2017 CMU FOOTBALL SCHEDULE | SPRING ROSTER
FAYETTE, Mo. – Central Methodist University head football coach David Calloway and his staff welcomed 64 players to spring drills on Tuesday, as the squad continues to work toward the 2017 season opener on Aug. 26 against Culver-Stockton College.

The Eagles will put in 15 padded workouts, according to Calloway, culminating in the annual Spring Game at Davis Field, which is set for Saturday, April 29, at 12-noon.

CMU welcomed 47 returners to workouts this week, including 2016 leading passer and rusher Caleb Bedford (JR/Houston, Tex.). Bedford threw for 2,796 yards and 25 touchdowns last season, completing 51.5% (175-of-340) passes. He averaged 254.2-yards per game through the air, while rushing for 401 yards on the ground, including five touchdowns.

Also back is the No. 2 rusher from last season, Royce Long (SR/Stockton, Calif.), who posted 372 yards and four scores.

Two of the top five tacklers on the Central Methodist squad are also returning. Travis Burris (SO/Jefferson City, Mo.) led the Eagles with 79 stops a year ago, including 39 solo tackles, seven tackles for losses and 3.5 quarterback sacks. He also intercepted a pass. Collin O'Connell (JR/Fayette, Mo.) is also back, finishing 2016 with 47 tackles, including a team-leading 11.5 for losses. He posted 29 solo stops.

But Calloway is looking to the future as the Eagles go through the third phase of off-season drills.

"The biggest thing we're trying to accomplish is to make sure we're understanding the schemes; understanding how to do things correctly on the football field," Calloway stated. "From the linemen's side, getting their techniques down correctly is important.

"The biggest thing with football games is you don't win because of how you play, you lose because you make mistakes. Right now we're looking to make sure everyone has correct technique. We want to minimize the mistakes and understand the players' roles at the snap of the ball."

The CMU coach said spring drills is only part of the squad's off-season work, but it is where everything comes together.

"We break the off-season down into three phases," Calloway explained. "We have (CMU strength and conditioning) Coach (Kyle) Oberweather taking them for about the first nine weeks and we also have position meetings where we go over schemes. During this time you'll see some difference in the guys as they work in the weight room.

"Then we have the Winning Eagle Program, which is the guys getting up at 6 a.m. and have, what we call 'gut check' type of stuff, in addition to lifting weights. And now we're in our third phase, which is spring football."

The second-year CMU coach said spring drills are as much for coaches as they are for the players.

"Spring football helps us to put in new ideas and we get to see some of the things we liked and didn't like from last season," Calloway said. "We can focus on the good things that we did well and work on those things.

"Our philosophy is we get better at the things we did last season and get rid of the things we didn't like and put in the new and attack other phases and routes of our program.

"For the players, spring practice is more of an evaluation period for them to see if they are going to have what it takes to process the information and pick up the new schemes. And they can do it without the pressure of having to go out and win football games. So both sides benefit from it."

Thus far Calloway said he is pleased with the recruiting class and the new players that will be coming in, but seeing them on the field will tell the tale.

"We feel the recruiting class has been good so far, but at the same time we haven't put the pads on yet. What we've seen on the guys that we brought in is all on tape. So when we get the pads on them we'll be able to get a lot better feel for how they will perform."

The Eagles will be at home six times during the 2017 season. Those games include Aug. 26 against Culver-Stockton College (6 p.m.); Sept. 9 against Grand View University (1 p.m.); a televised (ESPN3, KSMO and Mediacom) Sept. 30 game vs. Benedictine College (11 a.m.); an Oct. 14 (HC) game against Evangel University (1 p.m.); Nov. 4 against MidAmerica Nazarene University (1 p.m.); and Nov. 11 against Avila University (Senior Day) at 12-noon.

2017 CENTRAL METHODIST UNIVERSITY
FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Aug. 26 – CULVER-STOCKTON COLLEGE, 6 p.m.
Sept. 2 – at Peru State College, 6 p.m.
Sept. 9 – GRAND VIEW UNIVERSITY, 1 p.m.
Sept. 16 – @ William Penn University, 1 p.m.
Sept. 23 – @ Graceland University, 11 a.m.
Sept. 30 – BENEDICTINE COLLEGE, 11 a.m.
Oct. 7 – OPEN DATE
Oct. 14 – EVANGEL UNIVERSITY*, 1 p.m.
Oct. 21 – @ Missouri Valley College*, TBA
Oct. 28 – @ Baker University*, TBA
Nov. 4 – MIDAMERICA NAZARENE UNIVERSITY*, 1 p.m.
Nov. 11 – AVILA UNIVERSITY*, 12-noon
* - Denote Heart games
Home games in ALL CAPS

CMU Football Contact: John Krueger
Phone: 936-332-9332 | jkrueger@centralmethodist.edu
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Website: www.CMUEagles.com