return punts.
- In the kicking game, David Harman is the plan for CMU, but juco punter Curtis Huge took some kicks today and was hitting from outside of 40 yards. He had good distance on his kicks and may provide some competition at place kicker along with doing the punting.
- Left tackle Eric Fisher is emerging as a leader on the team. He has been very vocal with his teammates and with his size, commands a lot of respect.

That is all for today. I will not be at Sunday's practice but will return on Monday with more updates.

Practice Notes from Opening Day

2011-08-05T16:04:00.001-07:00

Got a chance to watch today’s CMU football practice, the first of the 2011 fall college football season.
Here are some news and notes on the Chippewas:

- CMU started the day pretty injury free. Just four players were in red jerseys (no contact). They were DE Kashawn Fraser, FB Adam Fenton, WR Courtney Williams, and another unknown freshman (he never put his helmet on to identify his number). The team did have a few minor injuries take place during the practice, but nothing that looked serious.
- In terms of size and shape, Ryan Radcliff has lost some weight according to Dan Enos. He said Radcliff lost about 15 pounds over the summer and trimmed up. It looks like A.J. Westendorp added that 15 pounds. He is really a big kid from a muscular aspect. He looks like he has shoulder pads on without actually wearing them.
- The first team offense had Radcliff at QB, Zurlon Tipton and Paris Cotton trading at RB, Cody Wilson and Jerry Harris at WR, David Blackburn at TE, and an offensive line of Eric Fisher (LT), Jake Olson (LG), Darren Keyton (C), Rocky Weaver (RG), and Mike Repovz (RT). I am a little surprised that Repovz gets the nod at RT over Weaver, but the coaches must feel this is the best five for them. Overall, a pretty solid starting five.
- The second team offense was Fricke and Westendorp at QB, Tim Phillips and Austin White at RB, Cedric Fraser Jonathan Taylor and Deon Butler all getting snaps at WR, Caleb Southworth at TE, and an offensive line of Kevin Henry (LT), Aaron McCord (LG), Andy Phillips (C), Cody Pettit (RG), and Jeff Fantuzzi (RT).
- The first team defense was a defensive line of Joe Kinville (DE), John Williams (DT), Steve Winson (DT), and Darryll Stinson (DE). The linebackers were Armond Staten, Mike Petrucci, and Shamari Benton. Lorenzo White and Derek Carter were taking the snaps at CB and Jahleel Addae and John Carr played safety.
- The second team defense was a line of Kenny McClendon (DE), Matt Losiniecki (DT), Chris Reeves (DT), and Jason Chomic (DE). Linebackers were Jake Bentley, Mike Kinville, and Alex Smith. Kevin King and true freshman Josh Carter played CB, and Avery Cunningham and Leron Eaddy were at safety.
- For the D-Line, Leterrius Walton and Caesar Rodriguez were in the mix as well, but apparently Walton didn’t test out well in his conditioning drills, so he may have to work his way up. Freshman Shafer Johnson is a big kid at 322 pounds. Enos said he actually came into the summer at 340 pounds.
- Jason Johnson, a redshirt sophomore from Durand, appears to have moved to LB from Safety.
- Austin White was at practice and looked as good as he did in the spring. Apparently the rumors of his departure were untrue.
- In terms of observations, I thought that Westendorp looked really good. He has altered his delivery and it looks a lot smoother. He had some nice throws and shows a lot of athleticism. He is often compared to Brian Brunner because of his attitude and demeanor and I can see that. I feel like he is one of those guys that will find a way to make a play any way he has to. If you need one yard on one key play, he is probably the guy you would want with the ball.
- Radcliff didn’t look too bad. He still has good zip and his accuracy looked better. Still waiting to see some leadership traits come out of him though.
- Alex Niznak had some nice moments, but also made some classic freshman mistakes. He was intercepted by Petrucci during scrimmage drills on a play where he looked to be in over his head a little. He did make some nice deep throws though and seemed to have some good chemistry with true freshman WR, Dennis Nalor.
- Brandon Fricke was hard to read. He didn’t do anything that stood out, good or bad. A lot of the individual drills, he was not with the QB’s and was running scout offense. It was odd to see, but I still expect he and Westendorp to back up Radcliff this season.
- Without pads on, it is hard to know how the players will really pan out. I think this team has some impressive looking freshmen, but they have to hold up physically. Enos hinted that some freshmen will probably have to play on the D-Line and at CB.
- Enos was pretty fired up at the team following practice. He felt their effort was not where it should be and that the team needed to lock in and realize that summer is over. He showed a lot of energy and emotion during the talk.

I will have some more news and notes tomorrow, but that is all for today. Be sure to follow me on Twitter at @ellisdrew for updates during tomorrow’s practice

CMU Football 2011 Preseason Live Chat

2011-08-01T10:43:00.000-07:00

Join me on Thursday at noon to talk about the 2011 Central Michigan football team as the players report for training camp.

CMU Preseason Live Chat

My 2011 MAC Presason Poll

2011-07-25T08:36:00.000-07:00

MAC Media Day takes place on Tuesday and last night I filled out my preseason poll. Here is what I came up with.
I know putting CMU fourth won't win me any friends, but CMU still has a lot to prove. They need to show that they can win the close games instead of lose them this year.
I like Toledo for their play-making ability and their experience, as they return a total of 20 starters, including the kickers. Western Michigan also has a lot of returners this season and a good quarterback in Alex Carder. NIU has the tradition, but they have so many changes going on, I don't see them being able to contend.
In the East, I like Ohio because of Frank Solich, and his coaching experience in a division that is very up in the air.
For the MAC Champ, give me Toledo. I think this is the year all those risky recruits will pay off for Tim Beckman.

East Division:
1st- Ohio
2nd- Miami
3rd- Temple
4th- Kent State
5th- Bowling Green
6th- Akron
7th- Buffalo

West Division:
1st- Toledo
2nd- Western Michigan
3rd- Northern Illinois
4th- Central Michigan
5th- Ball State
6th- Eastern Michigan

2011 MAC Football Championship winner: Toledo

High School All-Star Game Live Chat

2011-06-25T11:50:00.000-07:00

Join me, starting at 3:30 p.m.

Michigan Football All-Star Game

CMU-Oklahoma State series finalized

2011-06-13T19:22:00.000-07:00

The 2015 college football season will have at least one marquee non-conference game at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.
According to sources close to Central Michigan University, the Chippewas have finalized a three-game agreement to play Oklahoma State, with the first game in the series taking place in the 2015 season at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.
While the date has not been released, it could be the season opener.
The Chippewas will then have two future contests at Oklahoma State.
CMU has never faced off with Oklahoma State in program history.
The Cowboys were 11-2 in the 2010 football season and finished 6-2 in the Big XII. They finished the season ranked 13th in the Associated Press College Football Poll and 10th in the USA Today Coaches' Poll.
Just this past season Oklahoma State ranked third in the nation in points per game at 44.9 and they led the nation in yards of offense per game at 537.6.
Needless to say, it should be an interesting contest in a few years.

Hollis challenges Heeke, Brandon on Twitter

2011-04-28T13:04:00.000-07:00

In an interesting development between peers, Michigan State Athletic Director, Mark Hollis, issued a friendly challenge to CMU AD Dave Heeke and Michigan AD David Brandon on his twitter account.

@Dave_Heeke @DaveBrandonAD Twitter challenge to U 2 to bring any 3 alums from UR Univ. with U to East Lansing for a four-man best ball.

Heeke answered the challenge

@MSUAD @DaveBrandonAD Sounds great, the Chippewas are in! Should be great fun w/ great people!

Brandon also accepted

@MSUAD @Dave_Heeke Twitter challenge accepted - I'm in! July is good. One of my alums who will be joining us played in this year's Masters!!

Now, in terms of the actual golf challenge, CMU is in a tough place as MSU and Michigan have golf programs that have put out some pretty talented players. Heeke will have to really do his research.

On another note, it is interesting that Hollis reached out to CMU, but not Eastern or Western.

MTSU AD defends himself

2011-04-27T08:53:00.000-07:00

Here is a good article that I think sums up the position of all of these AD's that have been put in question for their participation in the Fiesta Frolic.

http://www.tennessean.com/article/D4/20110427/BLUERAIDERS01/104270323/Massaro-No-conflict-interest-bowl-retreat?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Sports|p

It is important for AD's like Dave Heeke to be at "convention-like" events such as these because how else is he going to land scheduling with teams like N.C. State and a future Big XII opponent. Just some more food for thought.

Heeke mentioned in Fiesta Bowl scandal story

2011-04-25T20:11:00.001-07:00

Dave Heeke's name appeared in a story about the Fiesta Bowl scandal as he was part of of the NCAA panel that attended "Fiesta Frolic".

Here is the story, courtesy of ESPN: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=6425741

Not much really Heeke can do about this. He was treated to the event, it just now raises questions about the panel's ability to rule on whether the Fiesta Bowl keeps it license.

Heeke was actually present at the event for conference meetings. The Fiesta Frolic has been a yearly event for all athletic directors and head football coaches, but because Heeke is part of this NCAA subcommittee, his name got picked out for the story. Heeke wasn't invited to the event because he is part of the committee, it was because he is an athletic director.

Staten appears in police reports

2011-04-24T11:53:00.000-07:00

This came across my desk this afternoon, so I felt I should at least mention it. It was listed in our cops and courts reports for today:

Armond K. Staten, 21, Mt. Pleasant, malicious destruction of a business equal to or greater than $200, $450 fine and costs, four months' probation.

Doesn't sound like any major act, but not good to have another player showing up in the court reports right after the whole Fraser situation. Especially a veteran guy that is expected to be a possible captain for the season.

Clash at Comerica Live Chat

2011-04-20T09:40:00.001-07:00

Join me at 6:30 p.m. for a live chat during the Clash at Comerica baseball game featuring Central Michigan and Michigan State.

Clash at Comerca

Kashawn Fraser in legal trouble

2011-04-15T09:12:00.000-07:00

Central Michigan University senior defensive end Kashawn Fraser has been suspended indefinitely from the football team following a domestic violence and OWI convictions that occurred since the start of the year.
According to Isabella County court documents Fraser has been sentenced and convicted with domestic violence.
"We have been aware of the situation from the outset, and Kashawn has been subject to internal discipline within the program,” CMU football coach Dan Enos said in a press release statement. “He is currently under an indefinite suspension, and his future with the program is being evaluated on a daily basis."
The domestic violence incident took place on Jan. 9 of this year in the 1800 block of Liberty Dr.
According to court documents, Fraser had an argument that turned physical with his girlfriend of three years. Fraser’s girlfriend, a former CMU women’s basketball player accused him of grabbing her by the shirt, throwing her to the floor, and dragging her around the bedroom on the floor by her shirt. Fraser was also accused of slapping her with an open hand to the neck/face area a couple of times, according to court documents.
Fraser accused his girlfriend of pushing him and slapping him in the chest twice prior to the altercation. Fraser’s male roommate separated the two and held them back until police arrived.
Fraser plead no contest to the charges and was found guilty on Mar. 8. Fraser was sentenced to nine months of probation and $963 in fines.
Additionally, on March 5 of this year, Fraser was arrested by the CMU Police Department for Operating While Intoxicated at 2:20 a.m. near Crawford and Broomfield Streets.
According to court documents from the Isabella County Court he was arraigned on March 10, 2011 and pled guilty to the charges on April 6, 2011.He was a minor at the time of arrest. His 21st birthday took place on March 26.
The charge was reduced from Operating While Visibly Impaired. Fraser was originally sentenced to 93 days in jail with credit given for one day served. The jail time has been suspended given Fraser completes all the terms of his sentence. Some of those terms include a 6-month probation, court fees, and participation in the Alcohol Highway Safety Education Program. He has already completed a victim impact panel. Fraser cannot drink alcohol or be near it until his probation ends in October.
Fraser was also previously suspended by the team for the 2010 season opener against Hampton due to a violation of team policy
Fraser, a native of Coconut Creek, Fla. was absent from the beginning of spring practices last month but has since been present at the practices without taking part in any team activities.
The senior has 44 tackles and five tackles for loss in his career. He has also picked up six fumble recoveries and four-and-a-half sacks.

CMU Spring Game Live Chat

2011-04-14T19:35:00.000-07:00

Join me starting at 7:30 p.m.

CMU Spring Game

Spring Practice Live Chat

2011-04-08T12:37:00.000-07:00

Join me, starting at 9 a.m. for a live chat during CMU's spring practice on Saturday

CMU Spring Ball Live Chat

Spring Practice Notes for 3/31

2011-03-31T09:41:00.000-07:00

Stopped by practice today and caught some good action. Just thought I would leave a few news and notes.

- The team seems to be really hurting at cornerback. Kyle Smith and Kevin King were working with the second team defense and Lorenzo White Jr. and Derek Carter are the first team CB's right now. Avery Cunningham is playing backup safety, which is somewhat surprising given their lack of experience at CB, but perhaps that will change come the fall.

- I was really impressed with Tim Phillips and have been. I spoke to him after practice and will have a story out on him this week. He has a great center of gravity and a strong base. He is very tough to tackle. He reminds me a little bit of Lewis from Ball State, but perhaps that is getting to far ahead of things. I think Phillips has been the most impressive back outside of Austin White, but White has to sit a year. Phillips, Tipton, and Cotton are the consistent rotation of backs during practice.

- Enos looked to be frustrated with today's practice. He was getting upset with the quarterbacks at times for failing to get to the line of scrimmage and get the plays and formations together in a timely fashion. There were also some tight ends and wr's that were lining up wrong and not getting on the line of scrimmage.

- The QB battle is interesting. Sometimes it appears Fricke is No. 2, sometimes it looks as if Westendorp may be the guy. Niznak has looked good when he gets his reps. An interesting thing is that Westendorp has been taking snaps as a personal protector for the punt team. That brings up memories of Drew Stanton blowing out his ACL. I wouldn't count Niznak out for being on the active roster this season.

- Jordan McConnell continues to get a lot of first team reps at WR. The coaching staff must like him a lot. He has looked good in practice, but I have concerns about his ability to be a receiver on the outside.

- Depth seems to be pretty good at TE this season. Blackburn is a good player in my eyes and now they add Fleming, Southworth, and Sawicki to the mix. Odykirk has also looked good at times when he gets targeted.

- Right now my plan is to host a live chat a week from Saturday during the final Saturday practice of the spring. I will open it up to questions from CMU fans and readers to talk about anything CMU football. Practice has been starting around 9 a.m., so if you are interested or have some questions, be sure to be there.

Spring Practice Update for 3/22

2011-03-22T09:56:00.001-07:00

I got a chance to catch another CMU Spring practice on Tuesday and the guys were in full pads. There wasn't too much to report on but there are a couple notes I thought I would pass along:

- Looks like Kyle Smith didn't quite make the cut at quarterback as he is now being worked out with the safeties and defensive backs. He looked to be getting a big teaching session during practice as he had an assistant with him at all times explaining drills and coverage schemes. That would leave Radcliff, Fricke, Westendorp, and Niznak at QB. I would expect (just my opinion) that Radcliff, Fricke, and Westendorp will be the order next fall with Niznak getting redshirted and then next spring will see A.J. and Alex battle for the backup spot for 2012.

- Still a lot of issues with the snaps but Coach Enos seem to be more frustrated with center Nick Reynolds than the QB's. Junior Darren Keyton has not practiced this spring and it doesn't appear that he will either, but he has played center in games before, so I would think he is the top candidate once the season starts, but they also may need him at guard, so Reynolds may have to be the starting center.

- Radcliff seems to be doing more with his leadership this spring and OT Eric Fisher has also been pretty vocal. For a team that needs leadership, it is good to see some guys in key positions trying to step up.

-I really like what I have seen out of redshirt freshman DT Leterrius Walton. He has been a beast in drills, just running guys over with his strength. At 6-6, 297, his potential seems limitless, but he is still somewhat raw.

-Also, one other note, Kashawn Fraser has not been at spring practice but I don't know if that is an indication that he won't be playing next fall or if he is just away because of injury. Couldn't really find any answers and he is still on the roster, but certainly as a senior DE, the team could use him next fall if he has a desire to play.

First Day of Spring Practice

2011-03-15T09:45:00.000-07:00

The 2011 Spring Practice session started for the CMU football team on Tuesday morning and I was on hand to check out the action.

In terms of injuries, CMU looked to be pretty healthy. Better than most springs at least. The notable red jerseys were DL Andy Phillips, TE Connor Odykirk, DB Jason Johnson, FB Tyler Lombardo, WR Jeremy Wilson, LB Kyle Zelinsky, OL Mike Repovz, and OL Darren Keyton.

Jake Olson and Rocky Weaver took part in drills but didn't go through contact as Olson is still coming back from his knee injury and Weaver still has a club on his left hand.

In terms of position changes, Valtorrey Showers is moving to defensive back and he looked good during the practice. He caught a fumble that popped out of Austin White's hands and returned it for a score and also had a pass deflection during team head-to-head drills.

When the teams did full scrimmage plays (without pads mind you) the starting offensive line was Eric Fisher, Kevin Henry, Nick Reynolds, Jeff Fantuzzi, and Adam Schneid. Keep in mind that Olson, Weaver, and Keyton were out, and all will likely start.

The running back rotation was Paris Cotton, Zurlon Tipton, and Tim Phillips, who is back from a torn pectoral muscle prior to the start of the 2010 season. White also got a lot of reps and he looks really good with his agility and footwork, but he has to sit out a year, which can be tough.

Receivers were Cody Wilson, Jerry Harris, and Jordan McConnell. Cedric Fraser, Deon Butler, and Jonathan Taylor also got a lot of reps as did Billy Myler in the slot position and Reggie Brown. David Blackburn and Jarrett Fleming handled the tight end duties.

Quarterback rotation was Radcliff, Fricke, Westendorp, Smith, and Niznak. I thought Radcliff did some good things but still struggled with snaps at times. Fricke looked to be the most accurate and Westendorp threw with a lot of zip on the ball. Smith really struggled with accuracy and his ball hangs to long. Niznak did some good things, but is a work in progress. He looks to be thinking and not reacting. He also struggled with snaps at times, but physically, he fits right in with the veterans and is not lacking in size.

On defense, The starting defensive line was Joe Kinville, Steve Winston, John Williams, and Darryll Stinson. Linebackers were Armond Staten, Mike Petrucci, and Shamari Benton. The cornerbacks were Derek Carter and Lorenzo White Jr. while the safeties with Jahleel Addae and John Carr.

Caesar Rodrgiuez, Leterrius Walton, and Kenny McClendon got a lot of reps with the D-Line as well while Avery Cunningham was playing safety behind Addae and Carr.

In terms of kicking, David Harman did the kicking during the two-minute drill and went 1-for-2, missing a short kick where there was a bad snap, and hitting a longer kick to end practice. Cody Wilson was the holder during the kicks.

It is really hard to judge who did well as this was the first practice and there were no pads, but I thought the QB play was mostly good. The QB-center exchange is still a problem though, which is troubling.

MAC Tournament Live Blog

2011-03-09T08:28:00.001-08:00

Don Helinski will be hosting a live blog for each and every MAC Tournament game, including the CMU women's games here:

http://tinyurl.com/6cj4w56

If you are looking for a chat during the contests, Don is your man.

Live Chats

2011-03-08T13:09:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately I will not be at the MAC Tournament this week. The financial costs of sending me are deemed to great by our company and that is the way it is for a lot of smaller papers. There is no place I would rather be than Cleveland. If people are interested, I can still host some live chats during the games, but I will be following along just like you and not actually seeing things happen live. If you are interested in chatting CMU sports while listening to the games, let me know at dellis@michigannewspapers.com or leave a comment.

MAC Men's Tournament Predictions

2011-03-08T12:26:00.001-08:00

Well, the 2011 MAC Men's Basketball Tournament begins tonight. Here are my picks for each game, all the way to the championship:

First Round:
No. 12 Toledo at No. 5 Ohio: I see Ohio winning this with ease. Toledo is just not very good and Ohio can put up a lot of points
No. 11 Eastern Michigan at No. 6 Akron: Akron has been very tough at home and EMU is just too inconsistent. I like the Zips.
No. 10 Northern Illinois at No. 7 Bowling Green: BGSU has struggled on offense at times, and NIU can get hot, but I think the Falcons squeak out a win here.
No. 9 Central Michigan at No. 8 Buffalo: As much as CMU fans would like a win, I just don't see it for CMU. The Chips have been to streaky on the road and Buffalo has been solid at home. CMU may be able to keep it close on emotion, but ultimately the Bulls should pulls this out.

Quarterfinals
No. 2 Western Michigan vs. No. 7 Bowling Green: I really like how Western has played in the second half of the season and think they have a chance to win the tournament. I think they will find ways to score on BG's slow-it-down defense and advance with some east to the semifinals.
No. 3 Miami vs. No. 6 Akron: I like the Zips in an upset as they will have the fans on their side and Miami is still short-handed without Antonio Ballard. Miami has been tough for everyone, but Akron just recently beat the RedHawks soundly.
No. 1 Kent State vs. No. 8 Buffalo: Kent State proved it is the top team in the MAC coming in, but the Flashes have struggled in recent tournaments. I do see a win for Kent State in the quarters, but don't expect it to be a blowout by any means.
No. 4 Ball State vs. No. 5 Ohio: I look for Ohio to have too much offense for Ball State to match. If the Cardinals can find their range from the outside, they may be able to win, but I still look for the Bobcats to advance in this one.

Semifinals
No. 2 Western Michigan vs. No. 6 Akron: I look for the Broncos to win this game, which should be competitive. I think the Broncos can match up with Akron athletically and should pose some problems for the Zips with their perimeter defense.
No. 1 Kent State vs. No. 5 Ohio: These two had two very close games this season with Ohio winning the recent battle at Kent State. I think the Bobcats will show improved defense this tournament and find a way to take out the Flashes with their explosive offense.

Championship
No. 2 Western Michigan vs. No. 5 Ohio: If it works out like this, it should be an exciting game with a lot of strong guard play. My pick would be with the Bobcats to win as I think their scoring is more consistent. I know repeats don't happen often, especially from a fifth seed, but my pick to win the bid is the Bobcats.

CMU vs. WMU Live Chat

2011-03-04T22:00:00.001-08:00

Join me starting at 1:45 p.m. for a live chat during the Central-Western men's basketball game.

WMU at CMU

Seven Chippewas gone from football roster

2011-02-28T08:39:00.000-08:00

The Central Michigan football team got a little lighter recently as it lost seven players from last season’s roster heading into the 2011 season.
OL Matt Kanitz, OL Kent King, K Paul Mudgett, RB Nick St. John, LB Kevin Sweet, DL Joe Wirth, and LB Shane Torzy have all left the program in one way or another.
In the case of Kanitz, he was not medically cleared to play due to a number of knee injuries he has suffered over the years.
For Torzy, he is graduating in May and is opting to not return for his final season of eligibility.
Certainly the loss of Kanitz and King affect the depth of the offensive line and the loss of Mudgett takes away some of the contenders in the race at kicker.
Mudgett went 1-for-5 in field goals last season, with a 29 yarder being the only one he made during the season. He also went 5-for-5 in PAT’s.

CMU vs. Ball State Live Chat

2011-02-26T10:47:00.001-08:00

Join me starting at 6:30 p.m.

CMU vs. Ball State

CMU vs. EMU Live Chat

2011-02-16T12:50:00.001-08:00

Join me starting at 7:30 p.m. for a live chat during the Central-Easter men's basketball game.

EMU vs. CMU

CMU vs. Bowling Green Live Chat

2011-02-12T10:43:00.000-08:00

Join me starting at 6:30 p.m. for a live chat during the CMU-Bowling Green men's basketball game.

CMU vs. Bowling Green

*I will be covering the CMU vs. Kent State women's basketball prior to the live chat, so the start time could be affected if the women's game runs long.

UMass to MAC update

2011-02-11T14:26:00.000-08:00

There was a lot of talk in the fall and early winter about the addition of Massachusetts to the Mid-American Conference.

The talk died down recently but the buzz around the MAC, through conversations I have had with others around the conference, is that a meeting is planned in the upcoming week where presidents from the 13 schools in the conference will be meeting to formally discuss the idea of adding UMass to the MAC for football.

From what I have gathered, there has been no decision made one way or another and this meeting will be to discuss the pros and cons of the idea.

All detail about a potential addition, like division realignment, timetables for their addition, and other things can't really even be discussed until the MAC approves UMass as the school becomes certified for FBS play.

Currently, UMass is a FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) program and they must go through a season of certification before becoming an official FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) program. Once an official FBS program, they can then join a conference.

UMass still could become certified for the 2012 season and possibly be added then, but the timetable for them to enter into a certification process is closing, which could delay any possible addition until at least 2013.

As I hear more on the situation, I will be sure to let you know.

CMU vs. Ohio Live Chat

2011-02-02T15:12:00.000-08:00

Join me starting at 7:20 p.m. for a live chat during the CMU men's basketball game against Ohio.

CMU vs. Ohio

CMU's 2011 Recruiting Class

2011-02-02T05:07:00.000-08:00

Here is the list of players that will be part of CMU's 2011 recruiting class for National Signing Day. This doesn't include preferred walk-ons. All of these players are expected to sign Letters of Intent today. Some may be unable due to school closings, but unless some unforeseen circumstances take place, this is your 2011 class.

-Ramadan Ahmeti, OL, 6-6, 280, Lansing, MI; Waverly HS
-Stefon Armstead, DB, 5-11, 175, Southfield, MI; Southfield Lathrup HS
-Nick Beamish, OL, 6-3, 280, Riverview, MI; Riverview Community HS
-Josh Carter, RB/DB, 5-11, 195, South Haven, MI; South Haven HS
-Jarret Chapman, DB, 5-11, 180, Port Huron, MI; Port Hurton HS
-Titus Davis, WR, 6-2, 180, Wheaton, IL; Wheaton-Warrenville South HS
-Dorian Dawson, DL, 6-1, 258, Los Angeles, CA; Saint John Bosco HS
-Andrew Flory, WR, 6-0, 170, Miramar, FL; American Heritage Plantation HS
-Anthony Garland, RB, 6-1, 215, Fernale, MI; Ferndale HS
-Tim Hamilton, LB, 6-1, 240, Bloomfield Hills, MI; Brother Rice HS
-Curtis Huge, P, 6-0, 177, Bakersfield, CA; Bakersfield College
-Shafer Johnson, DL, 6-1, 300, Southfield, MI; Southfield Christian HS
-Jesse Kroll, WR, 6-3, 210, Algoma, WI; Algoma HS
-Cody Lopez, LB, 6-1, 215, Plainfield, IL; Plainfield North HS
-Matt Losiniecki, DL, 6-3, 270, Waukesha, WI; Waukesha West HS
-Ben McCord, TE, 6-3, 210, Warren, MI; Cousino HS
-Dennis Nalor, DB, 6-0, 180, Miami, FL; Miami Central HS
-Alex Niznak, QB, 6-3, 220, Ithaca, MI; Ithaca HS
-Ryan Petro, LB, 6-2, 210, Winter Springs, FL; Winter Springs HS
-Ben Randle, TE, 6-5, 250, Rodney, MI; Big Rapids HS
-Kenny Rogers, OL, 6-6, 268, Dimondale, MI; Holt HS
-Blake Serpa, TE, 6-3, 230, Sugar Grove, IL; Kaneland HS
-Austin White, RB, 6-0, 200, Livonia, MI; University of Michigan
-Courtney Williams, WR, 6-1, 212, Melvindale, MI; Melvindale HS
-Jason Wilson, WR, 6-0, 178, Farmington Hills, MI; Farmington HS
-Denzel Wimberly, ATH, 5-9, 198, Pompano Beach, FL; Cardinal Gibbons HS

*At first glance, what stands out to me about this group is the size of some of them. I see a few 280's, some 240 and greater, and even one player at 300 pounds. Also Dan Enos and his staff was able to address some needs, especially at punter and also was able to hit Florida with four additions.

CMU vs. Miami live chat

2011-01-27T13:42:00.000-08:00

Join me starting at 6:45 p.m.

CMU vs. Miami Live Chat

Super Bowl Stories

2011-01-24T15:56:00.001-08:00

Here is where I will post all my stories

Story on 4 CMU reps in Super Bowl XLV: http://www.themorningsun.com/articles/2011/01/24/sports/doc4d3e03a4d4f0d321042267.txt

Story on the MAC having 15 reps, second most of any conference: http://www.themorningsun.com/articles/2011/01/24/sports/doc4d3e09378c405769547091.txt

Story on Josh Gordy and his road to the Super Bowl: http://www.themorningsun.com/articles/2011/01/25/sports/doc4d3f41fee1d43074515394.txt

Story on Frank Zombo's crazy 12-month journey: http://www.themorningsun.com/articles/2011/01/27/sports/doc4d41f309f41c5790329378.txt

Story on Antonio Brown and his play-making rookie season: http://www.themorningsun.com/articles/2011/01/29/sports/doc4d4483780e078130863648.txt

Story on Cullen Jenkins and his long journey to Super Bowl XLV: http://www.themorningsun.com/articles/2011/01/31/sports/doc4d474dbd131e9250839569.txt

Super Bowl Coverage

2011-01-24T10:22:00.000-08:00

My Super Bowl coverage plans include a story for Tuesday's paper on the CMU representation and the MAC representation. I have been able to get some thoughts from Brian Brunner, Zach Azzanni, Butch Jones, Dan LeFevour, MAC Commissioner John Steinbrecher, and others.

I also have interview set up with Frank Zombo and Antonio Brown and still working toward Cullen Jenkins and Josh Gordy.

The Morning Sun will certainly have plenty of coverage and I will post it all as soon as I get it together.

CMU-NIU men's basktball live chat

2011-01-20T12:43:00.001-08:00

Join me starting at 6:45 p.m.

CMU vs. Northern Illinois

Watts new QB coach, Daoust to Syracuse

2011-01-16T13:23:00.000-08:00

CMU has hired former Miami (Ohio) offensive coordinator Morris Watts to be their new quarterbacks coach.
The move was first reported by ChippewaInsider.com and I was able to get confirmation on the hire from sources close to the team.
Watts has been coaching for over 40 years in football and was Dan Enos' offensive coordinator at Michigan State while Enos played for the Spartans.

On a related note, defensive line coach Tim Daoust is leaving CMU for Syracuse. An increase in pay is pretty likely with the switch to the Orange from the Chippewas.
No word on Daoust's replacement.

CMU vs. Toledo Men's Basketball Live Chat

2011-01-12T10:38:00.003-08:00

Join me starting at 6:45 p.m.

CMU vs. Toledo

Ross: Heeke signed to extension

2011-01-11T10:58:00.001-08:00

Central Michigan President George Ross sent out an email to faculty on Tuesday with the following included:

"The university also announced a new three-year contract for Athletics Director David Heeke effective Jan. 1, 2011, through June 30, 2014. Heeke’s base salary compensation remains the same and several incentive opportunities have been included in the contract."

I got confirmation from Heeke on the contract. Here is the story and some more information on the contract:

http://www.themorningsun.com/articles/2011/01/11/sports/doc4d2caac376cfb509842312.txt

CMU Football Roster Changes

2011-01-10T12:36:00.000-08:00

A few more football roster changes have been made according to CMU.
Offensive Linemen Jon Czerwienski, Richard Hayes, and Aaron Kaczmarski, running back Malek Redd, and quarterback Derek Rifenbury are no longer part of the football team according to the latest rosters.
Redd was a small back with good speed, but he may not have fit well in Enos’ system, which looks for more a combination of speed and physicality.
Rifenbury quickly became the odd man out in the quarterback race as he fell behind Ryan Radcliff and Brandon Fricke on the depth chart and with A.J. Westendorp healthy along with Kyle Smith and Alex Niznak in the mix, Rifenbury didn’t have much to hope to see the field.
In terms of the offensive linemen, a number of things could have happened. Certainly losing Kaczmarski hurts, as he filled in during the season for injured players, and had some upside. I have heard from a pair of sources close to the program that he would not have been academically eligible next season.
Another note, CMU did land running back Austin White, a transfer from Michigan. White was a highly-recruited back that never seemed to fit with Rich Rodriguez. White will not be eligible until the 2012 season, which has to be a little concerning as he will go two years without active competition in the college football game.

No Live Chat today

2011-01-09T07:05:00.000-08:00

Due to some unforeseen circumstances, there will not be a live chat today. I apologize for the late notice.

The Enos Interview: What didn't make it

2011-01-08T13:00:00.000-08:00

My two-part interview with CMU football coach Dan Enos is running over the next few days, but there were still some questions that didn't make the cut. Here are some other questions and answers from Enos.

Ellis: Is it possible that once the team lost a few games during the season that some of the guys were pressing because they didn’t want to become “that” team that put an end to the bowl streak or didn’t win a conference title?
Enos: Absolutely. I felt that, especially from the older players. I do think guys pressed. I think there was a time when Ryan Radcliff was really pressing. I think his was more visible but I think there were a lot of other guys that did too. I thought some of our offensive linemen were pressing and making some mistakes that they would usually never make because they were trying to do something more than just their job and I think as the year went on, we got better with that. I think guys got more comfortable and I think they gained more confidence in Ryan and believed in him more.
Even he said that toward the end of the season he noticed that the guys interacted with him more and seemed to respond more to him than perhaps they did at the start of the year. That is part of the maturing process for him too and I think he played better toward the end of the season and a lot of that is the team having confidence in him.
Ellis: How much were you unable to use certain positions, like the tight end, based on the roster you had? Were you not able to use a guy like David Blackburn as much because you didn’t have someone to back him up that was capable of playing the position full-time?
Enos: I prayed almost every night that David didn’t get hurt honestly. I used to tell our coaches that all the time that I hope he doesn’t get hurt. No offense to A.J. Westerndorp, but he had never put his hand down in the dirt in his life prior to last season and we were asking him to do that.
Where I think David got hurt was that he got tired in games. He got worn down. You think about, not just all the games, but he took every snap in every practice at the position. In games he would take 60 snaps where he should probably be around 38 snaps. We couldn’t just rest him because then we can’t practice the plays we need to run as an offense. We have guys that we redshirted last year like Joe Sawicki, Caleb Southworth, and Jarrett Fleming. They will be able to practice this spring. A guy like Connor Odykirk will hopefully be healthy and practice. We are going to bring two more (tight ends) in probably. So, that position will be good and we will keep addressing it and it will make our team better.
There are certain areas that we simply have to get better in. Coming in last year, we had Ryan Radcliff and Derek Rifenbury, but A.J. Westendorp had a back injury and he wasn’t able to do anything for winter conditioning, so you were looking at two quarterbacks. We were able to bring Brandon Fricke in, which was a real positive, but Derek got hurt during the season, so it was a good thing we brought Brandon in or we would have really been down on numbers.
Ellis: You talk about Ryan’s footwork being key, when you got here he was used to taking a lot of snaps out of shotgun formation. How bad was his footwork to where you needed it to be?
Enos: This is not to throw stones or anything like that but he floated around and wasn’t on balance. Being a quarterback and working with Jay (Johnson) we know that your accuracy at this level comes from your feet. We always say you throw with your feet at this level. It is very important to have timing and rhythm in your drops because it affects the timing of your passing game so much.
We broke the film down at the end of the year and found that Ryan was much more efficient under center at the end of the season than he was in the shotgun. I think the reason was his drop had a beginning and it had an end. I think sometimes when he was in the gun he would float and there was no rhythm and no timing and he would never really get his feet set. Sometimes he would try to leave the pocket early, things like that. Ryan loves the shotgun and he doesn’t want to go without it and we will always do both because there are good things about both things, but if you looked at us the last few games we played, we purposely put him under center more and he played better because of it in my opinion. Early on I put him in the gun more because I thought he was more comfortable there and I wanted him to feel comfortable and confident but as we went through the season, we felt he was making better decisions and throwing more accurately under center.
Ellis: You talk about special teams, how are you addressing the punting situation now that Brett Hartmann is gone and also how are you addressing the return game?
Enos: The punting situation is a concern. Last year, I got here with two weeks left in recruiting and I couldn’t find a punter. I didn’t even know how badly we needed a punter at that time. So that is the thing about changing coaches and what gets lost. We should have a punter ready to go that should be in his second year already, but we don’t. So, we are going to have to sign one and we are on a couple of very good ones, but that guy is going to have to come in and punt and that is a huge situation.
That is what I am talking about when I say the program is going to be proactive rather than reactive. When this punter is entering his junior year, we are going to sign another punter, so that guy is ready and has been here for a few years before he has to step in and play. We want to do that with each position too. We want to have that stability throughout the roster.
In terms of the return game, I think that Zurlon did a good job of returning kickoffs as the year went on. There were some where he tip-toed a little bit, but when he hits the hole and gets going, he is really good. Cody Wilson is a great punt returner and I think Billy Myler will be a very good punt returner as well. He catches the ball very well. We will have some guys to work with and we will get better in those areas.
Ellis: What about a guy like Tim Phillips (running back) that is coming off a season-long injury from prior to training camp? Where will he fit in?
Enos: He will be an interesting guy. I haven’t seen a lot of Tim. I will be interested to see him. Plas (Presnell) really speaks highly of him, so getting him back will be a real plus.
Ellis: How has recruiting changed for you as a head coach? Is it easier or harder?
Enos: It is both in many ways. In some ways it is easier because I usually just get to see film of the good players. The way our system works is that the area coach watches film and if he likes it the position coach watches it and then to the coordinator and then to me. So, by the time I see it, three guys have already stamped their approval on it. When you are an assistant coach, you are watching a lot of film and weeding out the good and the bad and there is a lot to go through.
It is harder because you are like a general manager and you are trying to fit everyone’s needs and I am trying to take all the good and bad about each person and trying to make the best decision for the team and make all the pieces fit. I recruited Macomb County, Oakland County, Wayne County, St. Clair County, Washtenaw County for the last six years and I would go down there and know all the coaches and my family is down there. Now, I am all over the place. I am in Wisconsin, Illinois, and all over the place. It is challenging, but I enjoy it. It is fun, in my opinion, to work for a coach that likes to recruit. I have worked for guys that weren’t real enthusiastic about recruiting, but I love it. I know this, if you don’t do it, you don’t have a chance. I love getting to know all the people and I love going out with our other coaches and meeting the young men and their families. Mark (Dantonio) was like that too. He was a bulldog in recruiting and I think you have to be.
Ellis: The team heads to Michigan State next season, what will that game mean to you?
Enos: It is funny because I haven’t thought that much about it really. I talk to Mark Dantonio a lot and we always joke that we have our own problems to worry about that we can’t think about how the other is doing. We are so wrapped up in what we are doing and getting ready for spring ball. Once spring ball is over and we start game planning for our first four games and we start breaking down Michigan State’s film, I am sure it will become more of a reality to me.
Ellis: Now that you will be playing against Dantonio in back-to-back seasons, has it changed how you two interact with each other?
Enos: You know, he started that this year (laughs). When I got the job here and I told him I was sending my defensive staff down to East Lansing, he told me that I couldn’t do that because we were future opponents. That is just how coach is. I thought he was joking at first, but he was serious and that is just the way it is in this business. We will always talk as friends and in generalities, but that is the bad part about playing them, because they are a great resource.
It is funny because we both played Northwestern this year and Mark asked me some questions about them and I got to say ‘I’m not telling you’ to him. So that was kind of my way at getting back at him. It will be a little different when we meet on the field. I know this, they will have that game circled because of what happened in 2009. It will be very interesting.

Interview with Dan Enos

2011-01-04T17:09:00.000-08:00

I have an interview tentatively set for Friday morning with football coach Dan Enos and wanted to see what kind of feedback you readers would have for questions for the coach. I have plenty written down, but if there is a question you would really like an answer for, perhaps I can ask it.

Just be reasonable with your questions. I know it was a tough season, but I only want serious questions that would pertain to the program his coaching style or next season.

Miami offers soccer job to Anagnost

2010-12-28T20:52:00.000-08:00

According to sources close to the situation, the Miami Hurricanes have offered their vacant women's soccer head coaching job to current Central Michigan head coach Tom Anagnost.

Anagnost has went 40-12-7 in his time as head coach of the Chippewas, which spanned just over two full seasons. Anagnost has led CMU to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances and Mid-American Conference Tournament championships.

Keep up to date on this story at www.themorningsun.com

CMU vs. Cornerstone Live Chat

2010-12-22T13:40:00.000-08:00

Join me starting at 6:45 p.m.

CMU vs Cornerstone

No Live Chat Today

2010-12-18T06:10:00.000-08:00

I have the opportunity to get back to my hometown for an extra day to spend the holidays with my family as I work Christmas Eve and Christmas, so I am taking it but do to that fact, there won't be a live chat for today's CMU vs. Detroit game. My apologies to anyone who was planning on being part of it. I appreciate all your input during the games and will be back on the 22nd.

LaVarus Williams speaks on CMU departure

2010-12-16T07:31:00.001-08:00

LaVarus Williams made the following statement on his departure from CMU:

"I've let (CMU) know that I am going to transfer next year I have nothing against the coaches and training staff. I have enjoyed playing there but it's time to move on. I will miss all of my teammates and all of the fans at CMU they have been GREAT!"

Williams had the option to remain at CMU and finish his schooling, but it was recommended he not continue to play football due to the health of his injured knee. Team doctors felt his knee was not medically cleared for play and if LaVarus elected to play next season, he would be running the risk of doing permanent damage to his leg. The choice on what Williams did were up to him and he is electing to transfer in hopes to continue to pursue a football career. Hope this settles all the talk.

LaVarus Williams not medically cleared to play

2010-12-14T11:02:00.000-08:00

Per the CMU football team, Redshirt Sophomore LaVarus Williams was not medically cleared to play next season following his medical evaluation after the season and will not be part of the Chippewas in 2011 or any time thereafter.

Williams has had numerous surgeries on his knee over his time at CMU which has caused him to miss a lot of time. During three years on campus, Williams appeared in 22 games, missing 9 in 2008 because of a knee injury and another 8 this season because of the same knee. IN his career he had 38 tackles, 2 interceptions, and 5 pass deflections.

According to sources close to the team, each season coaches sit down with injured players and the team doctors to discuss their injury from the season and what steps need to be taken in the offseason to get them medically ready to play. In the case of Williams, the team doctor felt his knee was not healthy enough and would not be healthy enough for him to compete at the Division 1 level. Williams, Dan Enos, and the team doctor were all aware of the medical evaluation that was made after the season concluded.

Williams has made a number of facebook postings over the last few days expressing his disappointment in the situation and also appeared to get a second opinion from a doctor outside of the team that may have conflicting results with what CMU discovered. If I hear anything from Williams himself, I will be sure to update his thoughts on the situation.

For now, LaVarus Williams' days as a Central Michigan football player appear to be over.

CMU Football Roster Turnover

2010-12-14T07:40:00.000-08:00

A lot of buzz right now about player departures with the CMU football team. As of now I know that Dannie Bolden, Taylor Bradley, and Will Schwarz will not be returning to the team next season.

In terms of the hot name right now, I have nothing to report on LaVarus Williams. He has made some statements on facebook about his status with the team, but I can't really take that and run with it as it could be 1. fake, 2. emotional responses to something that hasn't fully played out yet. Enos is out on the road right now doing recruiting things for Signing Day on Feb. 2. I hope to speak with him upon his return to do a follow up on the season. I will be sure to get to most of the questions you all have.

If I hear anything else on the team or specific players, I will be sure to post it here. I would anticipate some roster turnover, it happens with each year and every coach, no matter if it was a winning season or losing season.

*At the request of representatives for Dannie Bolden they ask I provide a correction and state that he did not have "off the field issues" as part of his departure for the team. Perhaps my wording was questionable. Bolden was suspended mid-season for a violation of team policy and didn't return and will not be part of the team next season. My apologies if anyone interpreted my statement as Bolden doing any sort of wrong doing in a legal sense.

CMU vs. Wright State Live Chat

2010-12-13T17:19:00.000-08:00

Join me starting at 6:45 p.m. on Tuesday night.

CMU vs. Wright State men's basketball

CMU men's basketball vs. Temple Live Chat

2010-11-30T18:23:00.000-08:00

Join me starting at 6:45 p.m.

CMU vs. Temple Men's Basketball

CMU looking into hotel addition & Kelly/Shorts renovation

2010-11-30T11:29:00.001-08:00

On Thursday, the Central Michigan University Board of Trustees is expected to give CMU President George Ross the go-ahead to pursue the creation of a hotel and renovations to Kelly/Shorts stadium in the near future.

According to the CMU Board of Trustees agenda for Thursday's meeting, the hotel would be built on the East Side of Kelly/Shorts Stadium where the outdoor practice facility is located. The project, as presently designed, would include a national franchise hotel with approximately 150 rooms, indoor and outdoor pools, exercise facilities, business center, restaurant, meeting or conference space, and other amenities.

Part of the project also includes the addition of stadium suites, with new restrooms and concession spaces for the east side of Kelly/Shorts Stadium. The suites would be connected to the hotel by a planned glass atrium. The university would lease the suites, with an option to purchase.

For more on this story, check out TheMorningSun.com throughout the upcoming days.

CMU vs. Toledo Live Chat

2010-11-26T05:08:00.000-08:00

Join me starting at 1:45 p.m.

CMU vs. Toledo

Men's Basketball Live Chat: CMU vs. Hawaii

2010-11-15T09:32:00.000-08:00

No, I am not in Hawaii. But, I will be up at 4 a.m. watching the CMU-Hawaii game on Tuesday morning, so feel free to join me and ask me questions about anything CMU during the game.

CMU vs. Hawaii Basketball Live Chat

CMU-Navy Live Chat

2010-11-13T11:00:00.000-08:00

Join me starting at 3:15 p.m.

CMU vs. Navy

CMU Injury Notes for Navy

2010-11-10T11:43:00.000-08:00

Heading into Saturday's game with Navy, the CMU football team, as expected, has some guys that will be sitting out due to injury.
-Tackle Rocky Weaver will not play due to his hand and wrist injury. Weaver is not expected to play against Toledo either.
-Guard Darren Keyton is being packed up for the season. His knee injury allowed him to attempt to play last week against the Broncos, but CMU will not risk further injury.
-The loss of Weaver, Keyton, and Jake Olson, make three starters at the beginning of the season lost with injury. Now, Eric Fisher will start at left tackle while Aaron Kaczmarski will start at left guard, Colin Miller starts at center, Jeff Maddux will move to right guard, and Mike Repovz will start at right tackle. Fisher has now started three different positions on the offensive line during the year.
-Linebacker Nick Bellore will play but has not practiced this week due to an injury suffered against WMU. Bellore had part of his gums torn from his jaw (Yikes) late in last Friday's game. Bellore has been unable to wear a helmet during the week as the injury heals up, keeping him from practicing, but he will play.
-Injuries to defensive backs Jahleel Addae and Bobby Seay Jr. should not keep them from playing and defensive tackle Sean Murnane will also play on Saturday.
-Look for CMU to go back to more of the 4-3 defense instead of the 3-4 this week as they feel the 4-3 will be more effective against the Navy offense.

Central-Western Live Chat

2010-11-05T10:30:00.001-07:00

Join me starting at 5:45 p.m.

Central-Western

CMU-Western Injury Notes

2010-11-04T15:33:00.000-07:00

With the game less than 24 hours away, here are some injury notes:

-Defensive tackle Sean Murnane is a game-time decision for Friday because of injuries. Murnane is considered slightly more than 50-50 to play, but his ability and health will greatly impact what CMU does on defense.
-Guard Darren Keyton is questionable and will also be a game-time decision. He has missed the last two games and if he plays, Eric Fisher will replace Mike Repovz at right tackle and if Keyton doesn't play, Fisher will remain at right guard and Repovz will play right tackle.
-Safety Jahleel Addae is expected to play on Friday as is Bobby Seay Jr. Seay should play, but John Carr will start with Addae in the secondary.

CMU-Bowling Green Live Chat

2010-10-30T08:08:00.001-07:00

Join me starting at 3:15 p.m. today

CMU vs. Bowling Green

CMU Injury Update

2010-10-27T15:18:00.000-07:00

Here are some notes on the injuries to the football team heading into Saturday's game with Bowling Green.

-Ryan Radcliff will be the starting quarterback. Enos felt Radcliff responded well to being pulled last Saturday and feels he is just pressing too much at times.
-Paris Cotton is probable to play as he has been able to practice this week but hasn't been taking hits.
-Kashawn Fraser is questionable for Saturday as he is pretty much a game-time decision. Along with the loss of Joe Kinville due to suspension, the DE's will be thin.
-Safety Bobby Seay Jr. will be out on Saturday and Jahleel Addae is questionable. He did practice today after missing on Tuesday, but they need to see how his ankle responds. The secondary will be very thin on Saturday as LaVarus Williams is already out as well.
-Enos did say he will not remove redshirts in order to address the depth as he felt it wouldn't be fair to those redshirted players.

Kinville suspended by MAC

2010-10-25T14:16:00.000-07:00

According to CMU Press Release:
The Mid-American Conference has suspended Central Michigan sophomore defensive end Joe Kinville one game for unsportsmanlike conduct during Saturday's game at Northern Illinois.
Kinville will not play in this week's game against Bowling Green.
"We support the Mid-American Conference's disciplinary action and apologize to Northern Illinois University and its football program," said CMU head coach Dan Enos. "We do not condone unsportsmanlike acts of any kind, and Joe understands that his actions have no place in the game of college football."
"I apologize to Northern Illinois University and its football program, my teammates, coaches and Central Michigan University for my actions on Saturday," Kinville said. "As a student-athlete, I am expected to represent my school and team with class, and I regret that I failed to do that during Saturday's game."

The suspension was due to a cheap shot in a pile up during the game. Kinville dropped an elbow or forearm on some Huskies. The play was not penalized but I personally saw it and was quite shocked it didn't get called.