Big Addition

Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – A major question mark surrounding the Central Michigan football team in the 2018 season is the secondary.

Three of the four starters in the 2017 defensive backfield graduated, including two-time First Team All-Mid-American Conference cornerback Amari Coleman.

Then, Xavier Crawford entered the picture.

Crawford is a junior transfer from Oregon State, where all he did in a season-and-a-half was establish himself as a budding star in the Pac-12 Conference. He was named a freshman All-American in 2016 by four publications when he earned all-league honorable mention. In 17 career games with the Beavers, Crawford made 87 tackles, one interception and 13 pass deflections.

He steps in as a starter at corner for the Chippewas, who open the season on Saturday (3:30 p.m.) with a nonconference game at Kentucky.

Crawford is, without question, talented. And combined with junior Sean Bunting, the lone returning starter in the secondary, gives CMU at solid duo at the all-important corner position.

Crawford's greatest asset may be his maturity and his demeanor. The respect he commanded when he walked into the cornerback room was immediate.

"I look at him as a big brother," said Bunting, who made five interceptions last season when the Chippewas ranked second nationally with 19 picks. "Xavier is not a flashy dude, he won't talk your ear off. He's going to go out there and flat out show you. He's a very humble player."

"He's taught me a lot, added leadership and poise. He's actually my roommate. We talk on a daily basis about goals and aspirations, and what we need to do to get to where we need to go. He's definitely added a lot of leadership and has humbled our group."

Crawford started the first five games last season at Oregon State before a season-ending injury which required surgery in December.

When Cory Hall joined coach John Bonamego's CMU staff during the offseason as the defensive backs coach, Crawford followed. Hall spent the past two years as Oregon State's cornerbacks coach and served as the program's interim head coach over the final six games in 2017.

Crawford, who left Oregon State with a bachelor's degree in hand (earned in three academic years), said he felt his football future was not necessarily in Corvallis. He turned to Hall, who offered a fresh start in the Midwest. The Chippewas welcomed him with open arms.

"We went through a lot of coaching changes at Oregon State, and I was coming up on graduation," said Crawford, who hails from Pittsburg, Calif., about 30 minutes outside of Oakland. "Once I realized the possibilities I got in the books and tried to (graduate) as fast as I could.

"Schools started to reach out. I got a hold of coach Hall and asked him what the situation was (at CMU). I had a lot of other schools interested, Pac-12, other conferences. (Hall) being here was a sell for me, he's been a part of what I've done so far in college. It would be nice for me to finish my career with him."

Crawford said a visit to Mount Pleasant and a meeting with fourth-year Chippewa coach John Bonamego clinched the deal.

"When I first came on my visit to meet some of the guys, I saw right away they were tight and close knit," he said. "That was a big part of me coming here. They wanted a team, they wanted to work, and they wanted to win. I have family everywhere -- Texas, Chicago, but that didn't influence the decision. It was more the visit with Bono."

Crawford's resumé impressed his teammates and the coaching staff. His performance in practice has done nothing but increase that level of respect and, of course, expectations.

His presence has unquestionably helped ease the transition for the players who have been in the program and their new position coach, Hall.

"He understands what it takes to be successful," Hall said of Crawford. "He's dealt with me going on three years now. He understands the things I will tolerate, and the things I will not tolerate. That's what he brings to that room, a level of comfort."

Central Michigan University Athletics

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Sean Bunting

Amari Coleman

Xavier Crawford

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