1998 CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL OUTLOOK/

1998 FOOTBALL OUTLOOK

MOUNT PLEASANT -- There'll be a new look around Central Michigan University football in 1998: there's a revamped coaching staff with four new faces; there are personnel changes on both sides of the football; there will be new schemes on offense and defense; and it will all be put on display in the expanded and improved Kelly/Shorts Stadium.

"I guess you could say that the operative word this year might be 'change,'" said fifth-year head coach Dick Flynn. "When you look at what transpired over the past couple of years, especially last season, we had to examine everything from top to bottom.

"We made the changes we felt were necessary for us to be successful. I like the way we're headed right now. I think we've made good progress."

The Chippewas are coming off the worst season in school history with a 2-9 record, 1-7 in Mid-American Conference (MAC) action. That comes on the heels of a 4-7 mark in 1995 and a 5-6 slate in '96.

What won't be new in 1998, though, will be the players inside the Maroon and Gold uniforms. The Chippewas return 45 lettermen from last fall, 16 of them starters.

There will be 19 seniors on this year's football team, the most since the 1994 team featured 26 last-year performers. That team rolled to the MAC championship and a berth in the Las Vegas Bowl.

"We do have an excellent senior class, one that has put in a lot of time and played a lot of football for us," said Flynn. "They will be the key members of our team. I really believe that they have the leadership qualities necessary for us to be successful."

Because of the changes and the abundance of veterans, Flynn is optimistic about the upcoming season.

"I feel strongly that we'll be a competitive football team," he said. "We have people on offense to move the football, and I really feel we'll be improved on defense."

As has been the case for the past couple of seasons, defense is the major concern for the Chippewas this season. CMU allowed 43.6 points and 480.9 yards per game.

The Chippewas will have three new coaches on defense including a new coordinator in Brian VanGorder. The other two "new" faces have ties to Central -- secondary mentor Willie Martinez held the same position in 1994 and outside linebacker coach Jim Boccher was a graduate assistant in '94.

"Defense will be an obvious area of concentration for us," said Flynn. "We do return a lot of starters who gained valuable experience last season. Now, they've got to get better, and we'll look to make some position changes.

"We must improve our pass defense, first and foremost. Not only must we defend the pass better, but we have to put more pressure on the quarterback and do a better job of tackling. We're going to take a much more aggressive approach than we have in the past."

CMU returns nine starters on defense although three-year starter at cornerback senior Shawn Williams has moved to rover-back and junior strong safety Ralph Sewell to outside linebacker.

"All of our personnel changes have been predicated on speed," said Flynn. "We're willing to give up some size for quickness. The lack of speed has been a big concern for us for some time now."

The Chippewas are strong up the middle in defense, particularly on the line where a trio of seniors in 6-5, 270-pound C.J. Remmo, 6-0, 285-pound Calvin Massenberg, and 6-3, 270-pound Jon McCall and junior Joe Adam (6-3, 260) hold court.

Juniors Walter Jenkins (6-3, 230) and Darnell Wilson (6-3, 225) are ticketed for starting jobs at defensive ends with junior incumbent Gabe McMasters (6-4, 245) and junior Jerry Zaremba (6-4, 235) playing a lot.

McCall led the Chippewas with 18 tackles for losses of 87 yards, eight of them quarterback sacks for 54 yards in losses. Massenberg had 11 tackles for minus 27 yards and Remmo nine for 22 yards.

"We have proven football players on our defensive line," said Flynn. "We should be tough to run against."

Seniors Jason and Jeremy Gold return at two of the linebacker spots. Jason Gold was second on the team in tackles last fall with 93 while Jeremy Gold was slowed by injuries all season and made only 17 stops.

The secondary was the most vulnerable part of the Chippewa defense a year ago and is a major concern again. CMU allowed 290 yards a game through the air in '97.

Only sophomore Brian Leigeb will return to his starting position at free safety. The 6-2, 185-pounder led the team in tackles as a first-year freshman last season with 93.

A pair of redshirt freshmen -- Tedaro France and Wayne Dudley -- emerged as the starters at cornerback in the spring with Williams moving into the roverback slot.

Special teams also is a concern for Central with the loss of both kickers. Junior Jake Kemp, a transfer from Hillsdale College and the brother of former CMU punter, Alex Kemp, is the leading candidate for punting duties. Placekicking chores in the spring were handled by a pair of walk-ons in Marc Cooper and Bernie Rosendahl. Incoming freshman Paul Savich will join the competition in the fall.

While the offense returns many key components of a squad that gained 399.8 yards per game and welcomes back outstanding senior tailback Silas Massey (missed 1997 with a knee injury), there are also some big question marks on this side of the ball.

First, who will play quarterback with the loss of Tim Crowley to graduation? Sophomore Pete Shepherd has the edge based on experience, completing 50-of-93 passes for 548 yards and three touchdowns last fall. However, sophomore Matt Loughead had an outstanding spring. A decision on a starter won't be made until the fall.

"We're not into a two-quarterback system but given the reality of modern football, it's imperative to get two people ready to play, and that's what we did this spring," Flynn said. "We'll make a decision early in the fall.

"One of the encouraging things from spring practice was the development of both young QBs. They're similar in that they have excellent arms, are mobile and allow us to run the whole gamut of our offense."

Tight end also is a question mark with the loss of senior Adam Simonson. The 1996 first team all-MAC pick was diagnosed with leukemia this past January. He's hopeful of returning in the future but will miss this season. Meanwhile, senior George Ghattas, junior Mark Swetz and sophomores Nathan Lindquist and Eric Salani (a converted linebacker) will be at tight end.

The Chippewas are deep at the skilled positions on offense. Massey gained 1,089 yards in 1995 and 1,544 in '96, earned MAC "Freshman of the Year" laurels the first year and first team all-MAC honors the second.

He'll be joined in the backfield by a quartet of veterans who combined for 1,507 yards last season -- juniors Eric Flowers (909 yards) and Eric Nance (153), sophomore Dan Myrick (292) and senior Chad Alexander (153).

"We anticipate that Silas will be ready to go in the fall," said Flynn. "His rehabilitation is progressing well. We're in good shape at tailback with Flowers and Myrick getting a lot of experience there a year ago."

The receiving corps, featuring two of the premier pass-catchers in Chippewa history in seniors Reggie Allen and Bryan Schorman, may be the strength of the entire football team. Allen is CMU's career leader in receiving yards with 2,410 while Schorman is tops in receptions with 147.

Schorman (56 catches for 871 yards in '97) and Allen (50 for 877) are joined by senior Joe Danna (19 for 233) and junior Damon Pitt (21 for 233).

The offensive line returns two senior starters in 6-5, 295-pound Doug Bontekoe at tackle and 6-4, 290-pound Mike Cipa at center. Both, however, missed spring drills because of various injuries.

"That made spring practice a little tougher to evaluate because we were without the three starters on the offensive line," said Flynn. "On the positive side of things, we did have a chance to give all of our talented young linemen plenty of work."

Junior Eric Page (6-7, 300) will start at one tackle while junior Jason Wennerstrom (6-3, 290) and sophomore John Herrold (6-4, 290) will battle for the starting guard slot. Herrold became CMU's first true freshman to play on the offensive line in more than 16 years.

Chippewa Strengths

Flynn lists three areas as strengths for the 1998 CMU football team:

1. skilled players on offense

2. offensive line

3. defensive line

With two of the top receivers in Chippewa history and a quintet of excellent running backs, CMU has the skilled people necessary to move the football. The return of Silas Massey from a knee injury gives Central a back with 2,633 yards rushing in two seasons. Add, Bryan Schorman (147 career catches for 2,286 yards) and Reggie Allen (131 career grabs for 2,410 yards), and you can see why this area should be a strength.

Two starters are back in seniors Doug Bontekoe (6-5, 295) at tackle and Mike Cipa (6-4, 290) at center. Junior tackle Eric Page (6-7, 300), junior guard Jason Wennerstrom (6-3, 290) and sophomore John Herrold (6-4, 290) will fill the other two spots up front.

Seven veterans return on the defensive line in seniors C.J. Remmo (6-5, 270), Calvin Massenberg (6-0, 285), Jon McCall (6-3, 270) and juniors Joe Adam (6-3, 260), Walter Jenkins (6-3, 230), Gabe McMasters (6-4, 245) and Darnell Wilson (6-3, 225).

Chippewa Concerns

Flynn lists four areas of concern for the '98 season:

1. tight end

2. secondary

3. quarterback

4. kicking

With veteran tight end Adam Simonson sidelined while being treated for leukemia, this key spot on offense will be entrusted to the trio of senior George Ghattas, junior Mark Swetz and converted outside linebacker Eric Salani. Swetz caught 11 passes last season, but the concern at this position is for blocking.

The Achilles' heel from last year's football team, CMU allowed a school-record 40 TD passes and 290 yards per game through the air. The Chippewas will have more speed this year but lack of experience may hurt. Redshirt freshmen Tedaro France and Wayne Dudley left spring ball as the cornerbacks with converted cornerback Shawn Williams at roverback and sophomore Brian Leigeb at free safety.

The lack of a proven quarterback is a concern although Flynn feels confident that Shepherd or Loughead can get the job done. Shepherd has game experience (he completed 50-of-93 passes for 548 yards and three touchdowns last season). Loughead is five inches taller at 6-6 and both have good arms.

Central lost its kickers from last year's team. Jake Kemp, a transfer from Hillsdale College, has the inside track on the punting chores. Place kicking is another matter. Incoming freshman Paul Savich will battle Marc Cooper and Bernie Rosendahl for the starting job in the fall. Cooper and Rosendahl both possess strong legs, but Cooper has the advantage in experience.

Chippewas by Position

OFFENSE

Quarterback - The Chippewas have a two-way battle looming here between a pair of sophomores in Pete Shepherd and Matt Loughead. A decision will be made early in the fall, but CMU will continue to develop both. Shepherd has the edge in experience, playing in six games last season and completing 50-of-93 passes for 548 yards and three scores. Loughead is five inches taller at 6-6.

Tailback - This may be the deepest position on the team with five experienced players. Senior Silas Massey, who missed the '97 campaign with knee surgery, should be ready to play. He was an all-MAC performer in 1996 and has two seasons with more than 1,000 yards in rushing. Junior Eric Flowers had a solid season a year ago as Massey's main replacement, rushing for 909 yards while senior Chad Alexander (153), junior Eric Nance (153) and sophomore Dan Myrick (292) have experience.

Fullback - Injuries kept junior Jason Meyer sidelined for five games last season, but he's ticketed as a starter this season. Sophomore backup Joe Fuller showed a nose for the end zone as a true freshman, scoring five times in 22 carries.

Split End - Record-setting Bryan Schorman is a fixture here after catching 56 passes for 871 yards and two touchdowns last fall. He holds CMU's career mark for receptions with 146. Junior Damon Pitt (21 grabs for 233 yards) and senior Joe Danna (19 for 233) provide proven depth.

Swingback - An all-MAC pick in 1996, senior Reggie Allen caught 50 passes for 877 yards last season. He's CMU's career leader in yards receiving with 2,410 yards. Junior Rory Nevins, who sat out the '97 season with an elbow injury, is back along with sophomore David Hannah.

Tight End - Junior Mark Swetz is one of the most improved Chippewas and claimed this starting role in the spring. He caught 11 passes for 144 yards and has become a solid blocker. Senior George Ghattas (moved from defensive tackle a year ago) and sophomore Eric Salani (moved from outside linebacker this spring) also will play.

Tackles - Senior Doug Bontekoe (6-5, 295) returns at left tackle while junior Eric Page (6-7, 300) will move into the right side. A trio of talented redshirt freshmen will provide the depth in Matt Brayton (6-7, 295), Eric Dumont (6-6, 295) and Adam Dzagulones (6-6, 290).

Guards - The Chippewas suffered a blow here when it was determined two-year starter Gene Miller could not play because of a lingering shoulder injury. Junior Jason Wennerstrom (6-3, 290), sophomore John Herrold (6-4, 290) and redshirt frosh Nick Ferguson (6-5, 285) will work at this position along with senior Mike Cipa (6-4, 290).

Center - Cipa was a starter last season at center and guard. He'll be backed by sophomore Kevin Barry (6-3, 285) who saw considerable action last year and redshirt freshman Anders Hill (6-5, 285).

DEFENSE

Outside Linebacker - Sophomore Ralph Sewell (51 tackles), a converted strong safety, and redshirt freshman Matt Cooper will battle for playing time.

Ends - A pair of juniors are listed as the starters at defensive end. Walter Jenkins will man the left side and Darnell Wilson the right. Jenkins had five tackles for losses of 18 yards last season while Wilson was out much of the year with leg injuries. Returning starter Gabe McMasters (22 stops) and redshirt freshman Ed Kotwicki are listed behind Jenkins while junior Jerry Zaremba is Wilson's backup.

Tackle - Junior Joe Adam (6-3, 260) has become the starter at this position after making 35 tackles a year ago. He'll be backed by sophomore James Alexander (6-4, 260).

Nose Guard - Senior C.J. Remmo moves over from his tackle slot and is listed as the No. 1 man at nose. He had 49 tackles last season, nine of them for losses of 22 yards. Senior Calvin Massenberg (6-0, 285), a second team all-MAC selection in '96, will back Remmo after making 59 tackles last season, 11 of them for losses of 27 yards. Junior Jerry Stempien will be a reserve.

Inside Linebackers - Senior twins Jason (weak side) and Jeremy Gold (middle) will handle these two key positions. Jason was second on the team in tackles last season with 92 while Jeremy was injured much of the year. Sophomore Casey Laughlin (32) and redshirt freshman James Westrich are behind Jeremy and converted redshirt freshman safety Abdullah Muhammad is behind Jason.

Cornerbacks - Redshirt freshmen Tedaro France, a wide receiver last fall, and Wayne Dudley were listed as starters from spring ball. France will be backed at the wide side by senior Byron Phillips and Dudley at the short side by Boston University transfer Scott Naz.

Roverback - Hard-hitting senior Shawn Williams has moved from cornerback, where he was a three-year starter, to roverback. He had 60 tackles last season after leading the team in '96 with 77. Junior Donovan Russian enters fall drills as the No. 2 man.

Free Safety - The only starter back in his same position in the secondary is sophomore Brian Leigeb. The 6-2, 185-pounder led the Chippewas in tackles last season as a true freshman with 93. Sophomore Anthony Jones is the backup.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Punter - Junior Jake Kemp, a transfer from Hillsdale College, has the inside track on this position. His brother, Alex, was CMU's punter in 1995.

Placekicker - It's a wide-open race when fall drills begin with sophomore Matt Cooper and redshirt freshman Bernie Rosendahl being joined by incoming frosh Paul Savich. None have college experience.

Long Snapper - Sophomore Zach Poff did an excellent job at this spot last season and will be the No. 1 man again. Senior George Ghattas will be the backup.

The Schedule and the MAC

The schedule is not kind for a team on the rebound. The Chippewas open at Iowa (Big 10) on Sept. 5, host Division IAA power Western Illinois in the home opener on Sept. 12 and play at Michigan State (Big 10) on Oct. 3. Those three games are on the docket in addition to eight Mid-American Conference tilts.

"That's an awfully difficult schedule, but we like the challenge of playing two Big 10 schools," said Flynn. "We're playing two of the more physical teams in the Big 10. The non-conference games should help us get ready for the MAC race." The Chippewas play last season's MAC divisional champions -- Marshall (Nov. 7) and Toledo (Nov. 14) -- on back-to-back weekends on the road early in November.

"The MAC proved extremely competitive last season, and I only see it getting better this year," Flynn said.

In the West, Flynn thinks Toledo is the team to beat but is quick to point out the excellent season Western Michigan had last season and the strong finish Ball State had.

"I really like the divisional format," Flynn said. "It provided additional excitement throughout the season for teams trying to win the division, and then we had a championship game that was a positive for the conference.

"The addition of Marshall and Northern Illinois has been nothing but a plus for the MAC."

So has the Motor City Bowl.

"What a great event that first one was," Flynn said. "The exposure our conference got was incredible, and the football game was tremendous, too. There' a lot of positive things happening in the MAC right now."

Kelly/Shorts and the IAC

The $28 million dollar stadium expansion and construction of the new Indoor Athletics Complex has the Chippewa athletics family excited like nothing else in memory. The stadium, with a two-tiered press box and 10,000 additional seats, is slated to be ready for the 1998 season. The IAC, featuring two bays, will open sometime in late winter.

"It's a tremendous commitment by the university not just to football but to the whole athletics program," said Flynn. "We will now have the facilities that will allow our athletes to prepare and train at the maximum of their capabilities both athletically and academically.

"There's no question it's had a positive effect on our program already. Recruits can now see that we have facilities that will be second to none."

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