Home turf will show true squad
Greg BurghardtOne of the most hyped games in the history of CMU football is now over.
The Chippewas learned much from the trip to Ann Arbor. They learned they can move the ball and that their defense needs improvement. Most of all, they learned they can go to the home of the nation’s No. 4 team, and not get embarrassed.
With the Wolverines in the rearview mirror, it is on to bigger and better things for CMU. Well, maybe better.
It will be a culture shock of sorts against New Hampshire Saturday. While Kelly/Shorts Stadium will host a good home-opening crowd, its capacity may rival that of the U-M student section, on a good day.
And while the U-M game was televised, a 15-minute update on ESPN2 during reruns of the World Series of Poker is all the national attention the New Hampshire game will garner.
With the media’s focus dimmed, the game will see an intense magnification of importance. After watching CMU hang with the Wolverines for more than two quarters, the consensus is that the team is much improved from last year’s.
However, like Saturday, the Chippewas hung tough with another Big Ten team — Indiana — last season. After blowing a big lead and falling to the Hoosiers, CMU tailed off the rest of the season. This cannot happen now, or it could be another long season in Mount Pleasant.
CMU’s bright spots need to continue shining. Aside from one bad throw, quarterback Jeff Perry engineered Head Coach Mike DeBord’s offense like a seasoned veteran. The team’s triple-pronged running game chewed up yardage.
Safety James King’s 19 tackles proved why he is CMU’s most talented player. The offensive line did not miss a beat after an injury to tackle Jeff Jenerou, and had its way with Michigan’s front seven. The secondary, despite being burned a couple times, looked much improved over last season’s version.
All of these things offer hope to the CMU fan, but a cautious eye will be cast toward other aspects of the team. The Chippewas defensive line and linebackers were manhandled by Michigan’s offensive line. Central once again gave the Wolverines favorable field position with poor punt and kick coverage.
Yes, Central will beat New Hampshire. It has dominated I-AA teams before, even during its poor years. However, the Wildcats did beat Central Connecticut State 70-20 last week - an impressive feat against any opponent.
This further adds to the sub plots of Saturday’s game. Will the Chippewas revert to old ways and allow the sting of Michigan to carry over into a lackluster performance? Or will Central come out with the intensity they showed in Ann Arbor, flashing continued improvement?
It may not gain as much attention as the U-M game, but football will be played in Mount Pleasant Saturday. And if you are too wrapped up in that game of Texas Hold-em to head to Kelly/Shorts, you may want to check the bottom of the screen.
Listen to Jeremy Speer on the Front Row Seat on 98.5 FM 7 p.m. Thursday.
