Eastern Michigan Athletics
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EMU Football: 2020 Season In-Review
12/13/2020 1:11:00 PM | Football
EMU was the best-of-the-best in red zone offense (28-for-28), and red zone defense (No. 7 nationally).
Final Game Notes (PDF) | Updated Record Book (PDF) | HTML Stats.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University football team closed its 129th season of play victoriously, as it downed its Mid-American Conference and West Division foe, Northern Illinois, 41-33, Saturday, Dec. 12, at "The Factory," inside Rynearson Stadium.
The game finalized what will go down as one of, if not the most unique seasons in EMU football history, as the team played just six games, all against conference opponents, to safely manage competition during the COVID-19 pandemic. Unlike numerous teams around the MAC, EMU was lucky to play in each of its scheduled contests, finishing with a 2-4 overall record, and 2-3 mark in West Division Play.
WREAKING HAVOC IN THE RED ZONE: EMU was incredibly effective in the red zone on both sides of the ball this season. Offensively, EMU ranked No. 1 in the nation with a 100 percent red zone scoring clip (tied with Washington State). The Eagles produced points in 28-of-28 trips inside the opponent's 20-yard line this season, a 22.5 percent improvement over last season's efficiency. In total, 21 of EMU's red zone trips have resulted in touchdowns. Additionally, the team averaged 4.66 trips to the red zone per game in 2020, a considerable improvement from EMU's 2019 numbers (3.8 trips per game).
Defensively, the Eagles rank seventh nationally in the red zone. EMU's opponents left the red zone scoreless eight times in 28 attempts this season, making EMU the best red zone defense in the MAC.
CLOSE ON A HIGH NOTE: Eastern's win over Northern Illinois bumped EMU's record in regular-season finales to 7-13 over its last 20 seasons. The win also pushed Chris Creighton to 4-3 in such games. Before its victory over NIU, EMU's most recent win in a season-ending game came in 2018, when it defeated Kent State, 28-20, on the road, Nov. 23, 2018.
STRAIGHT FROM THE BEAR: The EMU Office of Athletic Media Relations is no stranger to noting EMU's close-game tendencies, but ESPN's Chris Fallica, known as "The Bear" on the network's flagship pregame show, College Gameday, took to Twitter to discuss it as well.
According to Fallica, 29 of EMU's last 33 MAC games and 42 of its last 48 games overall have either been a win or a one possession loss.
EMU ON THE NATIONAL LEADERBOARDS: EMU notched itself onto the national and conference leaderboards in a slew of individual and team-based categories in 2020. Senior linebacker Terry Myrick was one of the nation's best tacklers, ranking fourth in the MAC and 11th in the NCAA in tackles per game (11.2), while as a team, EMU was the best-of-the-best in red zone offense (28-for-28), and red zone defense (No. 7 nationally).
UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO RETURN: In every situation, there are positives, and that holds in 2020. Although EMU did not get to play its planned 12-game regular season, the NCAA did grant a one-time eligibility waiver that will allow every player on EMU's roster to return for the 2021 season if they so choose. NCAA member institutions are not required to allow students to return, but they are, in fact, eligible to without any effect on eligibility. EMU's roster features 14 players that would have departed the program as seniors this year without the new eligibility opportunity.
IN THE REAR-VIEW MIRROR: EMU proved to be one of the nation's premiere "made for TV," programs yet again in 2020 as four-of-six affairs ended in one-score games. Unfortunately, Eastern was on the wrong side of most of these close encounters, finishing 1-3 in games decided by single-digits.
The Green and White opened their season in enemy territory as they squared-off against Kent State, Nov. 4. Creighton's team outscored the Golden Flashed in the second half, 14-7, but were unable to overcome the 11-point halftime deficit, falling 23-27.
The Eagles came up short the following three games, losing to Ball State (31-38), Nov. 11, Toledo (28-45), Nov. 18, and Central Michigan (23-31), Nov. 27. Eastern Michigan led Ball State, the eventual MAC-West Division champions, 21-13 at the half, but could not overcome the momentum generated by the Cardinals. Against CMU, the Green and White held an advantage for most of the contest, but the Chippewas found another gear, as they closed out the game on a 25-3 spurt.
However, the Eagles found new life in the final two games of the season, defeating Western Michigan, Dec. 5 and Northern Illinois, Dec. 12. The odds were against the EMU when they faced in-state rival WMU, with the Eagles still searching for their first win and the Broncos boasting a 4-0 record. Yet the Green and White were undeterred, putting up a record 53-points as it defeated Western in Kalamazoo for the first time since 2012.
Then, in the season finale, the Eagles outperformed NIU to improve to 2-4, closing out the 2020 season with their second and final win. Thanks to the prowess of the offense and junior kicker Chad Ryland, Eastern finished a perfect 28-of-28 in red zone scoring.
BEYDOUN = BIG TIME: Junior wide out Hassan Beydoun became quarterback Preston Hutchinson's top target in 2020, his first year on scholarship with the team. The Dearborn, Mich. native finished the season as the team's leader in receptions (40), yards (508), and average yards per game (101.60). Those numbers were all career-highs for Beydoun. Perhaps most telling of Beydoun's improvement is the fact that his yards per game averaged nearly quadrupled in 2020 as it skyrocketed from 26.8 yards per game to 101.6 yards per game. Beydoun finished the season with a team-best three 100+ yard receiving performances, and now has four such games in his career. His four 100+ yard performances tie for third-best in program history. Additionally, he is one of just seven players in the 129-year history of the program to record at least four games in that category.
WE SEE YOU, LEE: Freshman defensive back Mark Lee Jr. had a career game against Northern Illinois, Dec. 12, and helped lead EMU over West Division foe Northern Illinois, 41-33. The Columbus, Ohio native recovered his first career fumble and returned the ball for 61 yards to find the back of the end zone to propel the Eagles' lead to 27-10. The play concluded a 17-point EMU run. With the touchdown, Lee Jr. became the first and only Eagle to score for the EMU defense in 2020. The freshman also posted three tackles (2 solo, 1 assist), and helped Eastern hold the Huskies to a 2-for-15 mark on third-down conversions. Additionally, he is the first EMU defensive player to return a fumble for a score since Maxx Crosby did so in 2017 at Central Michigan.
OFFENSIVE SPRAY CHART: The EMU offense showed an impressive ability to use multiple weapons during the shortened 2020 campaign. Junior quarterback Preston Hutchinson was able to find 13 different receivers en route to completing 126 passes for 1,662 yards. Three wide outs caught at least 20 passes (Hassan Beydoun – 40, Tanner Knue – 27, Quian Williams – 24), while an additional six players brought in three-or-more receptions. More specifically, wide receivers accounted for 77 percent of EMU's receptions (97-of-126), and 58 percent of TDs (7-of-12), while tight ends notched 14 percent of the grabs (18-of-126), and 33 percent of the scores (4-of-12). Running backs rounded out the group with nine percent of the total receptions (11-of-126), and eight percent of the group's TDs (1-of-12). EMU pass-catchers recorded four different 100-yard performances in 2020, and accounted for 12 of EMU's 24 offensive touchdowns – an ode to the team's offensive balance.
On the ground, the Eagles were just as good. Seven different Eagles recorded multiple attempts on the ground, with Hutchinson leading the way both in attempts and yards (87-307). A pair of first-year Eagles led the way in yards per carry and yards per game, respectively, as Trey Bess III notched 6.4 yards each time from scrimmage and Darius Boone Jr. totaled 84.7 yards per contest. Hutchinson ran for eight of EMU's 11 rushing scores this season (73%).
LATEST CLOSE: EMU's game against NIU, Dec. 12, officially became its latest regular-season finale in the 129-year history of the program, and the first December home game in EMU history. Before 2020, EMU had twice closed its season on Nov. 30. Those games came in 1897 and 1901, respectively. EMU won its 1901 finale with a 10-5 decision over the Michigan School of the Deaf.
WITH ITS WIN: With its 41-33 season-ending victory over NIU, Dec. 12, EMU recorded consecutive victories over the Huskies for the first time since it won two in-a-row in 1987 and 1997, respectively. The two teams did not play for nearly a decade between that span due to NIU's brief departure from the league.
OFFENSIVE RECAP: The EMU offense put together a strong acumen under first-year play-caller and seventh-year Head Coach Chris Creighton in its six 2020 games. Eastern's scoring unit amassed 2,438 total yards, good for 406.3 yards per game. Only three previous offenses have finished seasons with better yards per game averages (2016 – 455.2, 2008 – 417.5, 1995 – 449.1). Additionally, the team unit finished the season with 23 touchdowns (3.83 TDs per game), which has only been bested by one previous EMU team (1995 – 4.36 TDs per game). EMU averaged 22.33 first downs per game (134 total), which is the sixth-best of any team in program history.
Creighton's 2020 offensive is improved in numerous categories when compared to the 2019 squad.
Some of those numbers include: points per game (33.17/29.15), rushing yards per game (129.3/122.3), total offense (406.3/405.5), time of possession (29:12/28:33), third down conversions (43.21% 35-for-81 /39.88% 67-of-168 ), fourth down conversions (78.57% 11-for-14/48.0% - 12-for-25), and red zone scoring (100% - 28-of-28/ 77.5% - 38-of-49).
DEFENSIVE SPRAY CHART: A total of 32 EMU players recorded at least two stops in 2020, pacing just behind 2019's 36. Seven players had 20+ tackles, while 18 finished in double digits. No tackler was better than senior linebacker Terry Myrick, who finished his senior season with 67 stops (24 solo, 43 assist), 5.5 tackles-for-loss, and two fumble recoveries, all team bests. The Peach State product also added one of EMU's nine sacks, had one forced fumble and added two pass break-ups. His PBU stats tied for second-most of any Eagle defender. Myrick's fellow linebacker, junior Tariq Speights, finished the year with a second-best 52 total tackles (25 solo, 27 assist). EMU's sack leader was senior DE Turan Rush, who popped an opposing quarterback 4.5 times for 20 yards in six games this season. He also led the team with 5.5 TFLs. The defense was able to score one touchdown on the year via a 61-yard fumble recovery. That play came in EMU's season-finale against Northern Illinois, Dec. 12.
DEFENSIVE RECAP: Neal Neathery's young defensive unit was able to finish the season with good numbers as it was the fifth-best unit in the Mid-American conference at preventing third-down conversions (38.2% opponent success rate). The "Hard Hat D," finished 2020 with improvements in two categories over 2019's squad, as opponents fared worse in passing yards per attempt (8.07/8.08) and third-down conversion rate (38.2% 29-of-76/44.8% 82-of-183). Additionally, the EMU defense was able to hold opponents off the scoreboard in 17 percent of its overall frames this year (4-of-24).
The EMU defense was successful at forcing turnovers throughout the team's six games. Eastern recovered nine fumbles, which ranks first in the MAC and 11th nationally, and had three interceptions, which was good for seventh in the league. EMU's final outing, against NIU, Dec. 12, saw the team recover one fumble, which included a 61-yard touchdown by freshman Mark Lee Jr.
SPECIAL TEAMS RECAP: The EMU special team's units were once again some of the very best in the conference in 2020. In coverage, EMU finished first in the league with one blocked kick and was also the best in the conference at protecting its kickers. No opponents blocked an EMU kick this season. Eastern's kickoff return defense held opponents to just 18.04 yards per return which were the second-fewest of any team in the conference, while its punt return defense allowed just 0.75 yards per return, good for fifth-best in the MAC and 10th nationally.
Senior punter Jake Julien was strong in his 2020 efforts, as he booted 16 kicks for 708 yards, a 44.25 yards per punt average, the best of his career. He pinned opponents inside their 20-yard line 1.5 times per game (9 total), which is the second-best average of his career. Julien's long punt of the year was 53 yards. EMU's 43.8 yards per punt average finished as the best in the MAC. Julien is now tied for EMU's all-time career punting average record, which sits at 43.4 yards per punt.
In the kicking game, junior Chad Ryland recorded his best season as an Eagle as he finished with an 84.7 percent clip in field goals (11-of-13). He finished the season 18-for-19 on extra-point attempts and became Eastern Michigan's third all-time leader in made extra points (94) after he went 5-for-5 on PATs in EMU's victory over Northern Illinois, 41-33, Dec. 12. For Ryland, the five made extra points marked the second-consecutive game he had knocked in at least five PATs, and the sixth time he's accomplished the feat in his career.
In addition to his five extra points, the Pennsylvania native nailed two field goals (39, 24) to topple the Huskies. The pair of field goals extended his flawless kicking streak to nine-straight with his last miss being a 53-yard try against Ball State, Nov. 11. The Cedar Crest, Pa.-product ultimately earned 11 points for the Eagles against Northern Illinois, which marked the third time in the six-game season that Ryland has notched at least 10 points. Previously, Ryland had only recorded a game of 10-plus points twice (Pittsburgh, 2019, and Northern Illinois, 2018).
WIN THE TURNOVER BATTLE: A common goal in Head Coach Chris Creighton's program, Eastern has won or tied (22-3) the turnover battle in 25 of its last 27 victories under Creighton.
SEVEN FOR CC: EMU's 2020 season-finale against NIU, Dec. 12, came on the seven-year anniversary of Chris Creighton's introductory press conference as the 42nd Head Coach in EMU football's history. In seven year's at the helm, Creighton has taken the team to three bowl games (in a four-year span), something that no one before him had accomplished. He is fifth all time in wins at EMU (28) and its third-longest tenured coach in program history.
EMU RECORDS SWEEP OF MAC WEEKLY AWARDS: For the first time in Eastern Michigan University football history, all three weekly awards from the Mid-American Conference headed to Ypsilanti, Dec. 7. EMU junior quarterback Preston Hutchinson as named the MAC West Division Offensive Co-Player of the Week with Ball State's Drew Plitt, while sophomore defensive end Jose Ramirez was selected as the MAC West Defensive Player of the Week. Additionally, junior kicker Chad Ryland collected MAC West Division Special Teams Player of the Week accolades.
Eastern Michigan played its first MAC season in 1976, but did not earn a league player of the week honor until the 1977 campaign. Overall, Eastern has won two of the three divisional awards on 12 occasions.
It was the third time Ryland has been honored by the MAC, while Hutchinson earned the honor for the second-consecutive season following a performance against Western Michigan University. Ramirez picked up the distinction for the first time in his EMU career.
EFFICIENT OFFENSE: Eastern's offense was high-flying in its 53-point performance at Western, Dec. 5. The team set season-highs in scoring, touchdowns (6), field goals (4), total yards (533), plays (75), third-down conversions (9), time of possession (35:13), average rush yards (4.74 yards per carry), average pass yards (10.5 yards per pass), and yards per play (7.62).
FIRST TIME UNDER CREIGHTON: In addition to its impressive all around offensive performance at Western Michigan, Dec. 5, the EMU scoring unit also accomplished a feat it has never done under Head Coach Chris Creighton, as it came away with points on all but one drive. Overall, the team notched 10 scoring drives in 11 attempts and finished the game with four field goals and six touchdowns, both season highs.
WHEN WE GET 100 ON THE GROUND: EMU saw its second individual 100+ yard rushing performance of the season when Darius Boone Jr. exploded for 148 at Western Michigan, Dec. 5. Previously, Preston Hutchinson went for 114 at Ball State, Nov. 11.
The performance marks the 29th game under seventh-year Head Coach Chris Creighton in which at least one individual has ran for more than 100 yards (two games with two 100+ yard runners). EMU is 17-12 in those contests.
When quarterbacks are taken out of the equation, EMU has had 24 games with a 100+ yard performance by a tailback (one game with two). In those games, the Eagles are 15-9.
HERE COMES THE BOONE: Freshman running back Darius Boone Jr. had a breakout game on the ground against Western Michigan, Dec. 5. The Tulsa, Okla. native rushed for a career-best 148 yards on 25 attempts, and scored his first collegiate touchdown along the way. The performance marks the first 100+ yard effort by an EMU back since Nov. 19, 2019, when Shaq Vann went for 107 yards against Northern Illinois. Additionally, his 148 yards is the third-best ground performance by any EMU player in the Chris Creighton Era (seven seasons).
In his two games this season, Boone has averaged a whopping 108 yards on the ground.
HOW ABOUT JOSE: Sophomore defensive lineman Jose Ramirez had a breakout game against Western Michigan, Dec. 5. The Lake Alfred, Fla. native set new personal bests in tackles (7), tackles-for-loss (2.0), sacks (2.0), and forced fumbles (1.0). Each number in the previous categories, with the exception of his total tackles, led or tied for the team lead against Western.
HUTCHINSON GOES FOR 300: Junior quarterback Preston Hutchinson threw for over 300 yards for the second time this season when he completed 19-of-30 pass attempts against Western Michigan, Dec. 5. The effort saw Hutchinson rack up 315 yards through the air. That performance comes on the heels of a 23-of-37 mark against Central Michigan, Nov. 27. The Mason, Ohio native finished the CMU game with 365 total yards through the air, which is good for a new career-best. The performance also tied former EMU QB Matt Bohnet for No. 23 on the all-time single-game passing yards list at EMU. Bohnet put up his 365-yard performance against Bowling Green on Oct. 20, 2004.
HECK OF A HALF: Quarterback Preston Hutchinson made first-half history against WMU, Dec. 5. He finished the 30-minute stretch with 267 passing yards on 15-of-22 passing. That performance is the best by an Eagle in the first half of a game since Andy Schmitt went 38-of-52 for 354 yards and five touchdowns in a 56-52 victory over Central Michigan, Nov. 28, 2008.
HUTCHINSON HUMS IN ANNIVERSARY GAME: Junior quarterback Preston Hutchinson shined in his first-ever start for the Eagles on Oct. 19, 2019. In that game, which happened to be against Western Michigan, Hutchinson tossed for 357 yards and three TD's on 31-of-36 pass attempts. He added one rushing score in that game as well.
The anniversary magic was real in Hutchinson's second meeting with the Broncos, Dec. 5, 2020, as he improved to 2-0 against EMU's in-state foe. In his second contest against WMU, his numbers were equally as good. This time, he went for 315 yards in the air, and once again tossed for three touchdowns. In matching fashion to his 2019 performance, he also added a score with his legs.
BEYDOUN BIG AGAIN: Junior wide receiver Hassan Beydoun led the Eagles' pass catching efforts for the second straight contest against WMU, Dec. 5. He caught a game-high seven passes for 96 yards, including a career-long 66-yard haul. His Week Five statistics add to an already impressive 2020 resume that includes two 100+-yard games, and four consecutive games with at least seven receptions.
Beydoun is one of 67 players nominated for the 2020 Burlsworth Trophy. In the award's 11th year, the trophy is named in honor of Brandon Burlsworth, the former Arkansas walk-on and All-American offensive lineman. The award is given to the most outstanding football player who began his career as a walk-on and has shown outstanding performance on the field.
KEEP ON KNUEING: Sophomore wide receiver Tanner Knue continued to build on his already impressive 2020 season with a two-reception, 89-yard game against Western Michigan, Dec. 5. Although he caught only two passes, both were touchdowns, and set a new single-game scoring high for the Mason, Ohio native. His second TD grab of the game, a 61-yard haul in the second quarter, is the second-longest reception of his career.
PAY DIRT PREMIERE: Sophomore running back Samson Evans was impressive against Western Michigan, Dec. 5, as EMU's second back. The first-year Eagle rushed for a tough 61 yards on just seven carries. His overall yards were third best of any back in the contest. Most importantly for Evans, however, is that he was able to score his first-career touchdown. That moment came with 9:46 left in the contest via a four-yard punch in. The score put EMU ahead, 49-35.
HERNANDEZ LEADS THE WAY: Senior defensive back Korey Hernandez has been a steady presence in the EMU secondary this season, a trait that continued against WMU, Dec. 5. His 10-tackle performance led the team, and was his first-career performance in which he did so.
Hernandez is currently first on the team with 24 solo tackles this season, and ranks third in the EMU locker room with 40 total stops in 2020.
PERFECT PLACE KICKING: Junior kicker Chad Ryland has been perfect for Eastern Michigan in its last two games game against in-state foes Central Michigan, Nov. 27, and Western Michigan, Dec. 5. The Lebanon, Pa. native scored 11 of Eastern's 23 points against CMU, as he went 3-for-3 on field goals and 2-for-2 in extra point attempts. He followed that performance with a career-high four field goal makes on four attempts against WMU, Dec. 5. Ryland added a perfect 5-for-5 mark on extra-point attempts and finished the game with a career-best 17 points for EMU.
CONTAINING THE BEST: Western Michigan's D'Wayne Eskridge entered the EMU game, Dec. 5, as the nation's leader in all purpose yards with a 255 yards per game average. Despite his impressive numbers, the Eagle defense was more than ready for the challenge, as they held him to just 99 yards, his lowest of the season. The game was Eskridge's first in 2020 without at least 230 all purpose yards. Moreover, his kick return yards (30) and receiving yards (53) against EMU were season lows.
THAT'S BRILLIANT, NO IT'S GENIUS: During the 2020 football season, EMU's Media Relations Office has been selected to participate in the NCAA's LiveStats for Football Controlled Release Program. Recognized by the NCAA Media Coordination and Statistics staff, EMU is one of 14 FBS members to test the new football statistical tracking program. Created by Genius Sports, NCAA LiveStats will replace Stat Crew which has been the national standard for in-game statistics since the late-1990s. The program will utilize a smaller, dedicated group of schools for extensive training and individual attention to prepare for a full release to all NCAA institutions in 2021. Other schools in the program include Arizona State, BYU, Florida State, Illinois, Liberty, Maryland, Minnesota, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, Rutgers, Texas A&M, and TCU.
ANOTHER MAC ROAD WIN: EMU's road win over Western, Dec. 5, was another feather in the cap for seventh-year Head Coach Chris Creighton. With the win, Creighton has now defeated all but three conference opponents in their respective home venues. Creighton is still searching for wins at Buffalo, Central Michigan, and Toledo.
CONTINUING TO FLUSH IT: For the past five seasons, Eastern Michigan's motto has been to go 1-0 each week while "flushing" the previous outcome. The short term memory has proven beneficial for the program, with 33 of the last 55 (60%) contests decided by seven points-or-less.
Of those contests, eight have been decided in overtime with 19 coming down to the final play.
HOT OUT OF HALFTIME: Defensive coordinator Neal Neathery continues to prove that his halftime adjustments are spot-on, as the EMU defense held an opponent scoreless in the third quarter yet again when it blanked Central Michigan in the third frame, Nov. 27.
The third-quarter shutout marks the 11th time in Eastern's last 30 contests that its opponent has failed to score in the first quarter out of the break.
SIGNIFICANT STRETCH OF DEFENSE: Eastern's defense was able to keep Central Michigan off the scoreboard for a stretch of six-consecutive possessions in its week four matchup with the Chippewas, Nov. 27. The effort, which saw the Eagles force two punts, two fumbles, an interception, and a fourth-down goal line stop
The performance was the best for the Eastern defense since it blanked Akron for seven-straight possessions in week 10 of the 2019 season. Overall, Neal Neathery's unit has stopped opposing offenses on at least five-consecutive drives 27 times in 23 different games since his arrival in 2016. EMU is 15-8 in those games, with four of the losses coming in overtime and six finishing within one score.
THE RECEPTION OF A LIFETIME: A normal team meeting speech from Chris Creighton quickly turned into an unforgettable moment, Nov. 17, as he announced that sophomore wide receiver Tanner Knue had officially earned a full-ride scholarship, a goal that the walk-on from Mason, Ohio set for himself when he arrived in Ypsilanti.
A basketball star during his youth, it was not until his senior year in high school that Knue took to the gridiron. There, he caught 21 passes for 352 yards and had five touchdowns, and averaged 17.2 yards per catch as the team posted a 9-3 record. Those numbers were good enough to catch the eyes of the EMU coaching staff, who went on to offer Knue a walk-on position with the team.
Knue is off to an incredible start during the 2020 season. He burst onto the scene in EMU's Week One matchup at Kent State, Nov. 4. His third-career appearance saw him record his first-career start, collect his first collegiate reception, and subsequently set career-bests in receptions (4), longest reception (19 yards), and reception yards (45). He more than doubled that performance against Ball State, Nov. 11, as he collected eight receptions and amassed 121 yards, both of which are career-highs. His 100-yard game is just the 128th in the 129-year history of the program.
Knue notched another milestone in his football journey when he found the end zone for the first time in his career versus Toledo, Nov. 18.
FIRST-TIME PLAYERS: Each year, teams across the country are able to debut new talent that has emerged. That was no different for Eastern Michigan in its Week One matchup at Kent State, Nov. 4. Fourteen Eagles made their first-ever appearance in the Green and White during the contest, including six defensive players, seven offensive players, and one special teams player. Nine of the first-time players are newcomers on the 2020 roster, while five participants have been on the team for at least one season.
An additional four players saw first-time action against Ball State, Nov. 11, including first-time starter, sophomore Samson Evans, who began the game at running back for EMU. Three additional players contributed off the bench.
Seven more Eagles touched the turf against Toledo, Nov. 18, bringing this season's total number of first-time players to 27, a number that is not surprising when considering EMU has the 19th-youngest roster in the FBS.
KEEPING GOOD COMPANY: First-year starting quarterback, junior Preston Hutchinson put on an impressive offensive show against Ball State, Nov. 11. Most notably, Hutchinson led the Eagles' rushing attack with a career-best 104 yards in 17 attempts. With that performance, Hutchinson became the first EMU quarterback to go for 100-or-more yards on the ground since Mike Glass III did so against Toledo (125 yards), Oct. 13, 2018. His three rushing touchdowns are the most by an EMU quarterback in a single game since the 2014 season, when Reginald Bell III ran for three scores against Buffalo in week six of that season.
EVANS EATS IN DEBUT: Sophomore running back Samson Evans was impressive for the Green and White in his debut game against Ball State, Nov. 11. The Iowa transfer got 14 carries in the game, second behind quarterback Preston Hutchinson, and ran for 63 total yards.
GOOD MERRITT: Freshman defensive lineman Alex Merritt has big shoes to fill if he hopes to be as dominant as the last Eagle to wear his newly-fashioned No. 92, Maxx Crosby. Although he may not be playing at the level of a fourth-round NFL draft pick just yet, he did put together an incredible game at Ball State, Nov. 11. The Queen City-product recorded six tackles (5 solo, 1 assist), one tackle for loss (10 yards), one sack, and also picked up a fumble recovery. Those numbers are all personal-bests.
RYLAND HITS FROM DEEP: Junior kicker Chad Ryland matched a career-best kick when he drilled a 52-yard field goal against Ball State, Nov. 11. The third 52-yarder of his career, Ryland has now hit four from 50+ in this, his third season, with the Green and White. The kick is the longest by any MAC student-athlete this season. Ryland's effort was three yards short of Dylan Mulder's 55-yard make from 2015, which is EMU's longest all-time field goal make. Despite being just short of the all-time distance record, Ryland is now the only player in Eastern Michigan history with four makes from better-than 50 yards.
TWO X TWO FOR THE DEUCE: Senior tight end Thomas Odukoya did not disappoint in his first game donning "The Deuce," on Nov. 4. The first-year team captain put together a two reception season-opener, both of which were touchdowns, at Kent State. His reception and TD numbers were both career-bests.
HOW ABOUT HUTCHINSON: First-year starting quarterback, junior Preston Hutchinson, looked experienced and confident in his season-opener against Kent State, Nov. 4. He completed 21-of-35 pass attempts and amassed 241 yards through the air, which marks the best aerial performance for an EMU QB in a season-opener since Brogan Roback tossed for 267 yards against Charlotte in 2017. Hutchinson and Roback's respective numbers are the first and second-best in that category since the turn of the century at EMU.
HERE COMES THE BOONE: Darius Boone Jr. became the first freshman running back at EMU to rush for 65+ yards in a single game since the 2016 campaign when he went for 68 yards on nine carries against Kent State, Nov. 4. Breck Turner, the last player to accomplished that feat, did so in 2016's week seven matchup against Western Michigan. Turner tallied 86 yards on the ground in that performance.
129 YEARS OF FOOTBALL: This is the 129th year for the EMU football team. The first year of intercollegiate football in Ypsilanti was 1891, when the team, then known as the Michigan Normal College Normalites, posted an 0-2 record. EMU has fielded a team every year since 1891 with one exception, when the 1944 season was canceled because of World War II.
DIALING IN THE CALLS: For the first time in his EMU tenure, Head Coach Chris Creighton will be calling his own offensive plays after previously doing so at his other coaching stops. Creighton is one of 17 FBS head coaches that serves as the primary play caller for their team.
BIZZARO WORLD: For just the fourth time in program history, Eastern opened a season against the team (Kent State) it closed the previous regular season against. Prior to 2020, the last time it occurred was in 1986 when EMU opened the year at home against Western Michigan after wrapping up the 1985 campaign in Kalamazoo.
The Nov. 4 opener was also the latest kickoff to a season in program history, breaking the previous mark set by the 1899 squad when it battled the Michigan Freshman to a 5-5 tie, Oct. 30.
ONE OF A KIND: Eastern Michigan was the only Mid-American Conference team to boast a victory over a Power 5 Conference opponent in 2019. EMU walked off Illinois of the Big Ten conference with a 24-yard field goal as time expired, Sept. 14, 2019. It was the third-consecutive season that Eastern knocked off a Big Ten opponents (2017-Rutgers, 2018-Purdue).
NEATHERY'S SACK FACTORY: Prior to EMU Associate Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator Neal Neathery's arrival in 2016, the Eagles recorded four-or-more sacks just eight times in the 10 previous seasons. Under his direction, Eastern has accomplished the feat 12 times, most recently in its 34-31 win over Illinois, Sept. 14, 2019.
TEAM THEME: Plastered along the halls of the Student-Athlete Performance Center, on team t-shirts, and on social media, the 2020 theme of EMU football is officially, "Breakthrough." The theme represents the team's mission to consistently do what is necessary to move the program into the next tier of success. According to team members, being competitive in the MAC and going to bowl games is not enough. Now, it is time for the team to have a "breakthrough," and compete at an even higher level.
2020 CAPTAINS: Eastern Michigan University's football team announced its captains for the 2020 campaign, Aug. 12. Providing leadership for the squad will be seniors Thomas Odukoya and Turan Rush. Both seniors each earned the honor for the first time. Additionally, this marks the first season under Head Coach Chris Creighton that each captain came to Ypsilanti by way of a transfer. Odukoya, an Almere, Netherlands native, began his career at Garden City Community College. Rush, of Charleston West Side, W. Va., started at Antelope Valley.
RECORD SETTING 2019: EMU tallied a total of 95 game, season, or career entries into the EMU record books in 2019. Then-senior defensive back Vince Calhoun became the all-time leader in starts at Eastern when he took the field against Kent State, Nov. 19. Former quarterback Mike Glass III finished first all-time in single-season completions, and former running back Shaq Vann etched his name as seventh all-time in career rushing yards (2,529). These are just some examples of the record book entries that EMU student-athletes accomplished in 2019.
RUNNING BACK PRODUCTION: Eastern Michigan was one of just 10 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) schools not to have a running back on its roster with a game started. Furthermore, EMU's tailbacks open the 2020 campaign with a combined 10 career rushing attempts (Karmi Mackey 8, Darius Boone Jr. 2).
YOUTH MOVEMENT: EMU will boast the 19th youngest roster in all of the FBS ranks with 62.5 percent of the squad made up of underclassmen in 2020.
CONSISTENT COACHING: When Chris Creighton stepped onto the field in Kent, Ohio, Nov. 4, to lead the Eagles against the Kent State, he officially began his seventh year at the helm of the program. Nine coaches, five head and four interim, have come-and-gone at EMU since the last time a head-man has coached seven years (Jim Harkerma, 1983-92) at Eastern. Harkema, who coached nine full seasons for the Green and White, resides one spot ahead of Creighton as the fourth-winningest coach in program history.
THE CREIGHTON DIFFERENCE: Head Coach Chris Creighton has won nearly 50 percent (26-of-55) of his games since the start of the 2016 season. In the three seasons prior to his arrival in Ypsilanti, the Eagles were victorious in just 28 percent (10-of-36) of their games.
THE NOT-SO UNDERDOGS: With EMU's win over Illinois, Sept. 14, 2019, Head Coach Chris Creighton picked up a third "Power Five" win in a three-year span. Creighton is one of two active MAC coaches to have multiple "Power 5" wins. He joins Ohio's Frank Solich (5).
CREIGHTON ENTERS TOP-FIVE: With six more wins in the 2019 campaign, EMU Head Coach Chris Creighton continued to climb the EMU all-time wins ladder. Currently the fifth-winningest coach in program history, Creighton is just 12 games away from tying Jim Harkema (41 wins) for fourth-best all-time at Eastern. The San Francisco native is the only coach in EMU history to take a team to three postseason bowl games.
WHERE IN THE WORLD IS CHRIS CREIGHTON?: In his head coaching career, Chris Creighton has racked up the frequent flyer miles, coaching games in seven different countries. Creighton added the Bahamas to that list in 2017 when he lead the Eagles to the Bahamas Bowl after it already consisted of the United States, Sweden, Austria, Panama, Tanzania, and Germany.
STABILITY IS THE NAME OF THE GAME: In an era when head coaches seem to change frequently, Eastern Michigan has been able to go seven seasons with the same football and men's basketball coaches. It is the longest by EMU since it also went seven years (1986-92) without a change under the leadership of football's Jim Harkema and men's basketball's Ben Braun.
Overall, EMU has the longest active streak of stability between the two program's in the Mid-American Conference.
STABILITY PART DUEX: In his seventh season in Ypsilanti, EMU Head Coach Chris Creighton is now the 25th longest-tenured Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) head coach.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University football team closed its 129th season of play victoriously, as it downed its Mid-American Conference and West Division foe, Northern Illinois, 41-33, Saturday, Dec. 12, at "The Factory," inside Rynearson Stadium.
The game finalized what will go down as one of, if not the most unique seasons in EMU football history, as the team played just six games, all against conference opponents, to safely manage competition during the COVID-19 pandemic. Unlike numerous teams around the MAC, EMU was lucky to play in each of its scheduled contests, finishing with a 2-4 overall record, and 2-3 mark in West Division Play.
WREAKING HAVOC IN THE RED ZONE: EMU was incredibly effective in the red zone on both sides of the ball this season. Offensively, EMU ranked No. 1 in the nation with a 100 percent red zone scoring clip (tied with Washington State). The Eagles produced points in 28-of-28 trips inside the opponent's 20-yard line this season, a 22.5 percent improvement over last season's efficiency. In total, 21 of EMU's red zone trips have resulted in touchdowns. Additionally, the team averaged 4.66 trips to the red zone per game in 2020, a considerable improvement from EMU's 2019 numbers (3.8 trips per game).
Defensively, the Eagles rank seventh nationally in the red zone. EMU's opponents left the red zone scoreless eight times in 28 attempts this season, making EMU the best red zone defense in the MAC.
CLOSE ON A HIGH NOTE: Eastern's win over Northern Illinois bumped EMU's record in regular-season finales to 7-13 over its last 20 seasons. The win also pushed Chris Creighton to 4-3 in such games. Before its victory over NIU, EMU's most recent win in a season-ending game came in 2018, when it defeated Kent State, 28-20, on the road, Nov. 23, 2018.
STRAIGHT FROM THE BEAR: The EMU Office of Athletic Media Relations is no stranger to noting EMU's close-game tendencies, but ESPN's Chris Fallica, known as "The Bear" on the network's flagship pregame show, College Gameday, took to Twitter to discuss it as well.
According to Fallica, 29 of EMU's last 33 MAC games and 42 of its last 48 games overall have either been a win or a one possession loss.
EMU ON THE NATIONAL LEADERBOARDS: EMU notched itself onto the national and conference leaderboards in a slew of individual and team-based categories in 2020. Senior linebacker Terry Myrick was one of the nation's best tacklers, ranking fourth in the MAC and 11th in the NCAA in tackles per game (11.2), while as a team, EMU was the best-of-the-best in red zone offense (28-for-28), and red zone defense (No. 7 nationally).
UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO RETURN: In every situation, there are positives, and that holds in 2020. Although EMU did not get to play its planned 12-game regular season, the NCAA did grant a one-time eligibility waiver that will allow every player on EMU's roster to return for the 2021 season if they so choose. NCAA member institutions are not required to allow students to return, but they are, in fact, eligible to without any effect on eligibility. EMU's roster features 14 players that would have departed the program as seniors this year without the new eligibility opportunity.
IN THE REAR-VIEW MIRROR: EMU proved to be one of the nation's premiere "made for TV," programs yet again in 2020 as four-of-six affairs ended in one-score games. Unfortunately, Eastern was on the wrong side of most of these close encounters, finishing 1-3 in games decided by single-digits.
The Green and White opened their season in enemy territory as they squared-off against Kent State, Nov. 4. Creighton's team outscored the Golden Flashed in the second half, 14-7, but were unable to overcome the 11-point halftime deficit, falling 23-27.
The Eagles came up short the following three games, losing to Ball State (31-38), Nov. 11, Toledo (28-45), Nov. 18, and Central Michigan (23-31), Nov. 27. Eastern Michigan led Ball State, the eventual MAC-West Division champions, 21-13 at the half, but could not overcome the momentum generated by the Cardinals. Against CMU, the Green and White held an advantage for most of the contest, but the Chippewas found another gear, as they closed out the game on a 25-3 spurt.
However, the Eagles found new life in the final two games of the season, defeating Western Michigan, Dec. 5 and Northern Illinois, Dec. 12. The odds were against the EMU when they faced in-state rival WMU, with the Eagles still searching for their first win and the Broncos boasting a 4-0 record. Yet the Green and White were undeterred, putting up a record 53-points as it defeated Western in Kalamazoo for the first time since 2012.
Then, in the season finale, the Eagles outperformed NIU to improve to 2-4, closing out the 2020 season with their second and final win. Thanks to the prowess of the offense and junior kicker Chad Ryland, Eastern finished a perfect 28-of-28 in red zone scoring.
BEYDOUN = BIG TIME: Junior wide out Hassan Beydoun became quarterback Preston Hutchinson's top target in 2020, his first year on scholarship with the team. The Dearborn, Mich. native finished the season as the team's leader in receptions (40), yards (508), and average yards per game (101.60). Those numbers were all career-highs for Beydoun. Perhaps most telling of Beydoun's improvement is the fact that his yards per game averaged nearly quadrupled in 2020 as it skyrocketed from 26.8 yards per game to 101.6 yards per game. Beydoun finished the season with a team-best three 100+ yard receiving performances, and now has four such games in his career. His four 100+ yard performances tie for third-best in program history. Additionally, he is one of just seven players in the 129-year history of the program to record at least four games in that category.
WE SEE YOU, LEE: Freshman defensive back Mark Lee Jr. had a career game against Northern Illinois, Dec. 12, and helped lead EMU over West Division foe Northern Illinois, 41-33. The Columbus, Ohio native recovered his first career fumble and returned the ball for 61 yards to find the back of the end zone to propel the Eagles' lead to 27-10. The play concluded a 17-point EMU run. With the touchdown, Lee Jr. became the first and only Eagle to score for the EMU defense in 2020. The freshman also posted three tackles (2 solo, 1 assist), and helped Eastern hold the Huskies to a 2-for-15 mark on third-down conversions. Additionally, he is the first EMU defensive player to return a fumble for a score since Maxx Crosby did so in 2017 at Central Michigan.
OFFENSIVE SPRAY CHART: The EMU offense showed an impressive ability to use multiple weapons during the shortened 2020 campaign. Junior quarterback Preston Hutchinson was able to find 13 different receivers en route to completing 126 passes for 1,662 yards. Three wide outs caught at least 20 passes (Hassan Beydoun – 40, Tanner Knue – 27, Quian Williams – 24), while an additional six players brought in three-or-more receptions. More specifically, wide receivers accounted for 77 percent of EMU's receptions (97-of-126), and 58 percent of TDs (7-of-12), while tight ends notched 14 percent of the grabs (18-of-126), and 33 percent of the scores (4-of-12). Running backs rounded out the group with nine percent of the total receptions (11-of-126), and eight percent of the group's TDs (1-of-12). EMU pass-catchers recorded four different 100-yard performances in 2020, and accounted for 12 of EMU's 24 offensive touchdowns – an ode to the team's offensive balance.
On the ground, the Eagles were just as good. Seven different Eagles recorded multiple attempts on the ground, with Hutchinson leading the way both in attempts and yards (87-307). A pair of first-year Eagles led the way in yards per carry and yards per game, respectively, as Trey Bess III notched 6.4 yards each time from scrimmage and Darius Boone Jr. totaled 84.7 yards per contest. Hutchinson ran for eight of EMU's 11 rushing scores this season (73%).
LATEST CLOSE: EMU's game against NIU, Dec. 12, officially became its latest regular-season finale in the 129-year history of the program, and the first December home game in EMU history. Before 2020, EMU had twice closed its season on Nov. 30. Those games came in 1897 and 1901, respectively. EMU won its 1901 finale with a 10-5 decision over the Michigan School of the Deaf.
WITH ITS WIN: With its 41-33 season-ending victory over NIU, Dec. 12, EMU recorded consecutive victories over the Huskies for the first time since it won two in-a-row in 1987 and 1997, respectively. The two teams did not play for nearly a decade between that span due to NIU's brief departure from the league.
OFFENSIVE RECAP: The EMU offense put together a strong acumen under first-year play-caller and seventh-year Head Coach Chris Creighton in its six 2020 games. Eastern's scoring unit amassed 2,438 total yards, good for 406.3 yards per game. Only three previous offenses have finished seasons with better yards per game averages (2016 – 455.2, 2008 – 417.5, 1995 – 449.1). Additionally, the team unit finished the season with 23 touchdowns (3.83 TDs per game), which has only been bested by one previous EMU team (1995 – 4.36 TDs per game). EMU averaged 22.33 first downs per game (134 total), which is the sixth-best of any team in program history.
Creighton's 2020 offensive is improved in numerous categories when compared to the 2019 squad.
Some of those numbers include: points per game (33.17/29.15), rushing yards per game (129.3/122.3), total offense (406.3/405.5), time of possession (29:12/28:33), third down conversions (43.21% 35-for-81 /39.88% 67-of-168 ), fourth down conversions (78.57% 11-for-14/48.0% - 12-for-25), and red zone scoring (100% - 28-of-28/ 77.5% - 38-of-49).
DEFENSIVE SPRAY CHART: A total of 32 EMU players recorded at least two stops in 2020, pacing just behind 2019's 36. Seven players had 20+ tackles, while 18 finished in double digits. No tackler was better than senior linebacker Terry Myrick, who finished his senior season with 67 stops (24 solo, 43 assist), 5.5 tackles-for-loss, and two fumble recoveries, all team bests. The Peach State product also added one of EMU's nine sacks, had one forced fumble and added two pass break-ups. His PBU stats tied for second-most of any Eagle defender. Myrick's fellow linebacker, junior Tariq Speights, finished the year with a second-best 52 total tackles (25 solo, 27 assist). EMU's sack leader was senior DE Turan Rush, who popped an opposing quarterback 4.5 times for 20 yards in six games this season. He also led the team with 5.5 TFLs. The defense was able to score one touchdown on the year via a 61-yard fumble recovery. That play came in EMU's season-finale against Northern Illinois, Dec. 12.
DEFENSIVE RECAP: Neal Neathery's young defensive unit was able to finish the season with good numbers as it was the fifth-best unit in the Mid-American conference at preventing third-down conversions (38.2% opponent success rate). The "Hard Hat D," finished 2020 with improvements in two categories over 2019's squad, as opponents fared worse in passing yards per attempt (8.07/8.08) and third-down conversion rate (38.2% 29-of-76/44.8% 82-of-183). Additionally, the EMU defense was able to hold opponents off the scoreboard in 17 percent of its overall frames this year (4-of-24).
The EMU defense was successful at forcing turnovers throughout the team's six games. Eastern recovered nine fumbles, which ranks first in the MAC and 11th nationally, and had three interceptions, which was good for seventh in the league. EMU's final outing, against NIU, Dec. 12, saw the team recover one fumble, which included a 61-yard touchdown by freshman Mark Lee Jr.
SPECIAL TEAMS RECAP: The EMU special team's units were once again some of the very best in the conference in 2020. In coverage, EMU finished first in the league with one blocked kick and was also the best in the conference at protecting its kickers. No opponents blocked an EMU kick this season. Eastern's kickoff return defense held opponents to just 18.04 yards per return which were the second-fewest of any team in the conference, while its punt return defense allowed just 0.75 yards per return, good for fifth-best in the MAC and 10th nationally.
Senior punter Jake Julien was strong in his 2020 efforts, as he booted 16 kicks for 708 yards, a 44.25 yards per punt average, the best of his career. He pinned opponents inside their 20-yard line 1.5 times per game (9 total), which is the second-best average of his career. Julien's long punt of the year was 53 yards. EMU's 43.8 yards per punt average finished as the best in the MAC. Julien is now tied for EMU's all-time career punting average record, which sits at 43.4 yards per punt.
In the kicking game, junior Chad Ryland recorded his best season as an Eagle as he finished with an 84.7 percent clip in field goals (11-of-13). He finished the season 18-for-19 on extra-point attempts and became Eastern Michigan's third all-time leader in made extra points (94) after he went 5-for-5 on PATs in EMU's victory over Northern Illinois, 41-33, Dec. 12. For Ryland, the five made extra points marked the second-consecutive game he had knocked in at least five PATs, and the sixth time he's accomplished the feat in his career.
In addition to his five extra points, the Pennsylvania native nailed two field goals (39, 24) to topple the Huskies. The pair of field goals extended his flawless kicking streak to nine-straight with his last miss being a 53-yard try against Ball State, Nov. 11. The Cedar Crest, Pa.-product ultimately earned 11 points for the Eagles against Northern Illinois, which marked the third time in the six-game season that Ryland has notched at least 10 points. Previously, Ryland had only recorded a game of 10-plus points twice (Pittsburgh, 2019, and Northern Illinois, 2018).
WIN THE TURNOVER BATTLE: A common goal in Head Coach Chris Creighton's program, Eastern has won or tied (22-3) the turnover battle in 25 of its last 27 victories under Creighton.
SEVEN FOR CC: EMU's 2020 season-finale against NIU, Dec. 12, came on the seven-year anniversary of Chris Creighton's introductory press conference as the 42nd Head Coach in EMU football's history. In seven year's at the helm, Creighton has taken the team to three bowl games (in a four-year span), something that no one before him had accomplished. He is fifth all time in wins at EMU (28) and its third-longest tenured coach in program history.
EMU RECORDS SWEEP OF MAC WEEKLY AWARDS: For the first time in Eastern Michigan University football history, all three weekly awards from the Mid-American Conference headed to Ypsilanti, Dec. 7. EMU junior quarterback Preston Hutchinson as named the MAC West Division Offensive Co-Player of the Week with Ball State's Drew Plitt, while sophomore defensive end Jose Ramirez was selected as the MAC West Defensive Player of the Week. Additionally, junior kicker Chad Ryland collected MAC West Division Special Teams Player of the Week accolades.
Eastern Michigan played its first MAC season in 1976, but did not earn a league player of the week honor until the 1977 campaign. Overall, Eastern has won two of the three divisional awards on 12 occasions.
It was the third time Ryland has been honored by the MAC, while Hutchinson earned the honor for the second-consecutive season following a performance against Western Michigan University. Ramirez picked up the distinction for the first time in his EMU career.
EFFICIENT OFFENSE: Eastern's offense was high-flying in its 53-point performance at Western, Dec. 5. The team set season-highs in scoring, touchdowns (6), field goals (4), total yards (533), plays (75), third-down conversions (9), time of possession (35:13), average rush yards (4.74 yards per carry), average pass yards (10.5 yards per pass), and yards per play (7.62).
FIRST TIME UNDER CREIGHTON: In addition to its impressive all around offensive performance at Western Michigan, Dec. 5, the EMU scoring unit also accomplished a feat it has never done under Head Coach Chris Creighton, as it came away with points on all but one drive. Overall, the team notched 10 scoring drives in 11 attempts and finished the game with four field goals and six touchdowns, both season highs.
WHEN WE GET 100 ON THE GROUND: EMU saw its second individual 100+ yard rushing performance of the season when Darius Boone Jr. exploded for 148 at Western Michigan, Dec. 5. Previously, Preston Hutchinson went for 114 at Ball State, Nov. 11.
The performance marks the 29th game under seventh-year Head Coach Chris Creighton in which at least one individual has ran for more than 100 yards (two games with two 100+ yard runners). EMU is 17-12 in those contests.
When quarterbacks are taken out of the equation, EMU has had 24 games with a 100+ yard performance by a tailback (one game with two). In those games, the Eagles are 15-9.
HERE COMES THE BOONE: Freshman running back Darius Boone Jr. had a breakout game on the ground against Western Michigan, Dec. 5. The Tulsa, Okla. native rushed for a career-best 148 yards on 25 attempts, and scored his first collegiate touchdown along the way. The performance marks the first 100+ yard effort by an EMU back since Nov. 19, 2019, when Shaq Vann went for 107 yards against Northern Illinois. Additionally, his 148 yards is the third-best ground performance by any EMU player in the Chris Creighton Era (seven seasons).
In his two games this season, Boone has averaged a whopping 108 yards on the ground.
HOW ABOUT JOSE: Sophomore defensive lineman Jose Ramirez had a breakout game against Western Michigan, Dec. 5. The Lake Alfred, Fla. native set new personal bests in tackles (7), tackles-for-loss (2.0), sacks (2.0), and forced fumbles (1.0). Each number in the previous categories, with the exception of his total tackles, led or tied for the team lead against Western.
HUTCHINSON GOES FOR 300: Junior quarterback Preston Hutchinson threw for over 300 yards for the second time this season when he completed 19-of-30 pass attempts against Western Michigan, Dec. 5. The effort saw Hutchinson rack up 315 yards through the air. That performance comes on the heels of a 23-of-37 mark against Central Michigan, Nov. 27. The Mason, Ohio native finished the CMU game with 365 total yards through the air, which is good for a new career-best. The performance also tied former EMU QB Matt Bohnet for No. 23 on the all-time single-game passing yards list at EMU. Bohnet put up his 365-yard performance against Bowling Green on Oct. 20, 2004.
HECK OF A HALF: Quarterback Preston Hutchinson made first-half history against WMU, Dec. 5. He finished the 30-minute stretch with 267 passing yards on 15-of-22 passing. That performance is the best by an Eagle in the first half of a game since Andy Schmitt went 38-of-52 for 354 yards and five touchdowns in a 56-52 victory over Central Michigan, Nov. 28, 2008.
HUTCHINSON HUMS IN ANNIVERSARY GAME: Junior quarterback Preston Hutchinson shined in his first-ever start for the Eagles on Oct. 19, 2019. In that game, which happened to be against Western Michigan, Hutchinson tossed for 357 yards and three TD's on 31-of-36 pass attempts. He added one rushing score in that game as well.
The anniversary magic was real in Hutchinson's second meeting with the Broncos, Dec. 5, 2020, as he improved to 2-0 against EMU's in-state foe. In his second contest against WMU, his numbers were equally as good. This time, he went for 315 yards in the air, and once again tossed for three touchdowns. In matching fashion to his 2019 performance, he also added a score with his legs.
BEYDOUN BIG AGAIN: Junior wide receiver Hassan Beydoun led the Eagles' pass catching efforts for the second straight contest against WMU, Dec. 5. He caught a game-high seven passes for 96 yards, including a career-long 66-yard haul. His Week Five statistics add to an already impressive 2020 resume that includes two 100+-yard games, and four consecutive games with at least seven receptions.
Beydoun is one of 67 players nominated for the 2020 Burlsworth Trophy. In the award's 11th year, the trophy is named in honor of Brandon Burlsworth, the former Arkansas walk-on and All-American offensive lineman. The award is given to the most outstanding football player who began his career as a walk-on and has shown outstanding performance on the field.
KEEP ON KNUEING: Sophomore wide receiver Tanner Knue continued to build on his already impressive 2020 season with a two-reception, 89-yard game against Western Michigan, Dec. 5. Although he caught only two passes, both were touchdowns, and set a new single-game scoring high for the Mason, Ohio native. His second TD grab of the game, a 61-yard haul in the second quarter, is the second-longest reception of his career.
PAY DIRT PREMIERE: Sophomore running back Samson Evans was impressive against Western Michigan, Dec. 5, as EMU's second back. The first-year Eagle rushed for a tough 61 yards on just seven carries. His overall yards were third best of any back in the contest. Most importantly for Evans, however, is that he was able to score his first-career touchdown. That moment came with 9:46 left in the contest via a four-yard punch in. The score put EMU ahead, 49-35.
HERNANDEZ LEADS THE WAY: Senior defensive back Korey Hernandez has been a steady presence in the EMU secondary this season, a trait that continued against WMU, Dec. 5. His 10-tackle performance led the team, and was his first-career performance in which he did so.
Hernandez is currently first on the team with 24 solo tackles this season, and ranks third in the EMU locker room with 40 total stops in 2020.
PERFECT PLACE KICKING: Junior kicker Chad Ryland has been perfect for Eastern Michigan in its last two games game against in-state foes Central Michigan, Nov. 27, and Western Michigan, Dec. 5. The Lebanon, Pa. native scored 11 of Eastern's 23 points against CMU, as he went 3-for-3 on field goals and 2-for-2 in extra point attempts. He followed that performance with a career-high four field goal makes on four attempts against WMU, Dec. 5. Ryland added a perfect 5-for-5 mark on extra-point attempts and finished the game with a career-best 17 points for EMU.
CONTAINING THE BEST: Western Michigan's D'Wayne Eskridge entered the EMU game, Dec. 5, as the nation's leader in all purpose yards with a 255 yards per game average. Despite his impressive numbers, the Eagle defense was more than ready for the challenge, as they held him to just 99 yards, his lowest of the season. The game was Eskridge's first in 2020 without at least 230 all purpose yards. Moreover, his kick return yards (30) and receiving yards (53) against EMU were season lows.
THAT'S BRILLIANT, NO IT'S GENIUS: During the 2020 football season, EMU's Media Relations Office has been selected to participate in the NCAA's LiveStats for Football Controlled Release Program. Recognized by the NCAA Media Coordination and Statistics staff, EMU is one of 14 FBS members to test the new football statistical tracking program. Created by Genius Sports, NCAA LiveStats will replace Stat Crew which has been the national standard for in-game statistics since the late-1990s. The program will utilize a smaller, dedicated group of schools for extensive training and individual attention to prepare for a full release to all NCAA institutions in 2021. Other schools in the program include Arizona State, BYU, Florida State, Illinois, Liberty, Maryland, Minnesota, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, Rutgers, Texas A&M, and TCU.
ANOTHER MAC ROAD WIN: EMU's road win over Western, Dec. 5, was another feather in the cap for seventh-year Head Coach Chris Creighton. With the win, Creighton has now defeated all but three conference opponents in their respective home venues. Creighton is still searching for wins at Buffalo, Central Michigan, and Toledo.
CONTINUING TO FLUSH IT: For the past five seasons, Eastern Michigan's motto has been to go 1-0 each week while "flushing" the previous outcome. The short term memory has proven beneficial for the program, with 33 of the last 55 (60%) contests decided by seven points-or-less.
Of those contests, eight have been decided in overtime with 19 coming down to the final play.
HOT OUT OF HALFTIME: Defensive coordinator Neal Neathery continues to prove that his halftime adjustments are spot-on, as the EMU defense held an opponent scoreless in the third quarter yet again when it blanked Central Michigan in the third frame, Nov. 27.
The third-quarter shutout marks the 11th time in Eastern's last 30 contests that its opponent has failed to score in the first quarter out of the break.
SIGNIFICANT STRETCH OF DEFENSE: Eastern's defense was able to keep Central Michigan off the scoreboard for a stretch of six-consecutive possessions in its week four matchup with the Chippewas, Nov. 27. The effort, which saw the Eagles force two punts, two fumbles, an interception, and a fourth-down goal line stop
The performance was the best for the Eastern defense since it blanked Akron for seven-straight possessions in week 10 of the 2019 season. Overall, Neal Neathery's unit has stopped opposing offenses on at least five-consecutive drives 27 times in 23 different games since his arrival in 2016. EMU is 15-8 in those games, with four of the losses coming in overtime and six finishing within one score.
THE RECEPTION OF A LIFETIME: A normal team meeting speech from Chris Creighton quickly turned into an unforgettable moment, Nov. 17, as he announced that sophomore wide receiver Tanner Knue had officially earned a full-ride scholarship, a goal that the walk-on from Mason, Ohio set for himself when he arrived in Ypsilanti.
A basketball star during his youth, it was not until his senior year in high school that Knue took to the gridiron. There, he caught 21 passes for 352 yards and had five touchdowns, and averaged 17.2 yards per catch as the team posted a 9-3 record. Those numbers were good enough to catch the eyes of the EMU coaching staff, who went on to offer Knue a walk-on position with the team.
Knue is off to an incredible start during the 2020 season. He burst onto the scene in EMU's Week One matchup at Kent State, Nov. 4. His third-career appearance saw him record his first-career start, collect his first collegiate reception, and subsequently set career-bests in receptions (4), longest reception (19 yards), and reception yards (45). He more than doubled that performance against Ball State, Nov. 11, as he collected eight receptions and amassed 121 yards, both of which are career-highs. His 100-yard game is just the 128th in the 129-year history of the program.
Knue notched another milestone in his football journey when he found the end zone for the first time in his career versus Toledo, Nov. 18.
FIRST-TIME PLAYERS: Each year, teams across the country are able to debut new talent that has emerged. That was no different for Eastern Michigan in its Week One matchup at Kent State, Nov. 4. Fourteen Eagles made their first-ever appearance in the Green and White during the contest, including six defensive players, seven offensive players, and one special teams player. Nine of the first-time players are newcomers on the 2020 roster, while five participants have been on the team for at least one season.
An additional four players saw first-time action against Ball State, Nov. 11, including first-time starter, sophomore Samson Evans, who began the game at running back for EMU. Three additional players contributed off the bench.
Seven more Eagles touched the turf against Toledo, Nov. 18, bringing this season's total number of first-time players to 27, a number that is not surprising when considering EMU has the 19th-youngest roster in the FBS.
KEEPING GOOD COMPANY: First-year starting quarterback, junior Preston Hutchinson put on an impressive offensive show against Ball State, Nov. 11. Most notably, Hutchinson led the Eagles' rushing attack with a career-best 104 yards in 17 attempts. With that performance, Hutchinson became the first EMU quarterback to go for 100-or-more yards on the ground since Mike Glass III did so against Toledo (125 yards), Oct. 13, 2018. His three rushing touchdowns are the most by an EMU quarterback in a single game since the 2014 season, when Reginald Bell III ran for three scores against Buffalo in week six of that season.
EVANS EATS IN DEBUT: Sophomore running back Samson Evans was impressive for the Green and White in his debut game against Ball State, Nov. 11. The Iowa transfer got 14 carries in the game, second behind quarterback Preston Hutchinson, and ran for 63 total yards.
GOOD MERRITT: Freshman defensive lineman Alex Merritt has big shoes to fill if he hopes to be as dominant as the last Eagle to wear his newly-fashioned No. 92, Maxx Crosby. Although he may not be playing at the level of a fourth-round NFL draft pick just yet, he did put together an incredible game at Ball State, Nov. 11. The Queen City-product recorded six tackles (5 solo, 1 assist), one tackle for loss (10 yards), one sack, and also picked up a fumble recovery. Those numbers are all personal-bests.
RYLAND HITS FROM DEEP: Junior kicker Chad Ryland matched a career-best kick when he drilled a 52-yard field goal against Ball State, Nov. 11. The third 52-yarder of his career, Ryland has now hit four from 50+ in this, his third season, with the Green and White. The kick is the longest by any MAC student-athlete this season. Ryland's effort was three yards short of Dylan Mulder's 55-yard make from 2015, which is EMU's longest all-time field goal make. Despite being just short of the all-time distance record, Ryland is now the only player in Eastern Michigan history with four makes from better-than 50 yards.
TWO X TWO FOR THE DEUCE: Senior tight end Thomas Odukoya did not disappoint in his first game donning "The Deuce," on Nov. 4. The first-year team captain put together a two reception season-opener, both of which were touchdowns, at Kent State. His reception and TD numbers were both career-bests.
HOW ABOUT HUTCHINSON: First-year starting quarterback, junior Preston Hutchinson, looked experienced and confident in his season-opener against Kent State, Nov. 4. He completed 21-of-35 pass attempts and amassed 241 yards through the air, which marks the best aerial performance for an EMU QB in a season-opener since Brogan Roback tossed for 267 yards against Charlotte in 2017. Hutchinson and Roback's respective numbers are the first and second-best in that category since the turn of the century at EMU.
HERE COMES THE BOONE: Darius Boone Jr. became the first freshman running back at EMU to rush for 65+ yards in a single game since the 2016 campaign when he went for 68 yards on nine carries against Kent State, Nov. 4. Breck Turner, the last player to accomplished that feat, did so in 2016's week seven matchup against Western Michigan. Turner tallied 86 yards on the ground in that performance.
129 YEARS OF FOOTBALL: This is the 129th year for the EMU football team. The first year of intercollegiate football in Ypsilanti was 1891, when the team, then known as the Michigan Normal College Normalites, posted an 0-2 record. EMU has fielded a team every year since 1891 with one exception, when the 1944 season was canceled because of World War II.
DIALING IN THE CALLS: For the first time in his EMU tenure, Head Coach Chris Creighton will be calling his own offensive plays after previously doing so at his other coaching stops. Creighton is one of 17 FBS head coaches that serves as the primary play caller for their team.
BIZZARO WORLD: For just the fourth time in program history, Eastern opened a season against the team (Kent State) it closed the previous regular season against. Prior to 2020, the last time it occurred was in 1986 when EMU opened the year at home against Western Michigan after wrapping up the 1985 campaign in Kalamazoo.
The Nov. 4 opener was also the latest kickoff to a season in program history, breaking the previous mark set by the 1899 squad when it battled the Michigan Freshman to a 5-5 tie, Oct. 30.
ONE OF A KIND: Eastern Michigan was the only Mid-American Conference team to boast a victory over a Power 5 Conference opponent in 2019. EMU walked off Illinois of the Big Ten conference with a 24-yard field goal as time expired, Sept. 14, 2019. It was the third-consecutive season that Eastern knocked off a Big Ten opponents (2017-Rutgers, 2018-Purdue).
NEATHERY'S SACK FACTORY: Prior to EMU Associate Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator Neal Neathery's arrival in 2016, the Eagles recorded four-or-more sacks just eight times in the 10 previous seasons. Under his direction, Eastern has accomplished the feat 12 times, most recently in its 34-31 win over Illinois, Sept. 14, 2019.
TEAM THEME: Plastered along the halls of the Student-Athlete Performance Center, on team t-shirts, and on social media, the 2020 theme of EMU football is officially, "Breakthrough." The theme represents the team's mission to consistently do what is necessary to move the program into the next tier of success. According to team members, being competitive in the MAC and going to bowl games is not enough. Now, it is time for the team to have a "breakthrough," and compete at an even higher level.
2020 CAPTAINS: Eastern Michigan University's football team announced its captains for the 2020 campaign, Aug. 12. Providing leadership for the squad will be seniors Thomas Odukoya and Turan Rush. Both seniors each earned the honor for the first time. Additionally, this marks the first season under Head Coach Chris Creighton that each captain came to Ypsilanti by way of a transfer. Odukoya, an Almere, Netherlands native, began his career at Garden City Community College. Rush, of Charleston West Side, W. Va., started at Antelope Valley.
RECORD SETTING 2019: EMU tallied a total of 95 game, season, or career entries into the EMU record books in 2019. Then-senior defensive back Vince Calhoun became the all-time leader in starts at Eastern when he took the field against Kent State, Nov. 19. Former quarterback Mike Glass III finished first all-time in single-season completions, and former running back Shaq Vann etched his name as seventh all-time in career rushing yards (2,529). These are just some examples of the record book entries that EMU student-athletes accomplished in 2019.
RUNNING BACK PRODUCTION: Eastern Michigan was one of just 10 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) schools not to have a running back on its roster with a game started. Furthermore, EMU's tailbacks open the 2020 campaign with a combined 10 career rushing attempts (Karmi Mackey 8, Darius Boone Jr. 2).
YOUTH MOVEMENT: EMU will boast the 19th youngest roster in all of the FBS ranks with 62.5 percent of the squad made up of underclassmen in 2020.
CONSISTENT COACHING: When Chris Creighton stepped onto the field in Kent, Ohio, Nov. 4, to lead the Eagles against the Kent State, he officially began his seventh year at the helm of the program. Nine coaches, five head and four interim, have come-and-gone at EMU since the last time a head-man has coached seven years (Jim Harkerma, 1983-92) at Eastern. Harkema, who coached nine full seasons for the Green and White, resides one spot ahead of Creighton as the fourth-winningest coach in program history.
THE CREIGHTON DIFFERENCE: Head Coach Chris Creighton has won nearly 50 percent (26-of-55) of his games since the start of the 2016 season. In the three seasons prior to his arrival in Ypsilanti, the Eagles were victorious in just 28 percent (10-of-36) of their games.
THE NOT-SO UNDERDOGS: With EMU's win over Illinois, Sept. 14, 2019, Head Coach Chris Creighton picked up a third "Power Five" win in a three-year span. Creighton is one of two active MAC coaches to have multiple "Power 5" wins. He joins Ohio's Frank Solich (5).
CREIGHTON ENTERS TOP-FIVE: With six more wins in the 2019 campaign, EMU Head Coach Chris Creighton continued to climb the EMU all-time wins ladder. Currently the fifth-winningest coach in program history, Creighton is just 12 games away from tying Jim Harkema (41 wins) for fourth-best all-time at Eastern. The San Francisco native is the only coach in EMU history to take a team to three postseason bowl games.
WHERE IN THE WORLD IS CHRIS CREIGHTON?: In his head coaching career, Chris Creighton has racked up the frequent flyer miles, coaching games in seven different countries. Creighton added the Bahamas to that list in 2017 when he lead the Eagles to the Bahamas Bowl after it already consisted of the United States, Sweden, Austria, Panama, Tanzania, and Germany.
STABILITY IS THE NAME OF THE GAME: In an era when head coaches seem to change frequently, Eastern Michigan has been able to go seven seasons with the same football and men's basketball coaches. It is the longest by EMU since it also went seven years (1986-92) without a change under the leadership of football's Jim Harkema and men's basketball's Ben Braun.
Overall, EMU has the longest active streak of stability between the two program's in the Mid-American Conference.
STABILITY PART DUEX: In his seventh season in Ypsilanti, EMU Head Coach Chris Creighton is now the 25th longest-tenured Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) head coach.
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