I recently witnessed the saddening yet wonderfully fulfilling finale of Breaking Bad, a popular tv drama on AMC.
The show, for those of you who haven't yet experienced the best show on television (other than Gossip Girl of course), the show follows a high school chemistry teacher, Walter White, who is "forced" into using his knowledge of chemistry to cook crystal meth when he learns he has terminal cancer. Desperate to provide for his family after he is gone, Walter embarks on an eventful (to say the least) journey through the drug world.
As expected, things hardly go according to plan for Walter. As new problems arise, he is forced to make adjustments to his plan, or risk being caught by the law, or worse. As White alludes to in one of the first episodes, chemistry is, in his mind, the study of change, and change is what I've chosen to focus on in this piece.
I like the word adjustments. In addition to being aesthetically pleasing from an appearance standpoint, it signifies a confident approach to adversity. When we are making adjustments to our plan, it means we are drawing upon measured and learned knowledge to improve the way we do something.
In the world of sport, adjustments are huge. Every sport is played with breaks, whether they be halves, quarters, periods or just timeouts. These times should be considered opportunities to quickly review what is and isn't going well for the team, and how the team or individual can alter their play or strategy to make change for the better.
In Central Michigan University's football game against #23 Northern Illinois University on Saturday, the Chippewas started the game off very well, even leading the undefeated Huskies in the 2nd quarter and carrying a tie into halftime. The important stories of the second half would be whether the Huskies could kick start their Heisman hopeful quarterback Jordan Lynch into gear, or if the Chippewas would continue to restrict his impact on the game.
I was beginning to wonder if the Chippewas had the ability to hold back the daunted offense of NIU enough to squeak by with an improbable victory, and even allowed myself to hope, which, in hindsight, was a poor decision.
The Chippewas failed to make any sort of defensive adjustments, whereas NIU proceeded to give Lynch complete control of the game. Lynch ran all over the Chips in the second half, repeatedly moving the chains with designed quarterback rushes, and turned a close game into a rout in just one half of football. CMU, meanwhile, completely neglected to adjust to NIU's game plan, and never keyed in to the fact that Lynch took the ball himself on almost every play in the second half.
This is the major problem with this coaching staff. It was apparent to everyone watching the game near me that the NIU game plan was incredibly simple and thus vulnerable. Lynch kept the ball on every single third down, and converted EVERY single one of them. And while this was happening, the CMU coaching staff was, I'm assuming, napping on the side of the field. I'll reiterate this again to the point of redundancy, Jordan Lynch ran the ball himself on more than 3/4 of NIU's second half plays, and CMU stacked the box to counter it exactly zero times.
So what, right? Upsets are rare and no one really expected CMU to win this game, so what's the harm?
Two things come to mind here. First, this was Homecoming, there were easily two or three times more fans watching this game than any other game this season, and it was easily a game that we could have won, given the team's very fast and efficient start, and tie going into halftime.Instead, NIU broke open the game, made the score look like it wasn't ever a close game, and oh yeah, Lynch also set an NCAA record for most rushing yards in a single game by a quarterback. Yes, that's right, this game was immortalized in stone for eternity, and all due to the inability of the coaching staff to make the necessary adjustments.
Oh, and before I finish here, I have one final, immense bone to pick. To the student "fans" of the football program; I am completely and utterly disappointed in you. Easily half of the student section left at halftime, in what was a tie game with a team ranked in the top 25 in the nation. Imagine how that looks to our players. Imagine how that looks to guests of our program, and think of how much easier it makes it for our opponents to play in a stadium where there is no home crowd advantage. At one point, CMU was considered one of the hardest stadiums in the MAC to play in for our opponents, but it won't even touch that list now. So pathetic is the commitment shown by the student section of CMU that I shudder to think of how many recruits will go elsewhere after seeing how many "fans" will really support them during their time there.
CMU will continue play against Ball State on Nov.6th, and you bet your bottom dollar I'll write a recap for it after that. Thanks for reading, and continue to check this blog for exclusive content on the regular.
Monday, October 21, 2013
Thursday, October 17, 2013
The importance of being earnest
I grew up during a revolutionary and yet beautifully confusing time in history when instant messaging was THE way that teenagers communicated. If you had 30 minutes until dinner, you cranked up your computer just to see who was online, and the contents of "status"was something you had to very carefully construct.
I fancied myself a bit of a teenage casanova during this time, and if I may be so bold, I'd venture to say I had much success with the ladies during this time. Unfortunately, one particular instance where I fell short left me incredibly puzzled, my tragic pursuit of a girl we'll call M. M and I had attended the same school for several years up to the time in question, which I believe was 7th grade.
I had recently been thinking about how I could attempt to speak with M, and on one particular autumn day she gave me the chance I needed. Her messenger "status" changed to the following message.
Headed out w/ the friends. Call/text (***-***-****)
Now, that seems like a very straightforward and to the point message. If you wanted to speak to that person, you need only contact their mobile device. So I did. I gave M a call. We proceeded to have a very awkward conversation where it became obvious that she couldn't fathom why I had called her, despite her unceremonial dumping of her number onto the internet.
That was the day I learned that when a girl gives out a number to the anonymous public and welcomes the contact of that group, she really means that for one particular person.
SPOILER ALERT: I was not that person.
That day, I learned two lessons. The first, I already said, it's like three lines up, are you even reading this? The second, and debatedly more crucial, was the importance of being earnest.
If you are going to say something, or say you're going to do something, stand for something, or vouch for something, you had better damn well keep to it.
October, if you are not aware, is breast cancer awareness month. That means that the annual campaign involving pink cleats, penalty flags and gloves makes it's way into Sundays, much to the chagrin of myself and other fans. It's not that I don't support the quest to cure cancer, especially breast cancer, because I do. I'm all for new and inventive platforms with which to raise support, but I simply cannot stand behind a deliberate use of breast cancer awareness as a money making venture.
Yes, you've correctly gauged what I'm getting at. The NFL does not go through this annual process with the pure and truthful intent to help cure breast cancer. They do it for money. In case you think I'm the only one who has this idea, here's some solid proof.
I don't deny that the NFL is, after all, a business, and the main purpose of a business is to make money. However, piggybacking off of breast cancer research is not just a shameful way of making said money, it also helps to point out an utter hypocrisy in the NFL's recent stance on protecting players.
Brandon Marshall is a standout receiver for the Chicago Bears, and also suffers from a personality disorder. After sorting out his off-field issues and returning to form on the field, Marshall has gained a new respect for his affliction and those efforts that try to help others like him. As such, he made his intentions known in advance that he would wear green shoes in last Thursday's game against the Giants, in an effort to raise awareness for Mental Health Awareness Week.
Marshall received a $10,500 fine for his actions, a fine he will match and donate to a mental health charity. While it is technically obvious why Marshall was fined by the league for his actions, it shows that the NFL is more concerned with it's uniform policy than actually creating awareness for health issues. Or perhaps they'd prefer not to deal with anything relating to mental health while being sued by a large amount of it's former employees for brain related injuries sustained on it's watch.
Personally, I think the NFL's just upset that Marshall's plan didn't involve the NFL getting their cut.
The bottom line is that as an organization that fines it's players for a wide variety of "dangerous" hits, the NFL seems to care less about the health of others when the ability to make a profit is not present. If you say that everything you do is to protect players, then back it up with your words and actions. It's what should have happened, it's what we hoped would happen, but it's not what happened here.
You're being very M-like, NFL, very M like indeed.
I fancied myself a bit of a teenage casanova during this time, and if I may be so bold, I'd venture to say I had much success with the ladies during this time. Unfortunately, one particular instance where I fell short left me incredibly puzzled, my tragic pursuit of a girl we'll call M. M and I had attended the same school for several years up to the time in question, which I believe was 7th grade.
I had recently been thinking about how I could attempt to speak with M, and on one particular autumn day she gave me the chance I needed. Her messenger "status" changed to the following message.
Headed out w/ the friends. Call/text (***-***-****)
Now, that seems like a very straightforward and to the point message. If you wanted to speak to that person, you need only contact their mobile device. So I did. I gave M a call. We proceeded to have a very awkward conversation where it became obvious that she couldn't fathom why I had called her, despite her unceremonial dumping of her number onto the internet.
That was the day I learned that when a girl gives out a number to the anonymous public and welcomes the contact of that group, she really means that for one particular person.
SPOILER ALERT: I was not that person.
That day, I learned two lessons. The first, I already said, it's like three lines up, are you even reading this? The second, and debatedly more crucial, was the importance of being earnest.
If you are going to say something, or say you're going to do something, stand for something, or vouch for something, you had better damn well keep to it.
October, if you are not aware, is breast cancer awareness month. That means that the annual campaign involving pink cleats, penalty flags and gloves makes it's way into Sundays, much to the chagrin of myself and other fans. It's not that I don't support the quest to cure cancer, especially breast cancer, because I do. I'm all for new and inventive platforms with which to raise support, but I simply cannot stand behind a deliberate use of breast cancer awareness as a money making venture.
Yes, you've correctly gauged what I'm getting at. The NFL does not go through this annual process with the pure and truthful intent to help cure breast cancer. They do it for money. In case you think I'm the only one who has this idea, here's some solid proof.
I don't deny that the NFL is, after all, a business, and the main purpose of a business is to make money. However, piggybacking off of breast cancer research is not just a shameful way of making said money, it also helps to point out an utter hypocrisy in the NFL's recent stance on protecting players.
Brandon Marshall is a standout receiver for the Chicago Bears, and also suffers from a personality disorder. After sorting out his off-field issues and returning to form on the field, Marshall has gained a new respect for his affliction and those efforts that try to help others like him. As such, he made his intentions known in advance that he would wear green shoes in last Thursday's game against the Giants, in an effort to raise awareness for Mental Health Awareness Week.
Marshall received a $10,500 fine for his actions, a fine he will match and donate to a mental health charity. While it is technically obvious why Marshall was fined by the league for his actions, it shows that the NFL is more concerned with it's uniform policy than actually creating awareness for health issues. Or perhaps they'd prefer not to deal with anything relating to mental health while being sued by a large amount of it's former employees for brain related injuries sustained on it's watch.
Personally, I think the NFL's just upset that Marshall's plan didn't involve the NFL getting their cut.
The bottom line is that as an organization that fines it's players for a wide variety of "dangerous" hits, the NFL seems to care less about the health of others when the ability to make a profit is not present. If you say that everything you do is to protect players, then back it up with your words and actions. It's what should have happened, it's what we hoped would happen, but it's not what happened here.
You're being very M-like, NFL, very M like indeed.
Sunday, October 13, 2013
On point in Ohio
Fluke {flook}-an accident or chance happening.
The Central Michigan Chippewas played without a doubt their best game of the season and quite possibly best game of Dan Eno's tenure yesterday as they beat MAC East favorite Ohio at home, 26-23.
If I had to choose one word to describe why this game turned out the way it did, it would be power. Power was the Chippewas game plan, and they worked it perfectly for three quarters against one of the top teams in their conference.
In the fourth quarter, however, Ohio found it's offense and appeared poised to win the ballgame as the Chips punted the ball to them deep in their own territory with under three minutes left and Ohio leading 19-23.
What happened next, and the reason why I didn't start this post out with a Gossip Girl reference, was a fluke.
You ever have one of those dull, repetitive tasks that you do so often you barely think about it, except for that one time in a hundred where you really screw it up?
Catching a football is one of those things. And yet in the most pivotal moment of the game, Bobcats senior Travis Carrie muffed a fair catch of the punt, giving the Chippewas the ball back in Ohio territory.
It took the Chippewas just a few more plays to find the end zone on a crisp slant pass from Cooper Rush to Courtney Williams, putting the Chippewas up 26-23 and proving to be the game winning score.
Watching the game, I was at a complete loss when Dan Enos decided to punt the ball away on 4th and short instead of going for the conversion, effectively giving the Bobcats the ball to run out the remaining three minutes. What appeared to be a very stupid play call ended up working out for the Chippewas, but make no mistake, that play was a fluke.
Now of course, the Chippewas probably deserved to win that game. Personal bias aside, the tale of the game for the entirety of the first three quarters was Chippewas power football and running roughshod over the Bobcats defense.
Defensively, the Chippewas made it a difficult day for Ohio QB Tyler Tettleton, picking him off twice and ruining a third drive off a receiver's fumble. His day would end on a crushing hit by Chippewas end Blake Serpa as Ohio tried desperately to get into field goal range with 30 seconds left.
So if you didn't watch the game, take it from what you've read here that while the Chippewas probably deserved to win, they did win mostly because of a fluke turnover at the end of a game where they dominated for 3/4 of the game but lost the lead late.
I have a phrase that I use often when I play disc golf out with my friends. I'm a casual player, hardly a pro, but I'm always looking for that great shot that I can be proud of. When I throw a particularly close approach shot that looks like it might hit the basket, but doesn't, I have a pattern. I smile, laugh a bit, and say "I dared to hope".
Now, that's not seemingly related to football, but know that heading into this game, actually at any point this season, I dared to hope that Central would play up to it's potential. I wouldn't have guessed that it would be against a team as good as Ohio, but I'll definitely take it. Everything looked good in this game, well, most everything. Here are some highlights.
Running game: Perfect, absolutely perfect. The Chippewas 1500lb O-Line created massive holes for Saylor Lavalli to hit the line through, and the speedy back did the rest, racking up 184 yards on 16 carries. Though he did not rush for a score, Lavalli had runs of 24, 30, 36 and 37 yards to boost Chippewas drives, and was a pivotal force on offense.
Passing game: Probably Cooper's best game thus far, as he was accurate (20-28), had several beautiful touchdown throws (3) and managed the game well through short, accurate throws to move the chains. Nothing spectacular about the way it was done, but a very solid effort, and one that Enos is probably very happy to see. Also, the interception he "threw" was one of those odd interceptions that you can't fault a quarterback for, so as far as I'm concerned, he had ball control too.
Defense: The Chippewas have a D-line now. Wait, I apologize, they've HAD a D line all season, what has changed is the presence this unit is making in the past two weeks. In the center of the line, Leterrious Walton and Louis Palmer are making noise, stopping up the run game and creating chaos for quarterbacks. The defensive backs continue to create turnovers in most every game, led by defensive back Kavon Frazier and his knack for getting the ball. The defense forced three turnovers in yesterday's game, holding one of the MAC's higher scoring offenses (28ppg) to just 23 points.
Special teams: While I mostly have to point out the struggles in the kicking game, in which Ron Coluzzi was 2-4 on field goals and also had an extra point blocked, this unit was saved by some truly great punt coverage, including recovering the pivotal fumble recovery that would hand the Chippewas the win. Still, in a game where the Chippewas struggled in the red zone, Coluzzi left 7 points on the field that the Chippewas desperately needed. A team needs to have faith in their kicker, and they need to feel like three points is a given in case a touchdown is not scored.
Good news Chippewa fans, we're on our first win streak of the season, with a lot of promise to nab a couple more wins this season.
Are you as happy as I am about this win? Are you as happy as Dan Enos? Doubtful, he probably just saved his job. In any case, if you're reading this then there's a 37% chance you know that this is the most recent post in a series of CMU football posts. It'll be the same ole, same ole next week, as #23 Northern Illinois comes to town for Homecoming, in what should be a blowout CMU win. Heh. Keep it classy, people. See you next week.
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
It's a long season boys, but who's keeping track?
Centipedes. DMV lines. The wait for Space Mountain at Disney World. The MLB regular season.
All of these things share one common trait.
They are all too damn long.
Don't get me wrong, I like sports in most every form. I've learned to appreciate the many facets of the sports world in my time,both positive and negative, and as such, I've come to terms with some of the less amicable characteristics of all levels of sport.
Every sports fan is different. Some people are single sport fans, others are fans of multiple sports. What attracts these fans to their respective sports is unique to each individual, but football seems to enjoy the largest following, and I think that at least part of the reason for that lies within the schedule.
But Kevin, what ever do you mean? The only scheduling details I pay attention to is the TV guide, without that I'd miss my Gossip Girl.
Well, let me explain. An NFL season is 16 games, not including postseason. Games are a weekly affair, and are built up from the end of the previous game through the work week, slowly gaining ground until the big finale, i.e the game. College football is the same way, except with 12 games, played mostly on Saturdays. Every week's game carries substantial weight because of the intense preparation put in by the team and the short season.
A full sized MLB season consists of 162 games, spreading form April into October. That's right, over the course of seven full months, a team will play a game almost every day, sometimes two a day. Now, understandably, an MLB season needs to allow a little more wriggle room in the season to account for slumps by a team. The nature of baseball is such. The best team in the league offensively might struggle to score a run one night, and explode for upwards of 15 the next day. Football is more consistent in this regard than baseball, and so I have no qualms about a longer MLB season.
However, 162 games to unify and organize a team for a playoff push is beyond ludicrous. It is unnecessary, boring and it waters down the product. The length of the baseball season causes fans to become distant from the team, only to gain a second wind and jump back on the proverbial wagon come playoff time. It reminds me of a long classroom speech. People will be very excited for the first 10-15 minutes, quickly lose interest for the meat of the presentation and ultimately perk up at the end, or maybe not, they might already be asleep. Way to go, dufus.
Why drag out something that could be shorter? Why show an exploding car for the full 30 seconds when it could easily get the point across and entertain viewers if you showed it for just 15? (AHEM, Michael Bay).
And before you slink out of the room and hope nobody noticed you, NBA, get back in here, this applies to you as well. While slightly more understandable than the outrageous MLB season, the NBA has managed to slog it's way through 82 games every season for much too long.
I personally really enjoyed the 2011-2012 NBA season, which as you all know was shortened by disagreements between players and coaches. The Miami Heat ended up winning the arguably brief 66 game season, and I'll be damned if that didn't seem like a perfect length season to me. Long enough for teams to adjust and adapt over the course of dozens of games, but short enough that I don't actually feel like a baseball fan.
As it currently stands, I heard about 25% more comments about Kobe's thumb*, 25% more comments about LeBron being the boogeyman and entirely too much about Ron Artest. Oh, my bad; Metta World Peace.
My final point is this. Whether you're a junkie for those extra 80 games per season or not, the simple truth is that these games are unnecessary. Players are more likely to get injured the longer the season goes on, so why risk it? Keep your players fresh and better rested, focus on the postseason (if you make it).
Look at the bright side, if the season is shorter, the price of your NBA League pass should drop with it too!
All of these things share one common trait.
They are all too damn long.
Don't get me wrong, I like sports in most every form. I've learned to appreciate the many facets of the sports world in my time,both positive and negative, and as such, I've come to terms with some of the less amicable characteristics of all levels of sport.
Every sports fan is different. Some people are single sport fans, others are fans of multiple sports. What attracts these fans to their respective sports is unique to each individual, but football seems to enjoy the largest following, and I think that at least part of the reason for that lies within the schedule.
But Kevin, what ever do you mean? The only scheduling details I pay attention to is the TV guide, without that I'd miss my Gossip Girl.
Well, let me explain. An NFL season is 16 games, not including postseason. Games are a weekly affair, and are built up from the end of the previous game through the work week, slowly gaining ground until the big finale, i.e the game. College football is the same way, except with 12 games, played mostly on Saturdays. Every week's game carries substantial weight because of the intense preparation put in by the team and the short season.
A full sized MLB season consists of 162 games, spreading form April into October. That's right, over the course of seven full months, a team will play a game almost every day, sometimes two a day. Now, understandably, an MLB season needs to allow a little more wriggle room in the season to account for slumps by a team. The nature of baseball is such. The best team in the league offensively might struggle to score a run one night, and explode for upwards of 15 the next day. Football is more consistent in this regard than baseball, and so I have no qualms about a longer MLB season.
However, 162 games to unify and organize a team for a playoff push is beyond ludicrous. It is unnecessary, boring and it waters down the product. The length of the baseball season causes fans to become distant from the team, only to gain a second wind and jump back on the proverbial wagon come playoff time. It reminds me of a long classroom speech. People will be very excited for the first 10-15 minutes, quickly lose interest for the meat of the presentation and ultimately perk up at the end, or maybe not, they might already be asleep. Way to go, dufus.
Why drag out something that could be shorter? Why show an exploding car for the full 30 seconds when it could easily get the point across and entertain viewers if you showed it for just 15? (AHEM, Michael Bay).
And before you slink out of the room and hope nobody noticed you, NBA, get back in here, this applies to you as well. While slightly more understandable than the outrageous MLB season, the NBA has managed to slog it's way through 82 games every season for much too long.
I personally really enjoyed the 2011-2012 NBA season, which as you all know was shortened by disagreements between players and coaches. The Miami Heat ended up winning the arguably brief 66 game season, and I'll be damned if that didn't seem like a perfect length season to me. Long enough for teams to adjust and adapt over the course of dozens of games, but short enough that I don't actually feel like a baseball fan.
As it currently stands, I heard about 25% more comments about Kobe's thumb*, 25% more comments about LeBron being the boogeyman and entirely too much about Ron Artest. Oh, my bad; Metta World Peace.
My final point is this. Whether you're a junkie for those extra 80 games per season or not, the simple truth is that these games are unnecessary. Players are more likely to get injured the longer the season goes on, so why risk it? Keep your players fresh and better rested, focus on the postseason (if you make it).
Look at the bright side, if the season is shorter, the price of your NBA League pass should drop with it too!
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Moving up after Miami
It's hard to be picky after ending a losing streak.
It could even be called idiotic to nit pick and search for the wrong amongst all the right, but that's not going to stop me from pointing out some of the major flaws in the Chippewas win over the Miami Redhawks this past weekend.
Don't get me wrong here, I was very happy to see the Chippewas right the boat, stop the bleeding, pick up all the sticks, etc. Use whatever cliche term you want, it was a much needed win for a team that was starting to take a quick downward spiral.
I watched the whole game, start to finish, even stood by through the lightning delay,(which is more than could be said for some of the Miami faithful) and I thought Central did a lot of things well.
We're going to break this game down using a compliment sandwich. I'm going to say something the Chippewas did well, followed by something they need to improve on, and finish, of course, with another positive.
Positive number 1: The Chippewas ran the ball very well, accounting for 184 team rushing yards on the day. Saylor Lavalli led the Chippewas with 151 yards, while backup Maurice Shoemaker-Gilmore ran for 50 yards on ten carries. Lavalli scored his 4th and 5th touchdowns of the year, and further reinforced the idea that when Lavalli is doing well, the Chippewas are doing well.
Don't believe me?
Here are Lavalli's numbers on the year when the coaching staff has let him run outside of the tackles.
98 carries, 505 yards, 5 TD's
And the one game where he was repeatedly sent straight up the middle?
14 carries, 16 yards 1.1 YPC
To put it in Easy A terms, who would you believe?
Now, since everyone loves some good constructive criticism, let me point out one of the obvious flaws of this football team.
The play of freshman quarterback Cooper Rush, and going along with it, the struggle with ball security. Cooper threw yet another pick in Saturday's game, as well as losing a fumble, bringing his turnover total in the past four games to 12. Rush actually made it to the Chippewas's third offensive play before throwing an interception, an improvements from last week's game where he threw a pick on the 2nd offensive play.
Rush needs to improve. It's obvious, and cliche, but it needs to happen. His Achille's heel is his tendency to try and make the big play, try and force the game changing throw too early. He functions much better with short, crisp passes and dump-offs to a half back. This was evident during the 3rd and 4th quarter, when he led CMU on two scoring drives primarily using short passes.
Positive number 2: Hello, defensive line, it is so good to see you...here...finally. The D-line was visibly ready to play Saturday, registering four sacks, several additional QB hits and shutting down the run game for Miami. Leterious Walton showed up in a big way, with seven tackles, 3 for loss and also forcing a fumble. Blake Serpa also showed flashes of potential, which is a good sign for future depth at the position.
Now, did you all enjoy your sandwich?
While a somewhat sloppy road win at a winless Miami squad is hardly a momentous achievement, the win nonetheless gives Enos his 15th win as a Chippewas coach and will (somewhat) relieve some of the pressure on him, at least for now.
Looking forward, the Chippewas will run the gauntlet of top tier MAC teams, facing Ohio, Northern Illinois and finally Ball State. If the Chippewas make it through those three games, they will be rewarded by three very winnable games against Western, UMass and Eastern Michigan, the latter two of which will be at home. Hopefully that leaves at least a marginally sweet taste in the mouths of the CMU faithful.
Deeply entranced by what you've read here? Suddenly hungry for a real, tangible sandwich? I can help you with one of those needs. This is just one tasty little morsel in a series of morsels that I have written about the CMU football team, and I've love for you to check out. Also, for all of you who may not be season ticket holders of CMU football, I try to periodically post articles of a non-dedicated nature. So please, continue to read, bear with me through the thick and thin, and I promise to give you all my best child-bearing years in return.
It could even be called idiotic to nit pick and search for the wrong amongst all the right, but that's not going to stop me from pointing out some of the major flaws in the Chippewas win over the Miami Redhawks this past weekend.
Don't get me wrong here, I was very happy to see the Chippewas right the boat, stop the bleeding, pick up all the sticks, etc. Use whatever cliche term you want, it was a much needed win for a team that was starting to take a quick downward spiral.
I watched the whole game, start to finish, even stood by through the lightning delay,(which is more than could be said for some of the Miami faithful) and I thought Central did a lot of things well.
We're going to break this game down using a compliment sandwich. I'm going to say something the Chippewas did well, followed by something they need to improve on, and finish, of course, with another positive.
Positive number 1: The Chippewas ran the ball very well, accounting for 184 team rushing yards on the day. Saylor Lavalli led the Chippewas with 151 yards, while backup Maurice Shoemaker-Gilmore ran for 50 yards on ten carries. Lavalli scored his 4th and 5th touchdowns of the year, and further reinforced the idea that when Lavalli is doing well, the Chippewas are doing well.
Don't believe me?
Here are Lavalli's numbers on the year when the coaching staff has let him run outside of the tackles.
98 carries, 505 yards, 5 TD's
And the one game where he was repeatedly sent straight up the middle?
14 carries, 16 yards 1.1 YPC
To put it in Easy A terms, who would you believe?
Now, since everyone loves some good constructive criticism, let me point out one of the obvious flaws of this football team.
The play of freshman quarterback Cooper Rush, and going along with it, the struggle with ball security. Cooper threw yet another pick in Saturday's game, as well as losing a fumble, bringing his turnover total in the past four games to 12. Rush actually made it to the Chippewas's third offensive play before throwing an interception, an improvements from last week's game where he threw a pick on the 2nd offensive play.
Rush needs to improve. It's obvious, and cliche, but it needs to happen. His Achille's heel is his tendency to try and make the big play, try and force the game changing throw too early. He functions much better with short, crisp passes and dump-offs to a half back. This was evident during the 3rd and 4th quarter, when he led CMU on two scoring drives primarily using short passes.
Positive number 2: Hello, defensive line, it is so good to see you...here...finally. The D-line was visibly ready to play Saturday, registering four sacks, several additional QB hits and shutting down the run game for Miami. Leterious Walton showed up in a big way, with seven tackles, 3 for loss and also forcing a fumble. Blake Serpa also showed flashes of potential, which is a good sign for future depth at the position.
Now, did you all enjoy your sandwich?
While a somewhat sloppy road win at a winless Miami squad is hardly a momentous achievement, the win nonetheless gives Enos his 15th win as a Chippewas coach and will (somewhat) relieve some of the pressure on him, at least for now.
Looking forward, the Chippewas will run the gauntlet of top tier MAC teams, facing Ohio, Northern Illinois and finally Ball State. If the Chippewas make it through those three games, they will be rewarded by three very winnable games against Western, UMass and Eastern Michigan, the latter two of which will be at home. Hopefully that leaves at least a marginally sweet taste in the mouths of the CMU faithful.
Deeply entranced by what you've read here? Suddenly hungry for a real, tangible sandwich? I can help you with one of those needs. This is just one tasty little morsel in a series of morsels that I have written about the CMU football team, and I've love for you to check out. Also, for all of you who may not be season ticket holders of CMU football, I try to periodically post articles of a non-dedicated nature. So please, continue to read, bear with me through the thick and thin, and I promise to give you all my best child-bearing years in return.
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