Football Notebook: Sense Of Urgency Necessary

Photo by: Jack Reeber '23,M'25 - @jackreeber.raw

10/2/2021 10:24:00 PM | Football

Lack of run game, dropped passes plague CMU in loss at Miami (Ohio)

By: Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com

OXFORD, Ohio – Jim McElwain said heading into Saturday's game at Miami (Ohio) that it was time for his Central Michigan football team to put together a complete game.

It didn't happen. The Chippewas fell into a 14-0 deficit, managed to seize a 17-14 lead early in the fourth quarter, but then could not protect that advantage in falling to the RedHawks, 28-17, in their Mid-American Conference opener.

"We had some guys that didn't play with a sense of urgency that it takes to win a game against a good football team," McElwain said.

There were other issues: The receiving corps suffered a case of the drops in the first half, the Chippewa run game struggled mightily, the defense surrendered too many big plays, and CMU missed two field goals, the last of which came with under four minutes remaining and ended the Chippewas' last legitimate hopes of remaining in the game and potentially forcing a tie.

"We gave up the big ball, and yet our defense played plenty good enough for us to win," McElwain said. "Those (pass) drops hurt you when you're trying to get into rhythm and really hurt in those first few drives in the first half."

Despite all of that, the Chippewas turned the game in their favor late in the third quarter when safety Gage Kreski made an interception at the goal line and returned it to the CMU 5-yard line.

CMU then drove 95 yards in nine plays, with quarterback Daniel Richardson capping the drive with an 11-yard touchdown pass to Dallas Dixon to put the Chippewas in front, 17-14. The 95-yard drive was CMU's longest of the season.

But Miami answered immediately, marching 78 yards in five plays to retake the lead, 21-17. The score came just over two minutes after CMU had taken the lead.

The Chippewas' next possession ended when they failed to convert on fourth-and-6 at the Miami 38 with 9:46 remaining. Just over two minutes later, the RedHawks were in the end zone again.

Miami finished with 164 yards rushing, a number boosted by a 46-yard run on the final drive of the game when the RedHawks were running out the clock.

The RedHawks finished with 350 passing yards, and time and again came up with chunk plays when they needed them. They converted seven of their 15 third downs.

"The passing attack was a problem today and we've got to get everybody on board and try and eliminate some of that aerial attack," Kreski said.

Quarterback
Richardson, a redshirt freshman making his first start of the season, completed 22 of his 41 pass attempts for a career-best 326 yards and two touchdowns. He was injured on the fourth-down sack in the fourth quarter and did not return.

Jacob Sirmon, a sophomore transfer from Washington who started CMU's first four games, moved the Chippewas in relief of Richardson, throwing for 52 yards on 7-of-8 passing.

No Turnovers
The Chippewas did not commit a turnover, a major point of emphasis coming into the game. CMU had committed six in its first four games.

Career Days
Kreski, a senior, was credited with a team-high 12 tackles, far and away a career high, and his interception was the fourth of his career. His previous career high in tackles was six.

"Obviously we didn't play good enough to win the game and that's what really counts," Kreski said.

Tight end Joel Wilson, a sophomore, had seven catches for 92 yards; both are career highs.

"I think it was a good week of practice that set me up … building that trust between the quarterback and his tight end," Wilson said. "He just found me on the plays I was open."

Linebacker Troy Brown made eight tackles, while cornerback Rollian Sturkey and defensive end Troy Hairston II had six each.

Linebacker Kyle Moretti, a freshman, recorded a sack, the first of his career.

Kicking Game
Freshman punter Luke Elzinga continued his solid season, averaging 42.2 yards on six punts with two downed inside the Miami 20-yard line. His 62-yarder in the second quarter was his season long.

CMU placekicker Marshall Meeder missed both of his field goal attempts, the first from 49 yards and the second from 41.

His first attempt, late in the first quarter, hit the left upright. His second, in the fourth quarter, was wide left. It came with 3:39 remaining and the Chippewas trailing, 28-17.

Had Meeder made that kick, it would have left the Chippewas trailing 28-20, and then a touchdown and a two-point conversion from tying the game.

"I've got total confidence in him," McElwain said of Meeder, a First Team All-MAC selection last season. "He struck the ball well, even on the first one he missed. I've got confidence in him, and we need him.

"In that particular case you play the analytics. You expect to make that and get the ball back with three timeouts. And then go down, (score) and go for two, and push it into overtime. That's Football 101 right there. I wouldn't do anything different and if it came up again next week, I'd do the same thing."

Run Game
The Chippewas were limited to 52 yards rushing, a season low, and averaged just 1.9 yards per carry.

Myles Bailey led CMU with 29 yards on eight carries. Leading rusher Lew Nichols III had 21 yards on 12 carries. Nichols, the reigning MAC Freshman of the Year, entered the game averaging 5.3 yards per carry and 96 yards per game.

Looking Ahead
The bus trip to Oxford is about 6 ½ hours. The Chippewas face another long drive on Saturday, Oct. 9 (3:30 p.m.), when they play at Ohio in Athens, a 6-hour drive from Mount Pleasant.

The Bobcats (1-4) defeated Akron, 34-17, on Saturday in their MAC opener.

"Can't focus on what we have down the road," Wilson said. "Of course we want to win the rest of our games from here on out. But all we can do is focus on one week at a time. Miami of Ohio is over; we can't do anything about that.

"Now we have Ohio. Dead focus on Ohio. We're not 2-3, we're 0-0. We've got to go 1-0 next week and that's going to be our mentality going throughout the rest of the season."