Central Michigan University Athletics
Football Notebook: Bonamego, Chippewas Meet The Media
8/20/2017 12:00:00 AM | Football
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - John Bonamego knows exactly what the first question is.
Speaking to boosters, alumni, fans, the guy who fixes his car and even reporters, it's always the same for the third-year Central Michigan football coach: Who will start at quarterback?
"The quarterback situation's fluid," Bonamego said on Sunday at the Chippewas' media day in regard to the battle between Shane Morris, the graduate transfer from Michigan, and redshirt freshman Tony Poljan
The two have been locked in a battle throughout training camp. Bonamego said on Sunday that both will likely play in CMU's Aug. 31 opener at Kelly/Shorts Stadium against Rhode Island.
"What I really like is that even though they're in competition, they're helping each other," Bonamego said. "It's a healthy competition. They've split, right down the middle, equally reps with the first unit.
"Shane has the desperation of a guy who's in his final year of college football. Tony is an intensely competitive kid. He won't relent and won't give a quarter. I'd like to see both play in the first game and see if what we're seeing in practice carries over to when the bullets are live. Either way I feel like we're in a great situation."
More than talent: Bonamego said that a lot more goes into the decision to accept a graduate transfer, and Morris isn't the only one on the Chippewa roster.
Safety Darwyn Kelly (Illinois) and placekicker Michael Armstrong (SMU) are the others. All three fit the bill, Bonamego said.
"It's important to me that anybody we bring into our locker room has to be a good fit with our culture," he said, speaking in general terms. "They have to embrace CMU football, they have to embrace running out of the tunnel at Kelly/Shorts Stadium on game day and they have to have an understanding and an appreciation of what that means. They have to accept us as much as we have to accept them."
Chemistry and being able to meld with teammates is critical, Bonamego said, because one malcontent can lead to a rocky ride for an entire team, and send a promising season into a tailspin.
"In any group, you change one individual in the group, you change the dynamic of the group," he said. "Teams are very much like that."
Bonamego said learning to respect the traditions of the program is a very important aspect, be it in a graduate transfer or an incoming freshman.
"Since day one, one of my priorities has been to educate and inspire and develop pride in playing at Central Michigan," said Bonamego, who earned two letters as a walk-on in the mid-1980s while playing for the legendary Herb Deromedi. "You do that in a number of ways: teaching them about the history and the tradition; talking about the history of the stadium and where we were (with) Alumni Field, and the '74 National Championship, talking about coach (Bill) Kelly, coach (Roy) Kramer, coach Deromedi. There's an awful lot of tradition here.
"I look at myself and part of my job here, part of my responsibility here is to be the gatekeeper of that. That single component: `Is the guy going to fit in our locker room?' is probably the most important component for me. I felt like any of those three (Morris, Kelly, Armstrong) weren't going to be a good fit then they'd have to find somewhere else to play."
Looking ahead: Regardless of who starts on opening night or how the 2017 season plays out, Morris will be a Chippewa for just one season. Then, in all likelihood, it will be the Tony Poljan Show.
"Tony Poljan, he's the future of this program," Bonamego said. "You look at him athletically - regardless of how this thing shakes out - Tony's a guy who was highly recruited and has not disappointed one way in anything, academically, as a leader. He's like a (defensive end) Joey Ostman, you've got to kick him out of the weight room. He's the first guy there. He's as competitive as anyone you'll ever be around.
Contagious: The healthy competition at quarterback has had a ripple effect on the entire team, Bonamego said.
"Those two going at it at that position has really raised the level of everybody's game on both sides of the ball," he said.
Over the hump: Bonamego said the Chippewas will begin practicing in the evening this week with an eye toward the Aug. 31 season opener. Game week preparation for Rhode Island will begin later this week.
"It's been a physical camp," he said. "We're at the point now where they're probably sick of hitting each other by now."
Crowded backfield: Bonamego addressed running back, perhaps the deepest position on the team with at least five solid candidates in the hunt for playing time.
Senior Devon Spalding has the most game experience and is the leader of the group and one of the overall team leaders. Also in the mix: sophomore Jonathan Ward, who saw substantial playing time a year ago; sophomore Romello Ross, who impressed late in the 2015 season before an injury cost him the entire 2016 season; Berkley Edwards, a senior transfer from Minnesota; and Kumehnnu Gwilly, who, at 6-foot-2, 225 pounds, is the biggest of the group.
In the Chippewas' spread offense, two and perhaps even three of the backs could be on the field at any given time, Bonamego said.
"Those guys all have a broad skill set, but they all have things they do a little bit better," he said. "The challenge for the offense is to try to get them all touches."
Replacing Conklin: The Chippewas lost tight end Tyler Conklin two weeks ago to a foot injury that required surgery. Bonamego would not put a timetable on Conklin's return, but he didn't rule out that the senior could be back on the field at some point in 2017.
Conklin, who started his collegiate athletics career playing basketball at Division II Northwood, enjoyed a breakout year in 2016, catching 42 passes for 560 yards and six touchdowns. He was on the Mackey Watch List (college football's top tight end) headed into this season.
"We're hoping for the best and planning for the worst," Bonamego said.
There are five healthy tight ends on the roster, and the frontrunners to replace Conklin are steady senior Zach Crouch and local product Logan Hessbrook.
Hessbrook, who prepped at powerhouse Ithaca, is a junior who started his career at Saginaw Valley State before transferring.
"We're really, really pleased with the progress he's made as a player," Bonamego said. "First of all, football's highly important to him. I love the game, I love football, it's why I coach it, it's why I decided to make it my life, professionally.
"I want to surround myself with as many people as I possibly can who have the same passion for the game that I do. Logan Hessbrook is undoubtedly one of those guys. And Zach's very, very similar. Both players are poised to have very good seasons."
