CMU football ends season in loss against NIU
With Central Michigan football down 21-9 in the second quarter against Northern Illinois on Saturday, freshman quarterback Jadyn Glasser looked for an open opportunity in the end zone and found senior wide receiver Jesse Prewitt III with under two minutes remaining in the half.
That would be the last time CMU scored, as a two touchdown performance from Prewitt was not enough to close the gap, leaving the final score 24-16.
This marks the end of the season for the Chippewas and the end of head coach Jim McElwain’s coaching career. He retires after six seasons in Mount Pleasant and ends this season 4-8 overall and 2-6 in Mid-American Conference play.
“I love these guys, they never quit,” McElwain said. “I just told them in the locker room that I am proud to be their coach and I’ll always be their coach. Central Michigan University is a great place, and it’s in great hands.”
In the opening quarter, CMU’s first drive was cut short due to a strong NIU defense forcing a punt. Immediately, the Huskies got busy scoring their first touchdown in the opening minutes. A missed two-point conversion attempt put them up 6-0.
The Chippewas continued to miss opportunities on their drives, going scoreless in the first quarter, while NIU found the endzone twice more to put them up 19-0 at the start of the second quarter.
“We dug ourselves a hole again,” McElwain said. “But we hung in there. They played good, you just can’t turn the ball over and you got to make plays.”
CMU was able to bounce back before halftime as Glasser found Prewitt for its first touchdown of the game. However, soon after, the kick attempt from redshirt senior kicker Tristan Mattson was blocked and returned 95 yards by the Huskies.
“We kind of started off slow,” Prewitt said. “We just needed that one spark and as soon as we got it, we needed to capitalize on it and we just have to take advantage of all our opportunities.”
After going back and forth on drives, Mattson broke the silence with a 40-yard field goal, making the score 21-9 with under seven minutes remaining in the half. Five minutes later, Glasser connected with Prewitt for his second touchdown.
“I just wanted to leave it all out there,” Prewitt said. “I wanted to go out there, leave no regrets…just play for me, play for my brothers and play for the team.”
Glasser ended the game with only 92 passing yards and 12 completed passes out of 25 attempts. He ends this season with 41 completed passes and two touchdowns in his four games played.
Junior linebacker Jordan Kwiatkowski led CMU in tackles with nine total, while defensive backs Donte Kent and Caleb Spann, along with defensive lineman Jonah Pace, all followed close behind with six.
“It’s a lot going through my mind,” Kent said. “It’s actually just starting to hit me, so I am a little emotional. I’m kind of sad…it’s real love in that locker room, it’s a brotherhood and it’s over.”
As the program says goodbye to its coach and 21 seniors, there are bittersweet feelings as the season ends.
“They have a lot of things to look forward to,” McElwain said. “They are going to be successful, and they’ll be successful because of the people. There’s a great group of guys in that locker room.
“I’ve never had a job and never had to work a day in my life. After 40 years of doing something that you love to do and the lives that we’ve been able to be involved in…it’s going to be hard to sail away.”
