Central Michigan University Athletics
Junior middle linebacker George Douglas (17) returns to anchor CMU's defense in 2021.
Photo by: Benjamin Suddendorf
Brown, Douglas Lead Linebacking Corps
8/23/2021 3:10:00 PM | Football
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – When it comes to Central Michigan's linebacking corps, Troy Brown is the premier name, but far from the only one capable of making a major impact.
There is plenty to surround the two-time First Team All-Mid-American Conference selection to give the Chippewas a solid group that includes veteran middle linebacker George Douglas.
"I think as a group we're a lot more physical, we have more speed, and we have a better understanding of how everything flows and goes," said linebackers coach Tim Skipper, who also serves as the Chippewas' assistant head coach.
Brown, a Flint native who plays outside linebacker, was named in July to the watch list for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, which goes to the top defensive player in college football.
"I wouldn't make the plays unless I had the guys behind me playing lock-down D or guys in front of me rushing the quarterback and spilling pullers and stuff like that," Brown said. "It's not just me out there making those plays; there's silent assassins that make the plays for me. It's all a group effort."
Brown enters the 2021 season with 220 pounds on his 6-foot-2 frame, up some 12 pounds over 2020.
"I like where he's at for us right now," Skipper said with regard to Brown's size. "He's perfect. I don't want him changing anything."
Like any player with the track record and the potential like that of Brown, a future in professional football is a realistic possibility. But there is plenty of work to be done in his immediate future.
"Everything that has been given to him has definitely been earned (but) it's all about what have you done for me lately," Skipper said. "He needs to be motivated to have another good season. He's got a clean slate; he's practicing like everybody else. Nothing that he has shown me is that he's listening to the hype, which is great.
"I think Troy has all the tools to be very successful at the next level. He just needs to go out and have a good season and the rest of that will take care of itself when he gets to that point in time."
Douglas is the other mainstay in the position group. Nothing necessarily flashy about the 6-1, 222-pound junior from Ypsilanti; he simply shows up every day and produces. He led the Chippewas in total tackles (45) a year ago and shared the team lead in solo tackles (31) with Brown.
"He's a very focused kid," Skipper said. "He also has that middle-linebacker crazy to him which you've got to have to play that position. He has that. The best compliment I can give for him is I have never given him a 'loaf.' He's the only guy in the room that that hasn't happened with yet. He hustles, plays hard all the time.
"You talk about a guy who does his job and last season he was the only guy in the linebacker room who played every single snap. He played every snap. That's huge. Durability, toughness; all those things you want in a middle linebacker, he has that."
Douglas echoed the sentiments of most on the defensive side of the ball when he said the Chippewas need to get back to playing the way they did in 2019 when they won the Mid-American Conference West Division before slipping to 3-3 in 2020.
As the middle linebacker, Douglas is well aware that his leadership and his play-to-play performance is key in raising the Chippewas' intensity level and keeping it there.
"It's an expectation of how we perform and how we execute and (we need) play up to that standard every day, consistently," he said. "I feel that when it's time to play, we will be ready; I will be ready."
There are several other linebackers in the mix to log significant playing time in 2021. Chief among them is sophomore Marcel Lewis, a transfer from Michigan State who played at Chippewa Valley High School in suburban Detroit's Clinton Township, the same high school that produced former CMU great and current Tampa Bay Buccaneer Sean Murphy-Bunting.
Lewis appeared in three games in 2019 at MSU.
"I think that's a big thing with these transfers," Skipper said. "You need to see them on film; (you) don't (have to) guess off of what they did two, three years ago. He has fit in nicely and he's learned the defense pretty quickly. He makes plays."
Among the other linebackers who could see the field in 2021 are redshirt freshman Justin Whiteside, who played in all six games a year ago with one start; true freshmen Fernando Sanchez and Kyle Morretti; and fifth-year senior Kumehnnu Gwilly, who started his CMU career as a running back and then moved to the defensive line in 2020.
"You're talking about a big, physical kid who, probably every single day, has had an impactful hit that gets that 'ooh and 'ah' stuff happening," Skipper said of Gwilly, who is listed at 6-2, 252 pounds.
There is plenty to surround the two-time First Team All-Mid-American Conference selection to give the Chippewas a solid group that includes veteran middle linebacker George Douglas.
"I think as a group we're a lot more physical, we have more speed, and we have a better understanding of how everything flows and goes," said linebackers coach Tim Skipper, who also serves as the Chippewas' assistant head coach.
Brown, a Flint native who plays outside linebacker, was named in July to the watch list for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, which goes to the top defensive player in college football.
"I wouldn't make the plays unless I had the guys behind me playing lock-down D or guys in front of me rushing the quarterback and spilling pullers and stuff like that," Brown said. "It's not just me out there making those plays; there's silent assassins that make the plays for me. It's all a group effort."
Brown enters the 2021 season with 220 pounds on his 6-foot-2 frame, up some 12 pounds over 2020.
"I like where he's at for us right now," Skipper said with regard to Brown's size. "He's perfect. I don't want him changing anything."
Like any player with the track record and the potential like that of Brown, a future in professional football is a realistic possibility. But there is plenty of work to be done in his immediate future.
"Everything that has been given to him has definitely been earned (but) it's all about what have you done for me lately," Skipper said. "He needs to be motivated to have another good season. He's got a clean slate; he's practicing like everybody else. Nothing that he has shown me is that he's listening to the hype, which is great.
"I think Troy has all the tools to be very successful at the next level. He just needs to go out and have a good season and the rest of that will take care of itself when he gets to that point in time."
Douglas is the other mainstay in the position group. Nothing necessarily flashy about the 6-1, 222-pound junior from Ypsilanti; he simply shows up every day and produces. He led the Chippewas in total tackles (45) a year ago and shared the team lead in solo tackles (31) with Brown.
"He's a very focused kid," Skipper said. "He also has that middle-linebacker crazy to him which you've got to have to play that position. He has that. The best compliment I can give for him is I have never given him a 'loaf.' He's the only guy in the room that that hasn't happened with yet. He hustles, plays hard all the time.
"You talk about a guy who does his job and last season he was the only guy in the linebacker room who played every single snap. He played every snap. That's huge. Durability, toughness; all those things you want in a middle linebacker, he has that."
Douglas echoed the sentiments of most on the defensive side of the ball when he said the Chippewas need to get back to playing the way they did in 2019 when they won the Mid-American Conference West Division before slipping to 3-3 in 2020.
As the middle linebacker, Douglas is well aware that his leadership and his play-to-play performance is key in raising the Chippewas' intensity level and keeping it there.
"It's an expectation of how we perform and how we execute and (we need) play up to that standard every day, consistently," he said. "I feel that when it's time to play, we will be ready; I will be ready."
There are several other linebackers in the mix to log significant playing time in 2021. Chief among them is sophomore Marcel Lewis, a transfer from Michigan State who played at Chippewa Valley High School in suburban Detroit's Clinton Township, the same high school that produced former CMU great and current Tampa Bay Buccaneer Sean Murphy-Bunting.
Lewis appeared in three games in 2019 at MSU.
"I think that's a big thing with these transfers," Skipper said. "You need to see them on film; (you) don't (have to) guess off of what they did two, three years ago. He has fit in nicely and he's learned the defense pretty quickly. He makes plays."
Among the other linebackers who could see the field in 2021 are redshirt freshman Justin Whiteside, who played in all six games a year ago with one start; true freshmen Fernando Sanchez and Kyle Morretti; and fifth-year senior Kumehnnu Gwilly, who started his CMU career as a running back and then moved to the defensive line in 2020.
"You're talking about a big, physical kid who, probably every single day, has had an impactful hit that gets that 'ooh and 'ah' stuff happening," Skipper said of Gwilly, who is listed at 6-2, 252 pounds.
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