Eastern Michigan Athletics
EMU Sets the Tone for 2026 at MAC Football Media Day in Detroit
7/22/2026 9:25:00 PM | Football
Chris Creighton says the Eagles' TOUGH mentality, veteran leadership and hunger for more will shape the road to the 2026 season
Watch the ESPN+ Interview | Kim Interview | Llewellyn Interview | Creighton Interview
Photo Gallery | Media Guide | Purchase Your Season Tickets | Purchase Your Motor City MACtion Tickets
DETROIT, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The countdown to kickoff has begun.
Inside Ford Field, the lights were bright, the cameras never seemed to stop rolling, and the schedule moved from one interview to the next. ESPN. SiriusXM. Social media shoots. Conference content. National productions. It was a full day of talking about the season ahead. Yet for Eastern Michigan, the message never changed. Every conversation, every interview and every answer pointed back to the identity that has defined Head Coach Chris Creighton's program for more than a decade.
TOUGH.
Team First. Obsessed with Getting Better. Unwavering in Adversity and Belief. Grit. Heart.
Those five principles have become more than a slogan around the Incarnati Athletic Center. They have become the standard. As Eastern prepares for the 2026 season, that standard feels stronger than ever.
Creighton enters his 13th season leading the Eagles with a program that knows exactly who it is. Six bowl appearances in the last 10 seasons have changed expectations in Ypsilanti. Success is no longer measured by reaching postseason play. It is measured by competing for championships.
That mindset showed itself immediately when Creighton reflected on those bowl appearances during the ESPN broadcast.
"I would say too, there's two different ways of looking at a six out of 10," Creighton said. "There's good. And then there's the four where we didn't. So we've got guys who are hungry. We're hungry for more."
That hunger became one of the defining themes of MAC Football Media Day.
The Eagles are not looking backward. They are looking ahead to a season that begins earlier than almost anyone else in the country with an Aug. 29 Week Zero opener against Sacramento State University at Rynearson Stadium. Creighton hardly hid his excitement.
"We're playing in Week Zero," he said with a smile. "Can we start next week?... It's here. Can't wait. Ready to go."
The excitement starts with stability at quarterback.
For the first time in a decade, Eastern returns the same starting quarterback for consecutive seasons. Noah Kim's unexpected return gave the Eagles something every program values: experience at one of the most important positions on the field.
Creighton described Kim in terms that fit perfectly within Eastern's culture.
"He is unflappable," Creighton said. "His poise. He knows who he is. He's just not someone who's going to get rattled. He's super humble and super confident at the same time."
Kim admits another season was never part of the original plan.
Following Senior Day last fall, he believed his college career had reached its conclusion. The ceremony, the emotions and the farewell all felt final until conversations with his father and Eastern's coaching staff revealed another opportunity.
"I did everything," Kim recalled. "Senior Day, I did all that. Emotionally, I believed that it was my last game of college football as well. If it wasn't for my dad, who was persistently throughout the season saying, 'You might have another year,' then I talked to Jeff (Collett) and Coach Creighton, and it was there."
Now, instead of learning a new offense or new teammates, Kim begins the season surrounded by familiarity.
"I'm truly blessed to be back for another year," he said. "There's some familiarity, and I know I'm surrounded by guys that have the same goal as me."
His goals remain simple.
"I want to win," Kim said. "As long as you're winning, the individual accolades will come along with it."
That perspective reflects the first letter in TOUGH. Team First.
Kim believes the offense has taken significant steps forward throughout winter workouts, spring practice and summer conditioning. While new faces have joined the offensive line, months spent together have built confidence heading into training camp.
"Our offensive line has a ton of energy," Kim said. "They're working extremely hard. I think we have a really talented group. We have a ton of playmakers, and it's going to be easy for me to get them the ball and let them do work."
Leadership extends well beyond the offense.
Senior safety Bryce Llewellyn arrived at Eastern as a transfer searching for an opportunity. Three years later, he walked into Creighton's office and learned he had been selected as a team captain.
The moment remains one of the most meaningful of his career.
"It was a very heartwarming moment," Llewellyn said. "Being named captain is really about the guys believing in you and appointing you as somebody they'll follow into the darkest parts of the world and somebody they can count on to lead them to the top of the mountain."
Creighton sees those same qualities every day.
"He knows who he is," Creighton said. "He knows our defense inside and out. He's one of those guys that guys follow. Outside of just being a super physical presence and great tackler, he's somebody you can look in the eyes no matter what the situation is, and he's confident."
Confidence comes from preparation.
Eastern enters the season with two new defensive coordinators and fresh ideas, but Llewellyn believes the defense has already moved past the adjustment period.
"The biggest challenge early on was understanding the why," he said. "Through the spring and through the summer, we figured that out. Now everybody's more confident. We're able to play faster because we know everything like the back of our hands."
Speed alone will not define the defense.
Finishing games will.
"I think the biggest thing for us was tackling last year and then finishing games, finishing halves and coming out fast," Llewellyn said. "If we knock out those three things, then we'll be on the right track."
That focus on improvement reflects another pillar of TOUGH, becoming obsessed with getting better every day.
Llewellyn has experienced that growth personally.
"When I first got here, I pulled my hamstring," he said. "I was fighting through that whole process. Being a cheerleader for other people, and then when it was time for me to get my flowers, those same people poured right back into me. Without Eastern Michigan, I wouldn't be the man I am today."
That brotherhood became another recurring topic throughout Media Day.
Creighton has always spoken about building relationships before wins and losses. Llewellyn sees those values every day inside the football facility.
"My father has been able to be around this program, and that's a blessing I don't take for granted," Llewellyn said. "That's a credit to Coach Creighton, standing on what he says about making this team and this community a family atmosphere."
The players echo that belief when describing their head coach.
"Coach Creighton ignites a competitive fire in all of us," Kim said. "He's one of the most competitive people you'll meet on this planet. He instills that into every one of his players."
Llewellyn offered a similar perspective.
"He's a great man," he said. "He teaches us about family. He's poured a lot into me and into all of us. I'm grateful to have him in my corner and grateful to have him as my coach."
That competitive fire will be tested immediately.
Eastern opens the season in Week Zero before hosting to San Jose State, and then traveling to Wisconsin and Michigan State. The Eagles also return to Ford Field this fall, first for the Motor City Matchup against Central Michigan on Nov. 4 and, if everything goes according to plan, again in December for the MAC Championship Game.
The possibility of competing for a conference title inside the same building where Media Day took place was impossible to ignore.
"The end goal is to be here," Kim said of the championship game. "We know every other team has that goal as well. It's finding ways to separate ourselves."
Llewellyn smiled when asked about the opportunity.
"It's a dream come true," he said. "When you're a kid, and you want to play football at the highest level, it's always a dream to play on fields like this. I'll take it all in before the game, but once snap one hits, it's regular football."
That mentality perfectly captures Eastern Michigan football.
Enjoy the moment. Appreciate the opportunity. Then get back to work.
As cameras shut off and interviews wrapped up inside Ford Field, there was no celebration for simply being selected to represent the program. There was no satisfaction in talking about expectations. Every answer carried the same message.
The Eagles believe they have more to accomplish.
Training camp now waits only days away. The opener is around the corner. Another opportunity begins.
For Eastern Michigan, the climb toward 2026 has officially started. The foundation is familiar. The leadership is experienced. The standard remains unchanged.
TOUGH is more than a word inside this program.
It is the expectation.
And the Eagles believe that expectation is exactly what will carry them into the season ahead.
Photo Gallery | Media Guide | Purchase Your Season Tickets | Purchase Your Motor City MACtion Tickets
DETROIT, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The countdown to kickoff has begun.
Inside Ford Field, the lights were bright, the cameras never seemed to stop rolling, and the schedule moved from one interview to the next. ESPN. SiriusXM. Social media shoots. Conference content. National productions. It was a full day of talking about the season ahead. Yet for Eastern Michigan, the message never changed. Every conversation, every interview and every answer pointed back to the identity that has defined Head Coach Chris Creighton's program for more than a decade.
TOUGH.
Team First. Obsessed with Getting Better. Unwavering in Adversity and Belief. Grit. Heart.
Those five principles have become more than a slogan around the Incarnati Athletic Center. They have become the standard. As Eastern prepares for the 2026 season, that standard feels stronger than ever.
Creighton enters his 13th season leading the Eagles with a program that knows exactly who it is. Six bowl appearances in the last 10 seasons have changed expectations in Ypsilanti. Success is no longer measured by reaching postseason play. It is measured by competing for championships.
That mindset showed itself immediately when Creighton reflected on those bowl appearances during the ESPN broadcast.
"I would say too, there's two different ways of looking at a six out of 10," Creighton said. "There's good. And then there's the four where we didn't. So we've got guys who are hungry. We're hungry for more."
That hunger became one of the defining themes of MAC Football Media Day.
The Eagles are not looking backward. They are looking ahead to a season that begins earlier than almost anyone else in the country with an Aug. 29 Week Zero opener against Sacramento State University at Rynearson Stadium. Creighton hardly hid his excitement.
"We're playing in Week Zero," he said with a smile. "Can we start next week?... It's here. Can't wait. Ready to go."
The excitement starts with stability at quarterback.
For the first time in a decade, Eastern returns the same starting quarterback for consecutive seasons. Noah Kim's unexpected return gave the Eagles something every program values: experience at one of the most important positions on the field.
Creighton described Kim in terms that fit perfectly within Eastern's culture.
"He is unflappable," Creighton said. "His poise. He knows who he is. He's just not someone who's going to get rattled. He's super humble and super confident at the same time."
Kim admits another season was never part of the original plan.
Following Senior Day last fall, he believed his college career had reached its conclusion. The ceremony, the emotions and the farewell all felt final until conversations with his father and Eastern's coaching staff revealed another opportunity.
"I did everything," Kim recalled. "Senior Day, I did all that. Emotionally, I believed that it was my last game of college football as well. If it wasn't for my dad, who was persistently throughout the season saying, 'You might have another year,' then I talked to Jeff (Collett) and Coach Creighton, and it was there."
Now, instead of learning a new offense or new teammates, Kim begins the season surrounded by familiarity.
"I'm truly blessed to be back for another year," he said. "There's some familiarity, and I know I'm surrounded by guys that have the same goal as me."
His goals remain simple.
"I want to win," Kim said. "As long as you're winning, the individual accolades will come along with it."
That perspective reflects the first letter in TOUGH. Team First.
Kim believes the offense has taken significant steps forward throughout winter workouts, spring practice and summer conditioning. While new faces have joined the offensive line, months spent together have built confidence heading into training camp.
"Our offensive line has a ton of energy," Kim said. "They're working extremely hard. I think we have a really talented group. We have a ton of playmakers, and it's going to be easy for me to get them the ball and let them do work."
Leadership extends well beyond the offense.
Senior safety Bryce Llewellyn arrived at Eastern as a transfer searching for an opportunity. Three years later, he walked into Creighton's office and learned he had been selected as a team captain.
The moment remains one of the most meaningful of his career.
"It was a very heartwarming moment," Llewellyn said. "Being named captain is really about the guys believing in you and appointing you as somebody they'll follow into the darkest parts of the world and somebody they can count on to lead them to the top of the mountain."
Creighton sees those same qualities every day.
"He knows who he is," Creighton said. "He knows our defense inside and out. He's one of those guys that guys follow. Outside of just being a super physical presence and great tackler, he's somebody you can look in the eyes no matter what the situation is, and he's confident."
Confidence comes from preparation.
Eastern enters the season with two new defensive coordinators and fresh ideas, but Llewellyn believes the defense has already moved past the adjustment period.
"The biggest challenge early on was understanding the why," he said. "Through the spring and through the summer, we figured that out. Now everybody's more confident. We're able to play faster because we know everything like the back of our hands."
Speed alone will not define the defense.
Finishing games will.
"I think the biggest thing for us was tackling last year and then finishing games, finishing halves and coming out fast," Llewellyn said. "If we knock out those three things, then we'll be on the right track."
That focus on improvement reflects another pillar of TOUGH, becoming obsessed with getting better every day.
Llewellyn has experienced that growth personally.
"When I first got here, I pulled my hamstring," he said. "I was fighting through that whole process. Being a cheerleader for other people, and then when it was time for me to get my flowers, those same people poured right back into me. Without Eastern Michigan, I wouldn't be the man I am today."
That brotherhood became another recurring topic throughout Media Day.
Creighton has always spoken about building relationships before wins and losses. Llewellyn sees those values every day inside the football facility.
"My father has been able to be around this program, and that's a blessing I don't take for granted," Llewellyn said. "That's a credit to Coach Creighton, standing on what he says about making this team and this community a family atmosphere."
The players echo that belief when describing their head coach.
"Coach Creighton ignites a competitive fire in all of us," Kim said. "He's one of the most competitive people you'll meet on this planet. He instills that into every one of his players."
Llewellyn offered a similar perspective.
"He's a great man," he said. "He teaches us about family. He's poured a lot into me and into all of us. I'm grateful to have him in my corner and grateful to have him as my coach."
That competitive fire will be tested immediately.
Eastern opens the season in Week Zero before hosting to San Jose State, and then traveling to Wisconsin and Michigan State. The Eagles also return to Ford Field this fall, first for the Motor City Matchup against Central Michigan on Nov. 4 and, if everything goes according to plan, again in December for the MAC Championship Game.
The possibility of competing for a conference title inside the same building where Media Day took place was impossible to ignore.
"The end goal is to be here," Kim said of the championship game. "We know every other team has that goal as well. It's finding ways to separate ourselves."
Llewellyn smiled when asked about the opportunity.
"It's a dream come true," he said. "When you're a kid, and you want to play football at the highest level, it's always a dream to play on fields like this. I'll take it all in before the game, but once snap one hits, it's regular football."
That mentality perfectly captures Eastern Michigan football.
Enjoy the moment. Appreciate the opportunity. Then get back to work.
As cameras shut off and interviews wrapped up inside Ford Field, there was no celebration for simply being selected to represent the program. There was no satisfaction in talking about expectations. Every answer carried the same message.
The Eagles believe they have more to accomplish.
Training camp now waits only days away. The opener is around the corner. Another opportunity begins.
For Eastern Michigan, the climb toward 2026 has officially started. The foundation is familiar. The leadership is experienced. The standard remains unchanged.
TOUGH is more than a word inside this program.
It is the expectation.
And the Eagles believe that expectation is exactly what will carry them into the season ahead.
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