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Former Michigan assistant Jim McElwain to have surgery, status for Week 1 in doubt
By Nick Schultz
Published:
Central Michigan is getting set to open its season against Missouri this weekend — but it might be without its head coach.
Three days before the game, CMU announced that Jim McElwain was diagnosed with appendicitis and will undergo surgery. It’s unclear if he’ll be ready to go for the season opener Sept. 4.
A news release from CMU Football:
Football Head Coach Jim McElwain has been diagnosed with Appendicitis and will have surgery today. Assistant Head Coach Tim Skipper will oversee the program until Coach McElwain’s return.
— CMU Football (@CMU_Football) September 1, 2021
Chippewas assistant Tim Skipper will oversee the program in McElwain’s absence, the team said.
McElwain is entering his third season at Central Michigan after spending 2018 as a wide receivers coach at Michigan. He has also been a head coach at Colorado State and Florida.
Central Michigan was picked to finish second in the MAC West in this year’s coaches poll and went 3-3 in the COVID-impacted 2020 season.
Central Michigan opens its season on Saturday on the road at Missouri at 3 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast on the SEC Network.
Nick Schultz is a columnist and breaking news writer for Saturday Tradition. A 2020 graduate of Loyola Chicago, he covered the Ramblers' 2018 Final Four run from beginning to end and has worked at NBC Sports Chicago. Follow Nick on Twitter @NickSchultz_7.