Matt Drinkall undeterred in forging Central Michigan’s run-centric offensive identity
The Chippewas have been among the least productive passing offenses in the country, but their head coach is unflinching in his belief about how he's building his program.
Mitten Football is a reader supported publication aiming to bring independent coverage of FBS college football in Michigan, with a particular focus on the Michigan MAC teams. Considering subscribing for $8 a month ($87 a year) to support this work. And consider sharing Mitten Football — referrals from trusted sources are the strongest endorsement.
Don’t expect the Central Michigan offense to look drastically different any time soon.
Amidst the recent struggles for the Chippewas in the points scoring department — 28 total across the last two games, all in the second half with big deficits — head coach Matt Drinkall is well aware that there are those clamoring for an offense with more dropback passing.
But Central Michigan’s (3-4, 1-2 MAC) offense is not going to undergo some mid-season renovation.
And with some unflinching belief and faith in the offensive build and long-term plan, Drinkall is unswayed in his perspective that CMU can be built into a mauling, run-centric offense that shortens games into meat grinders. And, yes, Central Michigan wants to be able to pass the ball more effectively than it has, ideally leaning on a play-action heavy passing game as a counterweight.
But two weeks of bad results and some other duds this season, and the inevitable frustration with an offense that ultimately hasn’t produced enough, isn’t going to move Drinkall and Co. off their belief that the way they want to play is a good formula to win — or convince them to try and be something the roster may not allow for.