Spring game preview: Central Michigan

Central Michigan is putting a MACtion spin on its spring game, holding it Tuesday evening at Kelly/Shorts Stadium with a 6 p.m. start scheduled. 

It marks a key juncture for the Matt Drinkall-led Chippewas, putting the capper on the second spring for his regime and the first after the coaching staff had a full year to recruit, both high schoolers and in the portal. It’s a vastly different looking Central Michigan team from even last season, and certainly from when Drinkall and Co. arrived in late 2024. 

So as the Chippewas wrap up the 2026 spring, here are three things to be on the lookout for on Tuesday evening. 

The quarterback of it all

Joe Labas, the steady handed passer and official starter in 2025, exhausted his eligibility. And Central Michigan didn’t go after a portal quarterback, a testament to the confidence the coaching staff has in the likes of Jadyn Glasser, Angel Flores and Marcus Beamon. They actually see it as something of a blessing to have multiple quarterbacks that have played high-leverage snaps at CMU. But it’s not a secret that the trio are relatively green as passers and none have been tabbed for a season of full-time FBS starting. 

Glasser represents the most promising overall package of talents and physical traits, and has looked locked in through spring and flashed some real talent with his arm. And as offensive coordinator Jim Chapin noted, both Flores and Beamon are out to prove they can be more than just rushing threats. The CMU coaching staff is still committed to being open with possibilities at the quarterback position, allowing for one quarterback to seize the job for themselves or any combination of them to earn playing time. And while he’s not likely to be a factor in 2026, Daniel Gomez has had a strong spring. 

Debuting new defensive personnel

While the Patrick Star “who are you people!?” meme feels appropriate, the Chippewas will ultimately play a blend of transfers and rising returners on defense in 2026, with just three players returning who started in 2025: DL Quavion Bird, DE/LB Korver Demma and CB Jaion Jackson. And defensive coordinator Sean Cronin has been patient through spring, prioritizing self-scouting and understanding how all the transfers and returning pieces fit together. He’ll really get into the nuts and bolts of how the defense might look over the summer and into fall camp. So expect a vanilla look on defense, but plenty of new talent to scout.

On the defensive line, along with the aforementioned returning starters, lookout for a trio of tight end converts, led by JJ Douglas and also including Logan Borodychuk and Nathan VanTimmeren. Dominique Maiava, who has played at OL at CMU, is taking reps on the defensive line. Transfers Leon Howard Jr., Max Van Fleet, Jaxon Cherry and Hunter Zirkle should also factor in this year, as can returners Joey VanWetzinga and DJ Bennett. 

Linebacker presents the biggest gulf to replace, with Jordan Kwiatkowski and Dakota Cochran accounting for the bulk of CMU’s production at the position in 2025. CMU added a couple transfers in Antonio Cherry Jr., Donovan Brown and Charlie Smith, but returners Victor Earl, Jeremiah Alston and Xavier White have also gotten rave reviews. 

And the secondary will have a plethora of players to watch out for. Among the returners, Ed Conoran, Jamari Allen and Tysen Campbell have had strong springs, along with Jackson. Transfers may prove to be the X-factor on the back end, with Ty Williams, Matthew McKenzie, Justin Taylor, Donavan Philord and Darrell Bryant Jr. all contending to crack the lineup. 

A lot of new, which also means a lot to be excited and optimistic about.

What does the new iteration of the offense look like? 

Drinkall and Chapin said they intend for this offense to make a step to looking more like what they ultimately want to deploy, opening up the attack a bit after playing rather controlled in 2025. Tuesday is the first opportunity to show that off, though expect a number of looks to be held back, lest New Mexico and head coach Jason Eck get a head start on prepping for what the Chippewas have in store for Week 1. 

The offensive line is not a set group for CMU at this point, but is in a healthy spot with plenty of returning starts and plenty more added via the portal. And with the quarterbacks all largely familiar, it’s worth considering the various skill options for CMU. 

Running back will be a big dose of Brock Townsend along with transfers Vaughn Blue, John Stowers and Jayden Clerveaux. And look out for the talent Trav Moore, as the true freshman has been getting nothing but good reviews through camp. At receiver, it was going to be a Langston Lewis-Tommy McIntosh duo until the latter tore his ACL a few weeks ago. That puts the spotlight on the likes of Nasir Williams and Justin Ruffin Jr., along with transfer wideout Dontae Robinson, who gets to face his former team, Sacramento State, this season.