Central Michigan University Athletics
'Like Night and Day' for Angel Flores on the Field and in Life
8/11/2026 3:23:00 PM | Football, Our Stories
Mainstay at quarterback enters senior season with emotional weight lifted, clear view as leader of Chippewas' offense
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Looking for a poster child for the Central Michigan football program under second-year coach Matt Drinkall?
Angel Flores has entered the chat.
Flores, a redshirt senior, is among three returnees who figure to see playing time at quarterback in 2026. The transfer from Northern Arizona appeared in nine games in 2025, serving as the perfect complement to the graduated Joe Labas, the latter an efficient thrower, the former a capable runner who ranked second on the team with 527 rushing yards while leading the Chippewas with eight rushing touchdowns.
Flores' role is likely to expand in 2026 as he will split time under center with fellow returnees Marcus Beamon and Jadyn Glasser.
The Casa Grande, Ariz. native threw just 28 passes (completing 19) in 2025.
"That's not who he is as a quarterback," Drinkall said. "He's a full-blown quarterback who can run and that's just how we needed to use him, especially once (Glasser was injured). That really changed the plan of how to go about that."
Flores was, like so many on the Chippewa roster since Drinkall took control of the program, virtually unheard of and unheralded before he arrived in Mount Pleasant. He accepted and thrived in the ready-when-called-upon role that Drinkall and offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Jim Chapin have demanded of the quarterback position in their system.
Five times in 2025 did Flores rush for at least 50 yards in a game and his 134-yard effort in a 24-13 win over Eastern Michigan marked a season high for a CMU rusher.
"Angel is like a security blanket," Chapin said. "He does everything right every time he's in. You know exactly what you're going to get. He's smart, tough, disciplined, and relentless. He can make all the throws, all the runs. You see how dynamic he was last year.
"He's someone who speaks with silence; he just does his job at a high level all the time."
Not only are the numbers good and show the potential to be even better in '26, Flores, who carries a 3.92 grade point average while working toward his master of business administration, is a candidate for several national awards including the William V. Campbell Trophy, the AFCA Good Works Team, and the Wuerffel Trophy.
Flores was injured in the Chippewas' eighth game of the 2025 season and missed the final four regular season games.
Moving to the state of Michigan – Midwest winters, ugh! -- after growing up in Arizona and playing three years of college ball at Northern Arizona was an adjustment for Flores personally, just as the entire program shifted gears under Drinkall.
Flores also played under the emotional weight of his brother Hugo's heart condition. Hugo, three years Flores' junior, suffered a heart attack three years ago as a 16-year-old and "he's been fighting complications with that for about four years now," Flores said. "It got to a point where his heart wasn't working anymore, and his defibrillator and pacemaker were pretty much keeping him alive."
Word reached Flores in mid-October that Hugo was to undergo a heart transplant. The next day, Flores rushed for 72 yards and three touchdowns in a 27-6 CMU win at Bowling Green.
Today, little brother has a new heart and big brother is looking ahead to a promising senior season.
"It's a huge weight off my shoulders now," Flores said. "(I'm) not waking up in the morning wondering, is he going to be OK today? And now it's like, let me just focus on football.
"Compared to last year and what he was dealing with, he's doing a lot better. I'll check in on him now, but it's not as urgent as it used to be."
On the football front, Flores enters 2026 doing better as well what with a year of experience in Drinkall's system under his belt. He's also the de facto man in the Chippewas' system albeit with the likes of the highly capable Beamon and Glasser alongside.
"(Flores') level of maturity and professionalism and consistency and his emotional consistency through issues going on at home with family stuff to dealing with injury – there's a lot of time for doubt to seep in and he's always been the exact same guy," Drinkall said. "He's everything you want in a quarterback and a leader and a kid and a representative of your institution. I think what the kids like about him is he's under-the-radar, chip-on-his-shoulder, something to prove, kind of looked over his whole career."
Those days, for better or for worse, are behind Flores as 2026 dawns. He embraces his role and his higher profile along with the opportunity to play in an offense that figures to be more open because of experience and personnel changes.
"It's going to be a lot more open than last year," Flores said. "Last year, we were trying to kill the clock and (win) time of possession. This year our coaches did an amazing job recruiting the right personnel to be able to open up the passing game and do different things to allow us to play a little faster.
"And we have a bunch of guys returning on offense. Those guys are playing way faster than they were this time last year. That plays a huge role in it too. Guys are more comfortable.
"It's way more comfortable just being able to wake up in the morning and be like, 'OK, I know everything that's going on.' Comparing this year to last year, it's night and day."
Angel Flores has entered the chat.
Flores, a redshirt senior, is among three returnees who figure to see playing time at quarterback in 2026. The transfer from Northern Arizona appeared in nine games in 2025, serving as the perfect complement to the graduated Joe Labas, the latter an efficient thrower, the former a capable runner who ranked second on the team with 527 rushing yards while leading the Chippewas with eight rushing touchdowns.
Flores' role is likely to expand in 2026 as he will split time under center with fellow returnees Marcus Beamon and Jadyn Glasser.
The Casa Grande, Ariz. native threw just 28 passes (completing 19) in 2025.
"That's not who he is as a quarterback," Drinkall said. "He's a full-blown quarterback who can run and that's just how we needed to use him, especially once (Glasser was injured). That really changed the plan of how to go about that."
Flores was, like so many on the Chippewa roster since Drinkall took control of the program, virtually unheard of and unheralded before he arrived in Mount Pleasant. He accepted and thrived in the ready-when-called-upon role that Drinkall and offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Jim Chapin have demanded of the quarterback position in their system.
Five times in 2025 did Flores rush for at least 50 yards in a game and his 134-yard effort in a 24-13 win over Eastern Michigan marked a season high for a CMU rusher.
"Angel is like a security blanket," Chapin said. "He does everything right every time he's in. You know exactly what you're going to get. He's smart, tough, disciplined, and relentless. He can make all the throws, all the runs. You see how dynamic he was last year.
"He's someone who speaks with silence; he just does his job at a high level all the time."
Not only are the numbers good and show the potential to be even better in '26, Flores, who carries a 3.92 grade point average while working toward his master of business administration, is a candidate for several national awards including the William V. Campbell Trophy, the AFCA Good Works Team, and the Wuerffel Trophy.
Flores was injured in the Chippewas' eighth game of the 2025 season and missed the final four regular season games.
Moving to the state of Michigan – Midwest winters, ugh! -- after growing up in Arizona and playing three years of college ball at Northern Arizona was an adjustment for Flores personally, just as the entire program shifted gears under Drinkall.
Flores also played under the emotional weight of his brother Hugo's heart condition. Hugo, three years Flores' junior, suffered a heart attack three years ago as a 16-year-old and "he's been fighting complications with that for about four years now," Flores said. "It got to a point where his heart wasn't working anymore, and his defibrillator and pacemaker were pretty much keeping him alive."
Word reached Flores in mid-October that Hugo was to undergo a heart transplant. The next day, Flores rushed for 72 yards and three touchdowns in a 27-6 CMU win at Bowling Green.
Today, little brother has a new heart and big brother is looking ahead to a promising senior season.
"It's a huge weight off my shoulders now," Flores said. "(I'm) not waking up in the morning wondering, is he going to be OK today? And now it's like, let me just focus on football.
"Compared to last year and what he was dealing with, he's doing a lot better. I'll check in on him now, but it's not as urgent as it used to be."
On the football front, Flores enters 2026 doing better as well what with a year of experience in Drinkall's system under his belt. He's also the de facto man in the Chippewas' system albeit with the likes of the highly capable Beamon and Glasser alongside.
"(Flores') level of maturity and professionalism and consistency and his emotional consistency through issues going on at home with family stuff to dealing with injury – there's a lot of time for doubt to seep in and he's always been the exact same guy," Drinkall said. "He's everything you want in a quarterback and a leader and a kid and a representative of your institution. I think what the kids like about him is he's under-the-radar, chip-on-his-shoulder, something to prove, kind of looked over his whole career."
Those days, for better or for worse, are behind Flores as 2026 dawns. He embraces his role and his higher profile along with the opportunity to play in an offense that figures to be more open because of experience and personnel changes.
"It's going to be a lot more open than last year," Flores said. "Last year, we were trying to kill the clock and (win) time of possession. This year our coaches did an amazing job recruiting the right personnel to be able to open up the passing game and do different things to allow us to play a little faster.
"And we have a bunch of guys returning on offense. Those guys are playing way faster than they were this time last year. That plays a huge role in it too. Guys are more comfortable.
"It's way more comfortable just being able to wake up in the morning and be like, 'OK, I know everything that's going on.' Comparing this year to last year, it's night and day."
Players Mentioned
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