Four takeaways from CMU's 31-23 win over EMU
Devonni Reed (5) celebrates after an interception against Eastern Michigan on Nov. 27 at Rynearson Stadium in Ypsilanti, Michigan. The Chippewas won 31-23.
YPSILANTI — Jim McElwain wasn't satisfied with CMU's 31-23 comeback victory over Eastern Michigan.
After sputtering early on and falling behind by two scores heading into the fourth quarter, the Chippewas put together a patch-work comeback led by a backup quarterback and three turnovers in four minutes.
"I'm very disappointed in the way we played," McElwain said. "Very disappointed that this game was even this close."
But, at the end of the day, a win is a win.
"At the end of the day, you play the game to figure out a way to win, and we figured out a way to win," McElwain said.
Here are four takeaways from CMU's 31-23 win over EMU at Rynearson Stadium:
Lew Nichols: A star in the making
After showing out in spurts over the first half of the Chippewas' season, Nichols received a majority of the touches out of the backfield against the Eagles. Outside of a goal-line fumble, the redshirt freshman was phenomenal.
Tallying 195 yards on 29 carries, the Detroit native gashed the Eagle defense. Showing his speed and strength, it took multiple EMU defenders to bring him down more often than not. Nichols has always been billed by his coaches as a downhill runner, a skill that was on full display Friday evening.
"On the fumble, I was trying to do too much," Nichols said. "I should've just fell forward. I tried to stick (the ball) out at the last second and as soon as I stuck it out (the defender) hit it."
Nichols had each of the Chippewas' touchdowns, including a 9-yard sprint on a fourth-and-4 to give the team a necessary spark. He converted a pair of fourth downs, and punched in two red zone opportunities.
Junior running back Kobe Lewis did his fair share, scoring a touchdown and gaining 106 yards on 18 carries. However, the redshirt freshman stole the show playing in a similar role that Lewis played a season ago.
Ty Brock shows poise in leading comeback off the bench
On a second-and-6, redshirt freshman starting quarterback Daniel Richardson spun away from one defender and into the waiting arms of another. The result was him being swept off his feet and, eventually, suffering what appeared to be a left leg injury. The Miami, Florida native was carted off the field and his status for the future is up in the air.
So Ty Brock, the redshirt junior graduate transfer backup, strapped on his helmet and led the Chippewa comeback.
He didn't have to do a ton, not completing a pass that totaled over 10 yards, and yet he provided a calming presence that led his team to victory. He didn't turn the ball over, got the ball into the hands of playmakers like Nichols, and as a result, walked off the field victorious when the clock hit zeroes.
"I didn't see any panic, I didn't see any of that in him," McElwain said of Brock. "I thought he had great command, I thought he took what they gave him for the most part and that was really good."
His final stat line was unspectacular, 6-for-9 for 62 yards, however the way he handled himself could be considered so. Brock showed plenty of poise, which was important. If he's the guy going forward, the Chippewas will need similar performances.
"I think Ty did an outstanding job," Nichols said. "I told him as soon as he got in that I had faith in him, that this is his show now. He's just gotta manage the game and get the ball to the athletes, just play ball like he does in practice."
Secondary struggles to contain Hutchinson, but makes plays at key points
Though the Chippewas came out victorious, it was not without a plethora of mistakes. A majority of the defensive lapses came, once again, in the secondary.
As with the performance last week against Western Michigan, the Chippewas dealt with troubles defending the run-pass option. EMU quarterback Preston Hutchinson carved up the CMU defense to the tune of 367 yards, 100 of which went to slot receiver Hassan Beydoun.
Hutchinson also made big plays with his legs. With the Chippewas spending a lot of time in man coverage, there were run lanes available for the quarterback to create opportunities. He ran for a pair of touchdowns, including a 20-yard scramble in which the defense suffered a breakdown.
It's the second consecutive week in which the Chippewas allowed over 300 yards passing. Although the defense didn't allow a touchdown pass, there were plenty of what McElwain calls "explosives" that the unit had to recover from.
Yet, there were also good things to be had from the secondary. Three players, junior Devonni Reed, sophomore Willie Reid and freshman Donte Kent, each had their first career interceptions. The unit, unlike last week's performance, made plays when it needed to.
Marshall Meeder emerges as reliable weapon
As a true freshman, anyone not within the CMU football program or related to Marshall Meeder may have known what to expect. The Eaton Rapids native has put his stamp on the program early, and continued to do so against the Eagles in a performance that may end with his second Mid-American Conference West Division Special Teams Player of the Week award of the season.
On the Chippewas' first possession, Meeder knocked through a 51-yard field goal to put the Chippewas on the board. Later in the first, after the Chippewas committed a holding penalty to negate a touchdown, there was Meeder putting one through from 29 yards out to ensure his team didn't go scoreless on the trip.
Late in the game, when the Chippewas recovered a fumble in the Eastern Michigan red zone in the fourth quarter, Meeder punched in the go-ahead field goal. He remains perfect, 5-for-5, on field goals for the year, and has missed just one extra point.
His 51-yard field goal is the longest by a Chippewa since Ryan Tice made a 55-yard attempt on Sept. 21, 2019. With an entire career ahead of him, Meeder is shaping up to be a valuable piece of the Chippewa future. His consistency was pivotal to CMU completing its comeback.
