Central Michigan University Athletics
2006 Football Season Outlook
7/28/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
MOUNT PLEASANT - Year three of the Brian Kelly era at Central Michigan University finds the Chippewa football program within reach of an accomplishment to which it has not laid claim in two decades: consecutive seasons recording at least six wins over Division I-A opponents.
With expanded bowl opportunities for the Mid-American Conference and a demanding schedule that promises nationwide exposure, anticipation is near an all-time high in CMU circles as the 2006 kickoff approaches. Still, Kelly knows his team must continue to develop in order to challenge for a championship.
“It’s very important that we continue to climb as a program,” Kelly said. “Six I-A wins last season was a great base, but now we need to continue to climb. The measure of a great program is a consistency of winning. We will have not turned the corner until we are winning consistently.”
The Chippewas sampled success in 2005, posting the program’s first four-game winning streak in 11 years and entering November tied atop the MAC West Division standings. Following heartbreaking losses to Northern Illinois and Western Michigan, however, CMU rallied from a sluggish start for a gutsy 31-24 overtime win at Ball State in the season finale. With the program’s first winning season since 1998 in jeopardy, the Chippewas showcased their mettle by manufacturing a late special teams touchdown, scoring in overtime and stonewalling the Ball State offense on downs to secure the victory.
Kelly hopes the gritty attitude he saw out of his club last November 19 will serve as a springboard into the 2006 campaign. While CMU may not be the prognosticators’ first choice to win the West in the preseason, Kelly believes his team and program have taken significant steps toward contending for a conference title.
“In year three of our program, we want to build toward a level of conscious competence,’” Kelly said. “Two years ago, we had an unconscious incompetence’ ... we didn’t know that we didn’t know what it takes to be a successful program. Now, our kids are aware what it takes to be a championship program, and that is that we have to work every single day toward that goal.
| “We are not at a level where we can get full of ourselves,” he continued. “We still must continue to work hard to get better every day. Championship programs have an unconscious competence.’ Our kids do not have that ingrained in them yet, but we are continuing to drive toward that mindset.” Kelly has established two important measuring sticks for his club in 2006: winning the Michigan MAC championship and competing for an overall conference title.“We need to win the Michigan MAC championship,” he said. “That is a primary goal for us this season. We are now at a level where we can talk about beating Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan and being the preeminent MAC program in the state of Michigan. Winning the Michigan MAC championship, then, is a jumping off point toward winning a MAC championship. Those two go hand-in-hand and are our two primary focused goals for the 2006 season.” A challenging nonconference slate that is highlighted by a season opener under the lights at home against Boston College, as well as road trips to Michigan, Kentucky, and Temple, will prepare CMU for what promises to be the most wide-open MAC title race in recent memory. The Chippewas will find themselves in the national spotlight during the season’s first two weekends, facing Boston College and Michigan squads that figure to enter the season ranked in the top 25. “It’s important for this program to continue to gain national recognition, and the only way to do that is continue to play top-notch, well-respected opponents,” Kelly said. “We certainly have that in Boston College and Michigan. And, playing five times on ESPN is a great coup for us. What is our goal then? Not just to play, but to win those games. We schedule and play those games to beat those teams.” |
Position-by-Position
Quarterback
All eyes were on the battle under center during spring workouts, but the 15 practice sessions in April only helped sophomore Brian Brunner solidify his hold on the job entering fall camp. An intelligent but untested signal-caller, Brunner’s knowledge of the playbook gave him an edge over the younger Dan LeFevour and Duane Brooks. Both redshirt freshmen will continue to push for playing time throughout the preseason, as will heralded incoming freshman Mike Canfield.
“I am very comfortable with Brian Brunner at quarterback,” Kelly said. “He has a very good understanding of the system and is a leader who is respected by his teammates. He just needs an opportunity to play and gain some experience. The great thing is our younger kids will challenge him every day in practice. That’s how you build programsthrough competition.”
Offensive Line
Four starters return to an offensive front that will be arguably the best line in the MAC. Senior left tackle Joe Staley and senior center Drew Mormino are legitimate pro prospects, while junior guard Eric Tunney and sophomore right tackle Andrew Hartline both started all 11 games last season. Tunney is expected to move from left guard to right guard in 2006, with sophomore Adam Benke and junior Mike Decker the frontrunners to assume the left guard position. True freshman Jeff Maddux, one of the nation’s top offensive line prospects, could also make a case for playing time early in his career.
“The success of the offensive line is a tradition that has stood the test of time here at CMU, and this group is as talented as any of the great Central Michigan offensive lines,” Kelly said. “In Joe Staley and Drew Mormino you have two seniors who could be high draft picks next spring. You have to feel good about having those two to anchor the line. When you throw in two returning solid MAC starters in Andrew Hartline and Eric Tunney, it bodes very well for success at that position.”
| Running Back Ontario Sneed put together arguably the best rookie season of any player in CMU history, rushing for 1,065 yards and catching 51 passes a year ago. Thrust into the starting role, Sneed had little choice but to become a playmaker in the Chippewas’ offensive attack. A year older and nearly 15 pounds heavier courtesy of the weight room, Sneed enters the 2006 season physically more mature and with a support cast of capable backups that can help carry the load. “Last year, he was a do-everything back for us,” Kelly said of Sneed. “We’re hoping to be able to spell him a little more this season. He really got a lot more reps than we would have liked last season, but he handled himself extremely well and did anything we asked of him. Now, we’re hoping to work in guys like Troy Doane and L.J. Hopkins to cut back on the pounding he’ll take during the season.” Wide Receiver |
“Damien Linson is a guy who can push down the field and can track the football,” Kelly said. “He’s obviously a deep threat who everyone saw emerge last year. The great thing about him is that he makes big plays in big games. Obed Ctoute showed late in the year that he can be a nightmare for opposing defenses with his size and speed, particularly down in the red zone. I think all the pieces are in place for him to have a breakout season. Bryan Anderson and Jemmy Jasmin are going to share time at the slot receiver, and the key with them is that they can both run after the catch and really create matchup problems.”
Defensive Line
Just two starters return on the defensive front, but both are premier players in the MAC at their position. End Daniel Bazuin and tackle Steven Friend make up one-half of a physically imposing line that has keyed the Chippewas’ improved play on defense. Ronnie Ekdahl, a former walk-on who has worked his way onto scholarship, is penciled in as the starter next to Friend, while junior De’Onte Burnam returns to his starting role opposite Bazuin. Senior Mike Ogle and redshirt freshmen Larry Knight and Frank Zombo will compete for time at defensive end. Also expected to see significant action in the interior are sophomores Chris Boss, Evan Brownie, and Philip Telfer.
“Everything up front starts around Bazuin,” Kelly said. “He is a relentless, tenacious competitor and his accolades really speak for themselves. Beyond that, I think one of the most underrated defensive players in the MAC is Steven Friend. He doesn’t get the publicity that he probably deserves, but I know that our first-team offensive line had a hard time blocking him during the spring. He draws a lot of attention and helps create a lot of one-on-one matchups for Bazuin.”
Secondary
Special Teams Linebacker
Bolstering the front seven is an athletic and physical linebacking corps that ranks among the top returning position groups in the conference. Junior Red Keith and seniors Ike Brown and Doug Kress return to their starting roles after recording 104, 73, and 73 tackles, respectively, in 2005. Keith and Kress both check in over 235 pounds and are run-stuffers, while Brown, who came to CMU as a running back, can harass opposing offenses by blitzing or dropping into pass coverage.
“At linebacker we have four very capable players in Red Keith, Doug Kress, Chris Wohlgamuth, and Leython Williams,” Kelly said. “We can rotate all those guys in and keep people fresh. That depth was a big reason why we did not allow a touchdown in the second half of six of our final eight games last season.
“Ike Brown is an in-between sort of guy who brings an attitude to our defense,” he added. “He is one of our most physical players and just plays fast. He is certainly our catalyst on defense and brings the enthusiasm that all good defenses need to have.”
Just one starter returns in the secondary, and he will be playing a new position, but Kelly hopes to use the “addition by subtraction” theory in improving his squad’s pass defense. Pacino Horne, who made 66 tackles from his free safety spot in 2005, will move over to corner this season. He, however, will be joined in the secondary by three new starters.
“In Curtis Cutts and Pacino Horne we have two veterans in the secondary,” Kelly said. “Pacino is back at his natural position, while Cutts is starting to develop at the strong safety position and will be a steadying influence for our younger players. Josh Gordy has nailed down the other corner spot, while the race at the other safety is still open. Calvin Hissong, Aaron Carr, and a couple of incoming freshmen will compete for playing time there.”
Junior punter Tony Mikulec and sophomore placekicker Rick Albreski return to their starting roles on the specialty units. Mikulec, entering his third season as the starter, placed 18 punts inside the opponents’ 20-yard line last season and forced opposing returners to make 17 fair catches. Albreski, meanwhile, hit 10-of-19 field goals and 31-of-32 point-after attempts as a true freshman last season. Incoming freshman Brett Hartmann will compete for playing time as both a punter and placekicker.
“We wanted to challenge those guys a little bit,” Kelly said of Mikulec and Albreski. “Brett Hartmann will challenge and push those guys to the level they need to be at to be successful. They both have to get better and we expect improvement from them just as we do everyone else in our program. Now, with that said, we are very confident in both Tony and Rick and excited that we have both of them back.”
Linson and Jasmin give CMU options in the return game. Linson is the only Chippewa to return a punt for a score in the past 23 years, including a Kelly/Shorts Stadium-record 78-yarder against Ohio in 2005, but Jasmin was averaging 24.4 yards per kickoff return prior to his injury.
“Damien Linson has returned a punt for a touchdown each of the last two years, but Jemmy Jasmin had won that job before suffering his injury,” Kelly said. “Both of them are very skilled, but Jasmin will likely be our go-to guy in the return game. We want to give him as many opportunities to handle the football as possible.”
