Central Michigan University Athletics
Football at Toledo Notebook
9/28/2014 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nobody has ever questioned the impact that Titus Davis has made in his career at Central Michigan.
The senior wide receiver returned to the lineup after a three-week absence Saturday in CMU's 42-28 Mid-American Conference loss at Toledo. He made six catches for a game-high 128 yards.
The plan, coach Dan Enos said, was to have Davis play between 25-35 plays. He was on the field for 30.
"We did exactly what we wanted to do," Enos said. "I think you can see what a difference he makes. He's a great player."
Davis, who last year earned the Herb Deromedi Most Valuable Player Award, is on the watch list for the Biletnikoff Award, which goes annually to the top receiver in college football. He was injured returning a punt in the Chippewas' season-opening victory over Chattanooga.
"I didn't know how I was going to be during the week," Davis said after Saturday's game. "I took it easy. Coming out in pregame I felt good."
Davis was not on the punt-return unit Saturday. The role of deep man was filled by freshman Amari Coleman, who also returned punts last week in the Chippewas' 24-10 loss at Kansas.
"I wasn't ready to do that," Davis said. "We trust Amari back there. We know that he can make plays. I just want to play and I want the ball in my hands every opportunity. Hopefully I'll be able to get back there."
Rising star
CMU wide receiver Jesse Kroll caught a career-high seven passes against the Rockets, finishing with 83 yards and two touchdowns. The seven receptions and two TDs were career highs for Kroll, a junior.
A healthy Davis and an emerging Kroll provide the Chippewas with a potentially dangerous receiving duo. They teamed up for 13 catches for 211 yards on Saturday.
"Jesse's a guy who, ever since he's been here, we knew he'd wind up being a superstar," Enos said. "He's just been hampered by some injuries. We've always known he has that type of ability."
Kroll is solidly put together at 6-foot-3 and 214 pounds. But he was relatively unheralded coming out of Algoma (Wis.) High School, which has an enrollment of less than 300 students.
His high school highlight video caught Enos' eye. In it, Enos said, Kroll scored every way imaginable: rushing, receiving, passing, on kick returns, on an interception return.
"He's a great athlete, he's a great young man," Enos said.
Until this season, Kroll's most impactful moment came in the miraculous 32-31 comeback win at Iowa in 2012, when he covered the onside kick that led to CMU's game-winning drive.
He entered the season with seven receptions for 108 yards. He has caught 19 passes for 289 yards and three touchdowns.
"Jesse, we've seen him these last three years," Davis said. "We know what he can do, we've seen him do it. Just to see Jesse making plays, I think that's huge for our offense."
Both of Kroll's TD receptions on Saturday came on fade routes, where quarterback Cooper Rush lofted the ball to the corner of the end zone and Kroll stopped, turned and made fine athletic plays to secure the ball with a defender closely on him.
"We have so many weapons on our team," Kroll said. "We have Anthony Rice, Courtney Williams, Corey Willis, Titus -- when we're all playing good, we can do a lot of damage."
Rice, a sophomore, finished with a career-best five catches for 41 yards and also carried the ball once for a 12-yard gain against Toledo. Fullback Joe Bacci also caught two passes for 18 yards as a total of eight different Chippewas caught passes in the game.
Kicking game
CMU placekicker Brian Eavey made all four of his extra-point attempts on the night and is a perfect 10-for-10 on the season on PATs.
Punter Ron Coluzzi averaged 52.7 yards on three punts, with a long of 55. On five kickoffs, Coluzzi averaged 63.6 yards.
