Senior defensive end Troy Hairston II made three tackles-for-loss for CMU in Wednesday's loss to Western Michigan.
Photo by: Steve Jessmore
Chippewa Notebook: Big Night For Pimpleton
11/19/2020 9:12:00 AM | Football
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – For Kalil Pimpleton, it was a little bit like his days at Muskegon High School.
Pimpleton, a Central Michigan junior, turned in a whale of a performance on Wednesday in the Chippewas' 52-44 loss to Western Michigan at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.
Pimpleton is listed on the Chippewa roster as a wide receiver/punt returner – he was All-Mid-American Conference at both positions in 2019 – and was a do-it-all quarterback in high school at Muskegon, one of the state's elite programs.
On Wednesday, he ran the ball seven times for 108 yards and scored three touchdowns out of the wildcat formation. His first TD came on a 65-yard run just over a minute into the game. He later scored on runs of 25 and 5 yards.
He also completed one of his two pass attempts, a 30-yarder to former Muskegon teammate JaCorey Sullivan, and caught three passes for 25 yards. He also returned two punts for 15 yards.
"I thought KP played an incredible football game," CMU coach Jim McElwain said.
Pimpleton, who sat out the 2018 season after transferring from Virginia Tech, ran the ball seven times for 81 yards last season. On Wednesday, he set career highs for rushes, rushing yardage and rushing touchdowns. He had never scored a rushing TD on the collegiate level before Wednesday's game.
"Especially the pass to JaCorey, it definitely felt like high school out there again," Pimpleton said and later added another tidbit that harkened back to his prep days. "One thing that my high school coach harped on a lot was the 24-hour rule whether you won or lost.
"That game is in the past. We've got another week, another game to play, and that's a blessing."
Lewis in on the Act
Running back Kobe Lewis led the Chippewa ground game with 114 yards on 16 attempts. He scored two touchdowns, the first on a 69-yard run, the longest of his career.
It marked his second 100-yard game of the season and the seventh of his career. It also marked the fifth time in his Chippewa career that he has scored multiple touchdowns.
Silver Linings
The Chippewas found themselves in a 38-14 deficit early in the third quarter, but never packed it in and clawed back to make a game of it. CMU scored with 2:32 remaining to pull within eight points, 52-44, but Western covered the onside kick and ran out the clock.
"There was real resolve with our guys from the standpoint that we were going to play until the end," McElwain said. "There's things you can take from that that are really positive. It's what you learn when you get pushed down, when you get beat up a little bit.
"We'll look at it and we'll come back and get ready to go play next week. I told them I love them and I do. I really care about these guys. I ask a lot from them and you know what they show up and I believe in them and I'll continue to believe in them. They're a good group of guys."
Firsts
CMU wide receiver Drayton Law, a junior from Mobile, Ala., caught his first career touchdown pass in the game.
Law gathered in a 4-yard score from quarterback Daniel Richardson with 2:32 to play. That TD and the two-point conversion gave the Chippewas hope as they drew to 52-44.
• Two Chippewa tight ends, Joel Wilson and Keegan Cossou, scored their first points in a Chippewa uniform in the game. Both caught two-point conversion passes from Richardson.
• CMU middle linebacker George Douglas made his first career interception on a first-quarter pass from Western quarterback Kaleb Eleby. It was the first turnover the Broncos have committed this season and it led to a CMU touchdown and a 14-0 lead.
The Defense
The Chippewas surrendered 628 yards to the high-powered and quick-strike Bronco offense. CMU entered the game No. 1 in the MAC in several defensive categories, including total defense.
Douglas and safety Devonni Reed led CMU with 11 tackles apiece. Douglas was credited with 10 solo stops. Both his solo tackles and total tackles are career highs. Troy Hairston posted a team-high three tackles-for-loss. Hairston, a senior defensive end, leads the MAC in both total tackles-for-loss (8) and TFL per game (2.33).
Kicking Game
Chippewa kicker Marshall Meeder, a freshman, was good on both of his PAT attempts and averaged 58 yards on five kickoffs with one touchback.
CMU punter Luke Elzinga, a redshirt freshman, averaged 45.1 yards on seven punts with a long of 53 yards, one of two that surpassed the 50-yard mark. Two of his punts were downed inside the Western Michigan 20-yard line.
Next
The Chippewas go to Eastern Michigan for a MAC game on Friday, Nov. 27 (4 p.m./CBS Sports). The Eagles are 0-3 after a 45-28 loss to Toledo on Wednesday.
Pimpleton, a Central Michigan junior, turned in a whale of a performance on Wednesday in the Chippewas' 52-44 loss to Western Michigan at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.
Pimpleton is listed on the Chippewa roster as a wide receiver/punt returner – he was All-Mid-American Conference at both positions in 2019 – and was a do-it-all quarterback in high school at Muskegon, one of the state's elite programs.
On Wednesday, he ran the ball seven times for 108 yards and scored three touchdowns out of the wildcat formation. His first TD came on a 65-yard run just over a minute into the game. He later scored on runs of 25 and 5 yards.
He also completed one of his two pass attempts, a 30-yarder to former Muskegon teammate JaCorey Sullivan, and caught three passes for 25 yards. He also returned two punts for 15 yards.
"I thought KP played an incredible football game," CMU coach Jim McElwain said.
Pimpleton, who sat out the 2018 season after transferring from Virginia Tech, ran the ball seven times for 81 yards last season. On Wednesday, he set career highs for rushes, rushing yardage and rushing touchdowns. He had never scored a rushing TD on the collegiate level before Wednesday's game.
"Especially the pass to JaCorey, it definitely felt like high school out there again," Pimpleton said and later added another tidbit that harkened back to his prep days. "One thing that my high school coach harped on a lot was the 24-hour rule whether you won or lost.
"That game is in the past. We've got another week, another game to play, and that's a blessing."
Lewis in on the Act
Running back Kobe Lewis led the Chippewa ground game with 114 yards on 16 attempts. He scored two touchdowns, the first on a 69-yard run, the longest of his career.
It marked his second 100-yard game of the season and the seventh of his career. It also marked the fifth time in his Chippewa career that he has scored multiple touchdowns.
Silver Linings
The Chippewas found themselves in a 38-14 deficit early in the third quarter, but never packed it in and clawed back to make a game of it. CMU scored with 2:32 remaining to pull within eight points, 52-44, but Western covered the onside kick and ran out the clock.
"There was real resolve with our guys from the standpoint that we were going to play until the end," McElwain said. "There's things you can take from that that are really positive. It's what you learn when you get pushed down, when you get beat up a little bit.
"We'll look at it and we'll come back and get ready to go play next week. I told them I love them and I do. I really care about these guys. I ask a lot from them and you know what they show up and I believe in them and I'll continue to believe in them. They're a good group of guys."
Firsts
CMU wide receiver Drayton Law, a junior from Mobile, Ala., caught his first career touchdown pass in the game.
Law gathered in a 4-yard score from quarterback Daniel Richardson with 2:32 to play. That TD and the two-point conversion gave the Chippewas hope as they drew to 52-44.
• Two Chippewa tight ends, Joel Wilson and Keegan Cossou, scored their first points in a Chippewa uniform in the game. Both caught two-point conversion passes from Richardson.
• CMU middle linebacker George Douglas made his first career interception on a first-quarter pass from Western quarterback Kaleb Eleby. It was the first turnover the Broncos have committed this season and it led to a CMU touchdown and a 14-0 lead.
The Defense
The Chippewas surrendered 628 yards to the high-powered and quick-strike Bronco offense. CMU entered the game No. 1 in the MAC in several defensive categories, including total defense.
Douglas and safety Devonni Reed led CMU with 11 tackles apiece. Douglas was credited with 10 solo stops. Both his solo tackles and total tackles are career highs. Troy Hairston posted a team-high three tackles-for-loss. Hairston, a senior defensive end, leads the MAC in both total tackles-for-loss (8) and TFL per game (2.33).
Kicking Game
Chippewa kicker Marshall Meeder, a freshman, was good on both of his PAT attempts and averaged 58 yards on five kickoffs with one touchback.
CMU punter Luke Elzinga, a redshirt freshman, averaged 45.1 yards on seven punts with a long of 53 yards, one of two that surpassed the 50-yard mark. Two of his punts were downed inside the Western Michigan 20-yard line.
Next
The Chippewas go to Eastern Michigan for a MAC game on Friday, Nov. 27 (4 p.m./CBS Sports). The Eagles are 0-3 after a 45-28 loss to Toledo on Wednesday.
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