Q&A: Get to Know Central Michigan

Next up in the non-con slate is a little MACtion: the Central Michigan Chippewas. The Chips make their way down the plains for what should be a progressively more difficult test for the Pokes. We got caught up with CMU writer Andy Sneddon for some expert insights. Let’s see what to expect this weekend.

With what’s generally held as the best defense in the MAC and having arguably the best player and quarterback in the conference, what are the expectations for this season?

Expectations are high, but guarded. The MAC is a fairly balanced league, particularly the West Division. CMU was picked to finish fourth in the six-team division. Northern Illinois has won or shared the divisional title in each of the past six years, Toledo has shared the title in each of the past two seasons. CMU and Western, along with Northern Ill. And Toledo finished in a four-way tie for the top spot a year ago. The feeling is that CMU can compete with anyone in the league.

Other than 4 year starter and all-MAC QB Cooper Rush and Biletnikoff watch list receiver Jesse Kroll, who are other impact players the Cowboys should be aware of?

Safety Tony Annese, a senior on the Thorpe Award Watch List; defensive lineman Chris Kantzavelos makes plays as does outside linebacker Nathan Ricketts. Junior Amari Coleman is one of the best corners in the league. On offense, Devon Spalding had 135 yards last week vs. Presbyterian and appeared to be in good shape coming off an injury that cost him the final 8 games of the 2015 season. Kroll is one of several very capable receivers, including Mark Chapman, Corey Willis and Anthony Rice.

It seems the CMU offense has some spread and under the center formations, what kinds of things do they like to do offensively?

It’s a fairly diverse offense, particularly if the run game is productive. Rush is a capable passer and he will go downfield; he does an excellent job picking his spots and jabbing. If they can move the ball on the ground, the offense can be very dangerous.

After seeing Kavon Frazier and Thomas Rawls get into the NFL in recent years, who do you see having the most pro potential from this year’s team?

Rush perhaps has the greatest potential. Perhaps Annese, the safety, who has great instincts and skill. Coleman as a corner. He’s just in his second game of his junior year, but he’s very quick, fast, athletic.

The Cowboys are most eager to see if the running game has developed (struggled mightily last season). With guys like captains Jabari Dean and Kelby Latta (and getting Joe Ostman back from injury) returning, is the defensive line/run defense the strength of the unit?

It has been in recent years, and all three of those players have played major roles in that success. On paper it appears to be a strength again. They limited Presbyterian last week to 44 yards on the ground (1.3 per carry) — but that’s an FCS team. The Cowboys will certain provide a much stiffer test, and a much more accurate gauge.

With CMU playing a steady flow of Big Ten teams over the years, what do you perceive have been similarities/differences in Oklahoma State and Big Ten teams that the Chips have played?

In watching last year’s game, I thought Oklahoma State had more speed, particularly on defense, than what CMU has been accustomed to seeing when it plays a Big Ten team.

I haven’t been around here too long. The only one of those that I know personally is Thomas Rawls — I’ve never seen a running back run as consistently hard as he did. He suffered an ankle injury in the one and only season that he played here, and that limited his playing time. The MAC tends to run under the radar on the national scale, but obviously you need look only at the aforementioned examples to see that there are a number of talented players who have come from the program.

Joe Staley (left tackle, 49ers) is another offensive lineman who has been a solid pro during his long NFL career. For awhile, the school began to get a reputation as one that regularly produces standout offensive linemen, but with the success of the likes of AB and Rawls, that, perhaps, is changing. Watt was a tight end when he was here, and that was for just one season; he transferred to Wisconsin.