Friday Top 5: Position battles to keep an eye on during Saturday's spring football game
The Central Michigan football team finished the 2015 season with a 7-6 record, including a share of the Mid-American Conference West Division title. It fell 21-14 to Minnesota in the 2015 Quick Lane Bowl at Ford Field in Detroit.
As the Central Michigan football team gears up for its 2016 spring game, there will be a close eye on different positions. Here are five positions to keep an eye out for at 1 p.m. Saturday at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.
1. Quarterback
Senior Cooper Rush is the unquestioned starter at the position after setting the single-season passing record in program history in 2015, throwing for 3,848 yards and 25 touchdowns.
Fans should look out for how Rush throws the football on Saturday. Fans should also look out for competition between sophomore Jake Johnson. and Tommy Lazzaro.
With Tony Poljan and Austin Herzogg coming into camp this fall, Johnson, who has the slight edge according to Bonamego, can keep his name in the back of the coaches’ minds with a strong showing on Saturday. Lazzaro will receive his first action in a Chippewa uniform after transferring in from Dodge City Community College in Kansas.
2. Running Back
Last season’s leading rusher Martez Walker has transferred and junior Devon Spalding is injured.
All eyes will be on sophomore Romello Ross after rushing for 100 yards in the 2015 Quick Lane Bowl. Junior Jahray Hayes has had a strong showing in spring practice, according to Running Backs Coach Gino Guidugli, and is now in his second year in the system.
Keep an eye out for junior Jay Roberson, who Guidugli has called a dark horse in camp. He rushed for 62 yards in nine games last season.
3. Offensive Line
Offensive Line Coach Derek Frazier is tasked with replacing four-year starter at center Nick Beamish and left tackle Ramadan Ahmeti.
The Chippewas will return junior Austin Doan, sixth-year senior Kenny Rogers and senior Derek Edwards. Rogers and Edwards anchor the right side, while Doan is making a case to be the new center, as is sophomore Joe Komel.
There will most likely be auditions for the blind side to protect Rush for his senior season, with 6-foot-7, 305-pounder Jack Ford as one of the early favorites.
4. Tight End
Ben McCord is gone, and so is his 612 yards he produced last season. Luckily for the Chippewas, two tight ends who received playing time last season are coming back.
Tyler Conklin caught six passes for 95 yards and Zach Crouch hauled in three passes for 42 yards. McCord quadrupled the combined yardage Conklin and Crouch provided. It will be interesting to see if sophomore Jonathan Carson and Clay Walderzak and redshirt freshman Austin Ervin can receive an opportunity to work.
5. Linebacker
Tim Hamilton has graduated after suffering a season-ending injury last October. Incoming sophomore Malik Fountain was arrested for assault last week.
Of the top eight CMU tacklers last season, incoming senior Nathan Ricketts is the only the only linebacker eligible to play in the spring game. Junior Tyree Waller and Jeff Perry were both ninth and 11th, respectively, in tackles.
Mitch Stanitzek and Trevor Apsey combined for 31 tackles last season and fans should look out for their production.
