Bowl game practices: Significant opportunities for Daniel Richardson, Deron Irving-Bey and other Chippewas
Quarterback Quinten Dormady is going to play in the New Mexico Bowl.
Running back Jonathan Ward will also take the field.
The same can be said for the other Central Michigan senior starters – safety Da'Quaun Jamison, center Steve Eipper, linebacker Michael Oliver, defensive end Sean Adesanya, left tackle Clay Walderzak and kicker Ryan Tice.
But the bowl game practices serve as an opportunity for the Chippewas (8-5) to prepare for more than just their 2 p.m. Dec. 21 matchup against San Diego State.
The practices are a chance to look to the future, as the seniors will soon be gone, and new faces will have to fill the roles left behind in the 2020 season.
A few athletes with opportunities to make impacts in practice include a slew of true freshmen – quarterback Daniel Richardson, offensive lineman Danny Motowski and running back Lew Nichols (won't play, redshirt rule) – along with sophomore linebacker Chuck Jones, former academically ineligible defensive end Deron Irving-Bey and redshirt freshman Willie Reid.
That's where the extra practices, something the Chippewas didn't have a season ago, come in handy.
Even though there's a game to play Saturday, these are five keys to the bowl practices:
Win the game
This game means something more to Central Michigan.
For the seniors, they lost their final conference battle in the Dec. 7 Mid-American Conference championship game, 26-21, to Miami (Ohio) at Ford Field. They're determined to finish the season with a victory.
The only players that have a chance at getting drafted – Adesanya and Ward – aren't high enough on draft boards, so they won't skip the game. The New Mexico Bowl serves as a chance for them to boost their NFL resumes.
Dormady and Eipper, two players that might end up signed or invited to rookie mini-camp as undrafted free agents, would also benefit from going out on top.
For redshirt junior tight end Tony Poljan, if he's thinking of entering the NFL draft or using his graduate transfer option to jump to the Big Ten, a solid outing in the bowl game would only help him in the eyes of scouts or other programs.
However, the notion from those close to the program is that Poljan will likely stay with the Chippewas for his final season in 2020.
Another reason for winning the game, outside of the individualistic approach, is that Central Michigan is going to be near full health and desperately searching for its first bowl game victory since the 2012 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl.
And for first-year coach Jim McElwain, it's a chance to end the season on a high note in case any job offers come to fruition sometime before spring camp.
There's no telling what could happen, but a win wouldn't hurt anyone.
Richardson's big chance
When the 2020 season rolls around, Dormady won't be in the picture. Senior quarterback Tommy Lazzaro isn't going to be an option either. Meanwhile, junior quarterback David Moore will be out until October unless his suspension is overturned by the NCAA.
That leaves one quarterback – Richardson, a true freshman.
Of course, redshirt freshman George Pearson will also compete for the starting job, but he's been out all season with a leg injury that led to surgery.
Richardson has only played two games this season, so putting him on the field wouldn't change his eligibility status as a redshirt freshman next year.
McElwain wouldn't shock many people if he sifted through the NCAA transfer portal for a quarterback, but the bowl game practices are a chance for Richardson to make his mark, solidifying that he's the future in Mount Pleasant.
For the 18-year-old, he's got a shot to prove that a dig through the transfer portal for a new starter isn't necessary.
Time will tell if the young college signal-caller is ready to shine.
Could Irving-Bey jump to starter spot?
Irving-Bey is slated to play his first career game despite being in college for two years, beginning as a member of Michigan's 2017 recruiting class.
Irving-Bey transferred to Central Michigan from the Wolverines in August 2018, sat out due to NCAA transfer rules, was kicked out of the university for academic reasons, returned for 2019 fall practices, sat out this season to improve his grades and is now finally able to get on the field.
His first semester grades are expected to pass through Friday, meaning Irving-Bey – once a coveted four-star prospect from Southwestern Commencement Academy in Flint – will likely play against San Diego State.
Already getting himself back on track in the academic category, the 6-foot-5, 290-pound lineman can try to prove he's the defensive end that will step up to replace Adesanya, who is out of eligibility moving forward.
Outside of junior Troy Hairston and sophomore Amir Siddiq, Central Michigan isn't deep at the backup spots for defensive end behind the two starters, redshirt freshman LaQuan Johnson and Adesanya.
Irving-Bey could put himself in a starters role entering spring practices, but it comes down to how he performs in bowl game practices.
"You let the best guys play," McElwain said. "If he's one of those guys, based on those practices, he'll get an opportunity to get in there, bang around a little bit and maybe knock some rust off."
If Irving-Bey is the real deal, McElwain could slot Johnson to the defensive tackle spot for the New Mexico Bowl, which is where he started the season, to work with a starting front four of Adesanya (end), junior Robi Suart (tackle), Johnson (tackle) and Irving-Bey (end).
However, that would bump true freshman Jacques Bristol from starting defensive tackle, a spot he's dominated at this season besides a multitude of offsides penalties.
Regardless of how it shakes out, Irving-Bey's time is now.
Central Michigan quarterback Tommy Lazzaro tosses the ball to a referee after scoring a touchdown against Northern Illinois Nov. 2 at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.
Prepare for San Diego State's defense
It's not going to be easy.
This is no longer the Mid-American Conference where offensive schemes run the table. This is the Mountain West Conference, and the Aztecs are fueled on defense.
When the offensive gas tank is empty, the defense fills it up with takeaways and immediate three-down stops.
That's how the system is operated under ninth-year coach Rocky Long.
But the Chippewas, led by McElwain, base their style on an up-tempo, high-risk offense that can put physical defenses in a bind with explosive plays.
And don't count out Lazzaro, the backup quarterback that nobody's been able to stop.
Don't give too much away
There's no reason to practice rolling the dice with plays the team wants to hide for the future.
If McElwain wants to send Lazzaro in for a series to throw the ball, that wouldn't be much of an issue since he's done after the bowl game.
However, if he decides to showcase a trick play that involves Poljan (former starting quarterback) throwing the ball, then that might be something that bites McElwain in the rear once the 2020 season comes around.
Just wait until next year for any trickery.
