Photo by: Benjamin Suddendorf
Chippewa Notebook: Big Plays From All Corners
10/12/2019 10:12:00 PM | Football
CMU collects season-high 352 rushing yards in win over New Mexico State
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – The big plays for the Central Michigan football team on Saturday – and there were plenty -- didn't just come from the offense.
The Chippewas had their share from their defense and from their special teams as they defeated New Mexico State, 42-28, at Kelly/Shorts Stadium to improve to 4-3.
• Kalil Pimpleton returned three punts for a total of 68 yards. He returned a second-quarter punt 40 yards to the New Mexico State 40-yard line, which led to a Kobe Lewis 20-yard touchdown run as the Chippewas increased their lead to 21-7.
• Pimpleton then returned a punt 20 yards to the Aggie 21, leading to the game-clinching touchdown, a 7-yard pass from Quinten Dormady to Tony Poljan that made it 42-21 midway through the fourth quarter.
• Linebacker Troy Brown made his first interception of the season late in the third quarter at the Chippewa 44-yard line with CMU holding a 31-21 lead. New Mexico State quarterback Josh Adkins was under heavy pressure from CMU defensive tackle D'Andre Dill on the play. The ensuing drive ended in a Chippewa field goal on the final play of the quarter, extending the lead to 34-21.
• The CMU defensive front kept consistent pressure on Adkins and recorded three sacks, one by Sean Adesanya early in the fourth quarter that left New Mexico State with a fourth down at its own 2-yard line. Pimpleton returned the punt 20 yards to the Aggie 21 to set up a CMU TD.
• The Chippewa defense stopped the Aggies on fourth-and-1 at the Chippewa 33-yard line early in the fourth quarter and CMU holding a 34-21 lead.
The Defense
Senior safety Da'Quaun Jamison led the Chippewa defense with seven tackles, six of them solos. Brown and fellow linebacker Michael Oliver added six stops apiece.
Tice 2-for-2
CMU kicker Ryan Tice made both of his field goal attempts, one from 35 yards, the other from 43. Both came in the third quarter with a strong southerly wind at his back.
Tice has made eight of his 11 field goal attempts on the season. Four of his makes, on seven attempts, have come from 40 yards or longer.
Tice kicked off eight times on Saturday for an average of 54 yards with three touchbacks.
Buell Solid
Chippewa punter Brady Buell punted four times for an average of 43.5 yards with a long of 51.
His most-important punt came early in the fourth quarter with the Chippewas working into the wind. He hit a low liner and got a favorable bounce. The punt covered 45 yards and pinned the Aggies at their own 11-yard line.
Run Game
The Chippewas' 352 rushing yards were a season high, surpassing the 308 they amassed last week in a 42-16 victory over Eastern Michigan.
"They did a tremendous job today, second week we went for 300 rushing yards, which I think is a pretty good job," CMU running back Kobe Lewis said of the Chippewa offensive line, which did not allow a sack for the second-consecutive week.
"Us as backs, we just can't take the credit for it, we can't do anything we do without the linemen so I appreciate everything they do," Lewis said. "We talk to them a lot, they communicate with us a lot, they have a lot of faith in us and we have a lot of faith in them."
Lewis and Jonathan Ward combined for 292 of those yards, averaging 7.12 yards per carry. Lewis had a career-high 161 yards on the ground.
Ward committed the Chippewas' lone turnover of the day, when he took a pass from quarterback Quinten Dormady early in the second quarter and raced for the goal line. A defender corralled him inside the New Mexico State 5-yard line, forcing the fumble.
The next time Ward touched the ball, he atoned for the fumble by bolting 75 yards for a TD with under four minutes left in the half to put the Chippewas up, 28-14.
One-Two Punch
Ward, a senior who missed the better part of three games with an injury, has rushed for 531 yards on the season and is averaging 7.4 yards per carry. Lewis, a sophomore, has run for 491 yards for a 5-yards-per-carry average.
Both rank among the top 10 in the Mid-American Conference in total rushing yards and rushing yards per game.
"I wouldn't say it's a back and forth battle," Lewis said after Saturday's game. "We're on the same team so the goal for both of us is to win. Seeing him do things like that, and me being younger, that's something that I look up to so when it's my chance I try to go out there and make big plays just like him."
Home Sweet Home
The Chippewas are 4-0 at home this season, and have outscored their opponents, 167-89 in those contests. CMU is 4-0 at home for the first time since 2009, when it went 5-0 at Kelly/Shorts Stadium and won the Mid-American Conference championship.
Lazzaro Steps In
CMU backup quarterback Tom Lazzaro played several snaps, rushing four times for 18 yards. He did not attempt a pass, but twice he ran for first downs on third-and-short situations.
Pointing Up
With their 42 points in Saturday's game, the Chippewas have scored 194 points on the season and are averaging 27.7 per through seven games. CMU scored 180 points a year ago, averaging 15 per game.
Homecoming
The Chippewas ended a two-game losing streak in their homecoming games. They improved to 59-33-1 all-time in such games.
Next
The Chippewas return to MAC play on Saturday, Oct. 19 (2 p.m.) when they go to Bowling Green. The Falcons stunned Toledo, 20-7, on Saturday to snap a four-game losing streak and improve to 2-4, 1-1 MAC. Toledo, 4-2, 1-1, was picked to finish first in the MAC West in the preseason coaches poll.
The Chippewas are 2-1 in the league.
The Chippewas had their share from their defense and from their special teams as they defeated New Mexico State, 42-28, at Kelly/Shorts Stadium to improve to 4-3.
• Kalil Pimpleton returned three punts for a total of 68 yards. He returned a second-quarter punt 40 yards to the New Mexico State 40-yard line, which led to a Kobe Lewis 20-yard touchdown run as the Chippewas increased their lead to 21-7.
• Pimpleton then returned a punt 20 yards to the Aggie 21, leading to the game-clinching touchdown, a 7-yard pass from Quinten Dormady to Tony Poljan that made it 42-21 midway through the fourth quarter.
• Linebacker Troy Brown made his first interception of the season late in the third quarter at the Chippewa 44-yard line with CMU holding a 31-21 lead. New Mexico State quarterback Josh Adkins was under heavy pressure from CMU defensive tackle D'Andre Dill on the play. The ensuing drive ended in a Chippewa field goal on the final play of the quarter, extending the lead to 34-21.
• The CMU defensive front kept consistent pressure on Adkins and recorded three sacks, one by Sean Adesanya early in the fourth quarter that left New Mexico State with a fourth down at its own 2-yard line. Pimpleton returned the punt 20 yards to the Aggie 21 to set up a CMU TD.
• The Chippewa defense stopped the Aggies on fourth-and-1 at the Chippewa 33-yard line early in the fourth quarter and CMU holding a 34-21 lead.
The Defense
Senior safety Da'Quaun Jamison led the Chippewa defense with seven tackles, six of them solos. Brown and fellow linebacker Michael Oliver added six stops apiece.
Tice 2-for-2
CMU kicker Ryan Tice made both of his field goal attempts, one from 35 yards, the other from 43. Both came in the third quarter with a strong southerly wind at his back.
Tice has made eight of his 11 field goal attempts on the season. Four of his makes, on seven attempts, have come from 40 yards or longer.
Tice kicked off eight times on Saturday for an average of 54 yards with three touchbacks.
Buell Solid
Chippewa punter Brady Buell punted four times for an average of 43.5 yards with a long of 51.
His most-important punt came early in the fourth quarter with the Chippewas working into the wind. He hit a low liner and got a favorable bounce. The punt covered 45 yards and pinned the Aggies at their own 11-yard line.
Run Game
The Chippewas' 352 rushing yards were a season high, surpassing the 308 they amassed last week in a 42-16 victory over Eastern Michigan.
"They did a tremendous job today, second week we went for 300 rushing yards, which I think is a pretty good job," CMU running back Kobe Lewis said of the Chippewa offensive line, which did not allow a sack for the second-consecutive week.
"Us as backs, we just can't take the credit for it, we can't do anything we do without the linemen so I appreciate everything they do," Lewis said. "We talk to them a lot, they communicate with us a lot, they have a lot of faith in us and we have a lot of faith in them."
Lewis and Jonathan Ward combined for 292 of those yards, averaging 7.12 yards per carry. Lewis had a career-high 161 yards on the ground.
Ward committed the Chippewas' lone turnover of the day, when he took a pass from quarterback Quinten Dormady early in the second quarter and raced for the goal line. A defender corralled him inside the New Mexico State 5-yard line, forcing the fumble.
The next time Ward touched the ball, he atoned for the fumble by bolting 75 yards for a TD with under four minutes left in the half to put the Chippewas up, 28-14.
One-Two Punch
Ward, a senior who missed the better part of three games with an injury, has rushed for 531 yards on the season and is averaging 7.4 yards per carry. Lewis, a sophomore, has run for 491 yards for a 5-yards-per-carry average.
Both rank among the top 10 in the Mid-American Conference in total rushing yards and rushing yards per game.
"I wouldn't say it's a back and forth battle," Lewis said after Saturday's game. "We're on the same team so the goal for both of us is to win. Seeing him do things like that, and me being younger, that's something that I look up to so when it's my chance I try to go out there and make big plays just like him."
Home Sweet Home
The Chippewas are 4-0 at home this season, and have outscored their opponents, 167-89 in those contests. CMU is 4-0 at home for the first time since 2009, when it went 5-0 at Kelly/Shorts Stadium and won the Mid-American Conference championship.
Lazzaro Steps In
CMU backup quarterback Tom Lazzaro played several snaps, rushing four times for 18 yards. He did not attempt a pass, but twice he ran for first downs on third-and-short situations.
Pointing Up
With their 42 points in Saturday's game, the Chippewas have scored 194 points on the season and are averaging 27.7 per through seven games. CMU scored 180 points a year ago, averaging 15 per game.
Homecoming
The Chippewas ended a two-game losing streak in their homecoming games. They improved to 59-33-1 all-time in such games.
Next
The Chippewas return to MAC play on Saturday, Oct. 19 (2 p.m.) when they go to Bowling Green. The Falcons stunned Toledo, 20-7, on Saturday to snap a four-game losing streak and improve to 2-4, 1-1 MAC. Toledo, 4-2, 1-1, was picked to finish first in the MAC West in the preseason coaches poll.
The Chippewas are 2-1 in the league.
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