Central Michigan University Athletics
Football Looks Ahead To 2002
11/26/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 26, 2001
MOUNT PLEASANT - The final chapter of the 2001 Central Michigan University football season had barely closed when head coach Mike DeBord already started looking ahead to the 2002 season.
"We got to the edge this season," DeBord said. "But, that's not good enough. We have to move past that and start winning football games.
"That will all start with our team meeting on Sunday night (Nov. 25) and in the weight room this week. We have a lot of work to do before next season and I can't wait to get going."
The Chippewas lost at Boise State on Saturday, 26-10, to finish the season at 3-8. CMU was 1-5 in Mid-American Conference (MAC) West play and 2-6 in all MAC action.
The three wins were an improvement of one from the 2000 season when CMU posted a 2-9 mark. "We were improved, you can tell that by the way we played teams from this season and last," DeBord said. "We just have to stay with it and continue marching on."
The future appears bright, however, as Central Michigan returns all but 10 seniors from this year's team and picks up 17 members of the freshmen class who were redshirted this fall.
A total of 40 of the 60 players who went to Boise State were sophomores or freshmen, and 11 more were juniors.
But, the Chippewas have areas of concern that need to be addressed prior to the 2002 season. Run defense may be No. 1 after the Central allowed 208.0 yards a game this season. CMU was last in the MAC a year ago, allowing 267.6.
"We'll have to take a long, hard look at what we're trying to do on defense," DeBord said. "We made some improvement but not enough."
The Chippewas will also look to shore up the wide receiver position as well as its kickoff returns.
DeBord anticipates an interesting battle at quarterback during the 2002 spring drills. Junior Derek Gorney (Clinton Township/Chippewa Valley) started the final four games and finished with 74 completions in 150 attempts for 831 yards and five TDs. Sophomore Derrick Vickers (Miami, Fla./Pace) started the first seven games, completing 116-of-211 passes for 1,156 yards and seven scores.
"It could be any of three or four quarterbacks," DeBord said. "It will be fun to watch that play out this spring."
Joining the QB battle could be sophomore Darren Tooley (Lake Orion), redshirt freshmen Grant Arnoldink (Holland/West Oattawa) and Jeff Perry (Apple Valley, Ca./Silverado) and frosh Kent Smith (Toledo, Ohio/Start).
The most noticeable improvement this season was in the running game where the Chippewas went from 92.4 yards per game to 198.8.
Much of the credit goes to sophomore halfback Terrence Jackson (Somerset, N.J./Franklin) along with a big and veteran line headed by seniors Matt Brayton (Traverse City) at tackle and Anders Hill (Hancock) at center.
Jackson, CMU's MVP for the 2001 season, rushed for 1,194 yards and scored 10 touchdowns -- most of it coming in the final eight games as a starter.
Junior Rob Turner (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla./Pinecrest) established himself as one of the MAC's top receivers with 50 catches (tied for seventh best in CMUannals) for 668 yards and four TDs. One of his scores was a 98-yard pass play from Vickers against Northern Illinois.
Another bright spot for the Chippewas was the outstanding play of redshirt freshman linebacker James King (Oak Park/Walled Lake Western). Not only did he block seven punts this season and one extra point, but he was second in tackles (86) and tackles for loss (11 for 37).
Central Michigan's non-conference schedule for the 2002 season is set. The Chippewas open at with home games against Sam Houston State (Aug. 29) and Wyoming (Sept. 7) before going on the road to play Boston College (Sept. 14) and Indiana (Sept. 21).
CHIPPEWA NOTES: Junior linebacker Jovan Clarke (Miami, Fla./Highland CC) had a career and team-high 21 tackles in the loss at Boise State. The 6-3, 230-pounder finished the season with a team-best 96 tackles including a team-high 15 tackles for losses of 55 yards. He also returned an interception 60 yards at Boise.
Sophomore Brian Brandt (Wausau, Wis./West) became the first Chippewa to average more than 40 yards a punt since CMU moved into Kelly/Shorts Stadium in 1972. He averaged 40.1 yards a boot in 72 tries despite having 25 punts downed inside the opponents' 20.
Redshirt freshman James King blocked his seventh punt of the season at Boise to finish with seven -- one short of the NCAA record. He also had a blocked extra point at BSU to end up with eight blocks. The old team mark for blocks was five.
Senior place-kicker Paul Savich (St. Clair Shores/Lakeview) finished the season a perfect 28-of-28 in extra points and 11-of-18 in field goals. His 39 career field goals is fourth best in school history and his 81 conversions in fifth best.
