How Central Michigan created its 'footprint' to build 2020 recruiting class

He said that back in February.

Director of player personnel Albert Karschnia was determined to hit the number, even though the Chippewas were coming off a 1-11 record with a new coach that was seeking an immediate culture change.

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Just as the football team was predicted to finish last in the Mid-American Conference, there weren't high expectations for the 2020 recruiting class.

The coaching staff hosted visits in trailers, as the Chippewa Champions Center is still going through the construction stage.

"These kids are showing up here, and for them to have the faith in us, it means so much," Karschnia said. "It shows that we're bringing in the right type of kids. It's not about the flash, it's about the people, this university and each other."

Once again, just like the football team, Central Michigan's recruiting efforts silenced the doubters by signing 20 high school athletes during the NCAA early signing period from Dec. 18-20.

"The thing I'm most happy about is these 20 kids that are signing today are really excited about being teammates," Karschnia said. "At the end of the day, this is their team."

Building the 2020 class

It started with locking down the footprint, something McElwain stressed from the moment he arrived.

What that meant was getting players in the Midwest – not just in the state – that are roughly four or five driving hours away from Michigan.

Offensive coordinator Charlie Frye, defensive coordinator Robb Akey, wide receivers coach Kevin Barbay, defensive line coach Justin Hinds and linebackers coach Mark DeBastiani have all worked with McElwain in the past, and those assistant coaches made Karschnia's job less stressful.

"At that point, you've got half a coaching staff that knows the expectations the head coach has, so it makes it easier for everybody else there to follow suit and catch on to what's going on," Karschnia said. "That was really cool."

The Chippewas got wide receiver Zahir Swann and linebacker Kyle Moretti from New Jersey and Colorado, respectfully, in June as the first two commits in the class. Just after those two, linebacker Lawai'a Brown from Hawaii joined the fold.

That didn't exactly fit the footprint idea, but the next nine commits made up for it.

Central Michigan strung together commitments from quarterback Tyler Pape (Michigan), offensive lineman Braden Doyle (Wisconsin), offensive lineman Keegan Smith (Michigan), tight end Davis Heinzen (Wisconsin), wide receiver Alec Ward (Michigan), tight end Mitchel Collier (Indiana), offensive lineman Ronald Novosedliak (Pennsylvania), running back Marion Lukes (Indiana) and defensive lineman Jonathan Decker (Indiana).

Those nine commitments spanned from June 21 to Oct. 13.

"We did a really good job of identifying the guys within our footprint that we wanted to target," Karschnia said. "Guys like Kyle and Keegan did an incredible job of hitting kids up and giving us feedback on guys that they wanted to play with, so it was cool to see the ownership they took in it."

Securing Moretti, a three-star prospect from Pomona High School in Arvada, Colorado, wasn't difficult for the coaching staff even though he was outside the footprint.

McElwain, as the head coach at Colorado State, and Barbay, who was the director of player personnel at the time, knew of Moretti's older brother, Jake Moretti, in 2014 when his recruitment began.

Being from Colorado, the Rams pursued him early and got to know his family before McElwain left for Florida in 2015.

Jake ended up going to Colorado as a four-star offensive tackle prospect in the 2017 class, but the connection to McElwain from the start helped paved the way for the younger Moretti to Mount Pleasant.

From 2015-16, Karschnia worked on the football staff at Michigan, serving in different roles as an assistant recruiting coordinator. He also ran into Moretti's brother.

"It was funny cause I had actually toured his older brother in the data round when I was at Michigan," Karschnia said. "He came into the picture as everyone reconnected."

As for Brown, he's had a lasting connection with tight ends coach Tavita Thompson – both were born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Even though Brown didn't fit the Midwest footprint, the relationship he obtained with Thompson, who has been the tight ends coach since 2018, was enough to bring him in as the third commit.

"When we needed to go outside of the footprint, we were very selective and careful in how we did it," Karschnia said. "Everybody that came from outside the footprint were kids that we've been building relationships with since the staff got here."

Outside the footprint

From Oct. 13 to Dec. 2, nobody committed to Central Michigan, which had 12 pledges at the time.

The Chippewas got seven commitments from Dec. 2 to Dec. 18, which was the first day of the early signing period. Of those players, just one was from the regional footprint.

However, the coaching staff had been in contact with all of them since the beginning.

"We're not just internet shopping," Karschnia said. "We're doing our homework, and our staff does such an unbelievable job of fostering these relationships with the kids, coaches and areas that they are in."

Linebacker Jayden Cray, defensive back Ke'Andre Collins, offensive lineman Jason Williams and cornerback Daemon Hill all came from the state of Florida. 

As a three-star from Palmetto High School, Hill committed and signed on Dec. 18, turning down offers from Illinois, Iowa State, Kansas State, Cincinnati, Louisville and Miami (Florida).

"It's the place for me to be," Hill said. "I know I can come in and play early. Spending time with the coaches and players, I felt like back at home."

Hill and Cray were identified early in the recruiting process. Williams was recruited hard by the coaching staff since the spring. Even though Collins wasn't offered until the fall, Central Michigan had been in contact beforehand.

DeBastiani was a catalyst in finding and actively recruiting all four of those players from Florida. After all, he's been recruiting in the Sunshine State for his entire coaching career. Rowe grew up in Florida, and his father used to be a coach in the state, so he also has ties to most of those high schools.

"What that does is it allows you to make sure you're bringing the right kids and right fit," Karschnia said. "They have those relationships with the coaches down there, they're going to shoot them straight on kids."

Karschnia gave McElwain, DeBastiani, Rowe and all the other assistants his full trust.

"They know what it's going to take to be successful at this place," he said, "and they wouldn't actively recruit somebody that wouldn't be successful here."

Outside of the four recruits from Florida, the three others in the 16-day window came from Pennsylvania, British Columbia and New Jersey.

Defensive end Cade Cote committed from Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada, while three-star running back Myles Bailey came from North Brunswick, New Jersey. 

Both players pledged Dec. 17 to join the Chippewas.

"Myles Bailey has been at the top of our running back board since the spring," Karschnia said.

From Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, wide receiver Donte Kent broke the streak of getting players outside of the footprint. He committed Dec. 16 and signed two days later.

Of the 20 players Central Michigan signed in the early period, 10 came from the Midwest footprint.

But the out of the footprint prospects didn't turn to the Chippewas at the last moment due to a lack of other options.

Karschnia said those high schoolers wanted to attend Central Michigan.

"They chose Central Michigan because they believe in what we are doing here, and they want to be Chippewas," he said.

What's next?

There's still another opportunity for prospects to sign on the Feb. 5 National Signing Day.

Does that mean the Chippewas will add to the 20 members of the 2020 class?

"It depends on how things shake out," Karschnia said. "We get to celebrate these guys, play the bowl game and get a couple weeks to see the dust settle. Then we can formulate our plan for January and moving forward if there are other spots we can go fill."

Follow along with live Central Michigan recruiting updates during the NCAA early signing period.