A first-time head coach at the NCAA level, Matt Drinkall has filled out his entire Central Michigan coaching staff, as well as top support positions, sources tell FootballScoop, and the Iowa native has gone deep on Midwest ties.
As previously reported by multiple outlets, Drinkall has tabbed former Eastern Washington offensive play-caller Jim Chapin as his Central Michigan offensive coordinator and Drinkall has taken his colleague from Army, Sean Cronin, to serve as defensive coordinator.
Drinkall elected to retain Central Michigan special teams coordinator Keith Murphy, sources told FootballScoop.
Elsewhere on the offensive side of the ball, Drinkall snagged a staffer from Iowa State -- Sheldon Croney Jr. -- to coach the Chips's running backs.
A former Iowa State running back, Croney Jr. has coached at his alma mater in an assistant running backs coach's spot the past two seasons and lands his first, on-field FBS assistant coaching role on Drinkall's inaugural staff. Croney played four seasons at ISU for Matt Campbell and also served on his staff the past two seasons.
Additional offensive staffers, FootballScoop has learned, include wide receivers coach Keyshawn Colmon from Sacramento State and Derek Fulton from Grand View to coach tight ends. Sources said Fulton also will be co-coordinator.
Chapin is bringing with him Hayden Mace from Eastern Washington to serve as the Chips offensive line coach, sources said.
Multiple sources told FootballScoop that Drinkall elected to retain senior offensive analyst Brandon Blaney, who also has served in an advisory role to the head coach.
Defensively, Drinkall has tabbed Anthony Shakir from MAC rival Ball State to coach his defensive line and plucked Christian Dukes, one of the top young secondary coaches in FCS football, into his first full-time FBS role as cornerbacks coach.
Wes Fleming, most recently with Cincinnati, is coaching safeties. Senior defensive analyst Mark DeBastiani will be retained, per sources.
Jake Riedel, who's been at Power Conference programs Cincinnati and LSU, will head up the Central Michigan football strength and conditioning program, per sources; he's served on staff at Army for the past three seasons and was the No. 2 strength coach during the Black Knights's record-setting 2024 season.
As FootballScoop first reported last week, Ayden Opfer has been tabbed from a senior assistant athletics director's post at Army to serve as Drinkall's chief of staff. Opfer is an Ohio native, further strengthening the CMU staff's deep Midwest roots.
Former Kansas Wesleyan head coach Matt Myers will come aboard as the director of player personnel, FootballScoop has learned, and John Lesiter was retained as DFO. Ashley Jetzer will be hired as assistant director of football ops, a source told FootballScoop.