Eastern Michigan University Athletics

Toughness. Pride. Resilience. These key words have come to describe EMU football as Chris Creighton enters his 11th season as the head man at Eastern Michigan in 2024.
   
Named the 37th head football coach at Eastern Michigan University on Dec. 11, 2013, Creighton and his staff have made tremendous strides in changing the culture and mindset surrounding the program.
   
During his 25-plus year head coaching career, the 55-year-old Creighton has accumulated eight conference titles and an all-time record of 191-114 (.626 winning percentage). He is the only coach in EMU history to lead the program to multiple bowl appearances with the 2016 Bahamas Bowl, the 2018 Camellia Bowl, the 2019 Quick Lane Bowl, the 2021 LendingTree Bowl,  the 2022 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, and the 2023 68 Ventures Bowl. Voted a finalist for the 2016 American Football Coaches Awards’ first-ever Comeback Coach of the Year, Creighton led EMU in to the program’s first winning season since 1995 and its first bowl appearance since 1987.
    
One of seven active Football Bowl Subdivision coaches to record more than 180 wins, Creighton helped the Eagles to the program’s first win over a Big Ten or Power Five team with a 16-13 victory over Rutgers, Sept. 9, 2017. Nearly one year later, EMU used a 24-yard field goal as time expired for a stunning 20-19 win over Purdue, Sept. 8, 2018, for Eastern’s first walk-off win in two decades. The magic continued in 2019, when Eastern posted its third-consecutive Big Ten road victory with a 34-31 walk-off triumph at Illinois, Sept. 14. Most recently, EMU rolled to a 30-21 victory at Arizona State in 2022 for the Mid-American Conference’s first regular season win over a Pac-12 Conference member.
    
The 2023 campaign saw the Eagles earn a berth in their third consecutive bowl game for the first time in program history as Eastern returned to Mobile for the 68 Ventures Bowl. Eastern continued to show strength on the defensive side of the ball as the team ranked in the top half of the nation in most categories and were stingy on fourth down, ranking 11th nationally and second in the MAC with a 35% success rate. The team also ranked in the top 30 in special team categories, including 17th in punting, 28th in punt returns, and 41st in kick returns.
    
On the offensive side of things, Samson Evans became the program’s all-time leading scorer as he added 12 more rushing touchdowns on the year to bring his total to a record 41. Additionally, he added his fifth passing touchdown of his career with a 28-yard strike at Toledo.
    
Perhaps the biggest story of the season was Brian Dooley gifting his scholarship to a deserving teammate. That act of kindness caught the attention of many in the world of college athletics. It also earned Dooley a special recognition as he was the recipient of the Disney Spirit Award. 

   The 2022 season entailed the most success of Creighton’s tenure with the Green and White. The Eagles finished the season with a 9-4 record, including winning their last four games, capping off the season with a 41-27 win over San Jose State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. The victory over SJSU marked Eastern’s first bowl win in the Creighton era and the first for EMU since it took down the same Spartans in the 1987 California Raisin Bowl. EMU also shared the MAC West Division title while winning the Michigan MAC trophy for the first time since 2012.

   The drafting of former Eagles Sidy Sow and Jose Ramirez highlighted the multitude of accomplishments in the 2022 season. First, Sow was selected in the fourth round (117th overall) by the New England Patriots, while Ramirez was taken in the sixth round (196th overall). The duo marked the first time in 46-years that multiple EMU players have been drafted in the same season.

   EMU was lethal on both sides of the football in 2022. The defensive secondary snagged 13 interceptions on the year, both the most in the conference and the most in Creighton’s tenure with the Eagles. The Green and White also recovered six fumbles, for a total of 19 forced turnovers. Eastern finished the season with the fifth best defense in the MAC, allowing an average of 377 yards-per-game. 

   Offensively, the Eagles were extremely efficient. EMU finished the season with the second-most efficient offense in the conference, completing 244 of its 391 pass attempts for a 138.2 efficiency rating. The ground game proved to be Eastern’s bread and butter as the Eagles rushed for a conference-best 25 touchdowns on the season. Through the air, EMU tossed 23 TDs, fourth most in the conference while averaging the third-best completion percentage in the MAC (62.4%) and the second-most yards-per-completion in the conference (7.4).

   Under the leadership of Creighton, EMU landed nine student-athletes on the all-conference teams, as well as having the MAC’s Defensive MVP, Ramirez. Besides on-field accomplishments, Creighton once again led the flock off the field and in the classroom as Eastern led the MAC in the 2022 season with 23 Academic All-MAC selections.

    Eastern Michigan added another line to its lists of “firsts,” under Creighton in 2021. With its selection to the LendingTree Bowl, Eastern made three consecutive bowl appearances (excluding COVID-shortened 2019 season) for the first time in program history, and its fourth postseason appearance in the previous six seasons. In going to a bowl game for the third time in four seasons, 30 of Creighton’s student-athletes have the opportunity to do something that only one other group in program history has accomplished previously - play in three bowl games.

   With its seven regular-season wins, Eastern clinched a winning record in 2021, the third under Creighton; Prior to his arrival, EMU had not had a winning record since the 1989 season.

   The 2021 regular season had plenty of exciting moments. One of the most memorable occasions in recent EMU history, the Eagles erupted for a 52-49 win over MAC-West rival Toledo (Nov. 2). It was the program’s first victory inside the Glass Bowl (UT’s home stadium) since the 1999 season. Coming into the game, Eastern had lost 10 consecutive road games to Toledo. EMU’s most impressive home win came in Week 11, when the Green and White used late-game defensive heroics to upend in-state foe Western Michigan, 22-21, on Senior Night in the Factory. The victory marked the third straight for Eastern over Western, the best stretch for the program since it notched the same number between 2011-13.

   Creighton’s second season as the team’s offensive play caller was highlighted by numerous impressive outcomes. EMU’s offense was one of the best scoring units in the Mid-American Conference regular season in 2021. Averaging 31.0 points per game, EMU put up 372 total points on 46 touchdowns, 15 field goals, and 45 extra points. In total, 14 different Eagles found the pay dirt in 2021, including five players who scored multiple touchdowns. Sophomore Samson Evans led all Eagles and ranked fourth in the league with 12 touchdowns. That number is the seventh-most in a single season by any Eastern player. Additionally, quarterback Ben Bryant ranked inside the nation’s top-12 with a 69 percent completion percentage, and became just the third quarterback in EMU history to eclipse the 3,000-yard mark through the air. Elsewhere within Creighton’s offense, Hassan Beydoun blossomed as one of the best wide receivers in the league. A Burlsworth Trophy nominee in 2021 (awarded to nation’s best former walk on), Beydoun was one of just three wide outs in the nation to record three games with 10-or-more receptions, and became just the third player in program history to record seven career games with more than 100 yards.

   EMU’s offense was one of the best in the Mid-American Conference on third down. As an offense, Eastern converted 42.4 percent (67-of-158) of its third down tries during the regular season. That number ranked 45th in the nation.
   An ambassador for off-field success, Creighton’s leadership helped mold Mike Van Hoeven into a First Team Academic All-American. spot on the honorable mention team. Drake led the Pioneer Football League with 10 student-athletes earning spots on the Academic All-PFL teams.

   In 2012, he led the Bulldogs to their second straight Pioneer Football League title and the sixth PFL championship in program history with an 8-3 record and a 7-1 mark in league play. 

   The 2012 team was led by one of his star pupils in record-setting quarterback Mike Piatkowski. The signal caller set nearly every Bulldog single-season and career passing mark under Creighton’s tutelage.
   Seventeen Bulldogs earned All-PFL honors following the 2012 championship and six were named to the PFL All-Academic Team, including three student-athletes that also garnered CapitalOne/CoSIDA Academic All-District honors. A school-record 63 Bulldogs were also named to the PFL Academic Honor Roll.

   In 2011, Creighton’s fourth Bulldogs team won nine games and tied for the Pioneer Football League title with a 7-1 conference record. It was Drake’s fifth PFL crown and first since 2004.

   The Bulldogs’ head coach was recognized for the job he did by being named one of 20 finalists for the 2011 Eddie Robinson Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Coach of the Year Award. A league-leading 18 Bulldogs received All-PFL honors and a PFL-best nine Drake student-athletes were named Academic All-PFL. In addition, a then-school record 61 Bulldogs were named to the PFL Academic Honor Roll for achieving a grade-point average of 3.0 or above.

   The energetic but veteran coach was named a winner of the Giant Steps Award presented by the National Consortium for Academics and Sports as part of National Student-Athlete Day on April 6, 2011. Creighton, awarded in the Coaching category, was one of just five 2011 winners of the Giant Steps Award, given annually to individuals who use sport to positively affect social change, actualizing the mission of the NCAS. The awards honor student-athletes, athletic administrators, civic leaders, coaches, parents, organizations, and other individuals who demonstrate an outstanding ability to manage life on and off the field, and who demonstrate a commitment to the betterment of society.

   During his distinguished career, Creighton has taken great pride in the student-athlete experience that transcends to the football field and the classroom. In his career, Creighton has taken his teams on three overseas trips, including a 2011 trip to Tanzania, to go along with ventures to Austria and Panama while head coach at Division III Wabash.

   Drake’s two-week experience in Africa in 2011 for the inaugural Global Kilimanjaro Bowl included significant service projects in orphanages and schools, the ascension of 19,340-foot Mt. Kilimanjaro and a victory over a Mexican collegiate all-star team in the Kili Bowl-the first game of American football played on African soil.

   With that trip setting the foundation for the Bulldogs’ 2011 season, the team adopted the theme “Tupande Kileleni,” a Swahili term that translates to “Let’s climb to the summit.” The summit, for Drake, became the quest to perform to its full potential and symbolized the climb to the top of the Pioneer Football League standings, which it achieved.

   The 2010 Bulldogs featured a defense that ranked sixth in the nation among FCS schools (2nd PFL) in rush defense (94.2), eighth (3rd PFL) in sacks (3.0) and 18th (2nd PFL) in tackles for loss (7.4). In addition, the special teams excelled in punt coverage (5th NCAA FCS/1st PFL, 3.4), kickoff coverage (5th NCAA/1st PFL, 16.1) and punt return average (15th NCAA/1st PFL; 13.53).

   Creighton’s Bulldogs also featured eight players named to the Academic All-PFL team (three 1st team, five 2nd team) and a then-school-record 55 earning a place on the PFL’s Academic Honor Roll.

   In 2009, picked to finish sixth in the preseason coaches’ poll, Creighton guided Drake to an 8-3 record, including a 6-2 third-place finish in the Pioneer Football League. Drake matched its best nine-game start in history (8-1) that year, while riding a six-game mid-season winning streak.

   Creighton’s first Drake club in 2008 went 6-5 and finished in a tie for fourth in the PFL.

   Ranked fourth among all active NCAA Division III football coaches in career winning percentage upon his hire at Drake, Creighton served as head coach at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Ind. from 2001-07 where he constructed a 63-15 record (.808) with his teams winning four North Coast Athletic Conference championships, while competing in three NCAA Division III playoffs.

   During his final three years at Wabash, Creighton led the Little Giants to a 30-5 record (.857) including three-straight league championships and appearances in the 2005 and 2007 NCAA Division III playoffs.

   Wabash posted an 11-2 record in 2007, competing in the NCAA Division III playoffs while being ranked No. 8 in the final NCAA Division III coaches’ poll. Wabash went 12-1 in 2002 and 11-1 in 2005, capping both seasons with appearances in the NCAA Division III playoffs.

   As offensive coordinator at Wabash, Creighton’s teams averaged 35 points per game with the multiple offense producing the school’s all-time leading rusher and passer. Three starting quarterbacks received All-America honors.

   Under Creighton, Wabash won conference championships in 2002, ‘05, ‘06 and ‘07. He coached 83 all-conference players, including seven who earned conference player of the year honors, along with 13 All-Americans. Creighton was named North Coast Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 2002, ‘05 and ‘07, as well as the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 1997.

   Creighton was head coach at Ottawa (Kan.) University from 1997-2000, compiling a record of 32-9 (.780).

   The San Francisco, Calif. native produced one of the greatest single season turnarounds in NAIA history during his first year at Ottawa in 1997. Inheriting a team that posted a record of 1-8 the previous season, Creighton guided his club to a 9-2 finish en route to capturing its first Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference title since 1972. He also led Ottawa to a conference championship in 2000 along with appearances in the NAIA playoffs in ‘97 and 2000.

   Creighton served as offensive coordinator at Concordia (Ill.) from 1991-92 and Manchester (Ind.) from 1993-96 before becoming head coach at Ottawa.

   In 1993, Creighton was the head coach and quarterback of the Limhamn Griffins in Malmo, Sweden, as he helped guide the franchise to its first national championship.

   As an All-America quarterback, Creighton led Kenyon (Ohio) College to its only North Coast Athletic Conference title in 1989 and was named conference player of the year after setting single-season conference records for passing yardage (2,843) and touchdowns (29). He was inducted into the Kenyon College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008.

   Creighton earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Kenyon College in 1991 and a master’s degree from Concordia (Ill.) University in 1993.

   Creighton is the first active head coach to be hired at Eastern Michigan since Jim Harkema in 1983. Harkema was the head coach at Grand Valley State University (1973-82) before taking over the EMU program and leading it to its only Mid-American Conference Championship in 1987.

                Chris and his wife, Heather, have two daughters, Hallie and Kate, and a son, Luke.


Eastern's Accomplishments in the Chris Creighton Era
–1st Win over a “Power 5” Conference team (Rutgers)
–1st Win over a Big Ten Conference Team (Rutgers)
–1st Win over a Pacific-12 Conference Team (Arizona State)
–1st Bowl Win since 1987 (2022 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl)
–1st MAC West Division Championship (2022 shared with Toledo)
–1st Bowl Appearance in 29 years (1987 California Bowl to 2016 Bahamas Bowl)
– 1st Bowl Played on US soil in 31 years (1987 California Bowl to 2018 Camellia Bowl)
–1st  Winning season since 1995 (7-6 record in 2016)
–1st Non-conference road victory since the 1988 campaign (at Wyoming in 2015)
–1st  Back-to-back season since 2008-09  that players were taken in the NFL Draft
–1st Three game road winning streak since 1967
–1st Win over Miami since 1993
–1st Win over Ohio in Athens, Ohio since 1994
–1st Win over Northern Illinois since 2007
–1st Win over Toledo since 2006
–1st Win at Akron since 1995
–1st Win over Toledo in Toledo, Ohio since 1999
–1st Three-game winning streak against Big Ten Conference opponents
–1st Three-game MAC winning streak since 1999
–1st Four-game MAC winning streak since 1995
–1st Five-game MAC winning streak since 1989
–1st winning Mid-American Conference campaign since 1995
–1st time EMU student-athletes have the opportunity to play in two bowl games in their careers
–1st time EMU student-athletes have the opportunity to play in three bowl games in their careers
–1st time EMU student-athletes have the opportunity to play in four bowl games in their careers
–1st time EMU has been the FWAA Cheez-It Bowl National Team of the Week (Sept. 19, 2022)
–1st time EMU has won five consecutive road games in program history
– First EMU Head Coach to defeat all 11 other MAC members
– First time EMU has been bowl eligible in back-to-back seasons
– First time EMU has been bowl eligible in three consecutive seasons
– First MAC team to defeat a PAC-12 team in a regular season game
– 2nd Most Wins in a Season (9) in 2022
– 2nd Win over a “Power 5” Conference team (Purdue)
– 2nd Win over a  Big Ten Conference team (Purdue)
– 3rd Win over a “Power 5” Conference team (Illinois)
– 3rd Win over a  Big Ten Conference team (Illinois)
– Most Improved Program in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) in 2016
– Largest single-season turnaround in school history (1-11 in 2015 to 7-6 in 2016)
– Largest deficit overcome in program history at 21-points (at Ball State in 2016)
– Largest MAC margin of victory in program history at 42-points (vs. Ball State in 2017)
– Most points ever scored against Western Michigan, Bowling Green, and Toledo in program history
 - First time winning four consecutive games against Western Michigan (2019-22) (1-11 in 2015 to 7-6 in 2016)
– Largest deficit overcome in program history at 21-points (at Ball State in 2016)
– Largest MAC margin of victory in program history at 42-points (vs. B– Largest deficit overcome in program history at 21-points (at Ball State in 2016)
– Largest MAC margin of victory in program history at 42-points (vs. Ball State in 2017)
– Most points ever scored against Western Michigan, Bowling Green, and Toledo in program history
 - First time winning four consecutive games against Western Michigan (2019-22)

THE CHRIS CREIGHTON FILE
Name: Chris Creighton
College: Kenyon College (Graduated in 1991 - bachelor's degree)
Concordia (Ill.) University (Graduated in 1993 - master's degree)
Family: Wife: Heather Children: Hallie, Kate, Luke

COACHING EXPERIENCE