'We know what we lost': How the CMU wide receiver room has retooled
Central Michigan wide receivers Dallas Dixon (left) and JaCorey Sullivan celebrate a Chippewas touchdown agent Western Michigan, Wednesday, Nov. 3 at Waldo Stadium.
When Kalil Pimpleton and JaCorey Sullivan exited the Central Michigan football program, its wide receiver room took a massive hit.
With the 2022 season looming on the horizon, wide receivers coach Alvin Slaughter isn’t letting the losses change the mentality of his room.
“The standard is the standard,” Slaughter said. "We want to be great. We want to be one of the best wide receiver corps in this conference. And we know that we only get to that point by what we do on and off the field. So we come with a hard work mentality.”
One of the players who has embraced that mindset is senior Dallas Dixon, CMU’s main target heading into 2022.
While starting the season as the top wide receiver would be daunting to some, Dixon’s relationship with quarterback Daniel Richardson has helped the transition.
“Since I've gotten here, (we’ve) been grinding, working our way up together you know, the whole way through,” Dixon said. “That's my brother. Chemistry is tight. We're ready to go.”
In 2021, the Chippewa offense ended up second in the Mid-American Conference offense for passing yards (270.1) and points per game (33). While matching that production will be a challenge, Slaughter is confident in his wide receivers.
"I have some early confidence,” Slaughter said. “I feel like as a coach it's always going to be challenging, but these guys are stepping their game up. We know what we lost. This is a new season and a new team. And they got some pride and some pride about themselves.
“The guys that are standing out have been Dixon and Carlos (Carriere), those guys are ready,” Slaughter said. “Those guys are at the forefront of what we're doing as in making plays consistently and then just chipping away you know, iron sharpens iron, they are competitive with each other; if you make a play I gotta make a play.”
Entering camp with 20 rostered wide receivers, Slaughter said touches are limited for players and consistency will dictate who sees the field.
“Right now, there are some guys now,” Slaughter said. “There are some guys that are making some plays, I gotta be honest. And some of them you know, it's just not a consistent thing right now.”
Big Ten Transfer
In addition to Dixon, Maryland transfer, senior Carlos Carriere is expected to have a large impact on the CMU offense.
The 6’5” Alpharetta, Georgia product finished his Terrapin career with 480 receiving yards and six touchdowns on 38 receptions. Coming in, Carriere believes he can help the offense thrive.
“We were very strong last year throwing and running the ball, so just continue to add to that aerial attack,” Carlos said. “I feel like I'm a complete receiver, short, medium and down the field. So I’m just excited to show what I can do when I get it in my hands.”
While playing with his brother for the first time helped draw Carlos to Mount Pleasant, CMU’s recent success influenced his decision.
“I believe team success brings along individual success, so that's why I was focused on the work ethic and culture that was already here at CMU,” Carlos said.
In addition to performing on the field, Slaughter said Carriere has been an asset to players in the wide receiver room, especially his brother, Matteo.
“The main focus with Carlos is, he's trying to show his brother how to be a pro,” Slaughter said. “Just a how to attack the day, every day, how to work. He's an incoming freshman, so you know, he doesn't know he doesn't know. When you're older you get it because you've been through that process. So it's good to have him in the room, not just for his brother but for the entire room.”
While having Carlos on the roster has been helpful for the coaching staff, Dixon feels it has been beneficial for him personally.
“Since day one, We've been real tight, you know, helping each other with the playbook,” Dixon said of his relationship with Carlos Carriere. “Making sure we're on everything. It helps a lot. Having a guy like him with a lot of knowledge to teach me.”
Positional Depth
While Dixon and Carlos will be expected to carry the brunt of the load, Slaughter said multiple players have stood out during fall camp that could contribute as they chase a MAC title.
“Chris Parker, he's made some great catches and had some great finishes after the catch,” Slaughter said.
Hailing from Saginaw, Parker saw time in three games as a freshman in 2021 and ultimately received a redshirt.
“Jalen (McGaughy), he's made some plays in spurts that have caught the staff's eye,” Slaughter said.
A transfer from Ball State, McGaughy’s biggest game of his college career came against CMU in 2020. The Detroit native finished the day with three receptions for 100 yards and two touchdowns.
Before suffering a season-ending knee injury, Tyson Davis had positioned himself to make an impact on the Chippewa offense. Now he is back on the field.
“(Davis) has been steady for us,” Slaughter said. “He's been working hard. He's been making some plays here and there, been getting open a lot. And at the same time, he's been doing the things he needs to do to stay healthy. Because that's the key piece when you coming off an injury.”
