At Central Michigan, a program built at the offensive line emerges under Matt Drinkall
Central Michigan is no stranger to have elite linemen, and the new coaching staff — led by a former Joe Moore Award winner — is happy and intent to continue building on that legacy.
Mt. Pleasant — Just because he’s gotten good at not micromanaging doesn’t mean Matt Drinkall isn’t wanting to spend much of practice with the offensive line.
“We've got a pretty good setup where those guys get developed pretty good,” Drinkall said. “But, yeah, it's hard, just 'cause it's like doing it.”
The head coach knows better, though, and spends his time dutifully cycling through various groups during practice. He offers coaching points here and there, but lets his position coaches — like offensive line coach Hayden Mace — get after their work as they see fit. Drinkall lays out some guidelines, but it's up to the coordinators and position coaches to do the work and get their rooms right. That includes Mace and the offensive line room.
But Drinkall, the former offensive line coach who led Army’s front line to a Joe Moore Award as the best unit in the country in 2023, and who admittedly loves to teach blocking as a concept, just by his presence has helped reinforce a priority for Central Michigan: The Chippewas will once more be a premiere MAC program for offensive linemen.
“It's just, we're doing this for, like, the love of the game and our love of our teammates,” offensive tackle Martin Koivisto said. “Like, it's not only about, ‘Alright, I want to get 10 catches today,’ or ‘I want to get 10 pancakes today’ for an assignment. It's cool, but I want to do my job and play my best so that we can have success as a team. So it's been an amazing shift in, I don't even know what you would want to call it, culture or priority.”
