Opinion: Why Detroit’s major sports teams are stuck in a state of sub mediocrity
The Lions, Pistons, Tigers, and Red Wings are all in last place for their divisions. Why are Detroit sports so bad?
The Lions, Pistons, Tigers, and Red Wings are all in last place for their divisions. Why are Detroit sports so bad?
The Eastern Michigan Eagles (6-5, 3-4) football team plays their final game of the regular season versus the Kent State Golden Flashes (5-6, 4-3) on Friday, Nov. 29 at Rynearson Stadium. It is Senior Day for the Eagles as they look to win 7+ games for the second year in a row. The game will kick off at noon on ESPN+.
The Lions, Pistons, Tigers and Red Wings are all in last place for their divisions. Why is that?
Eastern Michigan football earned a sixth win of the season against Northern Illinois on Tuesday, Nov 19, defeating the Huskies 45-17. The Eagles are now bowl eligible in consecutive seasons for the first time in program history and the third time in four years under head coach Chris Creighton.
Eastern Michigan football players have earned multiple MAC Player of the Week awards in 2019. And two more players have a chance to receive further recognition. Hassan Beydoun and Jake Julien were nominated for the Burlsworth Trophy and the Ray Guy Award, respectively.
After dismantling the Akron Zips, Eastern Michigan heads to Northern Illinois to battle with the Huskies on Tuesday night, Nov. 19. The game will be broadcasted live on ESPN2, EMU’s first appearance on the station since its 2011 game against Penn State. The game will be the final road game of the season for the Eagles.
Daveon Hunter, who is a 3-star running back according to 247 Sports, was offered a scholarship from the Eastern Michigan football program on Monday, Nov. 11. The senior running back is 5’10” and 200 pounds. He attends Chandler High School in Arizona and is slated to graduate at the end of the current school year.
On the coldest game of the year for Eastern Michigan, the Eagles’ running game was nothing but hot. Eastern Michigan football got back in the win column after two consecutive losses, topping Akron 42-14. The Eagles are now 5-5 on the season and 2-4 in conference play.
In order to become bowl eligible for the third time in the last four seasons, Eastern Michigan must win at minimum two of their last three games. The Eagles will play two "MACtion" games on Tuesday nights, both on the road. The first is a road trip on Tuesday, Nov. 12 as the Eagles travel to Infocision Stadium to play the 0-9 Akron Zips and first year head coach Tom Arth.
Special teams has been the deciding factor in a few of Eastern Michigan's football games this season. Whether it be the game winning field goal by Chad Ryland against Illinois, the punt by Jake Julien to run the clock out against Western Michigan or many other instances throughout the season, Eastern Michigan has shown moments of greatness on the special teams side of the ball.
Eastern Michigan started off strong against Buffalo, striking first blood on an 80-yard touchdown pass from Mike Glass III to Mathew Sexton. The good news would stop there for the Eagles, then giving up 43 unanswered points before ending in a 43-14 loss. Eastern Michigan is now 4-5 on the season, and drops to 1-4 within the MAC.
Ty Eddington, a senior at Eastern Michigan University and defensive lineman, was hurt just a few days before the team's season opener against Coastal Carolina on Saturday, Aug. 31. He now says he is ready to be back and in the rotation on the EMU defensive line.
Eastern Michigan football returns to action against Buffalo on Saturday, Nov. 2 at Rynearson Stadium. Both teams are looking to make up ground in the MAC standings as the Eagles are two games back in the MAC West and the Bulls are one game back in the MAC East. Eastern Michigan (4-4, 1-3) is coming off a 37-34 loss to the Toledo Rockets on the road, while Buffalo (4-4, 2-2) defeated the Central Michigan Chippewas 43-20 last weekend.
On a wet and gloomy afternoon, Eastern Michigan and Toledo shared a back and forth, hard fought and high staked football game. With the inclement weather, running the football would prove to be very important for both teams. Eastern Michigan allowed a season-high 366 rushing yards.
Eastern Michigan was skeptical of their roster after filling the quarter-back position against Western Michigan Oct. 19. Mike Glass III, EMU’s starter and captain, was out with an injury. Preston Hutchinson, the backup, was forced into duty and started the Eagles crucial game against the Broncos at home.
Chris Creighton was hired by Eastern Michigan before the 2014 season and after Ron English being fired the year prior. English was the Eagles head coach for four years before being fired nine games into his fifth campaign. English led them to just one six-win season, with a record of 11-46. Creighton has doubled that and is on the verge of adding another one this year.
After two consecutive home games, head coach Chris Creighton and the Eastern Michigan Eagles hit the road Oct. 26 to play the Rockets from the University of Toledo. Toledo is coming off two straight losses, including a 52-14 loss at the hands of Ball State University.
Preston Hutchinson's heroic performance in his first career start gave the Eagles their first win over Western Michigan in six seasons on Saturday, Oct. 19 by a score of 34-27. Hutchinson stepped in for an injured Mike Glass III and threw for 357 yards while completing 84% of his passes and accounting for four touchdowns.
Eastern Michigan football continues to support one another as their season comes to the halfway point. A big part of the Eagles’ team has been the defense and Kobie Beltram has stepped up during his senior season. Beltram has had a diligent season so far.
Breck Turner committed to the Eagles prior to the 2016 season, and now he’s a senior running back looking to end his career with a successful season. Before the season began, Turner was named to the Doak Walker award watch list for the top running back in the country, which included 71 players.