Players from Michigan with no earlier college roster elsewhere in the data filled 72% of roster spots in 2016 and 31% on the 2026 roster.
In 2016, 76 of 106 roster spots were filled by Michigan players not previously rostered elsewhere in the data. On the 2026 roster, 35 of 112 fit the same definition. The number of players previously rostered elsewhere changed from 1 to 7.
The median hometown distance moved from 113 mi in 2016 to 331 mi on the 2026 roster.
Before and during the portal era
2016–18 compared with 2021–25
- In-state, not rostered elsewhere
- Previously rostered elsewhere
| Measure | 2016–18 | 2021–25 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-state, not rostered elsewhere | 66.0% | 40.7% | |
| Previously rostered elsewhere | 4.0% | 6.9% |
The 2026 roster
- 645 miAverage hometown distanceAverage hometown distance among 103 located players.
- 33.0%In-state33.0% of players with a known home state are from Michigan.
- 19.4%Backyard19.4% of players with a located hometown grew up within 100 miles of campus.
- 6.3%Previously rostered elsewhere6.3% of the roster appeared on another college roster in an earlier season.
Where Central Michigan ranks
Homecoming Radius over time
The median hometown-to-campus distance, by season. The dotted line is the FBS median.
Roster composition over time
Where the in-state lens draws the line: home-state players with and without an earlier college roster, out-of-state players with and without one, and players with unknown geography. This chart begins where stable athlete IDs make transfer detection possible; the radius chart above carries the official-archive geography farther back.
Where do Central Michigan's players come from?
| Season | Roster | In-state | Rostered elsewhere | Radius |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 112 | 33.0% | 6.3% | 331 mi |
| 2025 | 107 | 37.4% | 9.3% | 241 mi |
| 2024 | 118 | 43.2% | 9.3% | 224 mi |
| 2023 | 116 | 42.2% | 6.9% | 274 mi |
| 2022 | 120 | 49.2% | 3.3% | 193 mi |
| 2021 | 112 | 53.3% | 5.4% | 124 mi |
| 2020 | 130 | 57.1% | 8.5% | 123 mi |
| 2019 | 115 | 60.7% | 7.8% | 123 mi |
| 2018 | 111 | 63.0% | 7.2% | 123 mi |
| 2017 | 108 | 71.0% | 3.7% | 115 mi |
| 2016 | 106 | 73.3% | 0.9% | 113 mi |
| 2015 | 105 | 74.3% | 0.0% | 112 mi |
| 2014 | 107 | 72.0% | 0.9% | 113 mi |
| 2013 | 106 | 67.9% | 0.0% | 117 mi |
| 2012 | 107 | 63.6% | 0.0% | 118 mi |
| 2011 | 105 | 60.0% | 0.0% | 122 mi |
| 2010 | 107 | 57.0% | 0.0% | 123 mi |
| 2009 | 98 | 50.0% | 0.0% | 128 mi |
In-state shares use players with a known home state. Radius uses located hometowns.
Where the roster grew up
Located hometowns on the 2026 roster, with campus marked and the Homecoming Radius circled.
Homecoming Radius: 331 mi