'It's noise': CMU football coach, players react to being picked fourth in preseason poll
Two seasons ago, Central Michigan was picked last in the Mid-American Conference West Division.
Six months later, the Chippewas claimed the west and a MAC title game berth.
In 2021, the Chippewas have been tabbed to place fourth in the MAC West with Ball State projected to win the West and Kent State to claim the east.
Coach Jim McElwain said the selection is indicative of last season's 3-3 finish, one he called unacceptable following a loss to Toledo in the season finale.
"I think we're picked fourth, well we should be," McElwain said. "We got our tails beat by Ball State, we got our tails beat by Western and we got our tails beat by Toledo. Well, those three are ahead of us, right? So that was a pretty easy pick because everybody's back, everybody's got their same team."
To prove voters wrong and climb to the top of the conference, McElwain said developing youth is crucial. The Chippewas add the majority of their greyshirted 2020 class and their entire 2021 class prior to the season.
"I think we've got great pieces on our team, I think our parts are fantastic," McElwain said. "We've got some really, really talented guys. Now, we've got to take those parts and make it a whole."
Neither McElwain or players seem too worried about the projection. Both wide receiver Kalil Pimpleton and senior defensive end Troy Hairston said they're only concerned with where the team finishes.
"It doesn't really matter to me," Pimpleton said. "It's about what happens on game day in between them four lines. I don't really care what nobody else got to say."
"It's noise, it's outside noise," Hairston added. "Like, remember the 1-11 season? Nobody thought we were gonna do anything turning around. We didn't finish in the MAC championship but that's where we were. It's outside noise, it's extra."
"We're always underrated," said third-year junior defensive lineman Jacques Bristol. "We've been working, we've been put in last (in 2019). So that's just motivation for us."
The west division in particular has been tough to predict in previous seasons. The Chippewas were picked first by the media in 2020, but finished fourth. Ball State won the division despite being picked third.
The last time the MAC media poll correctly picked the division winner was 2018 when Northern Illinois was correctly tabbed to win the division. The Huskies later knocked off Buffalo 30-29 in the MAC championship game.
The 2021 season will be a unique one as nearly every team brings a majority of their skill players back. First team All-MAC performers such as Kent State quarterback Dustin Crum and Ball State wide receiver Justin Hall return with an extra year of eligibility thanks to a waiver granted by the NCAA as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
CMU will begin its season Sept. 4 at Missouri and will play its first MAC game at Miami (Ohio) Oct. 2.
