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Jim McElwain wants to stick with in-state recruiting 'lifeblood'

For the Central Michigan football program, in-state recruits make up a majority of the teams roster.

Newly acquired head coach Jim McElwain doesn’t plan to change that.

“It’s the lifeblood of what we do, we are Central Michigan,” McElwain said. “We are about two hours from everybody. It’s our footprint and we need to push it and get out and see those (in-state) players.”

While former head coach John Bonamego was in Mount Pleasant, the roster was made up of roughly 70 percent Michigan natives. It is a tradition that McElwain wants to continue.

McElwain nabbed his first head coaching job for Colorado State from 2012-14.