Central Michigan University Athletics
CHIPPEWAS EYE CONTINUED IMPROVEMENT ON DEFENSE
2/7/2000 12:00:00 AM | Football
August 19, 1999
Mount Pleasant, Mich. - The single biggest factor in Central Michigan University's four-game improvement from 1997 to 1998 was defense.
After allowing 43.6 points and 480.9 yards per game en route to a 2-9 record in 1997, head coach Dick Flynn brought in new defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder to revamp the stop forces.
With a more aggressive and quicker defense, the Chippewas improved those numbers of 23.0 points and 354.1 yards while posting a 6-5 mark in 1998. CMU finished among the nation's leaders in quarterback sacks with a Mid-American Conference best 36 for losses of 260 yards.
Flynn is hoping for more of the same in 1999 with the start of season set for Thursday night, Sept. 2, when Eastern Illinois University comes to Kelly/Shorts Stadium for a battle at 7:30 p.m.
"We want to continue the momentum and progress we made during 1998," the sixth-year mentor said. "We made great improvement on defense and we want to keep those things going."
