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Photo by: Jack Reeber '23,M'25 - @jackreeber.raw
Running Backs Preview: Chippewas have talent, speed, size; must replace the top three rushers from 2024
8/19/2025 3:41:00 PM | Football
Led by Nahree Biggins and Trey Cornist, five total players return who saw action for the Chippewas last year.
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich.—Central Michigan's running backs room boasts a blend of talent, speed, and size as the Chippewas return five players—Nahree Biggins, Brock Townsend, Jakivion Calip, Jason Philpot-Dixon, and Germanuel Tanelus—who saw game action in 2024, and add Tulane transfer Trey Cornist to the mix.
Central Michigan must replace each of its top three running backs including Marion Lukes, Myles Bailey, and B.J. Harris. A two-year starter Lukes rushed for 788 yards and five touchdowns on 161 carries and caught 16 passes for 160 yards and a touchdown last year. He concluded his career with 1,942 rushing yards and 3,958 all-purpose yards. Bailey rushed for 1,058 yards and six touchdowns and caught 39 passes for 303 yards in his three-year career. Harris came on last year as he finished with 418 yards rushing and three touchdowns on 91 carries, including a 151-yard game vs. Ball State.
Two of Central Michigan's returnees had carries last year in senior Nahree Biggins (136 yards) and redshirt freshman Brock Townsend (14 yards). Calip, Philpot-Dixon, and Tanelus all saw action on special teams.
Since the start of spring ball, Central Michigan Running Backs Coach Sheldon Croney has been amazed with the improvement of his eight-player group.
"You look at my room now, they look like totally different players from the spring due to their buy-in and trust," Croney said. "I'm super excited for this season, they've changed their bodies, they've changed their mindset, they've changed how they approach every day."
"Nahree Biggins has done an exceptional job of providing senior leadership. With him being the only senior in the room, he's done a great job of leading our guys on a day-to-day basis and upholding the standards in our room. Trey Cornist has done an unbelievable job of changing his body. His study habits, how he comes to meetings and prepares and takes notes, I'm excited about the progress he's making. Another guy, Kadenn Rose, maybe doesn't get as many reps, but shows up every day and does everything I ask him to do and does it to the best of his abilities."
"For Jason, we call him PhD, he's had a great summer heading into fall camp. He's put a lot of muscle on, his weight is up 10-15 pounds, I'm really excited for him. For Germanuel Tanelus his biggest thing is understanding that he can only control the things that he can control. When he does that, he has made some explosive plays for us this fall. Super excited for him. J.J. (Jakivion Calip) dealt with a little bit of injury at the beginning of fall camp. He's been powering along and doing everything he can to stay healthy and is now starting to catch his stride as he's getting more reps. Mekhi Jenkins, if there's a guy who's made the most improvement, that award would have to do to Mekhi from where he was in the spring, being decisive and being violent, and being physical in everything that we do. Brock Townsend was hurt early-on in camp, but now that he's getting back out there and doing the things that he needs, I'm excited for him. His big thing he's 220 pounds, be the most violent, physical guy on the field, and that's what he's training to do every day."
2025 RUNNING BACKS PERSONNEL ROSTER
5 | Nahree Biggins | 6-1 | 210 | R-Sr. | Hillside, N.J.
49 | Jason Philpot-Dixon | 6-0 | 200 | R-Jr. | Detroit, Mich.
46 | Germanuel Tanelus | 5-10 | 205 | R-Jr. | North Lauderdale, Fla.
4 | Jakivion Calip | 5-11 | 200 | R-So. | Lewis Center, Ohio
6 | Trey Cornist | 6-0 | 215 | R-So. | Cincinnati, Ohio
24 | Mekhi Jenkins | 5-9 | 190 | R-So. | Detroit, Mich.
32 | Kadenn Rose | 5-8 | 190 | R-Fr. | Mount Pleasant, Mich.
22 | Brock Townsend | 6-0 | 220 | R-Fr. | Caledonia, Mich.
.
Redshirt senior Nahree Biggins is the lone returner with the most carries from last year as he finished with 136 yards on 19 carries (7.2 average yards per carry). He also registered CMU's longest run from scrimmage last year, a 76-yard run vs. Ball State, and caught three passes for seven yards. Biggins, who played his first three seasons at defensive back, has seen action in 22 career games.
Redshirt freshman Brock Townsend saw action in four games last year before redshirting. He ran five times for 14 yards in the season opener vs. Central Connecticut State, and played primarily on special teams in the other games. The Caledonia, Mich. native is the heaviest running back in the room.
Redshirt junior and North Lauderdale, Fla. native Germanuel Tanelus is another player who has seen game action, primarily on special teams. A member of the travel squad all year long, Tanelus has seen action in six career games over the last two years.
Lewis Center, Ohio native and redshirt sophomore Jakivion Calip played in two games last year, primarily on special teams. Redshirt junior Jason Philpot-Dixon played in each of the 2024 season's final eight games on special teams.
Redshirt sophomore Trey Cornist transfers to Central Michigan after two years at Tulane, where he rushed for 149 yards and one touchdown on 22 attempts and caught two passes for 21 yards in 2024. The Cincinnati, Ohio native was a highly recruited running back out of Winton Woods High School, where he was a two-time All-State player.
Two other players are back including redshirt sophomore Mekhi Jenkins and redshirt freshman Kadenn Rose.
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Central Michigan must replace each of its top three running backs including Marion Lukes, Myles Bailey, and B.J. Harris. A two-year starter Lukes rushed for 788 yards and five touchdowns on 161 carries and caught 16 passes for 160 yards and a touchdown last year. He concluded his career with 1,942 rushing yards and 3,958 all-purpose yards. Bailey rushed for 1,058 yards and six touchdowns and caught 39 passes for 303 yards in his three-year career. Harris came on last year as he finished with 418 yards rushing and three touchdowns on 91 carries, including a 151-yard game vs. Ball State.
Two of Central Michigan's returnees had carries last year in senior Nahree Biggins (136 yards) and redshirt freshman Brock Townsend (14 yards). Calip, Philpot-Dixon, and Tanelus all saw action on special teams.
Since the start of spring ball, Central Michigan Running Backs Coach Sheldon Croney has been amazed with the improvement of his eight-player group.
"You look at my room now, they look like totally different players from the spring due to their buy-in and trust," Croney said. "I'm super excited for this season, they've changed their bodies, they've changed their mindset, they've changed how they approach every day."
"Nahree Biggins has done an exceptional job of providing senior leadership. With him being the only senior in the room, he's done a great job of leading our guys on a day-to-day basis and upholding the standards in our room. Trey Cornist has done an unbelievable job of changing his body. His study habits, how he comes to meetings and prepares and takes notes, I'm excited about the progress he's making. Another guy, Kadenn Rose, maybe doesn't get as many reps, but shows up every day and does everything I ask him to do and does it to the best of his abilities."
"For Jason, we call him PhD, he's had a great summer heading into fall camp. He's put a lot of muscle on, his weight is up 10-15 pounds, I'm really excited for him. For Germanuel Tanelus his biggest thing is understanding that he can only control the things that he can control. When he does that, he has made some explosive plays for us this fall. Super excited for him. J.J. (Jakivion Calip) dealt with a little bit of injury at the beginning of fall camp. He's been powering along and doing everything he can to stay healthy and is now starting to catch his stride as he's getting more reps. Mekhi Jenkins, if there's a guy who's made the most improvement, that award would have to do to Mekhi from where he was in the spring, being decisive and being violent, and being physical in everything that we do. Brock Townsend was hurt early-on in camp, but now that he's getting back out there and doing the things that he needs, I'm excited for him. His big thing he's 220 pounds, be the most violent, physical guy on the field, and that's what he's training to do every day."
2025 RUNNING BACKS PERSONNEL ROSTER
5 | Nahree Biggins | 6-1 | 210 | R-Sr. | Hillside, N.J.
49 | Jason Philpot-Dixon | 6-0 | 200 | R-Jr. | Detroit, Mich.
46 | Germanuel Tanelus | 5-10 | 205 | R-Jr. | North Lauderdale, Fla.
4 | Jakivion Calip | 5-11 | 200 | R-So. | Lewis Center, Ohio
6 | Trey Cornist | 6-0 | 215 | R-So. | Cincinnati, Ohio
24 | Mekhi Jenkins | 5-9 | 190 | R-So. | Detroit, Mich.
32 | Kadenn Rose | 5-8 | 190 | R-Fr. | Mount Pleasant, Mich.
22 | Brock Townsend | 6-0 | 220 | R-Fr. | Caledonia, Mich.
.
Redshirt senior Nahree Biggins is the lone returner with the most carries from last year as he finished with 136 yards on 19 carries (7.2 average yards per carry). He also registered CMU's longest run from scrimmage last year, a 76-yard run vs. Ball State, and caught three passes for seven yards. Biggins, who played his first three seasons at defensive back, has seen action in 22 career games.
Redshirt freshman Brock Townsend saw action in four games last year before redshirting. He ran five times for 14 yards in the season opener vs. Central Connecticut State, and played primarily on special teams in the other games. The Caledonia, Mich. native is the heaviest running back in the room.
Redshirt junior and North Lauderdale, Fla. native Germanuel Tanelus is another player who has seen game action, primarily on special teams. A member of the travel squad all year long, Tanelus has seen action in six career games over the last two years.
Lewis Center, Ohio native and redshirt sophomore Jakivion Calip played in two games last year, primarily on special teams. Redshirt junior Jason Philpot-Dixon played in each of the 2024 season's final eight games on special teams.
Redshirt sophomore Trey Cornist transfers to Central Michigan after two years at Tulane, where he rushed for 149 yards and one touchdown on 22 attempts and caught two passes for 21 yards in 2024. The Cincinnati, Ohio native was a highly recruited running back out of Winton Woods High School, where he was a two-time All-State player.
Two other players are back including redshirt sophomore Mekhi Jenkins and redshirt freshman Kadenn Rose.
Follow Central Michigan Football: TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM
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