WASTENAW COUNTY, Mich. – Every day is an opportunity for Eastern Michigan football.
From spring to fall, head coach Chris Creighton labels each practice as such, beginning with “Opportunity No. 1” through “Opportunity No. 16” in helmets only, continuing through the season opener on Aug. 30 at Texas State.
“We’ve got some new players mixed in with guys who have been with us for a number of years,” Creighton told Local 4’s “Sports Final Edition.” “Probably more than ever in college football, it’s not just about the preparation for eight months and then the season comes and you game plan and try to get better every week. We’re looking at the season and year as a whole.”
The Eagles roster features a whole lot of change, as is the case throughout the Mid-American Conference.
Between freshmen and the now-typical influx of transfer talent, 52 new players join in time for Creighton’s 12th season at the helm.
“It’s an abnormal amount of transfers because of the state of college football,” Creighton acknowledged. “I enjoy bringing guys in, though. We do the best job we can of articulating who we are and how we do it, what our culture is all about, and why. We attract guys that want that, so there’s an infusion of real positive energy with that new group because they want what we’re doing and how we’re doing it.”
The Eagles finished last season 5-7 overall and 2-6 in conference.
Returning to bowl eligibility begins with finding answers to the quarterback question.
Transfers Noah Kim (Michigan State, Coastal Carolina) and Cameron Edge (Maryland) compete alongside returners Jeremiah Salem and Jace Stuckey.
Creighton described the quarterback room as “competitive,” adding that improvement for the entire team requires growth across the board.
“People are at Eastern for the right reasons. In my heart, I believe that it starts with that, right? And then we’ve got to take care of the ball and take it away, rush the ball and be able to stop the run,” Creighton said.
“The Climb” to the postseason coincides with a culture-building initiative that has been in place at the program for decades: the seniors’ literal climb up Pikes Peak in Colorado over the summer.
“Virtually none have summited a 14,000-foot mountain,” Creighton added. “You’re never going to get a chance to do it again with your best friends going into your last season of college football. We button up our season goals and the vision that the guys have for the season, and spend some real quality time together. It’s hard, a full season in football; we need each other on that mountain.”
The Eagles kick off the season at Texas State.
Other key games include a non-conference SEC test at Kentucky on Sept. 13, playing at Central Michigan two weeks later on Sept. 27.
EMU rounds out the regular season at home versus Western Michigan on Tuesday, Nov. 25, the only weeknight game on the schedule.
Eight of the Eagles’ opponents achieved bowl status in 2024.
“It starts with truly being a team,” Creighton said, “knowing that we’re all a part of something bigger than ourselves, being in love with this game and trying to be our best.”