COLUMN: Now isn't the time to fire Enos
Fire Dan Enos. Bench Ryan Radcliff.
When in doubt, point fingers.
I talked with numerous angry football fans while live-blogging during Central Michigan’s first three losses of the season and they were antsy.
With a 1-3 record, including embarrassing annihilations at the hands of Western Michigan and Michigan State, it’s no wonder that fans are in uproar.
That being said, these two, harsh changes should be put on hold a bit longer.
Enos is in his second year as head coach. He came into an offense that was built around a mobile quarterback and is working to adjust it around a pocket quarterback like Radcliff.
Offensively, the Chippewas are working with a new quarterbacks coach in Morris Watts and a new receivers coach in Taylor Stubblefield. They are trying to incorporate young players into a fast game and are hitting obstacles in the form of injuries and rookie mistakes.
While I can’t argue that the past three games were anything but ugly, I can say that this was an expected outcome.
Prior to the season, I sat down and took a look at the schedule on paper.
Game one was against South Carolina State, a MEAC opponent – that was an expected victory to set the moral high early.
Next, the team had games against an SEC team, a rivalry on the road and a Big Ten team. On paper CMU started this season 1-3.
Looking forward, the team is expected to pull itself together to take on a tough Northern Illinois team this week, followed by an ACC team (North Carolina State) on the road.
Once again, on paper CMU should start the season 1-5.
Sure, there’s a reason games are played. Teams surprise their fans and upsets happen.
But when they don’t, people prematurely break out the torches and pitchforks.
Firing the head coach of a football program would force CMU to frantically look to replace him – a distraction that such a young team cannot afford.
If Enos isn’t the man for the job, his contract should be bought out at the season’s end, giving the program enough time to recover during the offseason.
Radcliff
The other fingers point at benching Radcliff – the junior whose 279.8 yards per game led the Mid-American Conference in 2010.
He has yet to find his rhythm this season, playing against three strong defenses on the road. If he wants to continue to lead the Chippewa offense, his time to step up is running out.
Sophomore A.J. Westendorp had the opportunity to take the starting spot when he entered Saturday’s game at Spartan Stadium and he let it slip away.
Enos said he planned to let Westendorp stay in the game, had he held control of it. That game will stick in the young quarterback’s head until he’s given another chance to prove himself.
Talking to Enos at practice this week, he seemed to know who his starter was behind his cliché comments of an open starting position.
Expect to see number eight take the field Saturday, though another rocky start might give Westendorp the break he needs to secure the job.
The second half of the season is salvageable, facing six conference opponents to cap off the year.
But in order to do so, this team needs consistency and it needs to start at the quarterback position.
