New CMU football walk-on commit Marshall Meeder driven to kick for Chippewas
The new Central Michigan football commit knows a thing or two about kicking under pressure.
Over the summer, Marshall Meeder won kicking competitions at a camp at Minnesota and a camp held by nationally recognized kicking instructor Chris Sailer in Illinois.
Meeder, a senior year at Eaton Rapids High School, joined the team his freshman year to help with kicking extra points. He did not receive much attention from colleges until March 2018.
That's when he made a Twitter account.
"I started posting my videos on there and following a lot of college coaches," Meeder said. "That's when I first started talking to Central, Western and all of those a little bit more because they could actually see my videos."
Meeder took visits to Indiana, Cincinnati, Western Michigan and, of course, CMU. He said that Minnesota expressed some interest after he won the kicking contest.
The five-star kicker said that the culture in Mount Pleasant was what drew him in to play for the Chippewas as a preferred walk-on.
"Every time I had visited there, I felt so welcomed," Meeder said. "The coaches knew my name, were super nice and they're getting (the Chippewa Champions Center), which will be sweet."
When Meeder announced his commitment, he joined the fold for the 2020 class. The reasoning for his July decision came for a multitude of reasons.
The Greyhounds struggled last season with a winless record, 0-9. Meeder was not able to see a lot of game action last season, so coaches told him they wanted to see him in the summer camps. Those videos on Twitter sure came in handy.
Meeder said that CMU coach Jim McElwain played a major role in influencing his decision to play at CMU. After all, McElwain was the special teams coordinator at Louisville, Montana State and Michigan State.
"I got to talk to (McElwain) a lot while I was there and had a great conversation with him," Meeder said. "I know that he will probably do field goals and he'll trust me."
The trust that Meeder has earned in the clutch have been proven in the videos on his Twitter feed and the analysis on the Sailer kicking camp website.
"He does an excellent job on field goal," Sailer wrote. "He hits a pure ball and has 55+ yard range off the ground. Kickoffs are strong, near the top of his class. He drives the ball deep into the end zone with solid hang time. A competitor that kicks with great confidence. Marshall has the tools to compete with the best of the best in this class. I look forward to seeing what the future holds. A fine young man that is always a great pleasure to work with. Look for him to dominate this 2019 offseason turning the heads of college coaches."
Meeder has set a few goals for the 2019 season, including hitting the longest field goal in team history – 48 yards.
He said that his driven personality will help him achieve the goals, and he said that mentality comes from his parents.
"I hope to get more opportunities this year," Meeder said. "I want to show more of the skills that I have."
Eaton Rapids is under new leadership for the 2019 season, as Kevin Bennett will take over for Joe Brya. In turn, Brya is taking the helm at Grand Ledge High School.
Brya said that coaching Meeder for one season was a privilege. He also said that the Greyhounds kicker will find success down the road.
"(Meeder) is an outstanding young man with an exceptional work ethic," Brya said. "He was a team leader for us and has earned the opportunity to play at CMU. I am very proud of him and I am confident he will achieve great things in the future."
Eaton Rapids opens their season against Jackson Northwest High School on Aug. 29 at 7 p.m. Ironically, the Chippewas open their season simultaneously as they take on Albany at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.
