Chippewas need help on defense
Orlando Sentinel college insider Matt Murschel ranked all 130 Football Bowl Subdivision teams in the country entering the 2017 season. The Sentinel staff takes a closer look at a new team daily, counting backward from No. 130 to our projected No. 1 team. Today at No. 95: Central
Michigan
Coach: John Bonamego (13-13, entering third season; 13-13 overall)
2016 record: 6-7, 3-5 in the Mid-American Conference, fifth in West Division
Look back: Central Michigan opened with its best start since 2002 after the Chippewas won their first three games of the season, including a controversial 30-27 victory over Oklahoma State. Officials should not have awarded Central Michigan an extra play during which the Chippewas scored on a Hail Mary touchdown. After national scrutiny of the play, Central Michigan went on to lose seven of its next 10 games — five of those by doubledigit deficits, including a 45-point loss to Tulsa in the Miami Beach Bowl.
Offensive starters returning: 8 Offensive starters lost: 3 Defensive starters returning: 6 Defensive starters lost: 5 Key losses: QB Cooper Rush, FB Joe Bacci, DT Kelby Latta, DT Jabari Dean, LB Nathan Ricketts, S Tony Annese
Top returnees: RB Devon Spalding, WR Corey Willis, LB Malik Fountain, CB Amari Coleman, DT Joe Ostman, DB Josh Cox
Strengths: Central Michigan went from the top defensive team in the Mid-American Conference in 2014 to second in 2015 and fifth in 2016. The unit returns six starters from last season, including a pair of first-team all-conference selections in LB Malik Fountain and DB Amari Coleman. The group will have to work to create turnovers (18 in 2016) and get to the quarterback (20 sacks).
Whoever earns the starting nod at quarterback will have the luxury of a deep and experienced group of receivers
led by Corey Willis, who earned second team AllMAC honors last season after leading the team in receptions (71), receiving yards (1,087) and receiving touchdowns (9).
Weaknesses: QB Cooper Rush finished his college career with the second-most passing yards in MAC history after throwing for 12,891 yards in 49 career starts for the Chippewas. Finding his replacement will be a tall task, with Tommy Lazzaro the early favorite despite not having thrown a pass in 2016.
Central Michigan was one of just two teams in the MAC that failed to average more than four yards per carry in 2016.
Not surprisingly, the Chippewas finished last in rushing offense. Devon Spalding led the team with 758 yards and six touchdowns on 138 carries, but he was limited in the final four games of last season. Talented sophomore Romello Ross should be back after missing all of last season after suffering an ACL injury.
The Chippewas were one of four teams in the FBS to fail to convert more than 50 percent of their field-goal attempts in 2016, including going 6-of-14 from 30 or more yards. Senior Brian Eavey is gone, leaving the job somewhat up in the air in 2017.
Outlook: If Central Michigan can find a suitable replacement for Rush, the Chippewas have the pieces to score a lot of points. But do they have enough to stop anybody?
The team gave up more than 30 points per game last season — the most since 2012 — and there are key position battles that need to be settled on the defensive line and in the secondary before this team is ready to earn another bowl berth.