# Central Michigan Chippewas

Mid-American · Kelly/Shorts Stadium, Mount Pleasant, MI
Head coach: Matt Drinkall · year 2 · 7-6 career over 2 seasons, all at CMU
Offense: Pro Style · Defense: 3-4

## 2026 outlook

- 2025 record: 7-6 (5-3 in conference)
- National title odds: +125000 (#51 on the futures board)
- Season win total: 6.5 (over priced +104)
- Returning starter games: 46%
- Schedule difficulty: 95th-hardest of 138 FBS teams

## Returning production by unit

| Unit | Returning games | Games back | Depth back |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Skill offense | 65% | 47/72 | 8/15 |
| Offensive line | 79% | 46/58 | 8/14 |
| Defensive front | 27% | 24/89 | 10/22 |
| Secondary | 20% | 13/65 | 6/14 |

## Roster movement

- Key returning: Korver Demma (DL), Angel Flores (QB), Jaion Jackson (DB), Martin Koivisto (OL), Dasan Smith (OL)
- Key departures (with destination): Michael Heldman (DL), Joe Labas (QB), Brenden Deasfernandes (DB) – NW, Kalen Carroll (CB) – TCU, Jordan Kwiatkowski (LB)
- Key arrivals (with previous school): Vaughn Blue (RB) – LIB, Justin Taylor (DB) – WYO

## Depth chart

### Offense

- WR-X: Tommy McIntosh, Collin Payne
- WR-Z: Langston Lewis, Justin Ruffin Jr.
- WR-SL: Camden Kruisenga
- LT: Jacob Russell
- LG: Dasan Smith, Blake Schlegel
- RG: Brady Ploucha, Blake Schlegel
- RT: Martin Koivisto, Luis Martinez
- TE: Henry Dryden
- QB: Joe Labas, Angel Flores, Marcus Beamon
- RB: Nahree Biggins, Brock Townsend
- FB: Rusty VanWetzinga IV
- C: Matthew Nehf

### Defense

- LDE: D.J. Bennett, Joey VanWetzinga
- NT: Jonathan Decker, Quavion Bird
- RDE: Michael Heldman, Malik Denkins, JJ Douglas
- LOLB: Korver Demma, Nathan VanTimmeren
- WLB: Donovan Brown
- MLB: Jordan Kwiatkowski, Victor Earl
- ROLB: Dakota Cochran, Xavier White
- LCB: Aakeem Snell
- SS: Caleb Spann, Maddix Blackwell
- FS: Elijah Rikard, Elijah Gordon
- RCB: Kyle Krebs
- NB: Jaion Jackson, Keyton Jones

### Special Teams

- PT: Declan Duley, Zac Chapeau
- PK: Cade Graham, Caden VanHuis
- KO: Cade Graham, Caden VanHuis
- LS: Ben Pratt
- H: Declan Duley
- PR: Caleb Spann, Justin Ruffin Jr.
- KR: Nahree Biggins, Justin Ruffin Jr.

## 2026 schedule

| Week | Opponent | Site | TV | Spread |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | New Mexico | Away | Fox Sports 1 | CMU +10.5 |
| 2 | Colgate Raiders (FCS) | Home | ESPN+ | – |
| 3 | Wyoming | Home | ESPN+ | – |
| 4 | Miami (FL) | Away | The CW | – |
| 5 | Akron | Home | – | – |
| 6 | Ohio | Away | – | – |
| 7 | Western Michigan | Home | – | – |
| 8 | Miami (OH) | Home | – | – |
| 10 | Eastern Michigan | Away | – | – |
| 11 | Sacramento State | Home | – | – |
| 12 | Buffalo | Away | – | – |
| 13 | Ball State | Away | – | – |

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Source: SharpData OS – https://www.sharpdataos.com/cfb/teams/central-michigan
Depth chart updated 2026-08-11. Odds shown are point-in-time snapshots.