cfb zeitgeistZeitgeist
OFFSEASON · SUMMER 2026 · COMMITMENT SEASON
Heisman / Players / Joey Labas /Central Michigan

Joey Labas

QB · Central Michigan · Sr · #2

Below the discourse floor — the honest stats-only state.

1,854 PASS YDS · 13 PASS TD · -17 RUSH YDS

2026 RETURNINGReturning to Central Michigan for 2026

2026 Outlook

Returning to Central Michigan for 2026

Updated May 27

2026 Depth chart

Returning starter

Quarterback · Central Michigan

Returning around him

  • 10% of 2024 offensive production back (Heavy turnover)
  • Transfer portal: -5 net (12 in / 17 out)

2026 Award watch

No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)

Central Michigan · Last season: 7-6 · Talent rank #121 · 2026 recruiting class #113

QB · CENTRAL MICHIGAN · MID-AMERICAN

Joey Labas

  • 4
  • #2
  • 6-4 | 210 lb
  • Brecksville, OH

CFB Zeitgeist Score

59

Solid starter in the position cohort. Carried by yards / att at the 93rd percentile.

Heisman Heat

#1618

<1% win probability

Fan Belief

Awaiting

Player-specific FI not yet ingested. Falls back to team mood below.

Respect Gap

Awaiting

Coming online with player-level FI.

Reality Gap

Awaiting

Coming online with player-level FI.

ACCOLADE PROBABILITY

Heisman

<1%

TOP QB AWARD

Davey O'Brien

CONSENSUS

All-American

Player Standing · 17 rungs

Tier 2 · Starter

R07 · Impact starter

Impact starter. Producing measurable value above replacement.

Not on team2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex

Development Trajectory · passing yards

2022–2025
1392022
1,8542025

+1234%

Up 1234% from first season to most-recent.

Career Arc

HS
Recruit
No recruit profile
CFB
College
2 teams
2022–2025
NFL
NFL Draft
Not drafted (yet)

Identity & Role

The durable bio layer: position, size, hometown, and roster role.

PositionQB
Class4
Jersey2
Measurements6-4 | 210 lb
HometownBrecksville, OH
Primary teamCentral Michigan

Recruiting Pedigree

How big the prospect was before college, and whether the later career arc beat that expectation.

Top pedigree Not on file No matched recruiting profile in the loaded archive
Composite rating -- Composite rating unavailable for this player
Signed with -- Commitment history unavailable
Origin -- Hometown and high school unavailable
Class Profile Context
No recruiting profile is on file for this player.

Transfer Arc

Portal movement changes role, context, and perception. This keeps that path in one place.

Portal moves 0 No portal entry on file
Latest destination -- --
Transfer stars -- CFBD transfer rating context
Eligibility -- Transfer date TBD
Season Move Context
No transfer portal moves on file for this player.

Heisman Lens · 2024 Season · Final

Where the player landed at the end of the listed season — final nowcast rank, win/finalist/ballot probabilities, and the cleanest official Heisman placement on file.

HIGH CONFIDENCE· through week 16
Current nowcast#1618Latest modeled ballot order
Season forecast#1827Where the full season sim points
Win probability0.0%Chance to actually win the trophy
Finalist probability0.0%Chance to make the finalist tier
Ballot probability0.0%Chance to appear anywhere on a ballot
Best official finish--Best completed Heisman placement on file

Heisman Futures

Not yet listed on major futures markets.

Achievements

  • Program Benchmark 5.5% Program Benchmark Season leader for the program at the player's position across the headline volume metric (passing yards / rushing yards / receiving yards). Held by 5.5% of the 2025 pool. Team leader in passing yards (1854).

Selector Grid · 2025

AP
FWAA
AFCA
WCFF
SN
SI

Selector recognition fills in once the major honors lists (AP, FWAA, AFCA, Walter Camp, Sporting News, SI) are scraped and ingested.

Today’s Hot-Take

The Hot-Take engine fires when this player’s percentile profile crosses a defensible threshold (top 10% in a cohort, 100+ snap sample). When it’s quiet, the model is honoring its “must be defensible” rule.

Anti-Take

PENDING

The contrarian read fires when the rules-engine detects a stat that complicates the Hot-Take. Quiet here means the model hasn’t found a defensible counter yet — not that one doesn’t exist.

The Room on Joey Labas

Fan sentiment ·

Belief Meter

50

Mixed Sentiment

Sample 1 mentions
Confidence BELOW-FLOOR

Top Take

Trajectory

Cohort divergence mapbearishbullishheatedcalmOwn fans: 1 mentions · belief +0 · "Veteran Labas Brings Stabilizing Presence Among Chippewa Quarterbacks &nbsp;&nbs"Own fans
  • Own fans · n=1

Rival Radar

How rival fanbases talk about Joey Labas

No rival-bucket mentions in the current season.

Signature Story

Awaiting candidate metric

He hasn't written his page yet — we'll start filling it in when there are enough snaps to rank against his peers.

Signature Moment

No signature moment on the ledger yet.

Returns once this player puts together a multi-game body of work — single-game flashes alone don't clear the bar.

A 3-act season arc returns once this player has six or more games on the ledger.

Season Pace · Projection

Where the passing totals stand

final
Through 13g
1,854Pass yards
13Pass TDs
6INT
Per game
142.6Pass yards
1Pass TDs
0INT
Final
1,854Pass yards
13Pass TDs
6INT

What made this player interesting

The fast read on the thing that makes this player more than a generic stat line.

Joey Labas's story is about how role and output meet each other. For Central Michigan, the card already shows enough current-season production to explain why he is on the serious-player board, and the next layer is determining whether the profile is just very good or actually distinctive.

Current place #1618 0.0% win | 0.0% finalist
Role load 32.3% Overall usage share
Profile quirk Transfer path 0 portal moves

2025 Season · Final

Traditional stats first. Advanced context underneath.

Last season

QB season snapshot

2025 season snapshot | final

2025 season snapshot | finalData: CFBD player stats + local Heisman modelPeer context: same position + same level
Pass yards 1,854 13 TD | 6 INT | #98/382 (75th pct)
Completion rate 70.7% 147/208 completions | #63/383 (84th pct)
Yards/attempt 8.9 Explosiveness through the air | #53/382 (86th pct)
Player identity What kind of player is this?

30-second read

What kind of player is this?

Steady volume | Efficient | Vertical threat against FBS QB peers. The quickest read is whether the profile wins on volume, efficiency, explosiveness, or rushing value.

Steady volumeEfficientVertical threatPocket-leaning

2025 Season · Final

2025 season snapshot | final

Passing Efficiency

CMP
147 73rd
ATT
208 71st
CMP%
70.7% 84th
Y/A
8.9 86th

Passing Production

YDS
1,854 75th
TD
13 81st
INT
6 28th

Rushing

CAR
54 72nd
YDS
-17 8th
YPC
-0.3 16th
TD
0 44th

Game Log · Week-by-week

2025 season · 13 games

Box score · CFBD
WkOppCMP/ATTYDSTDINTYPAQBRNote
Wk 1W 16-14@ San José State5/1056005.620.2
Wk 2L 17-45@ Pittsburgh11/1489106.457.4
Wk 3L 3-63@ Michigan4/836014.51.6
Wk 4W 49-10vs Wagner12/142413017.299.53 TD passes
Wk 5W 24-13vs Eastern Michigan14/16138108.676.2
Wk 6L 22-28@ Akron12/21134006.420.0
Wk 8W 27-6@ Bowling Green2/4720018.077.0
Wk 9W 38-13vs Massachusetts10/111482013.572.7
Wk 10L 21-24@ Western Michigan8/111521113.846.3
Wk 12W 38-19vs Buffalo18/242472210.337.9Season-high 247 yds
Wk 13W 28-16@ Kent State11/20121216.140.5
Wk 14L 3-21vs Toledo19/30242018.136.3
BowlL 7-34@ Northwestern21/25178107.137.9
Total147/20818541369.748.0
Season-by-season tables Career rows + per-season box score

Traditional history

Traditional Stats

Season rows up top, career context at the bottom.

Season rows Career row

Season context · Team result + system

2022Iowa8-5HC: Kirk Ferentz · Run-leaning, slow tempo
2025Central Michigan7-6HC: Matt Drinkall · Run-heavy, slow tempo
SeasonTeam
2025Central Michigan14720870.7%1,8548.9136160.4----
2022Iowa142458.3%1395.810120.7----
Career2 loaded seasons16123269.4%1,9938.6146156.3----
SeasonTeam
2025Central Michigan54-17-0.30--
2022Iowa4112.80--
Career2 loaded seasons58-6-0.10--
Advanced layer Usage, value, and context

Advanced metrics second

Advanced Metrics

Usage, value, and opponent-adjusted context.

Usage Value Context
Passing WEPA

Opponent-adjusted passing value. Positive numbers mean the quarterback is adding more value through the air than a neutral peer would in the same environment.

Role share

How much of the offense runs through the quarterback once passing and rushing responsibility are blended together.

Peer percentile

Every percentile is compared against players at the same position and level, so an FBS quarterback is judged against FBS quarterbacks, not the whole sport.

Traditional first

The top tables stick to the stats fans already know from broadcasts and box scores. Advanced context is pushed underneath instead of replacing the basics.

Rush impact -17 0 rush TD | #377/408 (8th pct)
Usage 32.3% 80.2% pass share | 6.4% rush share | #172/428 (60th pct)
Passing WEPA +0.32 Opponent-adjusted passing value | #62/200 (70th pct)
Open full stat explorer
0 metrics visible Showing all metrics
Group Metric Value Rank Pct Why it matters
Passing Passing yards 1,854 #98/382 75th pct Volumevs FBS QB
Passing Pass TD 13 #80/407 81st pct Scoringvs FBS QB
Passing Completions 147 #105/383 73rd pct Volumevs FBS QB
Passing Completion % 70.7% #63/383 84th pct Efficiencyvs FBS QB
Passing Yards / attempt 8.9 #53/382 86th pct Efficiencyvs FBS QB
Rushing Rushing yards -17 #377/408 8th pct Volumevs FBS QB
Value Passing WEPA +0.32 #62/200 70th pct Opponent-adjusted passing value | 207 weighted playsvs FBS QB
Usage Role share 32.3% #172/428 60th pct Share of team offensevs FBS QB
Passing Attempts 208 #120/407 71st pct Volumevs FBS QB
Passing Interceptions 6 #294/407 28th pct Turnoversvs FBS QB
Rushing Carries 54 #114/408 72nd pct Volumevs FBS QB
Rushing Rushing LONG 10 #298/391 24th pct Metricvs FBS QB
Rushing Rush TD 0 #230/408 44th pct Scoringvs FBS QB
Rushing Yards / carry -0.3 #344/407 16th pct Efficiencyvs FBS QB
Usage Pass share 80.2% #115/428 73rd pct Air-game usagevs FBS QB
Usage Passing-down usage 45.6% #166/428 61st pct Known-passing sharevs FBS QB
Usage 3rd-down usage 43.5% #171/428 60th pct Money-down loadvs FBS QB
Usage 2nd-down usage 31.7% #175/428 59th pct Middle-down loadvs FBS QB
Usage 1st-down usage 28.2% #168/428 61st pct Early-down loadvs FBS QB
Usage Standard-down usage 25.9% #180/428 58th pct Base-situation sharevs FBS QB
Usage Rush share 6.4% #238/428 45th pct Ground-game usagevs FBS QB
Value Rushing WEPA +0.12 #123/140 13th pct Opponent-adjusted rushing value | 34 weighted playsvs FBS QB
Ball Security Fumbles lost 4 #237/258 9th pct Turnoversvs FBS QB

Player Standing

Universal 17-step ladder. Tier pills below; accolade streams nested.

AWAITING CLASSIFICATION

On-team2-deepStartingRecognizedEliteApex

AWAITING CLASSIFICATION · Rung None of 16

Why he’s here

Standing classification populates when honors, Heisman, and roster signals all align.

What moves him up

What moves him down

Accolade streams

StatusAwaiting tracker

Heisman model tracks the top FBS contenders weekly; this player hasn't entered the watch list yet.

Splits · Per-game

2025 season · 13 games

Home/Road · Win/Loss · Season halves

Home vs Road

YDS/gTD/gYPAINT/g
Home5g2031.611.50.6
Road8g1050.68.50.4

Win vs Loss

YDS/gTD/gYPAINT/g
Wins7g1461.411.30.4
Losses6g1380.57.70.5

First half vs Second half

YDS/gTD/gYPAINT/g
Weeks 1-77g1250.98.00.1
Weeks 8+6g1641.211.60.8

Pocket and defense-quality (clean vs. pressure) splits are coming soon.

Savant · Box-rate percentiles

Where this profile ranks vs the QB cohort

59Solid starter
8 metrics · season cumulative

Elite: completion % (96th). Strength: yards / att (93rd). Concern: fumbles lost (8th).

Completion %#7 / 183 · 96th pct
70.7%pass
Yards / att#12 / 183 · 93rd pct
8.9pass
Interceptions#70 / 183 · 56th pct
6pass
Pass TDs#80 / 183 · 55th pct
13pass
Pass yards#98 / 183 · 47th pct
1854pass
Rush yards#158 / 183 · 14th pct
-17rush
Rush TDs#150 / 183 · 9th pct
0rush
Fumbles lost#154 / 174 · 8th pct
4fumb

Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.

Advanced Savant · QB · 2024

Percentile Card

Reads as a mid-tier profile across the board..

P4G5All FBS
EPA / dropback0.320
53th pct
CPOE
awaiting
Success rate
awaiting
Explosive rate (20+)
awaiting
aDOT
awaiting
Deep-ball accuracy
awaiting
Pressure-to-sack
awaiting
3rd-down EPA
awaiting
Red-zone TD rate
awaiting
Play-action EPA
awaiting
Scramble EPA
awaiting
Turnover-worthy play rate
awaiting

Advanced Savant

Opponent-adjusted advanced metrics with a cohort filter.

wepa_passing0.32Mid (p50–p75) (n=94)
wepa_rushing0.12Below (<p25) (n=72)

Peer Comparator · Fingerprint match

Three closest profiles by box-rate percentile

3 peers · 8 metrics
Joey LabasCentral MichiganOwen McCownUTSA· 75% simDarian MensahDuke· 74% simTy SimpsonAlabama· 70% sim
Completion %
96
Labas
88
McCown
83
Mensah
66
Simpson
Yards / att
93
Labas
57
McCown
75
Mensah
63
Simpson
Interceptions
56
Labas
44
McCown
56
Mensah
67
Simpson
Pass TDs
55
Labas
96
McCown
99
Mensah
93
Simpson
Pass yards
47
Labas
80
McCown
99
Mensah
94
Simpson
Rush yards
14
Labas
27
McCown
11
Mensah
42
Simpson
Rush TDs
9
Labas
26
McCown
26
Mensah
39
Simpson
Fumbles lost
8
Labas
18
McCown
2
Mensah
0
Simpson

Closest peers by overall box-score percentile profile at the same position.

Player DNA

The Pocket Passer

Balanced passer who operates within the system. Profile sits near league average across dimensions.

QB

His 2025 production profile sits closest to Grayson McCall’s 2023 season.

Grayson McCall

62%match

Coastal Carolina · 2023

All-Sun Belt
#2

Tyler Shough

Texas Tech · 2021

NFL Rd 2 · Pk 8
60%
#3

Jacob Clark

Missouri State · 2025

All-Conference USA
59%
#4

Tanner Morgan

Minnesota · 2022

57%
#5

Dylan Raiola

Nebraska · 2025

57%

Matches Grayson on

Height
Weight
Yards / attempt

Differs from Grayson on

TD rate (higher)
Completion % (higher)

Through 3 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Eli Peters’s path through Toledo.

Eli Peters

89%match

Toledo · 2020

#2

Tyler Van Dyke

Wisconsin · 2024

87%
#3

Kenny Pickett

Pittsburgh · 2021

Unitas Golden Arm1st-team All-AmericanNFL Rd 1 · Pk 20
86%
#4

Ian Book

Notre Dame · 2020

All-ACCNFL Rd 4
83%
#5

Haynes King

Georgia Tech · 2025

All-ACC
82%

Matches Eli on

Yards per attempt
Completion %

As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Jacob Clark's junior season at Missouri State (2025).

Jacob Clark

57%match

Missouri State · 2025

All-Conference USA
#2

Tanner Morgan

Minnesota · 2022

57%
#3

Hudson Card

Texas · 2022

48%
#4

Joey Aguilar

Tennessee · 2025

All-Sun Belt
47%
#5

Will Levis

Kentucky · 2022

All-SECNFL Rd 2 · Pk 2
45%

Matches Jacob on

Total pass EPA (college ability)
Yards / attempt
Height

Differs from Jacob on

Completion % (higher)
Weight (lower)

Supporting Cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2025 season

Head Coach

Matt Drinkall

Pass share

32.2%

252 pass / 531 run

Plays / game

60.2

13 games

OL sack rate (allowed)

10.1%

188 dropbacks · PBP

Scheme: Run-heavy, slow tempo.

Coaching Lineage · 2022–2025

2 coaches
2022
Jim McElwain
Central Michigan
2025
Matt Drinkall
Central Michigan
era →

Coaching transition mid-career: Jim McElwain → Matt Drinkall. Worth noting in scheme + development context.

Bio · Recruiting · Transfer · Roster

Off-field context — switch tabs to drill into recruit profile, transfer arc, or roster timeline.

HometownBrecksville, OH
Height6'4"
Weight210 lb
Class4
PositionQB
Jersey2

Trophy Case · Detail

Every honor on the ledger, broken out by stream and selector.

Honors

No formal honors on the ledger yet

All-America, all-conference, player-of-the-week, watch-list, and postseason awards land here when they're earned. The absence is the signal: most players never collect formal honors, and that's its own kind of context.

Honors Timeline

Season-end distinction and week-by-week recognition on one timeline.

Season Honor Scope Team / Selector Context
No formal honors on the ledger yet. All-America, all-conference, weekly awards, watch lists, and postseason trophies land here when they’re earned.

Heisman By Year

Modeled rank and official finish by season.

Season Team Role Latest Model Forecast Win Finalist Official Finish Points Context
2024 Central Michigan QB4 #1618 #1827 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W16 snapshot | Mid-American
2023 Iowa QB4 #954 #727 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W19 snapshot | Big Ten
2022 Iowa QB4 #520 #446 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W20 snapshot | Big Ten
2021 Iowa QB4 #557 #309 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W20 snapshot | Big Ten

Roster Timeline

Team, conference, and class by season.

Season Team Conference Pos Class Bio
2025 Central Michigan Mid-American QB 4 No. 2 | 6-4 | 210 lb | Brecksville, OH
2024 Central Michigan Mid-American QB 4 No. 2 | 6-4 | 210 lb | Brecksville, OH
2023 Iowa Big Ten QB 4 No. 2 | 6-4 | 210 lb | Brecksville, OH
2022 Iowa Big Ten QB 4 No. 2 | 6-4 | 210 lb | Brecksville, OH
2021 Iowa Big Ten QB 4 No. 2 | 6-4 | 210 lb | Brecksville, OH