Central Michigan University Athletics
CMU Visits Penn State: Football Game Notes
9/14/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 14, 2005
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The Match-Up
Central Michigan University visits Penn State this weekend for the first gridiron match-up between the two schools. The Chippewas are fresh off a come-from-behind 38-37 win at defending MAC East champ Miami on Saturday, while the Nittany Lions are 2-0 after downing Cincinnati 42-24 last weekend. The Chippewas are seeking wins on the road in consecutive weeks for the first time since 1993, while Penn State last opened a season with three straight home wins in 2002.
Smith Named MAC West Offensive Player of the Week
Senior quarterback Kent Smith was named Mid-American Conference West Division Offensive Player of the Week following his record-breaking performance in the win at Miami (see related Smith note on page two). It is the second time in his career he has earned the honor; he was also named Player of the Week after throwing for 205 yards and a touchdown and running for 72 yards and a score in last season's 24-21 overtime win against Western Michigan. Smith is the second Chippewa to earn a conference award in as many weeks. Junior end Daniel Bazuin was tabbed as the Defensive Player of the Week after collecting 10 tackles, two sacks and two forced fumbles against Indiana on Sept. 2.
Third Down Brown
Senior tight end Jacob Brown hauled in a career-high seven catches on Saturday, five of which resulted in CMU first downs. Of those five, four were in third down situations that allowed the Chippewa offense to stay on the field. Brown also made the biggest special teams play of the game, blocking a Miami field goal attempt from 28 yards with 11 seconds left to preserve the win for CMU. The CMU-Penn State Series This weekend marks the first time that CMU and Penn State have squared off on the football field. In fact, the contest is CMU's first against an opponent from the state of Pennsylvania.
The Coaches
Brian Kelly is in his second season as the head coach at Central Michigan University. He guided the Chippewas to a 4-7 record in 2004. Kelly arrived in Mount Pleasant after a successful 13-year stint at Grand Valley State University which saw him lead the Lakers to back-to-back NCAA Division II national championships in 2002 and 2003. (For a more extensive Kelly bio, see page 10.) Joe Paterno is in his 40th season as head coach at Penn State, one of just two major college coaches in history to spend 40 years at one school. He is the fourth-winningest head coach in college football history and has led five Penn State teams to perfect seasons. His 20 bowl wins are the most of any head coach and he has won two national titles.
Smith Steals the Show
Senior quarterback Kent Smith had the best statistical game of his career on Saturday in the win over Miami. A sampling of Smith's notable numbers from last weekend:
His 478 yards of total offense broke his own school record of 446 that he set at Toledo last season. It is the 10th best single-game effort in MAC history.
He is the first Chippewa to run and pass for at least 100 yards in the same game since Erik Timpf (214 passing, 147 rushing) against Michigan State in 1993, and is the first player in school history to throw for at least 300 yards and rush for at least 100.
Smith's 122 rushing yards on Saturday set a new career high.
He completed three passes of at least 50 yards and ran for at least 10 yards six times in the win.
Special Plays on Special Teams
The Chippewas have blocked at least one kick in five straight games dating back to last season. Last week, Jacob Brown blocked a Miami field goal with 11 seconds remaining to preserve a 38-37 Chippewa win. In 2004, CMU blocked kicks in five different games, including each of the final three contests. Brown's block on Saturday also continued a CMU trend of blocking kicks at the end of games. Against Kent State last season, Daniel Bazuin blocked a field goal with 24 seconds remaining to preserve a 24-21 Chippewa win.
Date Opp. Kick Blocked9/10/05 at Miami Field goal9/2/05 Indiana PAT11/20/04 Ball State PAT11/20/04 Ball State Punt11/20/04 Ball State Field Goal11/13/04 Buffalo PAT11/6/04 Eastern Michigan PATPacked House
The crowd in Beaver Stadium on Saturday will most likely be the second-largest crowd to watch a CMU football game. The largest crowd to watch a Chippewa game to date is 110,637 at Michigan Stadium in 2003. The second-largest crowd for which a CMU team has played is 85,347 at Florida Field in 1997.
CMU at the Bryce Jordan Center
One of the top moments in CMU sports history came at Penn State in 1999. Chippewa 157-pound wrestler Casey Cunningham won a national title at the Bryce Jordan Center, just across the street from Beaver Stadium. In fact, Cunningham defeated Nittany Lion Clint Musser in the final by a 2-1 score. Cunningham was the No. 1 seed in the tournament and Musser No. 3.
Beating the Best
The Chippewas' 38-37 win at Miami marked the second time that CMU has defeated a defending MAC divisional champ since the conference expanded to two divisions prior to the 1997 season. The last win was a 21-17 victory over Western Michigan in 2000. Miami has represented the MAC East in each of the past two conference championship games.
MAC Nailbiters
CMU has won two straight MAC openers, and both have featured blocked field goals in the closing seconds. Last weekend, Jacob Brown blocked a Miami field goal attempt with 11 seconds left to preserve a 38-37 Chippewa win. In 2004, CMU defeated Kent State, 24-21, in the MAC opener at Kelly/Shorts Stadium. Daniel Bazuin blocked two field goals in the fourth quarter of that win, including one with 24 seconds remaining.
CMU vs. the Big Ten
The Chippewas are 2-14 all-time against the 11 current members of the Big Ten Conference. Both wins came at Michigan State -- a 20-3 win over the No. 18 Spartans in 1991 and a 24-20 victory in East Lansing in 1992. This marks the seventh straight season the Chippewas have played at least one game in a Big Ten stadium. CMU all-time against the Big Ten:
Indiana 0-3 Iowa 0-2 Michigan 0-2Michigan State 2-4 Minnesota 0-1 Purdue 0-2Future Big Ten Dates
The Chippewas' scheduled game at Michigan next season has been moved back a week to Sept. 9, 2006. Ball State will now play the Wolverines on Sept. 2. Big Ten opponents on future CMU schedules:
Date OpponentSept. 9, 2006 at MichiganOct. 14, 2006 at IllinoisSept. 15, 2007 at PurdueNov. 3, 2007 at IndianaSept. 13, 2008 at PurdueSept. 5, 2009 at Michigan StateSept. 11, 2010 vs. IndianaClimbing the Career Charts
Four current Chippewas enter 2005 either in or near the school's all-time top 10 in a number of statistical categories. Kent Smith most likely will conclude his career as one of the top quarterbacks in CMU history statistically, while Daniel Bazuin still has two seasons to build upon his career tackles for loss and sacks totals. With two touchdown passes on Saturday, Smith has pulled into a four-way tie for seventh all-time. He also moved to eighth on the career completions list. Damien Linson also moved into a three-way tie for ninth on the career touchdown receptions list.
Keeping an Eye on Bazuin
Junior defensive end Daniel Bazuin, an All-MAC first team selection in 2004, has been named to the preseason watch lists for both the Bronco Nagurski Trophy and the Lombardi Award. He is one of 50 players named to the watch list for the Nagurski Trophy, presented to the top defensive player in college football. The Lombardi Award, which names 54 players on its preseason list, is given to the top defensive lineman in the nation ... LAST WEEK ... Bazuin collected seven tackles, including five solo, and a sack in the Chippewas' 38-37 win at Miami. He was named MAC West Division Defensive Player of the Week after recording 10 tackles (including nine solo), two sacks and two forced fumbles in the opener against Indiana.
Winning the Close Ones
Dating back to 1996, CMU has won each of its last five games decided by one point. The Chippewas' last five one-point games:
Date Opponent Result9/10/05 at Miami 38-37 W11/20/04 Ball State 41-40 W9/13/03 Eastern Kentucky 42-41 W10/31/98 Akron 28-27 W11/2/96 at Kent State 52-51 WBazuin Tabbed Player of the Week (9/5)
Junior defensive end Daniel Bazuin was named the MAC West Division Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts against Indiana on Sept. 2. Bazuin collected 10 tackles (including nine solo), two sacks and two forced fumbles. His sacks and forced fumbles came on back-to-back plays in the third quarter and knocked IU out of field goal range. Bazuin, an All-MAC first team selection in 2004, has one other weekly MAC honor on his résume. He was named Special Teams Player of the Week after blocking a pair of field goals in a 24-21 win over Kent State last season.
Sneed Steps Up
Ontario Sneed has made the most of his opportunity to play as a true freshman. In the opener, he ran for 148 yards on 14 carries, including an 80-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. His 148 rushing yards were the most by a CMU back in the first game of his freshman season. Last week at Miami, Sneed finished with 85 yards on 19 carries. He scored on a 60-yard run on fourth-and-two with 1:44 remaining to tie the score at 37.
After Further Review...
CMU has benefited from instant replay in both of its first two games in 2005. On Saturday at Miami, a RedHawk pass into the end zone in the second quarter was ruled incomplete. Replay confirmed the ruling on the field. With 8:40 remaining in the third quarter of the season opener against Indiana, a Hoosier completion from Blake Powers to Jahkeen Gilmore was overturned after the replay official determined the pass had hit the ground.
Two Rookies and a Legend
In the first two weeks of the season CMU has faced head coaches in their first season at their respective schools -- Terry Hoeppner at Indiana and Shane Montgomery at Miami. The Chippewas counter that this week by playing legendary Penn State coach Joe Paterno who currently holds the NCAA Division I coaching longevity record for most years at one school -- 40.
More Honors for Bazuin
Daniel Bazuin was named the Mid-American Conference's first male Scholar-Athlete of the Week for the 2005-06 academic year on Sept. 8. Bazuin, a marketing major with a 3.42 GPA, recorded 10 tackles, two sacks and two forced fumbles against Indiana and was named MAC West Division Defensive Player of the Week. The MAC Scholar Athlete of the Week honor is presented to a MAC male and female student-athlete who has a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better and performs well during that week's competition. The winners are selected by a group of the conference's faculty athletic representatives.
The Captains
The CMU coaching staff will name game captains on a weekly basis this season. Captains for the upcoming week are announced on Thursday. The captains for last week's game against Miami were senior tackle Jeff Jenerou, senior nose guard Tony Thompson and junior defensive end Daniel Bazuin.
Opponent CaptainsIndiana Daniel Bazuin, Joe StaleyMiami Daniel Bazuin, Jeff Jenerou, Tony ThompsonCMU vs. the MAC
The Chippewas are 210-174-17 (.545) all-time against the other 11 current members of the Mid-American Conference. CMU is 140-106-10 (.566) in MAC contests since joining the conference in 1975. CMU vs. the MAC:
Akron 9-9-1 Ball State 18-18-1 Bowling Green 16-21Buffalo 2-1 Eastern Michigan 52-24-6 Kent State 21-9Miami 9-11-1 Northern Illinois 21-18-1 Ohio 17-4-2Toledo 13-17-3 Western Michigan 32-42-2Long Stay at Kelly/Shorts
The Chippewas will play three straight at home later this season, hosting Ohio, Toledo and Northern Illinois on Oct. 15, Oct. 29 and Nov. 5, respectively. The stretch marks the longest homestand for the Chippewas since a three-gamer in 1996. That season, CMU defeated Akron (42-0) and Eastern Michigan (41-36) before falling to Ball State (24-17).
Chippewas in the National Rankings
Through two weeks, Kent Smith and Damien Linson are in the top 10 nationally in receiving and total offense, respectively. Statistical categories in which CMU is represented in the top 50 in Division I-A:
IndividualForced Fumbles Daniel Bazuin (T-2nd; 2 forced)Total Receiving Yards Damien Linson (3rd; 136.5 ypg.)Total Offense Kent Smith (5th; 340.0 ypg.)Receiving Yards Per Game Damien Linson (7th; 136.5 ypg.)Sacks Daniel Bazuin (T-8th; 1.5 spg.)Solo Tackles Thomas Keith (T-12th; 8.0 tpg.)Rushing Ontario Sneed (14th; 116.5 ypg.)Passes Defended Jesse Dailey (T-14th; 2.0 per game) Ronnie Jackson (T-44th; 1.5 per game)All-Purpose Yardage Damien Linson (18th; 165.5 ypg.)Pass Completions Kent Smith (T-18th; 22.0 cpg.)Field Goals Rick Albreski (T-18th; 3 FG)Kickoff Returns Jemmy Jasmin (24th; 27.0 ypr.)Total Tackles Thomas Keith (T-27th; 11.5 tpg.)Points Responsible For Kent Smith (T-38th; 12.0 ppg.)Interceptions Pacino Horne (T-42nd; 1 int.)Tackles For Loss Isaac Brown (T-48th; 1.75 tpg.)On This Date
TeamTotal Offense T-18th (476.0 ypg.)3rd Down Conversions Allowed T-18th (25%; 8-of-32)Passing Offense 20th (286.0 ypg.)Turnovers Lost T-23rd (2 lost)Passes Intercepted T-24th (1 int.)Fumbles Lost T-26th (1 lost)Tackles For Loss T-32nd (7.0 tpg.)Rushing Offense 34th (190.0 ypg.)Kickoff Returns 35th (23.71 ypr.)4th Down Conversions T-43rd (50%; 1-of-2)Passing Efficiency 48th (134.22 rating)Rushing Defense 49th (118.0 ypg.)Sacks T-50th (2.0 spg.)
CMU is 4-1 all-time in games played on Sept. 17 and has won four straight. The Chippewas last played on this date in 1994, defeating Eastern Michigan 30-29. In that game, the Chippewa defense turned away an EMU two-point conversion attempt with 55 seconds remaining to seal the win. The Chippewas on Sept. 17:
Year Opponent Result1960 at Western Michigan L, 0-311977 at Illinois State W, 28-71983 Northern Michigan W, 37-151988 at Akron W, 27-161994 at Eastern Michigan W, 30-29Hitting the Books
CMU has claimed the MAC Academic Achievement Award for highest cumulative grade point average among student-athletes by a conference school for the 2004-05 academic year. It marks the fourth straight year, and eighth time in nine years, CMU has won the award. CMU's 369 student-athletes in 16 different sports posted a cumulative grade point average of 3.066 during the 2004-05 academic year.
The Friendly Confines of Kelly/Shorts Stadium
Kelly/Shorts Stadium began hosting CMU football games in 1972. Since then, the Chippewas have posted a 124-48-4 record (.716 winning percentage) at home. In 2004, CMU was 4-1 at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.
CMU on TV
CMU will make at least five appearances on television this season, including at least three on the ESPN family of networks. The opener against Indiana was live on ESPNU. The Sept. 17 contest at Penn State will be covered by ESPN Plus, with FSN Pittsburgh delivering the contest to a regional audience. The Chippewas' Oct. 8 trip to Army will be televised on either ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Classic or ESPNU. Comcast Sports Net Detroit will carry CMU's Sept. 24 game against Eastern Michigan and the Nov. 19 regular season finale at Ball State.
CMU on the Radio
Chippewa football action can be followed all season on the CMU Football Radio Network. Kurt Wilson and Stan Shingles are in their first seasons handling play-by-play and color commentary, respectively. The broadcasts are being carried in 2005 by the following stations around Michigan:
WCHB 1200-AM -- Detroit WCZY 104.3-FM -- Mount PleasantWFUR 1570-AM -- Grand Rapids WJML 1110-AM -- PetoskeyWUPS 98.5-FM -- Houghton Lake Michigan Talk Radio NetworkPreseason Prognostications
CMU was picked to finish fourth in the MAC West Division in the MAC News Media Association's preseason poll. Toledo was selected to defend its West Division and MAC Championship Game titles, while Bowling Green was tabbed to win the East in its first season back in that division.
CMU in the NFL
Four former Central Michigan University football players are currently on NFL rosters. Offensive linemen Eric Ghiaciuc (fourth round) and Adam Kieft (fifth round) were both selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2005 draft. Kieft, however, suffered a knee injury during preseason camp and is currently on the injured reserve list. Center Brock Gutierrez, a letterman from 1993-95, is on the Detroit Lions' roster, while defensive lineman Cullen Jenkins has cracked the starting lineup in his second season with the Green Bay Packers.
Thanks, Herb
CMU Athletics Director Herb Deromedi has announced his retirement effective Jan. 15, 2006. Deromedi has been a part of CMU athletics for more than 38 years, taking on his current role on June 1, 1994. Prior to taking over the athletics director post, Deromedi became the winningest football coach in MAC history, posting a 110-55-10 record from 1978-93. He was the defensive coordinator on Roy Kramer's 1974 CMU squad that claimed the 1974 NCAA Division II national championship. In his current post, Deromedi has spearheaded a complete overhaul of the athletic facilities on campus and overseen a program that has won 34 MAC championships. CMU has also earned the MAC Academic Achievement Award for highest cumulative grade point average by a conference school in eight of the last nine years.
All-Time Record
CMU has played 897 games over the course of 105 seasons and is 527-334-36 in those contests. The Chippewas' all-time winning percentage is .608.
