It’s been 33 years since Central Michigan great Ray Bentley last strapped on a maroon and gold helmet, but his passion for Central Michigan football and commitment to a childhood dream hasn’t wavered.

No. 57 was in town Friday as part of a promotional book tour, but Bentley also gave a locker room speech to the football team as they prepared for Western Michigan.

“It’s awesome (to be back at CMU), man,” Bentley said Friday during his book signing. “I’ve seen so many people I know from back in the day, which it’s been awhile.”

Being one of the select few Chippewas who can say they’ve never lost to the Broncos, Bentley is an authority in the field of Bronco bucking.

The former CMU football player said he tried to give the team an idea of what the game of football has meant to him.

“A rivalry game like that, they don’t need me to get them fired up,” he said Friday. “I did want them to feel my heart and where I’m coming from and how we did things back in the day, and how a lot of people are pulling for them."

Head Football Coach John Bonamego said the team was pumped up for Saturday’s rivalry game, even though Central Michigan fell to Western Michigan, 41-39.

Bentley’s post-football career focus is far different from the hard-hitting ways of a professional football linebacker. Instead, Bentley is pursuing his childhood dream of becoming of novelist.

“It’s something that goes back to my childhood,” Bentley said. “I’ve always had two dreams. One was to play pro football and the other was to be a writer as my occupation. That hasn’t quite happened, yet. I need to sell a lot more books, but at least I have one.”

Bentley played 10 years of professional football, starting in the United States Football League before going to the NFL and playing for the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals. He’s now in his 13th season as college football television analyst with ESPN and the author of seven children’s books.

Bentley said his idea for Driftwood has been in his head for two decades. While it’s not his first published book, it is his first novel.

“(Writing the book) was a rewarding process. It took a while,” he said. “I worked on it literally for 20 years. I started it then it sat in a drawer for 15 years. Life gets in the way of your plans sometimes.”

Bentley said the book is not autobiographical, but the main character, Jack Driftwood, is similar to himself.

“I always wanted to write the story about an old linebacker,” he said. “A guy with a lot of wisdom, but still a youthful side that goes through not only what goes on on the field, but also away from the field.”

Florida resident and 1985 graduate John Blackwell was in Michigan this weekend for a wedding and stopped in Mount Pleasant for lunch.

“He was here our first year in ‘81,” Blackwell said. “We found out he was here so we had to come over and get an autograph and see him.”

Supporting his former standout linebacker, former Central Michigan Head Coach Herb Deromedi walked around Max and Emily’s during Friday’s book signing with a fresh copy of Driftwood under his arm.

Deromedi said it was great to see a former kid he coached grow into a diversified man.

“It’s always rewarding to follow your athletes not only during the course of their collegiate career,” Deromedi said. “But, certainly also what they accomplish after. They have a lot more years to live long after they leave Central Michigan.”