Central Michigan University Athletics
Chippewas to Close Season with Ball State
11/15/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 15, 2004
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MOUNT PLEASANT -- Central Michigan University's football team would like to send its 13 seniors off on a winning note this Saturday when the Chippewas close the 2004 season at home against Ball State University.
Kickoff in Kelly/Shorts Stadium is set for 1 p.m.
Playing their final game for the Maroon and Gold will be: Grant Arnoldink, William Brookshire, Omari Colen, Eric Ghiaciuc, Tory Humphrey, Adam Kieft, Richard Kiel, James King, Dave Kurzen, Jonathon Nelson, Josh Reardon, Mike Thomas and Anthony Tyus Jr.
"This is an important game in a lot of ways for our football team," said first-year head coach Brian Kelly. "These seniors would like to be remembered as the class that helped turn around this program. A win Saturday would give us three conference wins -- two more than last year's team won.
"We need our fans to come out and support this football team like they've done all season."
The Chippewas need 9,953 fans to average 15,000 per game this season -- an NCAA requirement for Division IA status.
CMU, on the heels of a 36-6 loss at the University at Buffalo, is now 3-7 for the season and 2-5 in Mid-American Conference play. Ball State, a 21-17 winner at home over UCF, is also 2-5 in league play and 2-8 overall.
"Clearly, we did not play well at Buffalo," Kelly said. "We had opportunities to score early in the game and didn't. That affected the whole outcome of the game.
"But, we continued to play hard until the very end. We challenged them at the half and they played better in the second half."
CMU gave up 28 points in the second period and trailed by that margin at the break.
The Chippewas did outgain the Bulls in the second half, 214-169, but could make little dent in the lead.
The Coaches
Central Michigan -- Brian Kelly (Assumption, 1983). Career record: 121-42-2 (13th year). CMU record: 3-7, first year.
Ball State -- Brady Hoke (Ball State, 1982) Career record: 6-16 (second year) BSU record: same
The Series
Ball State has dominated the series in recent years, winning the last four in a row and 10 of the last 12. The Cardinals hold an edge in the all-time series, 18-17-1.
Ball State won at home last fall, 27-14. CMU's last wins came in back-to-back years -- 1998 (21-21) and 1999 (27-21).
Scouting Ball State
The Cardinals are 12th in total offense (304.4 yards per game) and 13th in total defense (460.7) in the MAC.
They are ninth in rush offense (114.22), 12th in pass offense (190.2) and pass defense (265.9) and 13th in rush defense (194.8).
Individually, junior wide receiver Dante Ridgeway leads the MAC in receptions per game with 9.50 and yards per game with118.4. Punter Reggie Hodges is also number one with an average of 43.2.
Freshman back Adell Givens is fifth in rushing (90.7) and place-kicker Brian Jackson is tied for fifth in field goals per game with 1.00. He's 10-of-13 this fall.
Justin Beriault is second in tackles with 11.5 per game.
Chippewa Training Room •Eric Tunney (defensive tackle), is out for the season with a leg injury.
•Dave Kurzen (tight end) is doubtful with an ankle injury.
•Damien Linson (wide receiver) is out with a shoulder.
•Mike Ogle (defensive end) is out with a knee.
•Drew Mormino (offensive guard) is doubtful with a foot injury.
•Obed Cétoute (wide receiver) is doubtful with a hand injury.
•Jeff Jenerou (offensive guard) is questionable with a leg injury.
•Raeshon Ball (cornerback) is hopeful with an ankle injury.
Smith Reaches Record Books
Kent Smith has gone from not playing a down a year ago to a record-setting quarterback.
The 6-5, 210-pound junior, who led CMU to a story-book comeback win over Western Michigan (24-21 in overtime), had one of most productive days in school history in the 61-58 loss in four overtimes to EMU on Nov. 6.
Not only did Smith tie a 75-year-old record with five TD passes (he tied Bill Kelly who had five against Toledo in 1929), but he ran for two more and accounted for 44 points on the day.
Smith, who lettered in 2002 but did not see the field in 2003, is now in the top 10 in five single-season categories for the Chippewas: •2nd in total offense (2,422)
•3rd in completions (173)
•6th in TD passes (14)
•6th in yards passing (2,076)
•6th in passes attempted (310)
Harper Hits the `Books,' Too
Junior Justin Harper, whocaught a career-high 10 passes for 116 yards and three TDs against EMU, tied a school mark with the three scoring grabs.
Harper is now sixth all-time with 100 career catches and he's approaching the top 10 in yardage 1,025 yards. Tenth is 1,204 yards.
Gardner Makes Most of Start
Two weeks ago, redshirt freshman Justin Gardner was running routes for the practice squad.
Saturday at Buffalo he got the first start of his career and responded with three catches for 22 yards, one an 11-yard TD grab.
More Records
CMU's 58 points against EMU were the most a Chippewa squad ever scored in a loss. The previous high was 37 twice -- Louisiana Tech (38-37 in 1996) and Kent State (60-37 in 1997).
The 58 points tied for 15th as the most points ever scored by a CMU team, and the most scored since 1981 when CMU tripped EMU, 63-14.
The 119 combined points also surpassed the old mark of 103 set in 1996 when CMU nipped Kent State in a 52-51 shootout.
`Bam Bam' Hits 1,000
Jerry "Bam Bam" Seymour has broken the 1,000-yard barrier for the second straight season.
The 5-6, 190-pound sophomore has gained 1,067 yards in 233 carries. He has 13 100-yard games in 19 career games, six of them this fall.
Seymour was named first team Freshman All-America by The Sporting News in 2003 after gaining a CMU freshman record 1,117 yards. He was a second team All-MAC pick.
Below are his 100-yard outings:
2003
•New Hampshire 166 in 27
•E. Kentucky 116 in 25
•UCF 114 in 17
•EMU 207 in 36
•Akron 105 in 19
•WMU 162 in 27
•Navy 154 in 33
2004
•Indiana 111 in 21
•Michigan State 164 in 26
•Kent State 131 in 28
•Bowling Green 155 in 28
•Northern Illinois 140 in 25
•Toledo 107 in 26
Seymour Can Catch, Too
Jerry Seymour is not only CMU's leading rusher but he's also its top receiver with 43 grabs for 378 yards.
He caught a career-high nine passes for 86 yards at Toledo and followed that up with seven more grabs for 34 yards against WMU.
Kieft Draws Attention
All-American candidate offensive tackle Adam Kieft continues to draw rave reviews from opposing coaches and NFL scouts.
While helping Jerry Seymour rush for six 100-yard games this fall, the 6-7, 328-pound senior has moved himself into a high draft choice.
"The scouts love him," said CMU head coach Brian Kelly. "He has been a dominant performer in every game we've had this season."
Bowling Green coach Gregg Brandon said: "That number 70 can block out the sun -- he's just massive. He's one heck of a football player."
King Racks Up Tackles
Senior linebacker James King is eight tackles away from moving into third in career tackles for CMU.
The converted safety had 143 stops in 2003, tied for 10th in the country with 11.92 per game.
He has been credited with 66 stops in the first nine games.
King missed CMU's game at the University at Buffalo for personal reasons. His status for Ball State is unknown.
Here's who is ahead of King:
1. Brian Leigeb (1997-00), 486
2. Ray Bentley (1979-82), 443
3. Rich Curtiss (1987-90), 402
4. Bryan Gross (1976-78), 396
5. James King (2001-), 395
Block Party
Even without the nation's leading kick blocker, senior James King, the CMU football team managed to block three kicks at Buffalo.
Sophomore Doug Kress blocked a punt, sophomore Daniel Bazuin a field goal and senior Adam Kieft an extra point.
Bazuin has three blocks this season, all field goals, while King has two (the 11th and 12th of his career).
Joining the block party this season are sophomore Leython Williams and junior Jason Smith.
CMU has nine blocked kicks in 2004.
Talk About Young
There can't be many Division IA teams in the country as young as the Chippewas on defense.
CMU started the WMU and EMU games with three true freshmen, one redshirt freshman, three sophomores, one junior and three seniors.
The first-year players are cornerbacks Raeshon Ball and Ronnie Jackson, and tackle Steven Friend while linebacker Thomas Keith is the redshirt freshman.
Ball missed the Buffalo game with an ankle injury but should be ready for Ball State.
Veteran O-Line
CMU finished third in the MAC in rushing with 195.8 yards per game in 2003 and stands third this year at 164.6. Four of the five starters return, and the five regulars combine for 131 career starts.
Drew Mormino, however, is out indefinitely with a leg injury.
Here's the breakdown:
•Adam Kieft, senior tackle, 42
•Eric Ghiaciuc, senior center, 34
•Jeff Jenerou, junior guard, 22
•Drew Mormino, soph. guard, 19
•Joe Staley, sophomore tackle, 14
Goin' Bowlin'
Two Chippewa seniors will have their season extended after being invited to play in postseason games.
Offensive tackle Adam Kieft will play in the Hula Bowl (Jan. 22) and linebacker James King will compete in the Las Vegas All-American Classic (Jan. 22) and the Villages Gridiron Classic (Jan. 15).
They are the first two since 1998 to play in any postseason bowls when Jon McCall played in the Blue-Gray Bowl and Senior Bowl and Mike Cipa took part in the Hula Bowl.
Young Defensive Whiz
Redshirt freshman linebacker Thomas Keith (6-1, 226 pounds) leads CMU in tackles with 84 including 12 against EMU and10 at MSU. Keith leads the Chippewas in fumbles forced (two) and is tied for tops in tackles for loss (eight for 22 yards) and pass breakups (seven).
MAC Stats
The Chippewas are sixth in total offense (392.0) and 10th in total defense (423.3).
CMU is third in rushing (166.8), sixth in passing (227.4), ninth in rushing defense (175.7) and ninth in pass defense (247.6).
TB Jerry Seymour is second in rushing with 106.7 yards and all-purpose yards at 144.5. He's also tied for 12th in receiving with 4.3 catches per game.
QB Kent Smith is sixth in total offense (242.2), eighth in passing yards (207.6), eighth in pass efficiency (122.4) and 18th in scoring (5.6).
LB Thomas Keith is 13th in tackles (8.4), SS Mike Thomas is 19th (7.9) and LB James King is tied for 22nd (7.3).
NCAA Stats
Jerry Seymour is tied for 17th in rushing (106.7) and is 22nd in all-purpose yards (144.5) in Division IA stats.
Kent Smith is tied for 14th in points responsible for (14.0), 32nd in total offense (242.2), 37th in completions per game (17.3) and 57th in passing efficiency (122.4).
The Chippewas are 38th in total offense (392.0) and 98th in total defense (423.3). CMU is 51st in rushing (164.6) and 45th in passing (227.4).
Running to Success
CMU has had backs gain 100 yards in 243 games since 1970, posting a record of 169-67-7.
CMU has had 20 seasons with 1,000-yard rushers since becoming Division I in 1975.
CMU is 2-5 this season.
CMU Banquet Set
The 2004 Chippewa football team will be honored at the annual banquet on Sunday, Nov. 28.
This year's fete will be at the Soaring Eagle Resort beginning with a social hour at 1 p.m.
Tickets are $35. Anyone interested in attending can contact Sherri Hutchins at 989-774-3896.
No TV on Saturday
CMU's game with Ball State will not be televised by Comcast Local as originally announced. Kickoff will still be at 1:07 to allow the Chippewas to honor their seniors.
