Central Michigan is bringing a clear identity into Miami: run first, run often, and keep running.
Through three games, the Chippewas have already handed the ball off 133 times, a total that actually tops Miami’s 110 rushing attempts. That ground-heavy approach runs through quarterback Angel Flores, who leads the team with 312 rushing yards on 60 carries and has scored three times on the ground.
The backfield has plenty of volume, too. Jayden Clerveaux, a transfer from Holy Cross after piling up more than 1,700 rushing yards there, has 124 yards on 19 carries this season. Vaughn Blue has added 107 yards on 24 attempts and one touchdown, and he also leads the team in receiving with 28 yards.
Central Michigan comes in at 2-1, with wins over Colgate and Wyoming and a loss to New Mexico. Flores has been the driving force in every game, and his biggest outing came against Wyoming, when he ran for 163 yards.
The reason behind all that pounding on the ground is easy to trace. Head coach Matt Drinkall arrived from Army, where he worked as an offensive line coach, and brought that run-heavy, option-based approach with him. Army has leaned on that style since 2009, and now Central Michigan is using a version of it as well.
The passing game has barely been part of the picture. The Chippewas have only 26 passing attempts so far this season.
Miami has seen this kind of challenge before under Mario Cristobal. His most recent game against a MAC opponent came against Ball State in 2024, when the Hurricanes held the Cardinals to just six rushing yards. The largest rushing total Cristobal has allowed as Miami’s head coach came against Georgia Tech in 2023, when the Yellow Jackets finished with 271 yards on the ground.
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