CMU Football Adds to Preseason Accolades

MOUNT PLEASANT - Central Michigan University's football program has earned preseason recognition from four more season preview magazines.

Scout.com has tabbed the Chippewas as the favorite to win both the Mid-American Conference title and the MAC West Division crown.

CBS SportsLine and Street and Smith’s have both listed CMU at the top of their respective West Division projections. CBS SportsLine ranked the Chippewas 66th nationally entering the season, the highest ranking of any MAC program.

Sophomore quarterback Dan LeFevour garnered special recognition from three publications. He was selected the preseason MAC Offensive Player of the Year by Scout.com and CBS SportsLine, while Phil Steele’s College Football Preview ranked LeFevour as the No. 31 quarterback in the country.

LeFevour set school records for passing yards (3,031) and touchdown passes (26) in 2006 and was named MAC Freshman of the Year, All-MAC first team and Most Valuable Player of the Motor City Bowl. He and his favorite target, Bryan Anderson (school-record 73 receptions, 867 yards, five touchdowns) were named to the preseason all-conference first team by Scout.com, CBS SportsLine, Street and Smith’s and Phil Steele.

Also collecting preseason All-MAC first team honors were junior offensive lineman Andrew Hartline (Scout.com, CBS SportsLine, Street and Smith’s), senior defensive lineman Steven Friend (Scout.com), senior linebacker Red Keith (Street and Smith’s) and senior offensive lineman Eric Tunney (Phil Steele).

Central Michigan also earned special recognition in three of the preview publications:

- The Chippewas are included in six of Scout.com’s 13 MAC Games to Watch in 2007. CMU’s contests against Kansas, Toledo, Purdue, Northern Illinois, Western Michigan and Eastern Michigan are noted as the key games of their respective weeks.

- Street and Smith’s listed Ontario Sneed as the conferences’ Most Elusive Running Back.

- Phil Steele ranked CMU as having the top unit of running backs in the MAC. The Chippewas’ quarterbacks and linebackers are tied for top honors in the conference by Phil Steele.

The Chippewas open the 2007 season at Kansas on Sept. 1.