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The Eastern Echo Friday, July 25, 2025 | Print Archive
The Eastern Echo

Football

New head football coach Chris Creighton speaks privately with the media after his press conference Thursday afternoon in the Convocation Center.

COLUMN: Creighton is the real deal

By Al Willman · Thursday, Dec. 12, 2013

I was following the Eastern Michigan University football coaching search very closely, leading up to Wednesday’s announcement of Chris Creighton’s hiring for the position. Until 8:30 Wednesday night, I was convinced the job would go to Eastern Illinois University coach Dino Babers, a man who turned his program around, going 7-5 and 12-1 in his first two seasons, when the team went 2-9 in each of the two years prior to his hiring. That said, I am really impressed by Creighton – not just on paper, but by hearing the man speak.

New Eastern Michigan head football coach Chris Creighton speaks at his introductory press conference Thursday afternoon at the Convocation Center.

Creighton introduced as EMU coach

By Al Willman · Thursday, Dec. 12, 2013

The bitterly cold weather did not stop nearly 100 people from attending Thursday’s news conference introducing new Eastern Michigan University football coach Chris Creighton in the atrium of the Convocation Center.

New EMU football coach Chris Creighton

Creighton hired as EMU football coach

By Al Willman · Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2013

The Eastern Michigan University Athletic Department announced the hiring of Chris Creighton as the Eagles’ football coach, replacing interim coach Stan Parrish, who took over after Ron English was fired in November.

Johnson shines in the MAC Championship Game

By Eugene Evans · Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013

On a Friday night where Jordan Lynch was expected to take center stage, Bowling Green State University quarterback Matt Johnson had other thoughts as he threw for a Mid-American Conference Championship record five touchdowns, but getting the title mattered more than an individual feat.

The Eastern Echo

EMU coaching search expands

By Eugene Evans · Friday, Dec. 6, 2013

According to a source, Colorado State University-Pueblo head coach John Wristen was in Ypsilanti on Thursday being interviewed by Eastern Michigan University athletic director Heather Lyke for the same position.

EMU running back Bronson Hill blows by during the fourth quarter of the Eagles' game on 29 November in Mt. Pleasant.

EMU blown out by Central Michigan, 42-10

By Eugene Evans · Friday, Nov. 29, 2013

For interim coach Stan Parrish, the long and trying season is finally in the books and admitted about English’s firing not making things any easier on the team. “The long saga is over,” Parrish said.

Eagles offense absent in 58-7 loss to Bowling Green

By Derrick Vergolini · Saturday, Nov. 23, 2013

Eastern Michigan University’s 65 total yards was 495 short of Bowling Green State University’s total on Saturday. Only four of those yards came from the Eagles’ passing game in a 58-7 loss to BGSU on Senior Day at Rynearson Stadium. “We tried about everything we had,” interim coach Stan Parrish said.

Dustin Creel's first of two receptions in the game. The Industry, Pa native's second catch was a touchdown.

Football to take on BGSU at home Saturday

By Derrick Vergolini · Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2013

For Eastern Michigan University, stringing wins together has been a challenge over the past two seasons. The last time the team won back-to-back games was in 2011, over Central Michigan University and Western Michigan University.

Al Willman can be heard every week on the Eastern Echo Sports Podcast with Sports Editor Eugene Evans. The podcast can be found on SoundCloud or by searching for the podcast on iTunes.

COLUMN: EMU football will rise again

By Al Willman · Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2013

The Eastern Michigan University football team just fired its head coach, the last thing the fans need are people calling for the team to drop down a division or, even worse, cut the program altogether.

Al Willman can be heard every week on the Eastern Echo Sports Podcast with Sports Editor Eugene Evans. The podcast can be found on SoundCloud or by searching for the podcast on iTunes.

COLUMN: English lost his team's respect, then his job.

By Al Willman · Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013

Ron English proved me right. That was going to be my lead for the column I had planned on writing, after the Eastern Michigan University football coach was fired Friday. I was going to applaud his firing, though curiously timed, because I thought it should have been done a year ago.

The Eastern Echo

EMU fans and students react to English’s firing

By Robert Jones · Saturday, Nov. 9, 2013

During Saturday’s game between Western Michigan University and Eastern Michigan University, fans and students talked about the firing of Ron English and what the program should do going forward. “He was 11-46 and I think it’s just time for a change,” EMU freshman Connor Comps said.

Ryan Brumfield had 148 yards on 15 carries

Trick play to tie the game in the last minute leads to OT win for EMU

By Derrick Vergolini · Saturday, Nov. 9, 2013

Being the closest to winning a game since week one, Eastern Michigan University lined up for a two-point conversion in an effort to tie Western Michigan University with 51 seconds left in the fourth quarter. “We practiced [this] two-point play since the first day we got here last spring,” EMU interim head coach Stan Parrish said. Freshman quarterback Brogan Roback took the snap and handed it to Ryan Brumfield.

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"Eastern Michigan University adds women's lightweight rowing to sports list in 2026-2027" - Caleb Henderson

"Bits and Bytes 2025 features new technology to inspire middle school girls" - Gabriella Payeur

"'F1' is an action packed, visually interesting movie with an all right story" - Gabriella Payeur

"The Eastern Echo Honored at EMU Board of Regents meeting" - Allie Beecher

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