The Matt Drinkall era at Central Michigan: where it actually stands.
- Win total 6.5 — line flat since open
- Drinkall, who went 7-6 in his debut, inherits a 10% production return and a program tha…
Head coach
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How past storylines turned out
Central Michigan's head-coaching hire held for another season.
Central Michigan's offensive coordinator spot turned over again the following season.
See who's next →How it developed newest first
Central Michigan: coordinator change reshaping a unit.
Central Michigan: the fanbase's identity shifting.
why it mattersMatt Drinkall's 7-6 debut season marks the start of a new era for Central Michigan, a program historically defined by MAC titles in the early 2000s. ~ our read
Matt Drinkall took over as Central Michigan's head coach, replacing Jim McElwain.
replaces 5-year head coach Jim McElwain (24-30)
why it mattersDrinkall, who went 7-6 in his debut, inherits a 10% production return and a program that hasn't won a MAC title since 2009 — the identity anchor is the challenge. ~ our read
Central Michigan enters 2026 rated No. 100 in 2025 SP+ (-8.8), up 20 spots from 2024.
bottom-quintile returning production — heavy turnover entering the season
why it mattersCentral Michigan jumped 20 spots in SP+ — the 7-6 record and bottom-quintile returning production create a tension between optimism and the challenge of maintaining momentum under first-year coach Matt Drinkall. ~ our read
Central Michigan enters 2025 rated No. 100 in SP+ (-8.8), up 20 spots from 2024.
bottom-quintile returning production — heavy turnover entering the season
why it mattersCentral Michigan jumped 20 spots in SP+ — Matt Drinkall's first season opens with bottom-quintile production returning and a 7-6 record to build on. ~ our read
Watch next
The non-obvious thing to track
The obvious story is the marquee name; the non-obvious one is roster churn — a coaching change keeps a portal and decommit window open long after the introductory presser. Watch decommitments and portal moves in the next window — that's where this is actually won or lost, not at the podium.
~ our read
Rooms tap to switch
The 'this hire changes everything' takes — new-era believers making the case early.
No coverage in this room yet.
The 'show me the body of work' counter — resume gaps, scheme fits, and 'not that guy' reads.
Only 1 of 21 board posts mention it — below our floor to call a community stance. Shown as texture, not a verdict.
The boards ≠ the fanbase: a vocal, self-selected slice.
The second-order trail: commits, decommits, portal and staff knock-on from the hire.
The range consensus, not a gap
“Chippewas eye next step in Year 2 under Drinkall”