Central Michigan University Athletics
Cornerback Dishon McNary (25) is among a number of experienced secondary personnel who return to the CMU football team in 2021.
Photo by: Benjamin Suddendorf
Improvement Chief Goal In Secondary
8/26/2021 7:47:00 AM | Football
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – The numbers tell a tale.
In Michael Zordich, Central Michigan football might have found the guy to write an entirely different book.
Zordich was named in April as the Chippewas' defensive backs coach, charged with righting the ship in the secondary of a defensive unit that ranked last against the pass in the Mid-American Conference in 2020.
Zordich's resumé is unparalleled, topped by a six-year stint at Michigan where he led a unit that twice ranked first nationally against the pass (2016-17), was second in 2018, and third in 2015. He was an All-American safety at Penn State in the early 1980s and then went on to a 12-year NFL career.
That, undoubtedly, looks good on paper. Zordich knows full well it means little if the Chippewas aren't better at defending the pass in 2021.
"We've got some really good young players and they've just got to learn a little quicker I'd say because we want to get them on the field," he said. "They're really good athletes and I think they understand the game, but they've got to start understanding our game plan and our defense just a little bit better."
Zordich, of all people, knows the triumphs and perils of playing in the secondary, where a cornerback or a safety is often left to a one-on-one matchup in a make-or-break situation. A defense back can go from hero to goat and back in a matter of a few plays.
"We talk about that in our room a lot," he said. "It's the ability to forget about that (bad) play, to dust yourself off, get back in the huddle, and go play the next play and you make the next play. You have to have a short memory and that's something every secondary player should have."
Junior cornerback Dishon McNary has bought in to that philosophy. McNary, in his first season as a starter in 2020, displayed his capabilities at the position with an interception, four pass breakups, and a fumble recovery to go along with 26 tackles.
"For me, I'm big on courage," McNary said. "That's how I live life. I like to be courageous. Being on that island, that's something I want to do. That gets my blood rushing, something I take pride in, winning each and every rep.
"Being a corner, that's the hardest job on the field to me because it can go any which way out there. It's about having that mind set, the next-play mentality. I give up a pass I can't let that sit on my chest. Coach Z will tell us to get up, shake it off, and be ready to line up. Each and every play, it's about competition. You've got to be ready to compete."
McNary is one of a number of experienced returnees in the secondary. Among the other veterans are Devonni Reed, Alonzo McCoy and Gage Kreski, each of whom has seen significant playing time in their respective careers.
There are also a number of youngsters who will push for playing time, among them the likes of freshmen Daedae Hill, Donte Kent, Elijah Rickard and Caleb Spann and junior Rolliann Sturkey.
"There's always going to be pressure on the secondary," said Reed, who tied for second on the team with 42 tackles and made one interception last season in earning Third Team All-MAC honors. "We're old enough and we've been through enough adversity … we're progressing."
Said McNary: "We had a rough year (in 2020). We can't sit and dwell on the hard times; we've got to fight through, keep on fighting through because we've got the pieces to be the best defensive back corps in America.
"To play in December in Ford Field it's going to take all 11 guys so that's the whole motto we're going for right now."
In Michael Zordich, Central Michigan football might have found the guy to write an entirely different book.
Zordich was named in April as the Chippewas' defensive backs coach, charged with righting the ship in the secondary of a defensive unit that ranked last against the pass in the Mid-American Conference in 2020.
Zordich's resumé is unparalleled, topped by a six-year stint at Michigan where he led a unit that twice ranked first nationally against the pass (2016-17), was second in 2018, and third in 2015. He was an All-American safety at Penn State in the early 1980s and then went on to a 12-year NFL career.
That, undoubtedly, looks good on paper. Zordich knows full well it means little if the Chippewas aren't better at defending the pass in 2021.
"We've got some really good young players and they've just got to learn a little quicker I'd say because we want to get them on the field," he said. "They're really good athletes and I think they understand the game, but they've got to start understanding our game plan and our defense just a little bit better."
Zordich, of all people, knows the triumphs and perils of playing in the secondary, where a cornerback or a safety is often left to a one-on-one matchup in a make-or-break situation. A defense back can go from hero to goat and back in a matter of a few plays.
"We talk about that in our room a lot," he said. "It's the ability to forget about that (bad) play, to dust yourself off, get back in the huddle, and go play the next play and you make the next play. You have to have a short memory and that's something every secondary player should have."
Junior cornerback Dishon McNary has bought in to that philosophy. McNary, in his first season as a starter in 2020, displayed his capabilities at the position with an interception, four pass breakups, and a fumble recovery to go along with 26 tackles.
"For me, I'm big on courage," McNary said. "That's how I live life. I like to be courageous. Being on that island, that's something I want to do. That gets my blood rushing, something I take pride in, winning each and every rep.
"Being a corner, that's the hardest job on the field to me because it can go any which way out there. It's about having that mind set, the next-play mentality. I give up a pass I can't let that sit on my chest. Coach Z will tell us to get up, shake it off, and be ready to line up. Each and every play, it's about competition. You've got to be ready to compete."
McNary is one of a number of experienced returnees in the secondary. Among the other veterans are Devonni Reed, Alonzo McCoy and Gage Kreski, each of whom has seen significant playing time in their respective careers.
There are also a number of youngsters who will push for playing time, among them the likes of freshmen Daedae Hill, Donte Kent, Elijah Rickard and Caleb Spann and junior Rolliann Sturkey.
"There's always going to be pressure on the secondary," said Reed, who tied for second on the team with 42 tackles and made one interception last season in earning Third Team All-MAC honors. "We're old enough and we've been through enough adversity … we're progressing."
Said McNary: "We had a rough year (in 2020). We can't sit and dwell on the hard times; we've got to fight through, keep on fighting through because we've got the pieces to be the best defensive back corps in America.
"To play in December in Ford Field it's going to take all 11 guys so that's the whole motto we're going for right now."
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