What’s new for the 2024 Central Michigan Chippewas?

Coming off their first back-to-back losing seasons in over a decade, the Chippewas find themselves at a crossroads.

It’s been a summer of consistency for the Central Michigan Chippewas.

There weren’t a lot of major departures in the transfer portals in Mt. Pleasant, but neither were there major arrivals. Much of the offense which flashed big play potential— but also struggled though an identity crisis— last season also returns. The defense? You guessed it, still pretty much intact as well outside of some graduations.

Head coach Jim McElwain also returns for his sixth season in charge, fresh off an extension prior to last season, with defensive coordinator Robb Akey right alongside him every step of the way since 2019.

Considering all the continuity, it will be curious how this team hits the ground running in 2024.

The Chips finished 5-7 in 2023, letting multiple winnable games slip out of their grasp in the process. Their performance also sealed the program’s first back-to-back losing campaigns since 2010-11, when new head coach Dan Enos was trying to right the ship after the departure of Butch Jones.

You typically don’t see many coaching staffs or rosters look largely the same after such a stretch, especially at a program so proud of its tradition of success as Central, so the 2024 season has the potential to define the direction of the program in a way years prior have not.

Let’s look at what’s new for the Chippewas as they enter a season of intrigue:

Who will replace Paul Petrino?

The one most obvious change on the CMU roster for 2024 did not come from the player side, but rather, from the coaching staff.

Paul Petrino, who was brought to campus in the 2022 offseason after the late departure of Kevin Barbay to Appalachian State, was let go at the end of the 2023 campaign after the Chippewas put up their two worst offensive efforts in McElwain’s tenure.

Petrino was brought in to maintain the offense after Barbay’s departure and it was clear it did not work. Under Barbay in 2021, the Chips were a Top 40 offense in points per game (32.3) and one of the MAC’s most explosive offenses, graduating several pro prospects in the process.

Under Petrino, CMU finished in the bottom third of all teams with 4,129 total yards of offense in 2023, averaging 23.2 points per game (97th in the NCAA), both stark decreases from Petrino’s first season in 2022 (4,422 yards, 24.8 points per game.)

Part of the decrease can be accounted for by sheer talent departure (many schools would have trouble replacing four pro-ready players on one side of the ball), but it was clear from the onset Petrino did not mesh with what the team wanted to do on offense, with the run game the most severely affected aspect of the attack.

After Lew Nichols’ historic 2021 campaign where he ran for 1,800+ yards and the team accounted for over accounting for over 2,000 yards of offense in 2021, the Chips struggled to get over 1,500 in the two seasons under Petrino, with Nichols collecting 616 yards in nine games in 2022 and Myles Bailey and Marion Lukes combining for 1,213 yards.

Combine this with a nosedive in passing efficiency with a rotation of quarterbacks, and you get an untenable situation.

McElwain had to make a difficult choice if he hoped to re-ignite the offense, but he isn’t out of the woods yet. The person who will ultimately replace Petrino will be the most important choice of the offseason— even before other on-field position battles. As of publication, no signal-caller has been named to replace Petrino, who left to join South Alabama as a wide receivers coach.

The natural line of succession would be offensive line coach and run game coordinator Tavita Thompson, whose tenure at CMU tracks back to before McElwain’s arrival. Thompson’s track record as a recruiter and developer precedes him, and could qualify him to take on playcalling duties. A former offensive lineman, Thompson’s promotion could be an indication of a return to the ground game.

Quarterbacks coach Jake Kostner, a Jim Harbaugh disciple who engineered Division II Limestone College into a Top 25 offensive unit en route to a playoff appearance in his lone season before learning under Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian for two seasons, could also be a candidate if McElwain wants to go even younger than Thompson.

There could also be the distinct possibility of McElwain taking the playcalling duties on himself, a role he hasn’t undertaken since his days under Nick Saban at Alabama.

Whichever direction Central goes, the first step should be to marry their gameplan to their personnel, an issue which permeated the team in Petrino’s tenure.

Steady as she goes on the offense

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: OCT 07 Central Michigan at Buffalo

Most every major contributor to Central’s 2023 campaign returns in 2024, a level of returning production which is increasingly rare in the portal-happy days of modernity.

The highlight of the returnees are the halfback duo of Marion Lukes and Myles Bailey. Both Lukes and Bailey shined in very limited touches in 2023, with Lukes averaging 5.1 yards per carry on 144 attempts while hauling in 300 yards as a receiver (fourth-best on team), and Bailey averaging 4.7 yards per carry on 101 attempts.

CMU’s primary passer in 2023, Jase Bauer, is the team’s major transfer portal loss, as he transferred to Sam Houston State in the offseason. Bauer was an important steadying presence after early injuries to Bert Emanuel Jr. (268 passing yards, 220 rushing yards, five total touchdowns in six games)— who returns as the assumed starter after his 2023 season ended early due to a recurring shoulder injury. At his best, he is a dynamic dual-threat quarterback who has a strong arm. Pushing Emanuel for the starting job in spring camps is Iowa transfer Joe Labas (14-of-24 passing for 139 yards and one touchdown in one appearance over three seasons) and returnee Tyler Jefferson.

Also returning are all three of CMU’s top receivers, with all-MAC second-teamer Jesse Prewitt III (31 catches, 438 yards, three touchdowns), big play threat Chris Parker (17.8 yards per catch and three touchdowns on 23 catches) and Tyson Davis (who led the team with 444 yards and four touchdowns on 29 catches.)

Along the offensive line, Brayden Swartout and Davis Heinzen return to the tackle spots and Dominic Serapiglia returns at center, leaving a position battle at both guard spots. Through spring camps, there are no clear trends as to who is in play, with this being a position battle which likely drags through fall camps. Two small-school transfers with starting experience in Luis Alejandro Martinez (West Liberty University [WV]) and Jemiel Jackson (Fort Valley State) joining the team this offseason suggests they could be in play in the interior with the current logjam at the tackles.

Defense-in-progress in the front seven

The major departures on defense are on the defensive line, with Robi Stuart, Jacques Bristol and Maurice White graduating in the offseason, while the promising Quindario Lee transferred out to Houston.

The roster was already in transition at this level along the edges last season, with no clear answer throughout the 2023 season; now the Chippewas will have to replace 13 of the team’s 20 sacks in 2024.

It’s suboptimal, but Robb Akey will have to find ways to make do.

Jason Williams (36 tackles, 2.5 tackles-for-loss, one sack) will likely return to the interior after teaming up with Bristol last season, while Jonah Pace (17 tackles, one sack) and Michael Heldman (22 tackles, 4.5 TFLs, 2.5 sacks) will also have spots along the line due to their in-game experience. One new addition to keep an eye on is the Nigerian-born Pius Odjugo, who transferred in from Highland [KS] this offseason. Odjugo has made quite the impression in spring practices per reports, recording multiple solo sacks.

Kyle Moretti is the most immediate loss in the middle of the defense, transferring to San Diego State as a graduate. Moretti, a two-time all-MAC linebacker, was the team’s second-leading tackler in 2023 (65 tackles, four TFLs, two sacks in nine games) despite fighting injury.

Dakota Cochran (51 tackles, one TFL, one interception) was the primary replacement for Moretti when the latter was not in the lineup, and he will likely be fighting for a starting spot in camp. Justin Whiteside (53 tackles, 3.5 TFL), Jordan Kwiatkowski (32 tackles) and Fernando Sanchez III will also fight for roles.

In the secondary, all-MAC performer Donte Kent (58 tackles, seven pass deflections) and battery mate Da’Raun McKinney return to starting roles at the corners, while Caleb Spann and Elijah Rikard return at safety. Former all-SIAC DB Jaree Turner-Kinsler (21 tackles, two fumbles, one interception at Albany State in 2023) could also see a role.

No quick answers on special teams

CMU had one of the worst special teams units in the country in 2023, so there’s only one direction to go in 2024… one would hope.

Junior placekicker Tristan Mattson is the incumbent, but is not guaranteed to hold on to the job after an uneven 2023 campaign, where he finished 7-of-14 on field goals and 31-of-33 on extra point attempts. (Though, it should be noted he kicked a program-record 58-yard field goal last season as well.) He’ll compete with true freshman Cade Graham in spring and fall camps for both placekicking and kickoff duties.

It’s a true free-for-all at punter with the departure of Jake Walrath, with three players expected to fight for the starting role through both the spring and fall. Air Force transfer via East Carolina David Chapeau seems to be the favorite to win despite having no game experience over five seasons, with Ryan Peluso (who has also gotten placekicking reps) and Dylan Hertzberg also in the mix.