Bonamego reflects on first year as Chippewa head coach
On Feb. 8, 2015, John Bonamego was announced as the next head football head coach at Central Michigan University, succeeding Dan Enos.
One year later, Bonamego said his first year as head coach of the Chippewas was been a year of “highs and lows.”
“We were under adversity, not just individually but as a program,” Bonamego said. “We fought through those things and we stayed together. We hung tough. It made us stronger and galvanized us.”
It started with Bonamego’s hiring in February 2015. The summer of adversity began when former cornerback Derrick Nash passed away at the age of 20 after a battle with leukemia on June 22.
One day after Nash’s passing, the CMU athletics department announced that lead team physician Dr. Jason Davenport, passed away.
In June, Bonamego announced he was diagnosed with left tonsil cancer. He spent the summer driving to the University of Michigan for radiation treatments, often waking up at 4:30 a.m. He would then travel back to Mount Pleasant to be with his team for practice.
In August, Bonamego finished his cancer treatments and rang the bell at the Ann Arbor hospital. He had to eat from a feeding tube lost his sense of taste, but found a taste of victory.
He guided CMU to a 7-5 regular season and clinched a share of the Mid-American Conference West title. Before CMU clinched a share of the title, “Bono” informed his team was cancer-free prior to Thanksgiving.
On Dec. 28, Bonamego’s former CMU professor, Richard Parre, passed away in Mount Pleasant. That same day, in Detroit, the Chippewas lost to in the Quick Lane Bowl to Minnesota, 21-14.
Despite the loss, Bonamego said he was happy with the season and is looking forward to the future.
“It has taken Chippewa pride and what it means to be a Chippewa to a higher level,” Bonamego said. “I’m really proud of the coaches and our players.”
Bonamego geared up for 2016 on Wednesday with the announcement of his next recruiting class.
“Some of the challenges that we’ve had over the last year and the way he has attacked those and moved forward through those have been remarkable,” said Athletics Director Dave Heeke. “It’s easy to say there is something special there and our future is going to be really bright.”
Assistant Head Coach and Wide Receivers Coach Mose Rison coached Bonamego during his playing days at CMU in the 1980s.
“I can tell you without question that this football team is excited about him being their football coach,” Rison said. “You can’t be nothing but excited about what he’s going to do from this point on. We are very, very excited about John Bonamego leading this football program.”
Bonamego sat in the high chairs at Hunter’s Ale House and discussed his future, but the past was still with him. He said he couldn’t drink water on the stage and it caused him to have dry mouth due to the radiation effects.
Still, Bonamego said Wednesday what he said to the public in his introductory press conference. He plans to be here for a very, very, very long time.
“I’m just proud to be a part of Central Michigan University,” Bonamego said. “We have a great faculty here. We have the best student body in the country. We have a lot to be proud of and thankful of. There may be places that are bigger but I promise you there is no place better than Central Michigan. I love this place.”
