Central Michigan University Athletics
Kelly Answers Fans' Questions
9/13/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
MOUNT PLEASANT - Ask Coach Kelly is a regular feature on cmuchippewas.com during football season. Submit your questions here, then check back to see if the coach answers your question during the season.
What did you do in the locker room during the weather delay at Michigan?
Kevin
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Coach Kelly: The first thing we did was had our kids take their pads off and we got some foods in them. First, we gave them about 10 minutes to decompress after coming off the field. Then we spent about another 10 minutes on adjustments. After that, we kept telling them every 10 minutes to be ready to go. It really was a difficult situation to manage and was tough to keep everyone ready with not knowing exactly how long the delay was going to be.
What has impressed you the most about Dan LeFevour so far this season?
Ted
Chicago, Illinois
Coach Kelly: Three things. First, his desire to want to be a great quarterback. Second, we have given him a lot to manage in terms of our offense, and he has done a pretty good job managing the volume we have given him to deal with. And third, his demeanor and calmness. He really has a demeanor about him that is just outstanding for a freshman.
I heard on the radio that Central Michigan’s footballs have the white stripe at each end stitched on – is this true?
Dawn
Westlake, Ohio
Coach Kelly: There are two distinct advantages to the style of ball that we use. First, the stitched-on stripe provides a more grippable surface. You can literally feel the stripe on the ball. And second, the ball itself is a slightly longer style, which is more conducive to throwing spirals. Obviously, that’s very important in our offense.
Joe Staley started as a tight end, and has good hands. Have you ever been tempted to use him as an eligible receiver?
Tim
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Coach Kelly: Stay tuned.
A lot of younger players have worked their way onto the field for you. What are the biggest obstacles for a freshman to overcome in order to play early in his career?
Jerry
Hillsdale, Michigan
Coach Kelly: There are several obstacles. First is a very demanding style of coaching. And, the workload that faces them as a student and a Division I athlete is very demanding as well. There are seniors on this team playing their final season, and they are counting on freshman to contribute and help this team succeed. That is extremely demanding from an expectation standpoint. There are very unique traits that must exist in a freshman for him to contribute right away.
