MOUNT PLEASANT – Dan LeFevour had his way with Eastern Michigan’s defense Saturday at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.
The Central Michigan quarterback passed for three touchdowns and rushed for three. He accounted for 362 of his team’s 521 yards total offense, didn’t commit a turnover and wasn’t sacked.
LeFevour, a senior, led CMU to touchdowns on its first three drives in a 56-8 victory over winless EMU. His six touchdowns tied a career high – and he didn’t play the fourth quarter.
Eastern coach Ron English said it’s difficult to defend a dual-threat quarterback with the play making ability of LeFevour.
“If you don’t get enough heat on him, he’s going to stand around (the pocket) and find guys,” English said. “And when you do pressure, you have to cover people. He’s a very good football player.”
LeFevour credited a lot of his success to his fellow offensive teammates, in particular receiver Antonio Brown, who scored on a 75-yard punt return and a 70-yard screen pass.
“You put it in some playmakers’ hands and things are going to happen,” LeFevour said. “Those are probably my favorite passes when I throw it zero yards and they go 75.”
He said the offense had “success across the board” and is playing with confidence.
Coach Butch Jones agreed, but said his team, including its quarterback, must stay focused and not get too confident.
Central (5-1) sits atop the Mid-American Conference West at 3-0. It defeated defending conference champion Buffalo and Big Ten school Michigan State.
LeFevour is the latest in a long line of talented MAC quarterbacks in recent years. Ben Roethlisberger (Miami), who’s won two Super Bowls with the Pittsburgh Steelers, is the most notable.
LeFevour was the second player ever to pass for 3,000 yards and rush for 1,000 in one season when he won MAC offensive player of the year in 2007. The other was former Texas quarterback and current Tennessee Titan Vince Young.
In coming games, Eastern will face many good quarterbacks like Tim Hiller (Western Michigan) and Ryan Mallett (Arkansas).
“Honestly, we haven’t even been focused on guys like that,” Eastern defensive lineman and co-captain Brandon Downs said. “We just try to take it one game at a time.”
