Central Michigan University Athletics
Chippewa Notebook: Tough Opponent Next
9/2/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - Even the most naïve know that Central Michigan's next opponent promises to be more difficult than its first.
But the Chippewas aren't so much worried about who's on the other side of the ball. They never are, coach John Bonamego said Thursday after his Chippewas scored 35 second-half points in rolling to a 49-3 victory over Presbyterian at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.
Next for the Chippewas is a trip to Oklahoma State on Saturday, Sept. 10. The Cowboys, who defeated CMU, 24-13, in last year's season-opener at Kelly/Shorts, are ranked 21st in the Associated Press Top 25.
"I tell them the same thing that I tell them every week, that it's about us, not about who we're playing," Bonamego said. "It's about how we prepare, the physicality, the intensity, effort and discipline we bring to the game each week.
"It sounds cliché, but the opponent doesn't really matter. You have to take care of yourself and go through every step of the preparation process. If you embrace the grind and do everything you can to help make us a better team, then the results take care of themselves."
Presbyterian is a Football Championship Subdivision team that finished 2-9 a year ago. The Cowboys play in the Big 12, and last year ended their season 10-3 and with an appearance in the Allstate Sugar Bowl.
"I think we'd like to appreciate this win first, but we're excited, we're excited for every game," said CMU running back Devon Spalding, who carried 15 times for 135 yards and a touchdown on Thursday. "It doesn't matter who we're playing. Coach Bono preaches all the time, each opponent is faceless. We don't care who we're playing, we don't care where we're playing; we're going to play as tough as we possibly can.
"If you're asking us if we think we can win then yeah, we're here to win football games."
The Cowboys open against Southeastern Louisiana on Saturday.
Run game
The Chippewas finished with 255 yards on the ground against Presbyterian and averaged 6.7 yards per carry.
Five of CMU's seven touchdowns came via the run. The trio of Spalding, Jahray Hayes and freshman Jonathan Ward proved extremely effective. Hayes scored three TDs, Ward and Spalding one each.
"I was (impressed)," Bonamego said. "I thought that the offensive line created some lanes and really all three backs that played did really well. … It was great to see the youngster, John Ward, get in there and have some production."
Spalding raced 69 yards for a TD on the second play of the game. It was a career-long run for the junior, whose sophomore season was cut short after five games because of an injury.
Hayes finished with 43 yards on nine attempts. His 12-yard TD run midway through the third quarter was memorable as he bulled through two potential tacklers to reach the goal line.
"I got in better shape since last season," said Hayes, who said he is 10 pounds lighter now than he was a year ago, when he transferred to CMU from City College of San Francisco. "I'm a little faster, but overall I just feel more comfortable.
"Last season I was still learning a lot so I wasn't fully comfortable out there and I wasn't really able to go out there and feel like myself. I would say that's the big difference from last season and this season."
Newcomers
Ward, a true freshman from Kankakee, Ill., displayed a knack for finding the hole and the explosiveness that interested the Chippewas.
He finished with 79 yards on nine attempts for an 11.3-yard average. He scored on a 45-yard run in the fourth quarter.
Ward wasn't the only newcomer to see significant playing time. Among the others who Bonamego pointed to as turning in solid performances in their CMU debuts were tight end Jonathan Carson, who made one catch for a 33-yard gain, and defensive tackle D'Andre Dill.
"They're not playing because there is a deficiency somewhere, they're playing because they earned the playing time and demonstrated that they earned the opportunity," Bonamego said. "It's encouraging to see them go in and have success."
Coleman shines
Junior cornerback Amari Coleman earned the CMU Defensive Newcomer of the Year Award last season when he started all 13 games and emerged as one of the Mid-American Conference's best young corners.
On Thursday, he returned an interception 27 yards for a fourth-quarter touchdown, the first of his collegiate career. He also made three tackles, including one for a 4-yard loss.
Defensive leaders
Senior outside linebacker Nathan Ricketts led the Chippewa defense with six tackles, forced a fumble, which he recovered, and broke up a pass.
Alex Briones, a sophomore who started at the other outside backer spot, made five stops, and safety Winslow Chapman had four tackles and his first career interception.
Chapman, a senior, wore the No. 21 jersey, a game-day tradition started last season to honor the late Derrick Nash, a former Chippewa who succumbed to cancer prior to the 2015 season.
"Winslow is a guy that has quietly gone about his job and done every single thing that we've asked him to do, including making a position change last year in training camp," Bonamego said. "We were short on numbers at the safety position so we asked him to switch and he did it willingly without batting an eye, he embraced the role and forced himself into it.
"He has made himself into a very good football player. His attitude and work ethic combined with how he leads and cares both on and off the field, we thought he was the best representative to wear the No. 21."
Special teams
CMU placekicker Brian Eavey, a senior, picked up where he left off last season. He was perfect on all seven of his extra-point attempts. He was 38-for-38 in 2015 when he earned Second Team All-MAC honors.
He averaged 59.8 yards on his eight kickoffs, with two touchbacks.
Cooper Mojsiejanko and Jack Sheldon shared the punting duties in their respective CMU debuts. Mojsiejanko, a sophomore, averaged 41.7 yards on three punts, while Sheldon averaged 32.0 yards on two. Each put one punt inside the Presbyterian 20-yard line.
Sheldon is a freshman from Australia who had never played American football before arriving on the CMU campus weeks ago.
CMU's defense forced 11 punts. The lone return, by sophomore Emmett Thomas, went for 26 yards to the Blue Hose 33-yard line. The Chippewas scored on the drive.
Spreading the wealth
CMU quarterback Cooper Rush completed 16 of 26 pass attempts for 237 yards and one touchdown, a 46-yarder to Corey Willis.
As has been Rush's habit throughout his four years as a starter, he used most of the weapons at his disposal.
Seven Chippewas caught passes, led by Mark Chapman, who had five for 60 yards. Jesse Kroll and Spalding had three catches apiece, for 53 and 11 yards, respectively.
Flags down
The Chippewas were penalized seven times for 56 yards on the night, but just two of those penalties (for 20 yards) came in the second half.
