Eastern Michigan Athletics
Follow MAC Football Kickoff Day on Wednesday, July 22
7/15/2026 12:05:00 PM | Football
The event will highlight the league's annual kickoff event
ESPN+ Media Day Show.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Mid-American Conference will host its 2026 Football Kickoff Media Day on Wednesday, July 22, at Ford Field in Detroit, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The MAC Football Kickoff Media Day kicks off the 2026 season, which officially begins on Saturday, Aug. 29, and will conclude with the MAC Football Championship Game, Dec. 5, at Ford Field.
Once again, this year's MAC Football Kickoff Media Day will be shown live on ESPN+ from 11-3 p.m. The production will highlight the league's annual kickoff event as hosts Michael Reghi and Dustin Fox will visit with all MAC head coaches and several student-athletes throughout MAC Media Day. MAC Commissioner Dr. Jon Steinbrecher will begin the Kickoff with an address to the media LIVE on ESPN+ at 11 a.m.
Attending from Eastern Michigan will be Head Coach Chris Creighton, senior defensive back Bryce Llewellyn (Indianapolis, Ind./Cathedral/Charleston Southern) and senior quarterback Noah Kim (Centreville, Va./Westfield/Michigan State/Coastal Carolina).
EMUEagles.com will also have full coverage of the event with interviews and releases to be posted throughout the day.
Not only will MAC Football fans around the country be able to watch the live show previewing the upcoming 2026 season, but they will also have the opportunity to interact with the head coaches, student-athletes, and league office regarding media day. Both EMU and the MAC will post updates throughout the day using its X, Instagram, and Facebook feeds. The official Twitter hashtag for the 2026 MAC Football Media Day coverage is #MACtion and #EMUFB. Official tweets will include this hashtag and all media and fans are also asked to use it in their tweets related to the event and when sending questions to their favorite coaches and student-athletes.
2026 MAC FOOTBALL KICKOFF MEDIA DAY:
Wednesday, July 22, Ford Field, Detroit, Mich.
8:30 a.m. – MAC Football Kickoff Media Day Registration
11 a.m. – State of the Conference, Commissioner, Dr. Jon Steinbrecher
11 a.m.-3 p.m. - MAC Football Kickoff Media Preview on ESPN+
2026 MAC Football Kickoff Media Day Head Coaches and Student-Athlete Participants
Akron
Head Coach Joe Moorhead (5th Season)
Jordan Gant, R-Sr., RB, Lakeland, Fla.
Cyrus Durham, R-Jr., DE, Atherton, Calif.
Ball State
Head Coach Mike Uremovich (2nd Season)
Chris Hood, R-Sr., OL, Kendallville, Ind.
Justin Thomas, R-Sr., LB, Flossmoor, Ill.
Bowling Green
Head Coach Eddie George (2nd Season)
Austyn Dendy, So., RB, Pine Bluff, Ark.
Eriq George, Sr., DE, Nashville, Tenn.
Buffalo
Head Coach Pete Lembo (3rd Season)
Terrance Shelton Jr., Jr., RB, Franklin, Wis.
Cornell Evans, Grad., DT, Seat Pleasant, Md.
Central Michigan
Head Coach Matt Drinkall (2nd Season)
Langston Lewis, R-Sr., WR, Savannah, Ga.
Jaion Jackson, Jr., DB, East St. Louis, Ill.
Eastern Michigan
Head Coach Chris Creighton (13th Season)
Noah Kim, Grad., QB, Centreville, Va.
Bryce Llewellyn, Sr., DB, Indianapolis, Ind.
Kent State
Head Coach Mark Carney (2nd season)
Dru DeShields, R-Jr., QB, Beloit, Ohio
Thomas Aden, Sr., DL, Lakewood, Ohio
Massachusetts
Head Coach Joe Harasymiak (2nd season)
Pop Watson III, R-Jr., QB, Springfield, Mass.
Tyler Martin, R-Sr., LB, Acton, Mass.
Miami
Head Coach Chuck Martin (13th season)
Eric Smith, R-Sr., OL, Fairmont, W.Va.
Malcolm McCain, LB, Snellville, Ga.
Ohio
Head Coach John Hauser (1st season)
DJ Walker, R-Jr., S, Aliquppa, Pa.
Duncan Brune, Jr., RB, Cologne, Germany
Sacramento State
Head Coach Alonzo Carter (1st season)
Carson Conklin, Jr., QB, Yorba Linda, Calif.
Derek Houston, Jr., LB, Rocklin, Calif.
Toledo
Head Coach Mike Jacobs (1st season)
John Alan Richter, Jr., QB, Gray, Ga.
Andrew Zock, Jr., DE, Citra, Fla.
Western Michigan
Head Coach Lance Taylor (4th season)
Broc Lowry, R-Jr., QB, Canfield, Ohio
Jarvarius Sims, R-Sr., DB, Decatur, Ga.
Ways To Follow
Fans can follow along during MAC Football Kickoff Media Day all afternoon by tuning in to EMUEagles.com. Additionally, fans that want a more behind the scene experience can do so by following these accounts. Twitter: @EMUAthletics and @EMUFB. Additional accounts to follow during the day would include: @GregSteinerEMU (Football SID), @Coach_Creighton (Chris Creighton), and @MACSports (Official account of #MACtion).
Catch The Eagles on ESPN+
Head Coach Chris Creighton and both student-athletes will be interviewed on ESPN+. EMU's scheduled time is still TBA.
Got Questions?
Have questions for Coach Creighton, Llewellyn, or Kim? Send X questions to @EMUFB or post on our official Facebook page. We will attempt to get those answered on Wednesday afternoon.
What Else to Expect?
Stay tuned to EMUEagles.com all afternoon for a preseason poll announcement, media guide release, video interviews, and feature stories from MAC Media Day.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Mid-American Conference will host its 2026 Football Kickoff Media Day on Wednesday, July 22, at Ford Field in Detroit, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The MAC Football Kickoff Media Day kicks off the 2026 season, which officially begins on Saturday, Aug. 29, and will conclude with the MAC Football Championship Game, Dec. 5, at Ford Field.
Once again, this year's MAC Football Kickoff Media Day will be shown live on ESPN+ from 11-3 p.m. The production will highlight the league's annual kickoff event as hosts Michael Reghi and Dustin Fox will visit with all MAC head coaches and several student-athletes throughout MAC Media Day. MAC Commissioner Dr. Jon Steinbrecher will begin the Kickoff with an address to the media LIVE on ESPN+ at 11 a.m.
Attending from Eastern Michigan will be Head Coach Chris Creighton, senior defensive back Bryce Llewellyn (Indianapolis, Ind./Cathedral/Charleston Southern) and senior quarterback Noah Kim (Centreville, Va./Westfield/Michigan State/Coastal Carolina).
EMUEagles.com will also have full coverage of the event with interviews and releases to be posted throughout the day.
Not only will MAC Football fans around the country be able to watch the live show previewing the upcoming 2026 season, but they will also have the opportunity to interact with the head coaches, student-athletes, and league office regarding media day. Both EMU and the MAC will post updates throughout the day using its X, Instagram, and Facebook feeds. The official Twitter hashtag for the 2026 MAC Football Media Day coverage is #MACtion and #EMUFB. Official tweets will include this hashtag and all media and fans are also asked to use it in their tweets related to the event and when sending questions to their favorite coaches and student-athletes.
2026 MAC FOOTBALL KICKOFF MEDIA DAY:
Wednesday, July 22, Ford Field, Detroit, Mich.
8:30 a.m. – MAC Football Kickoff Media Day Registration
11 a.m. – State of the Conference, Commissioner, Dr. Jon Steinbrecher
11 a.m.-3 p.m. - MAC Football Kickoff Media Preview on ESPN+
2026 MAC Football Kickoff Media Day Head Coaches and Student-Athlete Participants
Akron
Head Coach Joe Moorhead (5th Season)
Jordan Gant, R-Sr., RB, Lakeland, Fla.
Cyrus Durham, R-Jr., DE, Atherton, Calif.
Ball State
Head Coach Mike Uremovich (2nd Season)
Chris Hood, R-Sr., OL, Kendallville, Ind.
Justin Thomas, R-Sr., LB, Flossmoor, Ill.
Bowling Green
Head Coach Eddie George (2nd Season)
Austyn Dendy, So., RB, Pine Bluff, Ark.
Eriq George, Sr., DE, Nashville, Tenn.
Buffalo
Head Coach Pete Lembo (3rd Season)
Terrance Shelton Jr., Jr., RB, Franklin, Wis.
Cornell Evans, Grad., DT, Seat Pleasant, Md.
Central Michigan
Head Coach Matt Drinkall (2nd Season)
Langston Lewis, R-Sr., WR, Savannah, Ga.
Jaion Jackson, Jr., DB, East St. Louis, Ill.
Eastern Michigan
Head Coach Chris Creighton (13th Season)
Noah Kim, Grad., QB, Centreville, Va.
Bryce Llewellyn, Sr., DB, Indianapolis, Ind.
Kent State
Head Coach Mark Carney (2nd season)
Dru DeShields, R-Jr., QB, Beloit, Ohio
Thomas Aden, Sr., DL, Lakewood, Ohio
Massachusetts
Head Coach Joe Harasymiak (2nd season)
Pop Watson III, R-Jr., QB, Springfield, Mass.
Tyler Martin, R-Sr., LB, Acton, Mass.
Miami
Head Coach Chuck Martin (13th season)
Eric Smith, R-Sr., OL, Fairmont, W.Va.
Malcolm McCain, LB, Snellville, Ga.
Ohio
Head Coach John Hauser (1st season)
DJ Walker, R-Jr., S, Aliquppa, Pa.
Duncan Brune, Jr., RB, Cologne, Germany
Sacramento State
Head Coach Alonzo Carter (1st season)
Carson Conklin, Jr., QB, Yorba Linda, Calif.
Derek Houston, Jr., LB, Rocklin, Calif.
Toledo
Head Coach Mike Jacobs (1st season)
John Alan Richter, Jr., QB, Gray, Ga.
Andrew Zock, Jr., DE, Citra, Fla.
Western Michigan
Head Coach Lance Taylor (4th season)
Broc Lowry, R-Jr., QB, Canfield, Ohio
Jarvarius Sims, R-Sr., DB, Decatur, Ga.
Ways To Follow
Fans can follow along during MAC Football Kickoff Media Day all afternoon by tuning in to EMUEagles.com. Additionally, fans that want a more behind the scene experience can do so by following these accounts. Twitter: @EMUAthletics and @EMUFB. Additional accounts to follow during the day would include: @GregSteinerEMU (Football SID), @Coach_Creighton (Chris Creighton), and @MACSports (Official account of #MACtion).
Catch The Eagles on ESPN+
Head Coach Chris Creighton and both student-athletes will be interviewed on ESPN+. EMU's scheduled time is still TBA.
Got Questions?
Have questions for Coach Creighton, Llewellyn, or Kim? Send X questions to @EMUFB or post on our official Facebook page. We will attempt to get those answered on Wednesday afternoon.
What Else to Expect?
Stay tuned to EMUEagles.com all afternoon for a preseason poll announcement, media guide release, video interviews, and feature stories from MAC Media Day.
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