2024 MAC Football Kickoff - Central Michigan Chippewas Preview

[Music] [Applause] special edition of sports for clle continues from Mid-American Conference football media days Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton we're pleased to be joined by the head football coach of the central Michigan chipa Jim M coach appreciate the time um you have a number of guys back from last year the team um uh seven or 5- seven 3 and five in the Mac 17 starters back though what does that enable you to do well you hope they learned right you hope they learned through the struggles that we had and you know part of what we need to do is we need to learn to push through the struggles right and um you know it it disappointing very disappointing Year we We felt we were in games gave us an opportunity to win and just couldn't finish so you know I think we learned a lot um I really like these guys they're they're fun to be around and I just want nothing the best for him um when you look at this team with what you have coming back what do you what kind of team will it be what do you think some strengths are you know that that's that's a great question you know the the the great unknown um we've had uh some couple subpar years and I put that on myself you know we we weren't able to uh win some games we should have um and you know for me it's like kind of reflection and what is it that makes you a great team what is it that makes you one of those teams that can push through um you know we worked on a lot of that stuff this off season and uh I think we got some guys grabbing a little bit um some linemen back they're really good um we'll talk to one of them here in a minute but um what does that enable you to do when you got guys that have started and played and been through especially on the trenches yeah and and I'm you know I'm a firm believer it doesn't matter how good you are at any other position but you got to be good up front you know and and you know it starts with your offensive line we've got experience which is a good thing but at times we've we've got to again we got to play through the struggles a little bit right and you know for us seeing those guys come together and kind of realize maybe this is their last opportunity you know that something about having some seniors um when you look at the offense again that's a that's a group that you have eight guys back what kind of offense do you think it can be you know I think it can be explosive I feel really good about some of the additions as well that we've got on the outsides um you know we've got two real good quarterbacks I'm really excited about um you know the the running back tandem we have um you know I put up it up against anybody in the league you know those two guys and really our depth there you know we're about four deep at that position so I feel confident about you know our ability what we need to do is learn how to run the ball to win at the end of games right and again you talked about the older guys up front you know those guys handling it um you know I I do believe we have a chance be a lot more explosive than we were um if there was an area that that I said man you're going to get this roll in and and what area would would that be that that would ensure success yeah you know when you look at us defensively we haven't gotten many takeaways you know and you know takeaways are the things that help you win games the the other side of that coin for some reason we kept giving it away and so really for us it's going to be take care of the football which is the number one thing to do in the game of football and we need to get the ball back on defense and and those two areas are something that you know you look at the teams that win they're doing it um what's the message to this team kind of the motto that you that you want to you want them to live by and and you know focus on day in day out yeah you know I think you know for us you know it starts with pts you know we got to push through struggles and and we can't get our feelings hurt you know we've got to be able to stand up and you know every now and then somebody's going to knock you down are you willing to get back up and are you willing to go do it but I mean that's part of the struggle and and uh for us really that's kind of where it's at have you got a sense I know we're not actually into Camp yet you've had some of the summer workouts and those kind of things um can you get a sense for every team's a little different can you get a sense of this this team you know it's great I've been doing I've been very fortunate been doing this quite a while and each year you kind of each each each team kind of develops a personality um this team's personality has got a little bit of Prov it you know in it and uh I kind of like that coach mne appreciate the time in thanks very much Jim mne head coach of the Central Michigan University chipa was we will take a quick time out here on the special edition of sports for Cle from Mac media days we'll hear from the chipa players after this timeout stay with us life gives you plenty to wander about like when you're drying your clothes where does that one matching sock go one thing you don't have to wonder about is what you'll do with your degree from Central Michigan University because you'll already be doing [Music] it at Central Michigan University we do do you [Music] we continue with a special edition of sports for Cle from Mac media days Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton we're going to talk to some of the Central Michigan University chipa players we got Dante Kent Braden swart out uh offensive lineman defensive back guys you returned 17 starters uh from last year's team that went 5 and seven 3 and5 in the Mac um what does that do just that many people back that have started and and played uh when it counts you know um I would say the greatest the greatest way to learn is through experience and um we 17 starters that's a lot you know and uh the guys with the experience we learn we learn how to work with each other we that's what we do so uh when it comes to game time and the experience it it's easier to communicate to somebody or you know if if I could talk to somebody a certain way because we have that Brotherhood basically so just having that experience and S returning 17 starters I feel very confident going into this season now Braden you started all 12 uh m games second team M ma um tell me what that means and and the experience from an offensive lineman stand I mean that games are one in the trenches yes sir so with you said I've played a lot of games so I got a lot of experience under my belt so that's really that's really the biggest factor in getting better in college football is it it's the experience and so yeah all that all those snaps played it's just helped me become a better player you know so eight returning starters on offense what can this offense be do you think you can be a powerhouse on offense that we got a we got a lot of weapons this year and the fans are going to find out nine on defense H what are we going to see on the field defensively from the chipa was this year you think Unity um you know we got a lot of guys nine so we only lost two starters you know so um we got guys that's we're going to be together you got guys that's going to be um allow communicating and just you know one so 59 total tackles 39 solos that tells me come up and and you're willing to play some run defense how much pride do you take in I I take a lot of pride in in I tackl him you know uh growing up I always took pride in football and tackling so you know I didn't play you know other I played other sports I did football track and wrestling but when it's wrestling season I had the choice to play basketball or wrestle and I decided to wrestle all my life you know so I feel like wrestling helped me a lot shout out to coach Don my wrestling coach I feel like wrestling helped me a lot as far as my form tackling as far as understanding Leverage MH and yeah um let me ask you guys this what's the message to the team we'll start with you Bren the team what you know a lot of times you guys have a a motto a message what kind of the approach that you guys are taking this year pts push through struggles that's a that's the motto and you know we're just we want to prove people wrong this season um does that come through especially close games you know late in the game those kind of things is that of course it's all about finishing too you see we had a down down year last year and a lot of that came to not finishing and so that's one of the big like things we want to get after this this year is finishing what can be a strength of this team Dante uh strength you know togetherness you know we we got a lot of new faces in the building as well as a lot of returning starters um but I would say it's something different about this group that that I like you can feel the energy when you walk in the meeting room so I I would say togetherness that that would be a strength you know just playing as one out there and and just being able to communicate and get the job done together we win together we lose together we run together we live together we do everything together so you know just our togetherness would would would get us through I feel like uh before I let you go last question I'll ask you what do you want to see from yourself and and what do you want to see from the team we'll start with you br so I'm not really too worried about myself I'm I'm worried about the team the personal accolades will come with like team success so I'm really just I'm really just focused on team getting win after win um you know I I I'm a little versatil versati versatile as far as playing in a slot and nickel I mean slot and corner so I I just want to work on more of my my slot technique and get a little bit better as far as my personal goals but as a team just like he said uh you know um we need to be together and um yeah I I sense the confidence is that something that that you guys have as a group yeah no doubt our confidence is high right now as I said before I feel very good about this group and um we got a group that's that's willing to learn a group that's coachable a group that understands and that understands how to take leadership a group that you know is is good followers you know you got to be a good follower to be a good leader I wasn't always in this position I had to follow first so same question for you can you repeat the question yeah the confidence yeah I mean like you said we got a lot of returners so we get so much experience on our belt and like to pigy back off him like the leadership this offseason it's been incredible we've just been building building and building that leadership and that's really that's just helping everybody on the seat Braden sword out Dante Kent great stuff best of luck to the chipa in 2024 appreciate you guys thank thank you for having o