Coach: 'We Set The Bar Very High'

2/3/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football

Feb. 3, 2016

Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - John Bonamego's first recruiting class as Central Michigan's football coach is small in size, but big on talent, particularly at the skill positions.

Bonamego on Wednesday unveiled a class comprising 14 signees that includes Tony Poljan, a quarterback out of Lansing Catholic and the son of Rick Poljan, a standout offensive lineman who was a teammate of Bonamego's at CMU from 1983-86.

Bonamego drew on his relationship with Rick Poljan in courting the son, who stands 6-foot-7 and weighs 240 pounds and amassed more than 9,000 yards in passing and rushing and scored 116 touchdowns during a brilliant career at Lansing Catholic.

"He took his time, he looked at a lot of places, a lot of opportunities," Bonamego said of Tony Poljan. "Ultimately what won out was the proximity to home, the legacy, and the opportunity to compete and play quarterback."

CMU also signed quarterback Austin Hergott of Fort Thomas, Ky. He and Poljan will join Tommy Lazzaro, who joined the program in December after transferring from Dodge City (Kan.) Community College.

Those three will join the mix behind standout-senior-to-be Cooper Rush, who figures to be among the very best quarterbacks in the Mid-American Conference in 2016.

"It's difficult to field a good team without someone talented at the quarterback position," Bonamego said. "There's going to be competition there and competition is great. It's what our programs' foundation has been built on for years."

Poljan prepped at the same high school that produced Rush, who has blossomed into one of the best to ever play the position at CMU.

"They have a genuine friendship," Bonamego said. "I think that factored into it. It's fair to say that was a factor."

CMU signed wide receiver Bailey Edwards of Chelsea. Edwards' father, Stanley, and his brother, Braylon, both played at Michigan and in the NFL.

Bailey Edwards is a 6-1, 183-pounder who not only shined on the gridiron at Chelsea, but is a track standout as well. Edwards' brother, Berkley, transferred to CMU this year from Minnesota and is a member of the Chippewa track and field team. He may also end up playing running back at CMU.

"We're talking about a guy that has great bloodlines," Bonamego said. "Bailey has a tremendous amount of upside. He'll get better as a route-runner, and he's got great hands. The other thing I like about him is that he has length. He's a big target with long arms, and as I've said, he's fast."

The Chippewas addressed other needs, specifically on the defensive line and in the secondary. They signed four defensive backs and three defensive linemen.

The defensive linemen are Dante Cleveland of Hoffman Estates, Ill., along with Josh Eldridge and Leon Page, both of Detroit. The defensive backs are Tee'ondre Harvey and Alonzo McCoy, both of Detroit, Jakkar Jackson of Farmington Hills, and Gage Kreski of St. Ignace.

Three running backs joined the CMU football family on Wednesday, including Mount Pleasant High School product Hunter Buczkowski.

Buczkowski has maroon and gold in his blood. His grandfather, Don Peddie, was an assistant coach on CMU's 1974 Division II national championship team, and he has relatives who were athletes at CMU.

Buczkowski has also been a standout baseball player at Mount Pleasant, something that drew Bonamego.

"He's been highly competitive as both a football player and a baseball player," Bonamego said. "He's got the size and quickness. Great all-around athlete. Intense, competitive kid. I love seeing kids competing in multiple sports."

The other running backs are Jonathan Ward of Kankakee, Ill., and Kumehnnu Gwilly of Utica.

Both rewrote the record books during their careers at their respective high schools. Ward led Bishop McNamara to a 13-1 finish and the 3A Illinois state title last fall; Gwilly ran for more than 4,000 yards and scored 38 touchdowns at Utica against a very high level of competition in the Macomb Area Conference.

The Chippewas also signed kicker/punter Kaden Keon of St. Louis, who averaged 40.3 yards per punt during his senior year and kicked four field goals, including a 47-yarder.

Bonamego and his staff were familiar with Keon after the kicker had attended camp at CMU.

"There's been a natural interest there from the beginning," Bonamego said. "He's very solid fundamentally. He's been well trained, well coached, so he's got a good base that will continue to develop.

"Even more, I like the way that he carries himself and the way that he thinks. Ninety percent of punting or kicking is truly between your ears. It's very similar to golf in that respect. I think he has the opportunity to develop into a very fine place-kicker."

For Bonamego, Signing Day brings to an end his first full year on what he called his "dream job" when he was introduced as CMU's coach on Feb. 9.

The Chippewas surprised many by finishing 7-6 and winning a share of the MAC West Division title while Bonamego successfully battled cancer just as the 2015 season got under way. CMU also earned a berth in the Quick Lane Bowl.

"We were able to address some specific needs with some quality players," Bonamego said. "We really set the bar very high. We were very aggressive in terms of what type of athlete we went after.

"A number of our incoming class members had opportunities to go to Power Five Conference teams. I don't worry about the ones that don't come. Our job is to recruit, retain and develop, and from here on out it's about the development of the players that are here."

Bonamego had been an NFL assistant coach for the previous 16 years before taking over at CMU. His last college assignment - and the last time he was in the recruiting world - was as an assistant at Army in the late 1990s.

"It was a lot of fun," he said. "Recruiting is much more accelerated than it was when I left in 1999. The method of communication has changed … but it's still a relationship business.

"It's still building a vision and selling a product and in my case, and the case of our staff, we feel that we have a great product to sell: Central Michigan University, our football program.

"Obviously for me it's something that's very near and dear to me. You're always trying to create an image in the prospect's mind where he fits in and how he's going to become a part of this culture and football program. I enjoy that part the most, getting to see the prospects in their environment. At their house, their school. It's changed a lot, but it's also very much the same."