Football announces new staff position, homecoming date
Central Michigan University football coach Dan Enos named Ben Presnell the program’s coordinator of recruiting and player personnel this week.
“We’ve had the opportunity to have Ben work with us over the past few years and we were impressed with his knowledge, dedication, work ethic and organization,” Enos said in a statement. “The impact of this position will have a direct effect on our program with regards to the identification and evaluation of talent.”
Presnell worked as an intern in 2012 and in quality control last season. This is a new position within the program, supplementing the new director of football operations Reed Schuitema, who was hired in Feb.
After his hire, Schuitema said the additional position was created to work alongside him with a primary focus on recruiting and player development.
"The way college football is going, there are so many things off the field in terms of social media (and) the acceleration of the recruiting process," Schuitema said. "The way recruiting has gotten, it will be good to have another person to help with the other things that are involved in recruiting."
Presnell will assist in coordinating all of the team’s travel, meal schedules and will help maintain the team’s budget. He will also serve as a contact for NFL scouts arriving on campus and assist with the on-campus recruiting activities of the football program.
The Mount Pleasant native is familiar with the program. His father, Plas, spent 31 seasons at Central Michigan. Plas retired in Jan. allowing Schuitema to replace him.
“When I came here in 2012 the only vision I had was I wanted to work in athletics,” Ben Presnell said. “I wasn’t even sure that it was going to be in football, but my opportunity came in that way. I always had a passion to get into athletics. My dad is a football coach, my grandfather was a football coach. It was a part of my life growing up.”
Presnell is a 2004 graduate of Central Michigan University with a Bachelor's Degree in Entrepreneurship. In December of 2013, he completed his Masters Degree in Sports Administration.
Presnell served as an intern in the football operations and player development departments with the NFL's Detroit Lions during their 2013 training camp. His previous work experience includes eight years with major media companies in Los Angeles, Calif. as a producer, writer and legal analyst before his return to pursue a career in CMU athletics.
CMU football also announced its 2014 Homecoming date for the upcoming football season on Wednesday.
The Homecoming game will be Saturday, Oct. 4, against Ohio University. Kickoff time for the contest has yet to be determined.
Other special event dates announced include the CMU and You Day on Saturday, Sept. 13 against Syracuse and the Tradition Weekend Saturday, Oct. 18 against Ball State. 
The Chippewas open the 2014 season at home against University of Tennessee-Chattanooga on Thursday, Aug. 28. The home schedule includes six games at Kelly/Shorts Stadium including Western Michigan on Saturday, Nov. 22.
