Central Michigan spring football: Top receivers returning for Chippewas
Central Michigan wide receiver Kalil Pimpleton celebrates with JaCorey Sullivan after a catch against Toledo Nov. 29 at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.
This is the third of nine position group previews throughout Central Michigan spring practice. Today's edition focuses on the Chippewa running backs. For the other groups, follow the links below:
Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
Offensive line
Defensive line
Linebackers
Defensive backs
Special teams
Wide receivers
Kalil Pimpleton caught the most passes out of all the wide receivers in the Mid-American Conference in 2019, and it wasn't close.
Pimpleton caught 90 passes last season to lead the conference while Ball State's Justin Hall finished second in the category with 61 catches. Pimpleton also had 934 receiving yards to lead the MAC and his seven touchdowns ranked third in the conference behind Kent State's Isaiah McKoy and Western Michigan's Giovanni Ricci, each with eight.
The player who finished third with 57 total catches behind Pimpleton — his teammate JaCorey Sullivan.
Sullivan had had a breakout second half of the campaign where he averaged six catches and 84.5 yards in the final seven games. He had a career-high eight catches and 126 yards in the Chippewas' 38-20 win over Bowling Green on Oct. 19.
The chemistry between Pimpleton and Sullivan stems back to Muskegon High School and helped the Chippewa passing game with graduate transfer quarterback Quinten Dormady.
Freshman Ty Scott arrived on the scene in the Chippewas' season opener against Albany with five catches for 93 yards and two touchdowns to lead CMU the 38-20 win.
Scott caught 37 passes for 650 yards and five touchdowns with a long of 48 yards in the Chippewas' regular season finale against Toledo.
The trio of Pimpleton, Sullivan and Scott generated most of the Chippewa passing attack last season.
One of the position changes to the wide receiver position is junior Norman Anderson transitioning from cornerback.
"We'll give him an opportunity to do that," coach Jim McElwain said.
Anderson totaled 20 tackles (15 solo) last season after appearing in 13 games during the season for CMU.
Junior Drayton Law is another guy that could be a weapon for the Chippewas' passing game next season.
Law had three catches for 25 yards last season. However, standing 6-foot-4, 206 pounds, Law could be a prominent target for the quarterback McElwain elects to start for the Chippewas.
Sophomore Keonta Nixon played in seven games for CMU last season and had six receptions for 54 yards. He is another player that could be important to the passing game as he rotates in.
Redshirt freshmen Alec Muck and Javon Gantt did not play for Central Michigan in 2019 and are both out with injuries as Gantt had knee surgery before the season and Muck had a sports hernia.
During the early signing period, the McElwain and the Chippewas signed three receivers in Zahir Swann, Ke'Andre Collins and Alec Ward. However, these players will not participate in spring practice as they finish up their senior year of high school.
With the core players returning for the Chippewa receivers, look for them to help lead the offense and help whichever quarterback McElwain decides to start acclimate to the offense.
