Defense leads way in win against Broncos

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Sometimes change is needed.

After starting the season 2-7 and heading into its biggest game of the season against rival Western Michigan, the CMU football team installed a new 3-4 scheme defense that proved to work.

With less than three minutes to go and WMU driving for a potential game-winning touchdown, giving Chippewas fans flashbacks to the Bowling Green from a week before, a unit that has been plagued with changes all season came up big.

Junior linebacker Armond Staten fought threw a block and tackled WMU running back Brian Fields, who fumbled the ball and allowed CMU to hold on to a 26-22 win at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.

“Our defensive coaches thought playing a 3-4 defense would get our best players on the field,” said CMU head coach Dan Enos. “In offense, you try and get your best 11 players in personnel groupings. On defense, we tried to do the same thing.”

The new scheme gave the linebacker corp more versatility and opportunity to move, and it showed.

Staten finished with 11 tackles and three forced fumbles, similar to numbers to his more experienced counterparts Nick Bellore and Matt Bering, who played in their last game at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.

“It’s a great experience,” Staten said of playing with the two. “Ever since I stepped foot on this campus, they took me under their wing and showed me tricks and taught me the trade. To play with them and for them — to get this win — it means more to me and to them. They’re like my older brothers.”

Staten had a forced fumble in the first quarter after tackling WMU quarterback Alex Carder, leading to a 35-yard field goal from freshman kicker David Harman and 10-2 lead for the Chippewas. He also sacked Carder in the fourth quarter.

Senior production

In their final game in the maroon jersey, seniors Matt Berning and Nick Bellore came through per usual. Berning, who seemed to play with more speed and a higher sense of urgency, tied for a team-high 12 tackles while Bellore fell just short with 11 tackles of his own.

After the game, Berning admitted the pressure was on.

“You feel like the weight comes off your shoulders because you’re with your back against the wall,” he said. “I told Nick this was probably one of the best nights of my life. It was cold, it snowed, (was) under the lights — it was some stuff out of a book.”

But those two weren’t the only ones who came to play.

Senior defensive back Vince Agnew also had 12 tackles, including a team-high nine solo tackles.

Agnew added a forced fumble and two break ups while helping limit quarterback Alex Carder to 272 passing yards between two receivers.

Wide receiver Matt Torres had the most productive game of his career, recording 57 yards on three catches. His 22-yard reception during CMU’s second to last drive helped it score a touchdown that brought the team within a possession.

“What can you say about that guy,” Enos said. “That was a huge catch for us. I couldn’t be happier for him.”