Fourth down mishaps: Jim McElwain discusses his play-calling in loss to Western Michigan
Central Michigan kicker Ryan Tice sits on the bench after warming up on the sideline against Western Michigan Sept. 28 at Waldo Stadium in Kalamazoo.
KALAMAZOO – Kobe Lewis took a direct snap and was stuffed on the 9-yard line, and Central Michigan walked away without any points when it was down 7-0 early in the first quarter at Western Michigan.
The Chippewas (2-3, 1-1 Mid-American Conference) dropped the 91st meeting between themselves and the Broncos, 31-15, at Waldo Stadium.
CMU tried to convert on fourth down four times throughout the loss and converted once.
Jonathan Ward, who made his return into the lineup after missing two games after suffering a shoulder injury at Wisconsin in week 2, converted the lone opportunity late in the first half.
He spun out of a tackle, had his back toward the end zone and fell backward to pick up additional yardage. Later in the drive, CMU went for it again – instead of kicking the field goal – and was stopped short.
The fourth attempt on fourth down came on the last play of the game when CMU was driving down the field and looked to score in the waning seconds of the game, but quarterback David Moore's pass was incomplete as time expired.
First-year coach Jim McElwain faced his first test in the battle for the Victory Cannon rivalry and elected to use his kicker, Ryan Tice, once. With 7:14 to play, he converted the kick and brought the score to 24-9.
"I've got belief in our team," McElwain said. "We go and know we're going to go for it against a team on the road when we know we needed to get touchdowns, especially the way they moved it on us."
Tice, a senior transfer from Michigan last season, is now 6-of-7 on field goals this year and has a long of 55 yards.
McElwain said he should have gone to Tice when he went with the offense.
"Hindsight is pretty good, take the points," McElwain said. "Ultimately, we knew what we were going to do, and we didn't execute. We probably left nine points out there.
"That being said, if you can't get a yard, you don't deserve to win the game."
Central Michigan had a tough showing against the arch-rival Broncos and lost the Victory Cannon for the second straight year, and the seventh time since the trophy was established in 2008.
McElwain said that he realizes CMU disappointed a lot of fans in the loss.
"I let a lot of people down, a lot of Chippewas down, in this rivalry game and I'm very disappointed," McElwain said. "I take full responsibility."
The Chippewas return to action next Saturday at 3 p.m. on Oct. 5 against the other in-state rival, Eastern Michigan, in Kelly/Shorts Stadium.
