The best offense
It’s been awhile, but Central Michigan University football fans have something to cheer about.
Friday night’s domination of hated rival Western Michigan clinched CMU’s first-ever spot in the Mid-American Conference Championship game.
The team is on the verge of its first bowl game since 1994.
And despite the emergence of many great players, there only is one person responsible for CMU’s success this season.
Coach Brian Kelly is the real deal.
And it’s time for the university to give him a raise.
What Kelly has done in three years is nothing short of remarkable.
He has taken the Chippewas — for years viewed as the laughingstock of the MAC — from pretenders in 2004 to contenders this season.
For starters, the team was in disarray after Mike DeBord’s unsuccessful four year tenure, a tenure that yielded just 12 CMU wins.
Then, Kelly had to lift his team from a mental standpoint past the DeMarcus Graham beating death investigation and subsequent aftermath — an ordeal that lasted more than two years.
Kelly shouldered the load.
He led the team to its first winning season last season since 1998. The Chippewas went 6-5, and spent much of the season in the hunt for the MAC title game.
Then this season Kelly faced the daunting task of keeping the winning attitude alive, while at the same time replacing a quarterback in Kent Smith who set a lot of records during his stay at CMU.
Why it matters
CMU should do what it can to hold onto football coach Brian Kelly
But this season, Dan LeFevour has solidified himself as the future of CMU football. And, with the emergence of tailback Marcel Archer and wide receiver Bryan Anderson, the Chippewas have a trio of freshmen that could have fans cheering for a long time.
Freshmen aren’t supposed to lead a Div. I football team to greatness.
Now the Chippewas are primed to have one of their best seasons since the 1974 Roy Kramer-led Division II National Champions.
Unfortunately, Kelly’s progress is being noticed by schools outside of Mount Pleasant, as Kelly’s name has appeared on the Michigan State head coaching candidate list.
Although Kelly is a long shot for the job, you can bet his name will be thrown around with other soon-to-be-vacant Div. I jobs as the college football season nears an end.
CMU and the athletics department need to be aware of this, and they need to take action.
Kelly is in the third year of his contract — and he’s only making about $150,000 a year.
Depending on Kelly’s loyalty to CMU, $150K isn’t enough to hold onto a coach who most likely will be wooed by other programs in the next few months.
This newspaper has criticized for years how the university spends money on athletics.
But with the imminent revenue it is about to receive from a postseason bowl opportunity, it would be in CMU’s best interest to extend Kelly’s contract.
Because with the way this man coaches, postseason play in the future won’t be a dream.
It will be a reality.
