Three takeaways from Central Michigan's victory over New Mexico State
Central Michigan running back Jonathan Ward celebrates with President Bob Davies after scoring a touchdown against New Mexico State Oct. 12 at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.
Facing a fourth-and-1 from the New Mexico State 48-yard line, Jim McElwain had a decision to make. His choices were to punt the ball and try to pin the Aggie offense back or risk it with the offense.
The first-year coach left his offense on the field.
Senior running back Jonathan Ward plunged forward for the necessary 1-yard carry to keep the drive alive. Two plays later, quarterback Quinten Dormady hit slot receiver Kalil Pimpleton for a 44-yard touchdown.
The decision to risk it paid off.
In a game where Central Michigan looked dominant more often than not and lackluster on specific occasions, here are three takeaways from its win over New Mexico State.
Confidence in the team
McElwain went for it on fourth down three times during the first half, converting on two opportunities.
In addition to Ward moving the chains, sophomore running back Kobe Lewis converted a fourth-and-1 with a 4-yard carry. Lewis was a direct beneficiary of the decision, as he scored a 20-yard touchdown later in the drive.
The one failed fourth down resulted in an Aggie touchdown.
"We had the wind, and I wanted to keep the wind," McElwain said of his decision to go for it. "I thought we had a good call but just came up short."
The failed fourth down came on a scramble by Dormady in which he dove forward just short of the first down marker.
Though the decision to go for it showed obvious trust in the offense, McElwain stressed that the main factor in his thought process was the trust in his defense and the ability to get stops.
"It's not just trust in your offense," McElwain said. "Those guys (on defense) have done a great job."
For a team coming off the worst season in school history, having the trust of your new coach to go for it on fourth down more than once in a half is a clear step in the right direction.
Plethora of playmakers
Last season, the Chippewas scored 20 total points in four combined games against Kentucky, Michigan State, Buffalo and Ball State.
In the first half on Saturday, the offense matched that number, scoring over 20 for the fourth time in their seven games.
Central Michigan had it before halftime against the Aggies.
Ward, Lewis, and Pimpleton were at the center of it all, as they each contributed big plays.
For Pimpleton, it was a touchdown as well as drawing a defender's attention after motioning across the formation, which left tight end Tony Poljan wide open for the closing score.
In addition to that, Pimpleton had multiple explosive punt returns. On one of them, he was a broken tackle away from a touchdown. After producing 146 total yards, he has continued to solidify himself as a scoring threat every time he touches the ball.
For Ward and Lewis, it was a total of 292 yards on the ground. Lewis had two touchdowns, while Ward had one 75-yard run. Lewis stressed the importance of having two consistent running backs.
"The goal for both of us is to win," the sophomore back said. "It's a benefit to the team to take out one running back and bring in another who can do the exact same thing."
Many wondered about the ability of Dormady in his first game back, but he was able to distribute the ball to his playmakers when called upon. The result was exceptional, as the team totaled 486 total yards of offense.
Defense makes strides, still has room for improvement
The inconsistency on defense has become a bit of a concern with defensive backs struggling to keep up with faster receivers and having a linebacker group that is still young – outside of senior Michael Oliver.
Though Saturday was far from perfect, it was another step in the right direction.
True freshman cornerback Kyron McKinnie-Harper forced a fumble (almost two) and redshirt freshman linebacker Troy Brown had an interception.
Redshirt freshman defensive end LaQuan Johnson and sophomore tackle Robi Stuart wreaked havoc on the defensive line – unstoppable at times.
Senior safety Da'Quaun Jamison busted up a screen pass, and junior backup safety Gage Kreski had two huge hits.
However, there were still some negatives.
There were breakdowns in the secondary that led to touchdowns. There were miscommunications, and the tackling was spotty at best.
"I felt like guys at times were just shoulder tackling and not wrapping up," McElwain said. "We've got to get better at tackling this week."
With all that said, a win is a win.
As big road game at Bowling Green looms, the Chippewas are in a good position to make a run in the conference race. The Mid-American Conference West Division is wide open for the taking.
Saturday was not perfect. There were some highs, lows and many things to build off.
Just like last weekend's victory against Eastern Michigan, the victory against New Mexico State was a big step for the young team.
