Following last season, SVSU Athletics decided to part ways with the coaching staff of the football team. This season, players are tuning out the noise and focusing on their game.
“I was not expecting Ryan Brady’s departure,” says junior defensive back Christian Ellison. “I think the entire team was pretty caught off guard by the change happening.”
Brady was fired in December 2025. In a statement made at the time of the decision, Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics John Lewandowski said Brady was relieved of his duties because “winning seasons are no longer the standard of excellence for SVSU football,” despite coming off winning seasons in 2025 and 2024.
In May, Brady filed a suit against SVSU in the Michigan Court of Claims. He alleges Lewandowski urged him to violate the university’s nepotism policy and was fired when he refused.
Lead by new head coach Michael Engle, SVSU is slated to have another winning season this year. They are currently 2-1 against their opponents (48-24 vs McKendree, 41-24 vs Tex. A&M-Kingsville, and 28-35 vs Northwood) and are receiving positive attention from the college football world. The Cardinals were voted fifth in the GLIAC preseason coaches poll and have a player named to D2Football.com’s Elite 100 watchlist.
“My first impressions of both Coach Engle and Coach P were that these guys have one thing in mind and that winning is everything that we do,” Ellison said. “Whether that is as a person, in the classroom, on the field, or in the community. They want us to be the best at anything we do.”
“We are adjusting to the new coaching staff really well,” says junior defensive back Sean Hodges. “… with a new voice it’s easier to believe and follow someone who puts your best interest first without demoralizing you as a football player.”
The message in the locker room has been to focus on things the team can control: their attitude, their effort, and their process.
“… bad things will happen, but we will be ready to face adverse situations and rely on the momentum that we’ve built so far in the season.” Ellison said. “I think for us to reach our full potential we need to keep pushing our pillars that we stand on.”
Both Ellison and Hodges are hopeful to make the playoffs.
“I believe that we will truly win the GLIAC this year and make it to week 15 in Texas to compete for a National Championship,” Hodges states. “I believe that we will truly win the GLIAC this year and make it to week 15 in Texas to compete for a National Championship.”
Several members of the SVSU football team did not respond to requests for comment.
