'It'll be a challenge': WMU coach Tim Lester discusses state of Central-Western rivalry
It was a drizzly Nov. 1 night in 2017 at Waldo Stadium when Corey Willis took a Shane Morris pass 77 yards for a touchdown with under three minutes left, giving Central Michigan a 35-28 victory over Western Michigan in Kalamazoo.
The improbable comeback in the fourth quarter sent John Bonamego and Co. back to Mount Pleasant with the Victory Cannon Trophy.
Jump forward one year, and the result was much different.
A bone-chilling, hail-filled afternoon at Kelly/Shorts Stadium saw Western Michigan return the favor. This time, it wasn't even close.
LeVante Bellamy ran through the Chippewas for 145 yards to blast the home team out of their stadium, 35-10.
The Victory Cannon Trophy resides in Kalamazoo, and this year is the 90th meeting in one of the longest-standing rivalries in the Mid-American Conference. Western Michigan currently leads the series, 49-39-2, and it dates back to 1905 when Central Michigan Normal won the inaugural game, 6-0.
But this season is a little different, as CMU first-year coach Jim McElwain will dip his toes in the rivalry for the first time when the programs collide Sept. 28 at Waldo Stadium.
McElwain has brought quite the newfound energy heading into the 2019 season – at least his players believe so.
"Coach Mac has brought that energy we need," said senior safety Da'Quaun Jamison. "He's motivating, and he drives us and pushes us, and he's really big on self-motivation. 'Nobody wants it more than you do,' he made that known with every player."
That energy that can be felt throughout the program, and through the rest of the Mid-American Conference.
WMU coach Tim Lester has all the respect for McElwain leading into the ever-important meeting in late September. He even studied the former Colorado State and Florida coach's offensive schemes for the Bronco offense.
The esteem Lester has for McElwain's legacy as a top-notch offensive guru will write a new chapter into the historical rivalry.
"It'll be a challenge. It always is when Central plays Western," Lester said. "As a football coach, I really respect what (McElwain) does and how he does it. He's had a ton of success, and I respect what he is going to bring to Central."
As for the state of the program, Central Michigan is in the beginning stages for the Chippewa Champions Center. The $32 million project, which is expected to be completed by the 2020 season, is one of the largest investments that CMU has made in its football program.
Lester said that the project, and McElwain, are the best ways to invest in the program and put the Chippewas back on the right track going into 2019.
"They're investing in the new facilities which help with recruiting," Lester said. "Then you have to build a team, which takes time. I'm a (former) quarterback, so I always watch quarterbacks. They hit it with Shane Morris two years ago, but then all of the other guys leave. That's what happens when you get into the senior transfer thing. When you do that, you have to hit it again, but they didn't hit the second one. When you don't have a quarterback, you don't have a team.
"It's all or nothing."
The Chippewas appear to have hit that transfer quarterback needed to find success in Quinten Dormady. The rare double graduate transfer from Tennessee and Houston threw for 1,290 yards and seven scores in 14 total college appearances.
Time will tell whether Dormady and the rest of the offense will achieve the triumph to set the program right.
As for Lester's squad, it looks to reload after a 7-6 season, finishing second in the MAC West Division and earning a berth in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
Senior quarterback Jon Wassink had a foot injury Oct. 25 against Toledo that ended his season. Lester said that having his quarterback return breeds excitement for the upcoming season.
"We're a veteran team; we've got 21 seniors," Lester said. "We've almost our entire defense back, lost one starter on the offensive line and our first-team all-conference running back is back. We've some question marks at wide receiver that we'll have to answer.
"I like where we're at, we've got a veteran team and that doesn't come around too often."
