Eastern Washington OC Jim Chapin leaves for same job at Central Michigan
The Eastern Washington football team will be looking for a new offensive coordinator.
Jim Chapin, who guided the Eagles’ top-10 offense this season, is leaving his position at Eastern for the same role at Central Michigan, which is a member of the FBS Mid-America Conference.
The news was first reported by footballscoop.com Sunday morning and was confirmed by The Spokesman-Review.
Chapin is joining the Chippewas staff under new head coach Matt Drinkall, who was on the staff at Army each of the last six seasons.
Chapin is originally from Troy, Michigan, a Detroit suburb that is about a two hours’ drive from Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant. Chapin is also a 2009 graduate of the University of Michigan.
For the last three years Chapin was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Eagles, and he developed a reputation as a level-headed and adaptable coach.
“He’s grown a ton from 2022 until now and it’s been evident,” EWU head coach Aaron Best said after the Eagles’ season-ending loss at Northern Arizona in November. “He uses his personnel better, probably, than anybody I’ve been around.”
The Eagles had one of the most effective and efficient offenses in the FCS this season, amassing 442 yards per game, sixth-most in the subdivision. They relied on a run-heavy approach, especially after injuries sidelined No. 2 and No. 3 receivers Nolan Ulm and Miles Williams. Their rushing average of 229.2 yards per game ranked fifth nationally.
“His attention to detail is unbelievable,” EWU wide receivers coach Jeff McDaniels said in September. “It doesn’t matter if it is a Tuesday offensive unity meeting in February or getting ready for a game plan. He is so process-oriented.”
Chapin’s departure comes less than a week after EWU starting quarterback Kekoa Visperas entered the transfer portal, as did a handful of other contributors on offense such as tight ends Jett Carpenter and JP Murphy.
The Eagles also graduated five starters on the offensive line and All-America wide receiver Efton Chism III, who set a single-season program record with 120 receptions last season.
Chapin is the latest in a line of former Eastern Washington coordinators who went on to roles in the FBS. Pat McCann, who preceded Chapin on an interim basis, left Cheney three years ago to be the wide receivers coach at Fresno State.
Ian Shoemaker, who preceded McCann, followed his three-year stint at Eastern (from 2019 to 2021) with two seasons at Hawaii as offensive coordinator. Stanford head coach Troy Taylor also spent a year as Eastern’s offensive coordinator in 2016.