Seven CMU football players named to Athlon Sports All-MAC preseason teams
Seven Central Michigan football players were named to Athlon Sports' 2016 All-Mid-American Conference preseason teams on Wednesday.
Senior quarterback Cooper Rush and senior wide receiver Jesse Kroll were named to the second-team offense, and senior safety Tony Annese earned a spot on the second-team defense.
Senior placekicker Brian Eavey was placed on the specialists third team.
Junior wide receiver Corey Willis was named to the offensive fourth team, while junior defensive linemen Joe Ostman and junior defensive back Amari Coleman each garnered a spot on the defensive fourth team.
Rush completed 66.3 percent of his passes last season and recorded 3,848 yards and 25 touchdowns on his way to Second Team All-MAC honors.
The 6-foot-3 Kroll snagged 61 passes for 866 yards and four touchdowns last season, earning himself a nod to the Third Team All-MAC.
Annese was CMU’s second-leading tackler in 2015 with 84 tackles — 48 of which were solo takedowns. He had two interceptions.
Holland native Willis snagged five touchdown passes last season, recording 37 passes for 564 yards.
Appearing in just three games in 2015 due to injury, the 6-foot-3, 250 pound Ostman looked to be an developing force on the Chippewas' defensive front during his first two seasons in Mount Pleasant.
Recording 43 tackles in 2015, Flint native Coleman defended seven passes and stole one for an interception.
The Chippewas, who finished 7-6 last season and shared the MAC West Division title after going 6-2 in league play, open the 2016 season at home against Presbyterian on Thursday, Sept. 1.
Athlon Sports' Steven Lassan also called Central Michigan a potential "sleeper" in the MAC West.
"Northern Illinois, Toledo and Western Michigan are considered the top three teams, but Central Michigan shouldn’t be overlooked," Lassan said.
Lassan said the Chippewas are "just a step behind the top three" in Athlon’s overall power rankings for 2016, believes Rush is capable of carrying CMU to the MAC title game.
The Chippewas begin their season on Sept. 1 against Presbyterian at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.
