Central Michigan University Athletics
Bunting Earns His Stripes
12/14/2017 12:00:00 AM | Football
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - It's about preparation and opportunity, about earning your stripes and becoming one of us.
Sean Bunting is the "young guy" among Central Michigan's defensive backs, a sophomore corner starting alongside three seniors, safeties Josh Cox and Darwyn Kelly, and corner Amari Coleman.
Today, as the Chippewas prepare for Wyoming in the Dec. 22 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, Bunting has claimed a rightful place alongside his DB brethren.
But it took time, experience and growing pains to get to that point.
When the Chippewas opened the season with six interceptions - two each by Cox and Coleman, one by Kelly - against Rhode Island, that left Bunting as the lone starter in the group without pick, slang for the gold standard among defensive backs.
And there was a daily reminder on the tally chart kept on the white board in the defensive backs' meeting room. Next to Bunting's name was a goose egg. In his ear was the voice of his teammates.
"They were like, 'Aw man, Sean, you're behind,'" Bunting said.
Bunting's first interception finally came in the Chippewas' ninth game, helping CMU to a dramatic 35-28 come-from-behind victory over rival Western Michigan in Kalamazoo.
He had two the following week, and added one each in the Chippewas' final two regular-season games. The tally: five picks in four games, and he is one behind Cox, whose team-leading six is the most in a season by a Chippewa since 1988.
And, as is so often the case, the little brother lagged behind, lapped at the others' heels and, eventually, things came around.
"I caught the first one, I told them that first one was going to turn into six," Bunting said. "I said six. I have five right now."
Certainly, Bunting, who made two interceptions while starting one game as a true freshman a year ago, has benefited from playing among the veterans in the secondary, both in a practical sense and in less obvious ways.
The presence of Coleman, a two-time First Team All-Mid-American Conference selection, has been a particular boon to Bunting. Opponents tend not to throw toward Coleman because, No. 1, he has his man covered and, No. 2, he has the well-earned reputation as one of the MAC's top corners.
Bunting has been targeted 20 times more than Coleman has this season, according to defensive backs coach Archie Collins.
"Experience, confidence in himself and just growth," Coleman said of Bunting and his ascension from backup to starter to numbers producer. "He's faster, he's bigger, he's stronger than he was last year. That's helped a lot too."
It isn't just technique and reads - the effectiveness of which come from film study, coaching and practice - but also attitude and some chutzpah. A prerequisite for a good corner is to possess a short memory, because all of them, even hall of famers, surrender a big play from time to time. And, when a DB, particularly a corner, gets burned, the result is there for all to see, in person or on television.
Accepting that was a big step for Bunting, as it is for any young defensive back.
"He just had to experience it," Coleman said. "Last year, sometimes he'd get beat deep and he would get on himself too hard, but he's bounced back this year. If he makes a mistake this year, he knows he's going to make a play. He doesn't dwell on it too much. It's the same for all of us."
And now, Bunting has made his place in the group, and on the interception list, in a secondary that is tied for second nationally among Football Bowl Subdivision teams with 19 picks this season.
"He is a very coachable guy, he is very bright, he's got great football IQ and that carries him too," Collins said. "He's come in here as a freshman and he picked up everything so quickly. He's got a bright, bright football career ahead of him."
