In the Huddle: Central Michigan

sept. 15-16, 2017

in the huddle

syracuse vs. central michigan

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Tackle and bait

In the past When Central Michigan traveled to SU in 2015, Eric Dungey suffered a hit to the head. But the hit is off his mind now.

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The NCAA’s targeting penalty has forced teams to take different approaches when tackling a player.

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JOHN BONAMEGO wanted to be Central Michigan’s head coach since he played for the Chippewas in the 1980s. He finally got the job in 2015, but just months later, he was diagnosed with cancer on his left tonsil. Despite chemo and radiation, he never missed a practice. courtesy of paulette bonamego

FIGHT M

By Andrew Graham asst. copy editor

OF HIS LIFE Not even cancer could slow down John Bonamego from doing his dream job

JOHN BONAMEGO was deemed cancer-free in August 2015. Two weeks later, he coached his first game for CMU. courtesy of paulette bonamego

OUNT PLEASANT, Mich. — John Bonamego stood at the podium in the NIRSA Room in the Student Activity Center on Central Michigan’s campus, about 100 yards from Kelly-Shorts Stadium.

With the Central Michigan logo plastered behind him, he fielded questions about who would start at quarterback, the running back competition and status of tight end Tyler Conklin. That Bonamego was there to answer them was more remarkable than any of his answers.

He had wanted this job since playing wide receiver for the Chippewas in the 1980s. Even as he made his way around NFL sidelines, in Jacksonville, Green Bay, New Orleans, Miami and finally Detroit, he never forgot about Mount Pleasant. In 1999, at a Dairy Queen in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, Bonamego and the woman who would become his wife sat down for their first date.

“The first thing we talked about ... was CMU,” Paulette Bonamego said.

In 2015, Bonamego was the special teams coordinator for the Lions when then-CMU head coach Dan Enos left. Central Michigan considered Bonamego a natural fit. He lived a few counties southeast, was an alumnus and had more than 15 years of NFL experience. In February of that year, CMU introduced its new head coach. That fall, he nearly beat Syracuse in the Carrier Dome before the Orange kicked an overtime field goal to win, 30-27. This fall, on Saturday, Bonamego leads the Chippewas (2-0) back into the Dome for a rematch with the Orange (1-1) at 3:30 p.m.

But in summer 2015, a few months before his first game, the job Bonamego had always wanted was in jeopardy. He was diagnosed with cancer. But that didn’t worry him the most.

“There’s people relying on you,” Bonamego said. “My biggest motivator through all that was not beating cancer. I knew that I would beat cancer. My biggest fear was that I would somehow let somebody down. I didn’t want to let anybody down. I didn’t want to have a situation where someone else was having to do my work.”

A few months earlier, in Phoenix for Bonamego’s first Mid-American Conference spring meeting, he and Paulette decided to hike the local foothills.

As they ascended, Bonamego kept stopping to rest, which Paulette thought was unusual. At first, she began to tease Bonamego, saying “I beat you, I beat you.” But then she stopped joking. Bonamego had never gotten tired like this before.

Weeks later, in Florida for their son Javier’s high school graduation, Paulette noticed a golf ball-sized lump protruding from Bonamego’s neck. She suspected it was a swollen lymph node, so Bonamego took some cold medicine.

Bonamego rarely slept through the night and, when his eyes finally did close, he woke up drenched in sweat. To the Bonamegos, this was not unusual. Nights like these started when he was the Lions, and they dismissed them as normal side effects from stress. He had a demanding job and they had a dusty house in Birmingham with poor air circulation. Paulette sweat during the night, too. But even after they moved to Mount Pleasant, the night sweats persisted.

“Those were signs and we just kind of ignored them,” Paulette said. “... We just never thought about it.”

The cold medicine wasn’t working. Nothing was. So, they went to the see bonamego page 10

4 sept. 15-16, 2017

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Dungey leaves past behind against CMU

By Joe Bloss

senior staff writer

Eric Dungey rolled loose from the pocket, popped a short pass to the sideline and buckled to his knees as a chaser latched onto his legs.

On that same timeline, Central Michigan defensive end Mitch Stanitzek saw his chance.

He barreled toward Dungey and lowered his head to where Dungey’s chest would appear in a split second.

Instead, it was Dungey’s head in Stanitzek’s path. There was no stopping. Their helmets crashed and Dungey fell face-forward into the turf. His body looked lifeless.

One targeting call and two years later, Stanitzek is back with Central Michigan (2-0) for another bout against SU (1-1) this weekend.

He was the first one to deliver the type of blow that has brought a heavy focus on Dungey’s running habits, a constant in Syracuse’s offense two games into 2017.

Dungey said this week that he’s never spoken to Stanitzek and doesn’t plan on worrying about their history come Saturday.

“You can’t make things personal,” Dungey said. “… The only thing I’m focused on is getting a win.”

Dungey has more than just Stanitzek to worry about. He was sacked five times last week in a loss against Middle Tennessee State. His receivers dropped balls. SU’s two primary running backs, junior Dontae Strickland and sophomore Moe Neal, have combined for less than 100 yards on the ground in two games. Dungey’s responsibility to lead the SU offense has been magnified by the failures of those around him.

His mobility has factored into a response and is essential to an otherwise lifeless run game. Dungey’s 104 rushing yards are more than any other SU player. He has averaged 14 rushing attempts per game. Three of his six touchdowns came on the ground. One of those, a 29-yard dash up the middle of the field for SU’s longest run of the season, tied the game in the fourth quarter last week.

9

ERIC DUNGEY was knocked out of the game by a vicious Mitch Stanitzek head-tohead hit the last time SU faced Central Michigan. colin davy staff photographer

The play was by design, but any time Dungey tucks the ball and runs, by plan or by force, it comes with a known risk. In the season opener, Dungey front-flipped in midair to avoid a tackler in the open field. He slid last week, but also took a nasty knock from MTSU’s defensive end Walter Brady. The hit earned Brady an ejection for targeting.

“As long as I’m being smart with the ball, I’m just trying to help my team win any way I can,” Dungey said.

Dungey cannot control the actions of those chasing him. Still, he missed three games last year and four his freshman year because of “upper-body injuries.” Missing time has consequences when fighting to string together enough wins for bowl eligibility.

“As you know with (Dungey), moving is not always a good thing,” said Jamar McGloster, SU’s fifth-year senior right tackle, “but the fact that he can get out of pressure takes the relief off of us.”

McGloster and his counterpart at left tack-

le, junior Cody Conway, both said this week that they’ll be checking over their shoulder to make sure no Chippewas partake in any postplay shenanigans with Dungey. Holding blocks to “the echo of the whistle” was an emphasis in practice this week, McGloster said.

Based on player comments this week, the concern for SU is not to amend what happened two years ago, but to right the course of the season that endured its first loss earlier than most expected.

But nobody has forgotten. CMU head coach John Bonamego said Monday he’ll probably discuss the possibility that Stanitzek could have a bullseye on his back, but that “this is football.”

“I think Mitch in his heart knows what he did was not intentional,” Bonamego said.

“I think when you know inside and you have the trust and you have the faith of the people around you and the people that are important to you and the people that care about you, quite frankly, I don’t think anything else matters.” jtbloss@syr.edu | @jtbloss

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sept. 15-16, 2017 5

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Syracuse adapts tackling techniques in age of targeting

By Matthew Gutierrez asst. sports editor

Devin M. Butler rattled off the commands: Key on the hip. Eye to the thigh. Wrap around.

Shoulder through the thighs.

These are among the codes defensive coaches preach to tackle ball carriers and avoid a targeting call, a 15-yard penalty and automatic ejection. Outdated techniques, such as “bite the ball,” which is when a player’s facemask lands where the ball carrier is holding the football, puts the head and neck at risk.

Growing concerns over player safety have put tackling techniques in the spotlight. In 2013, the NCAA implemented the targeting rule, which can get a tackler tossed from the game for contacting a player above the shoulders or leading with the crown of the helmet.

In 2015, the Big 12 began limiting its teams to one full-contact practice a week during the season. Last year, the Ivy League ceased fullcontact practices altogether. This year, the NCAA banned two-a-day practices.

“You only get a finite number of days, finite amount of time to perfect the craft,” Butler said. “It makes you have a special attention to detail when you’re going through it.”

As the NCAA allows less practice time in pads to practice tackling, teams across the country are implementing new tactics. The subject draws particular attention to Syracuse (1-1), which returned more than 86 percent of its tackles from last season.

Senior linebackers Zaire Franklin and Parris Bennett combined for 211 tackles in 2016.

But this year, Syracuse’s 109 tackles ranks 102nd in the country, and SU has struggled recently to keep defensive players healthy.

Tackling can be risky, which amplifies why proper methods are a focal point.

Plus, offensive schemes like SU’s have spread the field, which means missed tackles have a greater chance of turning into touchdowns. Spread offenses also increase the number of plays per game and the duration of

Player safety concerns prompted the targeting rule in 2013 and an emphasis on how exactly players bring guys down to prevent injury. colin davy staff photographer

games, leaving players on the field longer and exposing them to more contact.

This weekend, Central Michigan senior lineman Mitch Stanitzek returns to the Carrier Dome for the first time since 2015. During that game CMU’s Nathan Ricketts was wrapping up SU quarterback Eric Dungey when Stanitzek dove and made helmet-to-helmet contact with him. Dungey completed the pass for a touchdown in the 30-27 overtime win, but he missed one game and Stanitzek was ejected for targeting.

Several players said over the last two weeks that there is no one-size-fits-all way to bring a guy down. Bigger bodies such as Franklin can hit higher because their larger chests and shoulders provide more room for error.

Smaller defenders such as Kielan Whitner and Cordy must be more precise. All players agreed that their shoulder, not the helmet,

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should hit the ball carrier first.

“You get dynamic runners nowadays and they spin out of tackles,” Butler said. “If you get your head across the ball, you become susceptible because you have less body contact.”

Where exactly that shoulder should hit is not universal. Chest-high hits can be effective, but the head is more vulnerable. What to do after initial contact also varies by player and position.

Graduate transfer linebacker Austin Valdez was recruited to Bowling Green as a quarterback until, Valdez recalled, then-head coach Dino Babers said he was “too athletic” to not be on defense. Babers switched him to the other side of the ball where he learned a grassroots approach as a college sophomore.

He performed basic tackling drills, which SU players said they do 15 minutes per day, to keep his head up and aim for the hips or below. In

2015, he was named to the All-Mid American Conference First Team.

Jordan Martin, a Toledo graduate transfer defensive back, said his primary focus is finding a low target angle to minimize unnecessary contact. From several yards out, Martin keys on where he wants to hit a player. He watches how the ball carrier is holding the ball and the direction of his hips. He knows carriers naturally lower their pads and brace themselves, so he is extra conscious in practice to get low and take away the legs. He wants to ultimately hit just below the waist.

“It’s so quick,” Martin said. “You have to line everything up correctly to avoid getting called for (it). You may be running, not trying to hit, and make contact in the wrong area and get called for targeting.”

Ravian Pierce, a junior college transfer tight end, said he has noticed that players are hitting him higher this year. In junior college, he was hit lower. He couldn’t pinpoint why, but the 6-foot-3, 237-pound junior thinks because he is harder to bring down, lower tackles can be effective. Now that he’s at a Power 5 school with stronger players, he said players can afford to hit him higher.

“Then you have those ‘for-sure tacklers,’” Pierce said. “Those guys that hold to anything and wait for the pack to get there. That’s what I would classify as a good tackle so that you don’t slip away.”

In high school, Whitner, a safety turned linebacker, LINK, was taught a rugby-style approach, putting his head on the back of the hip. Now, he stresses the importance of keeping leverage in the tackle. By that, he means to hit with the same shoulder and leg. His left shoulder should align with his left leg, for example. This keeps his head out of the tackle yet allows him to make forceful contact.

“You have to get your head on the back hip rather than across the guy to help cut down on concussions,” Whitner said, “and still be able to make a solid tackle.” mguti100@syr.edu | @Matthewgut21

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doctor, who told Bonamego he had cancer.

Paulette struggled to breath. She felt an “emotional sickness.”

“Hearing those words gets your attention,” Bonamego said.

On June 18, Bonamego published an open letter on CMU’s web site to announce he had a tumor on his left tonsil.

Days began before 5 a.m. every Monday through Friday, the couple drove together about two hours southeast to Ann Arbor, Michigan, where Bonamego underwent radiation and received weekly doses of chemotherapy.

Because of where the cancer manifested, the easiest way to irradiate Bonamego’s tonsil was through his neck. To ensure he didn’t absorb stray radiation at the daily appointments, Bonamego needed to lie completely still. He sometimes lay there for several hours without moving. The entire time, his head was held in place by a mesh mask.

“When you get in those situations,” Bonamego said, “you really don’t have any other option. You can give up, or you can fight it.”

Even though doctors detected the cancer early and it was a treatable strain, squamous cell carcinoma, the regimen ravaged Bonamego’s body. His toenails and fingernails split and cracked. He shed 70 pounds. His tongue swelled and his mouth filled with about 30 canker sores.

He broke out in rashes and the radiation burned his neck until it blistered. As he returned for more treatment, flesh fell from his neck and his players grew accustomed to seeing their coach’s shirt collar permanently soaked with blood.

“You have times that aren’t so bad,” Bonamego said, “and times that just, for lack of a better word, suck.”

Eventually, to keep him properly nourished and hydrated, Bonamego required twice-aday fluid IVs, along with a feeding tube.

The restless nights became almost intolerable. He only slept sitting up, in short spells, and woke often to throw up. Paulette kept cool washcloths on her husband’s forehead

and tried to stay awake with him. She felt guilty about falling asleep. The care seemed to make no difference. While the pain fogged Bonamego’s memory — he still doesn’t remember certain moments from that time — the objective remained clear.

In his last three weeks of treatment, as it slowly cleansed Bonamego’s body, the CMU athletic boosters and alumni association pooled to pay for the Bonamegos to fly to Ann Arbor each morning.

Two months after the diagnosis, at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Bonamego rang the cancer-free bell. When he returned to campus, it was time to get ready for practice. Walking out of the tunnel in Kelly-Shorts Stadium, the band, faculty, cheerleaders, fans, CMU president George E. Ross and the whole football team ambushed Bonamego.

On Aug. 21, Bonamego was cancer-free.

Thirteen days later, on a Thursday night against Oklahoma State, he coached his first game as Central Michigan’s head man.

While Bonamego lived a nightmare, he never strayed from his dream. Occasionally, Paulette offered Bonamego what she called a “hall pass,” to skip work that day to rest. She told him the other coaches knew what to do and the players would understand. But, to Bonamego, that wasn’t the point.

In his two months battling cancer, he never missed a practice or meeting. Part of his attendance was maintaining any sense of normalcy in his shaken-up life. Part of it was showing the players what he had always taught them about perseverance.

Now, the mesh mask he wore during those blasts of radiation treatment sits in a closet at home. It is the shadow of the man cancer made him, the one that still follows him. It is a reminder of what he had to do to sustain his dream. Paulette finds it spooky.

Sometimes, she finds the mask in the closet, staring back at her. She asks Bonamego if they can finally throw it away. His answer has never changed.

“No,” he says. aegraham@syr.edu | @A_E_Graham

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