Eastern Michigan University Athletics

 Entering his fifth year at EMU is Mike Piatkowski, who was a record-setting quarterback at Drake University. Piatkowski serves as EMU’s quarterbacks coach as well as the Offensive Coordinator.

 In 2023, Piatkowski’s offense was headlined by wide receiver Tanner Knue, who earned All-MAC Second Team honors, marking his second time doing so in his career. Knue paced the Eagles in every receiving stat throughout the 2023 season, totaling 50 receptions for 479 yards and three touchdowns. The receiver's 50 receptions went down as the most in his collegiate football career, and rank as the fifth most regular-season catches in the MAC. Meanwhile, his 479 receiving yards are the second most in his career, ranking 13th in the conference. Moreover, Knue's consistency shined throughout the season as he had a streak of at least one reception in 35 consecutive games, the 17th-best figure in the nation.

The Eastern offense capitalized once it reached the red zone, as they scored on 86.8-percent of their red zone trips, ranking fourth in the conference and 49th in the nation. Also a difference maker in the classroom, Knue also earned Academic All-MAC and CSC Academic All-District honors following the 2023 season. 

Under the guidance and leadership of Piatkowski, the EMU quarterbacks and passing game thrived yet again in 2022. Eastern finished top five in the MAC in passing touchdowns (23), yards per reception (7.4), and completion percentage (62.4%), as well as having the second most efficient offense in the conference, boasting a 138.2 efficiency rating.

 Green and White QBs also thrived individually under the tutelage of Piatkowski. Taylor Powell was the starter, and threw for 2,111-yards, with a 16-8 touchdown to interception ratio. Powell also completed 64.68 percent of his passes, and had a 144.28 QB rating on the season. Additionally, Powell took home the Manning Award as a “Star of the Week” (Nov. 21) as well as being named a College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District honoree. Backing up Powell, Austin Smith had a breakout year for the Eagles. The Ellenwood, Ga., native saw action in nine games, completing 57.63 percent of his passes and throwing six touchdowns. He averaged 86-yards per game and posted a QB rating of 122.73.

Piatkowski proved to be creative in the passing games, as three non QBs got opportunities to make a pass. Wide receiver Dylan Drummond, running back Samson Evans, and punter Mitchell Tomasek each attempted one pass for the EMU offense.

Piatkowski played an important role in the success of the EMU offense in 2021. 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. 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.

 Under the direct mentorship of Piatkowski, 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. Bryant’s passing ability helped wide out Hassan Beydoun blossom 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.

  Piatkowski helped bring heightened success to the EMU offense in 2020 as it put together a strong acumen 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.

Individually, Piatkowski mentored quarterback Preston Hutchinson, who put together an incredible junior season in the Green and White. 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. Piatkowski’s tutelage helped Hutchinson go for more than 300 yards in the air twice in six games and earn fourth team honors on Phil Steele’s All-MAC award list.

Piatkowski has spent the past seven years moving up the college football ranks. He worked on the offensive side of the football most recently with a stop at Indiana University learning under former EMU offensive coordinator Kalen DeBoer. Piatkowski also previously was a graduate assistant coach at Eastern Michigan (2016-17) and Midland (Neb.) University (2014-15).

While at Indiana, the team sported an 8-5 record in 2019, a resurrection season said by some in the Midwest, as it was the Hoosiers’ best regular season in 26 years. The eight wins tied for the third-most in school history, trailing only the 1945 and 1967 Big Ten Conference Championship teams who each won nine games. Indiana posted a winning conference record for the first time since 1993 (5-3) and was nationally ranked for the first time in 25 years, breaking the oldest such drought in the country.

The Hoosiers’ offense, a catalyst of the success, excelled ranking inside the top-five in the 14-team Big Ten conference in passing offense (302.4; second), first downs (23.4; second), time of possession (33:43; third) turnovers lost (15; third), total offense (432.8; third), passing efficiency (150.6; fourth), third down conversion percentage (.469; fourth), and scoring offense (31.8; fifth).

 Before heading to Bloomington, Piatkowski was a graduate assistant working with the offensive line in Ypsilanti from 2016-17. In his first season, EMU tied the Football Bowl Subdivision mark for the biggest turnaround in 2016, improving six games on its win total from one win in 2015. The offense shattered the school record for total yards with 5,917 yards, breaking the previous record of 5,010. School records were also set for points scored (385), passing yards (3,849), touchdown passes (25), first downs (303), pass completions (309), plays (999) as well single-game plays (99). The squad racked up the second-most touchdowns (47) and rushing TDs (21) in a season, and the second-most single-game touchdown (8) and first downs (35).
      Nicknamed “Pike”, Piatkowski also served as a graduate assistant at Midland University prior to his arrival at EMU.

 The quarterback for Coach Creighton at Drake from 2008-12, Piatkowski set nearly every career passing mark in rewriting the Bulldogs’ record book and becoming one of the nation’s top passers. He finished the 2012 season ranked 13th nationally in total offense with 291.6 yards per game.

 He finished his career as Drake’s career leader in passing yardage (10,200), completed passes (877), passes attempted (1,407), completion percentage (.623), touchdown passes (76), total offense (9,959), and offensive plays (1,699).

 The 2012 Pioneer Football League Offensive Player of the Year, Piatkowski led his team to a 7-1 conference record and a share of the PFL title in 2011. In his junior season Piatkowski ranked 11th in the nation (FCS) in passing efficiency (151.4; 1st PFL) and 21st in total offense (253.8; 5th PFL), and posted three 300-yard passing games. He also threw 25 touchdown passes, the second-highest single-season total in Drake history.

The Mike Piatkowski
Name:	Mike Piatkowski
High School:	Wheaton Warrenville H.S. - Wheaton, Ill.
College:	Drake University - Bachelor's of Business Administration - 2012
	Eastern Michigan University Master's in Sport Managment - 2018
Family:	Single
Coaching Experience
Year	School	Position
2023-Present	Eastern Michigan University	Assistant Coach/QB/Offensive Coordinator
2021-22	Eastern Michigan University	Assistant Coach/QB/Passing Game Coordiantor
2020	Eastern Michigan University	Assistant Coach/QB
2018-20	Indiana University	Graduate Assistant/Offense
2016-18	Eastern Michigan University	Graduate Assistant/Offense
2015	Midland University	Graduate Assistant/Tight ends
2014	Midland University	Graduate Assistant/Running Backs
2013	Montana State University	Offensive Intern