Three questions surrounding CMU football that will go unanswered due to spring ball cancellation
The rampant spread of coronavirus has taken its toll on the sports world.
As sports come to a crashing halt, teams are left unable to find answers to lingering questions. While basketball season has come and gone and the remainder of the collegiate spring season has been called off, college football is in a unique position.
Except for Coastal Carolina and Connecticut, the entirety of the Division I football landscape has seen its spring ball canceled for the time being due to the global pandemic that is COVID-19.
Because of the widespread cancellations, the built-in advantage of spring practice will no longer be available to coaches and players looking to take advantage of the opportunity to improve.
When it comes to Central Michigan, some questions will go unanswered at least into the start of fall camp.
Here are three main questions surrounding Central Michigan's football team that will need to be answered when practices resume in the fall:
Who emerges as the starting quarterback?
A season ago, senior quarterback David Moore threw for 1,143 yards, five touchdowns and four interceptions before receiving a season-long suspension due to his positive test for a banned substance.
On Saturday, it was announced that his appeal was denied, meaning he'll be forced to sit out until the Chippewas' Oct. 10 road game at Northern Illinois.
Now that his appeal has officially been denied, the torch is passed to either George Pearson, Tyler Shearer, Tyler Pape or Daniel Richardson should the Chippewas elect to avoid the transfer portal. It's not an ideal situation for coach Jim McElwain, given that none of these players have started a game at the game’s top level.
There's always the possibility that McElwain and company look elsewhere for their starter. There's been talk of bringing in Joe Critchlow, a graduate transfer from BYU with two seasons of immediate eligibility.
In his two seasons with the Cougars, Critchlow threw for 715 yards, three touchdowns and four interceptions. His addition would bring valuable experience to the quarterback room.
Richardson has been said to be splitting starter's reps with Moore during the Chippewas‘ spring practices and played in three games during his redshirt year. However, in those three games, he completed just one of four passes for a single yard.
Pearson also has game experience, going 12-for-24 for 94 yards, a touchdown and an interception in the 2018 season finale at Toledo. He missed the entirety of the 2019 season due to a knee injury, one that also kept him out for the duration of the Chippewas' spring practices. Shearer is a transfer from Saint Francis University with three seasons of immediate eligibility while Pape is a true freshman from Parma.
The quarterback situation is one that will be ironed out behind closed doors long before a decision is made public. However, it's one that will be pivotal to the Chippewas' chances of repeating as the Mid-American Conference West Division champions.
Which young players take the next step?
There are surprises in every season. Each year, some players jump up depth charts, outperform their counterparts and break into star roles on the field. Last season, players like cornerback Kyron McKinnie-Harper and linebacker Troy Brown fit that mold.
This year’s candidates start in the secondary, ironically replacing McKinnie-Harper, who has been accused of committing several crimes and, as a result, has been suspended indefinitely. The Chippewas feel confident in each of their options to replace him, as many players saw time on the edge a season ago.
Junior Brian Edwards, a Florida transfer, looks to be a prime candidate to step into a starting corner role. While Edwards isn't a young player, he is unproven and yet to see playing experience. On the other side of the defense, fellow junior Dishon Mcnary will compete with senior Darius Bracy for the starting position. Others such as Montrae Braswell and Brandon Brown have experience at the position as well.
The Chippewas also lose Da'Quaun Jamison to graduation, leaving another significant hole to fill. However, there is a lot of experience at the safety position in the form of Devonni Reed, Alonzo McCoy, Gage Kreski, Willie Reid and Rollian Sturkey. Redshirt freshman Trey Jones is another name to look out for, a name that has been mentioned by both McElwain and Brown.
"(Jones is) one that was in that group of guys that keeps getting better and will do a lot of good things for us as well," McElwain said.
Offensive linemen Danny Motowski and Deiyantei Powell-Woods are also among players who will have to take on expanded roles. Both saw significant playing time a season ago and project as starters when the season rolls around.
How they develop will be key in the development of whichever quarterback the Chippewas choose to start. If they can create time for the quarterback, the offense will be extremely high-powered given the returning talent at the skill positions.
What impact will the trio of high-profile transfers have on this program?
For Edwards, Mcnary and defensive end Deron Irving-Bey, Central Michigan is a second chance to play at a high level. Mcnary is the only of the three to have played a snap last season, making his season debut in the New Mexico Bowl. He comes to CMU by way of Independence Community College and coach Jason Brown.
Irving-Bey took a different road to Mount Pleasant. A graduate of Southwestern Academy in Flint originally committed to Michigan after being named a U.S. Army All-American but was forced to transfer due to academic struggles. Irving-Bey was academically dismissed from Central Michigan following the 2018 fall semester, but returned to the program in the summer and suited up in the New Mexico Bowl, however, he did not play.
Edwards was recruited to Florida by McElwain. After McElwain left, Edwards elected to stay with the Gators, however, he soon ran into trouble off the field. After a domestic violence issue that was eventually resolved, Edwards elected to transfer to play for McElwain. He appealed to forgo NCAA transfer requirements and play immediately but was denied, meaning that he would be forced to sit out the season.
Edwards made headlines off the field, getting arrested following an incident with police officers and a campus chase. His charges were dropped for mental health reasons, and Edwards returned to the team with no disciplinary action.
All three can make a significant impact on the defense. There's talk that Edwards has a nose for the ball and is among the most athletic on the team, while Irving-Bey has a giant build that will make him difficult to block.
The three have significant football pedigrees and can make waves in the MAC, each overcoming significant hurdles to get here. Now, they have their opportunity to show what they can do.
If they perform to their peak abilities, it makes the Chippewa defense lethal.
