Central Michigan University Athletics
2026 Football Roster
Jersey Number 22
Brock Townsend
- Position:
- Running Back
- Height:
- 6-0
- Weight:
- 220
- Class:
- Redshirt Sophomore
- Hometown:
- Caledonia, Mich.
- High School:
- Caledonia H.S.
- Twitter:
- brockxtownsend
- Instagram:
- brockxtownsend
CAREER
Played in 17 career games with two starts at running back … Scored eight career touchdowns … Rushed for 432 yards on 82 attempts with four touchdowns and an average yards per carry of 5.1 yards and has caught 13 passes for 145 yards and four touchdowns … Totaled 596 career all-purpose yards … Academic All-MAC honoree in 2025.
2025
As a sophomore running back, saw action in all 13 games … Started two games at running back (at Western Michigan, vs. Northwestern) … Earned Academic All-MAC honors … Listed as the backup running back on the depth chart … Led the team in touchdowns scored (8) and touchdown receptions (4), ranked second on the team in scoring (48 points), rushing touchdowns (4) and ranked No. 3 on the squad in all-purpose yardage with 582 (418 rushing, 145 receiving, 19 kickoff returns) … Rushed for 418 yards on 82 attempts with four touchdowns and a long of 48 yards and caught 13 passes for 145 yards and four touchdowns with a long of 51 … Also returned one kickoff for 19 yards … Ranked No. 5 in the MAC in scoring touchdowns (8) … Registered one three-touchdown game, two two-touchdown games, one 100-yard rushing game and two 100-yard all-purpose games on the year … Rushed seven times for 24 yards with a long of six and caught a 3-yard touchdown pass in start at the GameAbove Sports Bowl vs. Northwestern (12/26) … Ran a career-high 14 times for 68 yards with a long of 12 and caught one pass for five yards in the season finale vs. Toledo (11/29) … Rushed six times for 27 yards and two touchdowns (2 and 10 yards) at Kent State (11/19) … Rushed two times for 11 yards and caught two passes for three yards vs. Buffalo (11/12) … Ran nine times for 26 yards in start at Western Michigan (11/1) … Scored a career-high three total touchdowns, totaled a career-high 131 all-purpose yards, rushed 12 times for 34 yards and two touchdowns (1, 5), set career highs for receptions (2), receiving yards (78) and caught a 51-yard touchdown pass vs. Massachusetts (10/25) … Rushed for 41 yards on six carries with a long of 37 and caught one pass at Bowling Green (10/18) … Rushed for a career-high 108 yards on eight carries (13.5 yards per carry) at Akron (10/4) … His 108 yards ranked as the No. 11 most yards per attempt (at least 100 yards rushing) … Rushed for a then career-high 51 yards on eight carries with a long of 22 and caught two passes for five yards and a touchdown vs. Eastern Michigan (9/27) … Rushed 20 times for four yards and caught a touchdown pass vs. Wagner (9/20) … Rushed five times for nine yards and caught one pass for eight yards at Michigan (9/13) … Had first career rushing attempt for -1 yards and caught two passes for 20 yards at Pittsburgh (8/29).
2024
As a true freshman running back, saw action in four games … Saw action at running back and on special teams … Earned redshirt … Enrolled at Central Michigan for the spring 2024 semester … Finished season with five rushes for 14 yards with a long of seven … Saw action vs. Western Michigan (11/19), at Illinois (9/14), at Florida International (9/7) and vs. CCSU (8/29) … In career debut, rushed for 14 yards on five carries with a long of seven yards in season opener vs. Central Connecticut State (8/29).
HIGH SCHOOL
A December 2023 graduate of Caledonia High School, where he played four years of varsity football for head coach Derek Pennington … Two-time MHSFCA Division 2 All-State First Team as a running back … Two-time Associated Press Division 1-2 First Team All-State selection as a junior and senior … Two-time MHSFCA Division 2 All-Region honoree … Named the MLive Grand Rapids Offensive Player of the Year following his senior year … Two-time MLive Grand Rapids Dream Team selection as a running back … Two-time Detroit Free Press All-State selection … Played both running back, cornerback, and safety … Rushed for 1,507 yards, 19 touchdowns and just one fumble on 183 carries for an 8.2 yards per carry average, finished year with 376 yards receiving and eight touchdowns, returned two kickoffs for touchdowns, and made 30 tackles and intercepted three passes from his safety position as a senior … Guided Caledonia to an 8-3 overall record, third place finish in the conference at 5-2 and state playoff appearance as a senior … Helped Caledonia average 38 points per game … Scored five touchdowns in first round playoff win over Portage Northern … Rushed for 1,204 yards and 20 touchdowns on 174 carries, caught 16 passes for 265 yards and three touchdowns and made 21 tackles with five interceptions from his safety position as a junior … Guided the Fighting Scots to the Division 1 state championship game for the first time since 2005, 12-2 overall record, and second place finish in the league with a 6-1 record as a junior … Caledonia dropped the state title game, 35-17, to Belleville … Scored two touchdowns in the state title game … Recorded two interceptions in Caledonia’s 21-0 state semifinal win over Clarkston … Led Caledonia to a 10-2 overall record and 6-1 league record as a sophomore … Team finished 4-5 as a freshman … Rated a three-star recruit by 247sports … Rated a two-star recruit by Rivals.com … Ranked the No. 41 player in the state by 247sports.com … Also competed in basketball and track and field … Outstanding student with a 3.8 grade point average.
PERSONAL
Born Brock Townsend on July 10, 2006 … Son of Fred and Shelley Townsend … Has three siblings: Sequoyah, Brevin, and Blake … Father played football at Central Michigan (1991) and is an athletic director … Father also won a football state title at Muskegon High School … Hobbies and interests include football, video games, relaxing with friends and playing golf … Committed to Central Michigan on June 6, 2023 … Selected Central Michigan over offers from Toledo, Western Michigan, and Ferris State … Intends to major in science/health.
ARTICLES
Caledonia football star Brock Townsend commits to Central Michigan | wzzm13.com
Player of the Year Top 10: With 2 healthy hands, Brock Townsend aims to deliver a state title - mlive.com
Top recruits: CMU legacy prospect looking to forge his own football path - mlive.com
Played in 17 career games with two starts at running back … Scored eight career touchdowns … Rushed for 432 yards on 82 attempts with four touchdowns and an average yards per carry of 5.1 yards and has caught 13 passes for 145 yards and four touchdowns … Totaled 596 career all-purpose yards … Academic All-MAC honoree in 2025.
2025
As a sophomore running back, saw action in all 13 games … Started two games at running back (at Western Michigan, vs. Northwestern) … Earned Academic All-MAC honors … Listed as the backup running back on the depth chart … Led the team in touchdowns scored (8) and touchdown receptions (4), ranked second on the team in scoring (48 points), rushing touchdowns (4) and ranked No. 3 on the squad in all-purpose yardage with 582 (418 rushing, 145 receiving, 19 kickoff returns) … Rushed for 418 yards on 82 attempts with four touchdowns and a long of 48 yards and caught 13 passes for 145 yards and four touchdowns with a long of 51 … Also returned one kickoff for 19 yards … Ranked No. 5 in the MAC in scoring touchdowns (8) … Registered one three-touchdown game, two two-touchdown games, one 100-yard rushing game and two 100-yard all-purpose games on the year … Rushed seven times for 24 yards with a long of six and caught a 3-yard touchdown pass in start at the GameAbove Sports Bowl vs. Northwestern (12/26) … Ran a career-high 14 times for 68 yards with a long of 12 and caught one pass for five yards in the season finale vs. Toledo (11/29) … Rushed six times for 27 yards and two touchdowns (2 and 10 yards) at Kent State (11/19) … Rushed two times for 11 yards and caught two passes for three yards vs. Buffalo (11/12) … Ran nine times for 26 yards in start at Western Michigan (11/1) … Scored a career-high three total touchdowns, totaled a career-high 131 all-purpose yards, rushed 12 times for 34 yards and two touchdowns (1, 5), set career highs for receptions (2), receiving yards (78) and caught a 51-yard touchdown pass vs. Massachusetts (10/25) … Rushed for 41 yards on six carries with a long of 37 and caught one pass at Bowling Green (10/18) … Rushed for a career-high 108 yards on eight carries (13.5 yards per carry) at Akron (10/4) … His 108 yards ranked as the No. 11 most yards per attempt (at least 100 yards rushing) … Rushed for a then career-high 51 yards on eight carries with a long of 22 and caught two passes for five yards and a touchdown vs. Eastern Michigan (9/27) … Rushed 20 times for four yards and caught a touchdown pass vs. Wagner (9/20) … Rushed five times for nine yards and caught one pass for eight yards at Michigan (9/13) … Had first career rushing attempt for -1 yards and caught two passes for 20 yards at Pittsburgh (8/29).
2024
As a true freshman running back, saw action in four games … Saw action at running back and on special teams … Earned redshirt … Enrolled at Central Michigan for the spring 2024 semester … Finished season with five rushes for 14 yards with a long of seven … Saw action vs. Western Michigan (11/19), at Illinois (9/14), at Florida International (9/7) and vs. CCSU (8/29) … In career debut, rushed for 14 yards on five carries with a long of seven yards in season opener vs. Central Connecticut State (8/29).
HIGH SCHOOL
A December 2023 graduate of Caledonia High School, where he played four years of varsity football for head coach Derek Pennington … Two-time MHSFCA Division 2 All-State First Team as a running back … Two-time Associated Press Division 1-2 First Team All-State selection as a junior and senior … Two-time MHSFCA Division 2 All-Region honoree … Named the MLive Grand Rapids Offensive Player of the Year following his senior year … Two-time MLive Grand Rapids Dream Team selection as a running back … Two-time Detroit Free Press All-State selection … Played both running back, cornerback, and safety … Rushed for 1,507 yards, 19 touchdowns and just one fumble on 183 carries for an 8.2 yards per carry average, finished year with 376 yards receiving and eight touchdowns, returned two kickoffs for touchdowns, and made 30 tackles and intercepted three passes from his safety position as a senior … Guided Caledonia to an 8-3 overall record, third place finish in the conference at 5-2 and state playoff appearance as a senior … Helped Caledonia average 38 points per game … Scored five touchdowns in first round playoff win over Portage Northern … Rushed for 1,204 yards and 20 touchdowns on 174 carries, caught 16 passes for 265 yards and three touchdowns and made 21 tackles with five interceptions from his safety position as a junior … Guided the Fighting Scots to the Division 1 state championship game for the first time since 2005, 12-2 overall record, and second place finish in the league with a 6-1 record as a junior … Caledonia dropped the state title game, 35-17, to Belleville … Scored two touchdowns in the state title game … Recorded two interceptions in Caledonia’s 21-0 state semifinal win over Clarkston … Led Caledonia to a 10-2 overall record and 6-1 league record as a sophomore … Team finished 4-5 as a freshman … Rated a three-star recruit by 247sports … Rated a two-star recruit by Rivals.com … Ranked the No. 41 player in the state by 247sports.com … Also competed in basketball and track and field … Outstanding student with a 3.8 grade point average.
PERSONAL
Born Brock Townsend on July 10, 2006 … Son of Fred and Shelley Townsend … Has three siblings: Sequoyah, Brevin, and Blake … Father played football at Central Michigan (1991) and is an athletic director … Father also won a football state title at Muskegon High School … Hobbies and interests include football, video games, relaxing with friends and playing golf … Committed to Central Michigan on June 6, 2023 … Selected Central Michigan over offers from Toledo, Western Michigan, and Ferris State … Intends to major in science/health.
ARTICLES
Caledonia football star Brock Townsend commits to Central Michigan | wzzm13.com
Player of the Year Top 10: With 2 healthy hands, Brock Townsend aims to deliver a state title - mlive.com
Top recruits: CMU legacy prospect looking to forge his own football path - mlive.com
Post-Game Press Conference (GameAbove Sports Bowl)
Friday, December 26
Football Players Insider - 12.22.2025
Monday, December 22
Matt Drinkall Insider - 12.22.25
Monday, December 22
Central Michigan Bowl Preview Special - Head Coach Drinkall
Monday, December 22
