“Being a quarterback, there’s always going to be pressure because games
are won and lost on your shoulders,” the junior quarterback said. “The
crowd points the finger right at the quarterback whether it’s his fault
or not. I want that responsibility, and I drive off of that.”

The six-foot five-inch junior from Toledo has plenty of eyes on him
after the Chippewas came from behind in the fourth quarter to beat Kent
State 24-21 last Saturday.

Smith has accounted for eight of the Chippewas 10 offensive
touchdowns this season. Four of those were rushing and the other four
through the air.

But it was Smith’s legs that bailed the Chippewas out against the
Golden Flashes.

“That’s a kids dream,” he said. “To win a close game like that in
the closing seconds, and on fourth down as well — you can’t ask for a
better situation.”

But it hasn’t always been easy. Smith appeared in four games as a
redshirt freshman, including a start against Western Michigan. Last
season, Smith did not play in a single game.

For the all the success Smith is enjoying, things could have been
much different. A talented high school basketball player, Smith was
told by former coach Mike DeBord that he could play both sports at CMU.

“That was basically his trick to get me here because I could have
gone elsewhere and played basketball and football,” Smith said. “At the
time, Scott Loeffler was here and that was the reason I came here
because I knew he could develop me and potentially take me to the next
level.”

Unhappy with the way things were going, Smith contemplated
transferring elsewhere. He had friends that played at Florida A&M
and he also had the option of returning home to Toledo.

Smith points to his father for helping him through the situation. He
said the way he was raised, taught him to be a good person.

“There really wasn’t a clear reason as to why I wasn’t playing and
that kind of had me upset, and I was looking elsewhere,” Smith said.
“But that’s not what I wanted to do with my life. My dad helped me
realize that football is what pays the bills, and I am here on a
football scholarship. Growing up he raised me to have thick skin.”

Smith would need thick skin throughout spring ball and much of
training camp.

Senior Grant Arnoldink was getting most of the reps with the first
team offense, and even started in the Chippewas season opener at
Indiana.

But Smith understood why he wasn’t the No. 1 quarterback right away.

“I couldn’t really complain because Grant did a pretty good job in
training camp this summer,” Smith said. “He did outperform me, but I
knew what I was capable of doing. I couldn’t blame anyone but myself,
and I knew in my heart I should be the starter.”

It didn’t take long for Brian Kelly to take notice either. In the
second half of the season opener, the Chippewas were trailing, and
Smith entered the game and went 10-of-17 passing for 148 yards. He led
CMU to its only score — a six yard touchdown toss to Troy Peyerk.

Kelly said Smith has been working hard to learn his form of the
spread offense and that Smith works hard each and every week.

Kelly even compares Smith to a certain NFL quarterback.

“Kent has had much better leadership, much better presence,” Kelly
said. “Obviously in that fourth down situation against Kent State he
had an opportunity to complete a pass, but saw an opportunity to score
instead. Those are the competitors. Brett Favre does that. The fiery
competitors find a way to get it in the endzone, and one thing I like
about Kent is he’s competing.”

Smith is seventh overall in the MAC in total yards and averages
203.5 per game. The Chippewas offense is ranked fifth in the conference
in total offense with 382.2 yards per game.

Kelly said Smith prepares himself well off the field by watching
game film of himself and of the upcoming opponent.

After getting shunned by DeBord’s offense, Smith is happy to be
getting another shot. It’s a chance with an offensive scheme that
showcases his talent.

“I am now able to show what kind of ability I have,” Smith said.
“You can’t really show anybody when you are on the bench. Coach has
given me the opportunity to go out and play, and I feel that I am
making great strides.”

Now that everything is going like it was supposed to, Smith is
concentrating on the most challenging goal CMU has — winning a MAC
Championship.

The first true test is Saturday’s game against heavily favored
Bowling Green.

And Smith knows all the eyes and pressure will be on him — exactly
how he wants it.

CMU has lost its last five homecoming games.

But new coach Brian Kelly wasn’t around for those.

“I wasn’t aware of it. I don’t pay very much attention to it
either,” Kelly said. “I can’t control it, I work on the things that I
can control.”

The hard truth is that CMU’s homecoming games have been nothing to
celebrate the past five years.

Tomorrow’s game against Bowling Green gives Kelly a chance to end
the streak and start a new one. But it will not be easy, as the Falcons
are one of the MAC’s best teams.

“Generally (Homecoming) means that you’re supposed to schedule an
easy opponent,” Kelly said. “ We won’t win on Saturday if we don’t play
a good football game.”

CMU has not scheduled easy opponents for its Homecoming game as of
late.

CMU hosted No. 16 Northern Illinois on Homecoming last year. The
Chippewas came out strong building a 17-0 lead, but the Huskies
overpowered them in the second half en route to a 40-24 victory.

Two years ago CMU hosted Bowling Green for Homecoming. The Falcons
came into the game undefeated and left with a 45-35 win.

When asked why he thought the homecoming opponents had been so tough
as of late, sophomore guard Drew Mormino responded:

“I don’t know.”

Athletic Director Herb Deromedi had the answer. Deromedi said that
CMU does not receive its MAC schedule for the next year until January.
The school sends the MAC a window of dates, usually ranging in the
middle weeks of October, and the MAC assures the university that they
will have a home game during that window.

This year the Bowling Green game worked best because the other
choices were Western Michigan, which Deromedi said stands out on its
own, and Kent State, which was too early in the season.

Deromedi also said they used the Kent State game to “get people
excited about the way the team was playing,” and they also wanted to do
something early in the season with the Hall of Fame.

“We don’t plan homecoming with the idea of an easy opponent,”
Deromedi said. “We plan it to fit best into our schedule.”

Despite the tough opposition, Mormino is optimistic that this year’s
team can change CMU’s homecoming fortunes.

“Before we just weren’t getting it done,” he said. “This year’s team
is different though.”

The string of tough games has not fazed sophomore defensive end Dan
Bazuin.

“I’m not sure exactly why (the opponents are tough), but I think
that we should embrace the challenge,” he said. “Because that’s exactly
what it is for us, a challenge. Its going to tell us where we’re at as
a team in the conference.”

Both Bazuin and Mormino said that they didn’t feel extra pressure
from the larger homecoming crowd.

“There’s no pressure, the bigger the crowd the better,” Mormino said.

The Falcons (2-2, 0-1), who won the Motor City Bowl last year, have
not lost a step without Josh Harris. His replacement, Omar Jacobs, has
been better than expected.

Jacobs leads the MAC and is fourth in the nation in total offense,
averaging 311.5 yards per game. BGSU is coming off a 70-16 win over
Temple, in which Jacobs threw four touchdowns.

“We didn’t play well (the week before) against NIU and they wanted
to show the football world that we are an offense to be reckoned with,”
said BGSU coach Gregg Brandon.

The offense truly is one to be reckoned with, as Bowling Green is
averaging 456.6 ypg and 40 points per game through its first four games.

The Chippewas, on the other hand, average only 21.2 points per game
and cannot afford to get into an offensive battle with the Falcons.

“Defense is a big key in this game, and it is going to take a good
defensive performance to win,” said defensive end Dan Bazuin.

Jacobs is aided by arguably the best receiving corps in the MAC.
Cole Magner leads the team with 24 catches for 198 yards and Charles
Sharon has collected 243 yards and four TD’s.

The Falcons pass offense is ranked No. 11 in the nation averaging
325.6 yards per game.

“They have an outstanding receiving corp,” said CMU coach Brian
Kelly. “We respect them but we do not fear them.”

The passing game is not the only dangerous element of the Bowling
Green offense. Junior tailback P.J. Pope leads the MAC in yards per
carry with 6.6 and receiving yards by a running back with 189.

The offensive line has been dominant, allowing only two sacks this
season.

“There is no question Bowling Green is more talented,” Kelly said.
“But that doesn’t mean they are better.”

All the hype surrounds the offense, but BGSU’s defense has been just
as good. They are third in the MAC in scoring defense at 25 points per
game and have won their last 12 games when holding an opponent under
100 yards rushing.

It will be a tough task for them as Jerry Seymour has rushed for
over 100 yards in eight of his last nine games.

“We will need to tackle better,” Brandon said. “One guy will not get
him.”

The Falcons offensive scheme is very similar to CMU’s except their
personnel has been in place for a few years.

“Hopefully that is what your CMU offense will look like in a year or
two,” Kelly said.

TIME: Noon Saturday
STADIUM: Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor (107,501)
LINE: Michigan by 3
TV: ESPN
OVERVIEW: Two teams with serious Big Ten title aspirations
will clash in Ann Arbor Saturday. Michigan true-freshman quarterback
Chad Henne is looking more comfortable in the offense thanks largely to
the dominating play of Braylon Edwards. While the Gophers don’t have a
defensive answer for Michigan’s all-time leading receiver, they do have
an impressive pair of running backs in Marion Barber III and Laurence
Maroney who can control the clock or produce big plays on the ground.
Maroney and Barber rank one and two in the conference in rushing.
Minnesota will need this to claim the “Little Brown Jug” for the first
time since 1986.

The two schools have combined to win six of the seven MAC West
Division titles, something that has created a rivalry between the two.

Toledo (3-2, 2-0 MAC) will play at WMU (1-3, 0-1) at 7 p.m. Saturday
to renew this rivalry.

“Its always been a good game,” Toledo coach Tom Amstutz said. “Both
teams respect each other and its always a good tough game when we play
each other.”

Bowling Green ended the dominance of the two schools last year,
claiming the West Division crown. But, Toledo was picked as the
favorite to reclaim the title.

The Rockets stumbled in the early season, something WMU coach Gary
Darnell attributes to a psychological imbalance.

“I have seen teams psychologically break down during the course of a
game. I think that Minnesota has turned out to be one heck of a
football team and Kansas is a lot better than people thought,” Darnell
said. “I think I can speak for Toledo in saying that early,
psychologically the balance was out of whack, and we were the same way.”

Toledo has hit its stride as of late, winning its last three games,
including two against MAC opponents. During the course of the winning
streak, the Rockets have averaged 46 points a game.

Toledo has done this mostly through the air. Junior quarterback
Bruce Gradkowski has completed 71.2 percent of his passes, racking up
more than 1,400 yards.

The running back duo of Quinton Broussard and Trinity Dawson have
combined for 456 yards on the ground, providing a solid run game to
complement Gradkowski.

“You are always trying to get the plus player. If they have six on
the line then you want seven,” Darnell said. “But you can’t do that
against Toledo. If you plus a man for the run then they have those edge
plays, but if you plus for the pass then they have the run. They have
real good personnel but they do a good job schematically of not letting
you get the plus players.”

The Broncos offense also is balanced, running 138 pass plays and 138
run plays so far this season. But it has not been as prolific.

WMU averages 20.8 points a game this season, and has accumulated
less total offense than Gradkowski alone.

But Amstutz is not looking past the Broncos.

“We have a lot of serious preparation work to do,” he said. “We have
to go to their place and they’re going to give us their best
effort, so we have to try and match their intensity.”

There is an alumni gathering, a parade, a luau-style dance and a 5K
run as part of the annual attempt to stir up CMU pride.

The Rock Rally at 8 p.m. today will include a Pep Rally, a Mock Rock
contest, a presentation of the 2004 CMU Football Team, an introduction
of the 2004 CMU Grand Marshal and an announcement of the Homecoming
Ambassadors.

If students are willing to get up at 8 a.m. Saturday, the CMU 5K,
sponsored by the running group Striders, is ideal to get their blood
pumping, said Harry Plouff, Striders board member.

“It’s important when the community gets involved and shows people
they should also commit to a healthy lifestyle,” he said.

The 3.1-mile run is for students, alumni and interested community
members.

The run begins and ends at the Indoor Athletic Complex. Registration
starts at 7 a.m. and costs $10 for participants and $9 for Strider
members.

Following the 5K run at 9 a.m., alumni can mingle with one another
in Powers Hall. Alumni are offered a free continental breakfast of
coffee and donuts prior to the Homecoming parade.

The parade will commence at 10 a.m. with Grand Marshals Sid and Judy
Smith. The parade route will start in Lot 22 and covers the CMU campus
and downtown Mount Pleasant.

Also at 10 a.m., a cardboard boat race sponsored by the industrial
and engineering technology department will take place in the ponds by
the Student Activity Center.

From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. there is a Homecoming Celebration for alumni,
friends and family.

Each CMU college will set up a tent for alumni and hand out various
goodies. More than 2,000 alumni showed up last year for the event and
more are expected this year, said Mary Lu Yardley, executive director
of the Alumni Association.

She said she hopes the event grows.

“It’s important for students to realize after they graduate, they
still have a place to come back to,” she said.

Alumni, in coordination with the broadcast and cinematic arts
department, will also do their annual radio takeover of 91.5 WMHW-FM
and broadcast the homecoming celebration live.

The CMU vs. Bowling Green football game will kick-off at 1 p.m.

The last Homecoming event is a semi-formal dance at 9 p.m. in the
Bovee University Center Rotunda. A donation of two non-perishable food
items must be presented at the door.

The parade is at 10 a.m. and precedes the 1 p.m. football game
against Bowling Green State University.

One spirited theme is Wheeler Hall’s “Mad Scientist” float.
Residents have spent more than 15 hours of work on their float.

“We brought the idea to council and let our residents figure the
rest out,” said Howell junior Becca Dolato.

The float involves visions of beakers and laboratory scientists
intertwined with school spirit material to create a unique float
design, which also includes “Wheeler potion.”

Dolato is one of two co-chairs of the parade and also is a Resident
Assistant for the hall. More than 20 Wheeler residents are helping to
prepare for the parade by working in shifts, Dolato said.

“We have participated in the parade for the past three years,”
Dolato said. “Wednesday and Thursday are always long nights for us.”

Program Board created a float with a fire-based theme, centering
around firefighters.

“We have converted our float into a fire truck; our residents are
fire fighters,” Stanwood senior Patti Pangborn said. “Money has been
set aside from merchandise sales at our shows to purchase costumes and
accessories.”

A large Program Board ticket will hang on the truck as well.

“It is hard to get people to ditch their homework, especially with
so many different activities,” Pangborn said. “But it’s pretty exciting
how everything is coming together.”

Pangborn is the public relations chairwoman for Program Board and
has helped with homecoming floats for the past five years.

1. Central hasn’t won a Homecoming game five years. It’s about
   time.
2. Kent Smith is ready to establish himself a true threat on offense.
3. Brian Kelly will have his team prepared for battle against a team
   that runs a similar offense as he does.

3 reasons why CMU will LOSE

1. Homecoming often equals mental mistakes for CMU.
2. Bowling Green’s offense is too powerful to the tune of putting up
   70 points against Big East foe Temple last week.
3. The Falcons have more all-around talent and will look to
   stretch the field against CMU’s defensive backs.

More than 2,000 graduates are expected to come to Mount Pleasant for
special alumni events this weekend, said Mary Lu Yardley, executive
director of Alumni Relations.

“Homecoming is an opportunity for people to run into people they
were in school with and reconnect with Central,” Yardley said. “It is a
great gathering and we are hoping for even more people to attend in the
future.”

Alumni visiting for the weekend can participate in an action-packed
schedule of events, including an alumni pre-game reception, the fifth
annual WMHW 91.5 FM Alumni Takeover Weekend, a broadcast and cinematic
arts alumni reception and an alumni continental breakfast.

Tim Jackson, 1986 graduate, makes a special trip each year from Los
Angeles to attend the Homecoming festivities.

“At first I used to come back for Homecoming every year just for the
game,” he said. “Now I would say I most enjoy the time I get to spend
with the students on campus and enjoy keeping in touch with the student
frame of mind.”

Jackson flew in Monday morning and has been guest lecturing in
several broadcasting and cinematic art classes on campus along with
alumnus Jeff Kimbale, who flew in earlier this week from Washington D.C.

Jackson and Kimbale are participating the radio station take-over
event, a live two-hour broadcast from the alumni pre-game celebration
near Rose Ponds starting at 11 a.m. Saturday morning.

Jackson plans on attending the Homecoming parade and game Saturday
with friends.

Yardley said Homecoming events are growing in popularity. This is
the fourth time she has been involved in organizing the activities.

The events begin Saturday with the CMU 5K run at 8 a.m. at the
Indoor Athletic Complex. At 9 a.m., alumni can attend the complimentary
continental breakfast at Powers Hall as they watch the parade.

A large number of alumni will perform in the alumni band, Yardley
said.

There will be a marching band reception beginning at 7:30 a.m.
Saturday morning at Kelly/Shorts Stadium, said Director of Music Events
Dawn Saxton.

“After the coffee hour, alumni rehearse with the Chippewa Marching
Band, followed by marching in the Homecoming parade and, of course, the
football game,” she said.

Saxton expects about 50 alumni to join the band festivities.

“It is always good to come back, especially when the team is doing
well. Alumni enjoy reliving their college years,” she said.

The University Recreation department will sponsor the annual
Homecoming 5K Run Saturday morning as part of the day’s festivities.

Registration forms are available at the Student Activity Center this
week and late registration begins at 6:30 a.m. before the race, which
begins at 8 a.m.

Development and Alumni Relations is sponsoring the event, which will
begin in the Indoor Athletic Complex. Race officials encourage early
registration and the first 125 people to register will receive CMU
Homecoming T-shirts.

“Go to the race, go to the parade, go to the game,” said Laurie
Braden, URec associate program director. “It’s a great way to start
your day.”

The run begins on the IAC track, winds through property on the south
side of campus and ends where it begins.

This race is open to everyone and Braden said one-third of the
entries usually are current students.

Entry fees are $10 per person, $9 for Strider Members and $3 for
runners 60 years old or older. The money raised at the event will go to
the Mount Pleasant Strider Club and be used to put on events for the
community.

Winners of the race will receive a $25 gift certificate to the CMU
Bookstore and a medal.

University President Michael Rao will be running in the 5K and will
later be awarded for his hard work.

“Striders is going to make him an honorary member of their group,”
said Harry Plouff, Striders board member.