Engle Named Eighth Head Coach in Saginaw Valley Football History

Michael Engle, who has established himself as one of the top offensive coordinators in NCAA Division II, has been selected as the next head football coach at Saginaw Valley State University. The 36-year-old Engle takes over the Cardinal program after spending the past four seasons at the University of Indianapolis.

Engle was formally introduced by SVSU Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics John Lewandowski as the eighth head football coach in SVSU history at a press conference January 7^th.

“Throughout the search process, Michael Engle began to create separation from our extremely competitive pool of highly-qualified candidates for the position,” Lewandowski said. “Michael has a proven track record and extensive experience as an offensive coordinator, and he’s played a vital role in UIndy’s recent success.”

“He will create an offensive scheme that provides our current personnel with the best opportunity to win. Michael has a clear vision of what he wants the culture and identity of SVSU football to be. He also has a season-long plan, focused on player development on both sides of the football. Most importantly, Michael shares our goal of building a perennial Top 25 program that will compete for GLIAC championships and be positioned for long postseason runs while graduating players who will be prepared to be leaders and difference makers in their chosen professions and local communities.”

 “It is an honor and a privilege to be named the head football coach at Saginaw Valley State University,” Engle said. “I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity and for the trust the university has placed in me to lead its football program.\

“I have tremendous respect for Cardinal football and have seen firsthand from the visitor’s sideline the toughness and commitment of this team, as well as the support it has from the Athletics Department, students, alumni and fans.”\

“I am excited to be a part of the football program and to build on the history and tradition, created by its players and the university,” Engle continued. “Saginaw Valley State is committed to providing student-athletes with a ‘Championship Experience.’ As a football staff, that means putting our players in a position to consistently compete for a GLIAC championship, playoff berth and success in postseason play.”

“Everything we do will be rooted in accountability, development, and a relentless pursuit of excellence on and off the field. We have a group of very talented players here working towards those goals and will build on that by continuing to recruit and develop outstanding student-athletes, who are positioned to succeed on the field, in the classroom, and most importantly, in life.”

Engle said his father was a high school football coach and played an incredibly valuable role in his life. “My dad was my high school football coach, my offensive coordinator, my position coach, and my AP U.S. history teacher. I learned the value of discipline, hard work, and leadership – lessons that guide me every day.”

With the Greyhounds, Engle served as the pass game coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the 2022 and 2023 seasons before his promotion to offensive coordinator for the last two years. He added the title of assistant head coach prior to the 2025 campaign.

During his four-year tenure, UIndy produced a combined record of 39-8 (.829), including four consecutive Great Lakes Valley Conference championships with a 28-1 mark (.966) and four-straight NCAA Division II postseason appearances. In addition, the Greyhounds ranked among the American Football Coaches

Association’s Top 25 in each of the last four years, including No. 17 in 2022, No. 22 in 2023, No. 19 in 2024 and No. 10 in 2025 – its highest finish in program history.

Engle was named one of five finalists for the Division II Coordinator of the Year, presented by FootballScoop, after leading one of the top offensive attacks in the nation. The 2025 Greyhound offense led the nation in red-zone scores (67) and ranked second in points per game (46), yards per game (500.3), yards per play (7.81), first downs (335), passing yards (4,089), and passing touchdowns (42).

Engle’s quarterbacks topped D2 in yards per pass attempt with an average of 10.93, a .719 completion percentage, and a passing efficiency rating of 197.08. Engle coached 2025 Harlon Hill Trophy runner-up and AFCA First-Team All-American Gavin Sukup. A three-time Harlon Hill nominee, Sukup also was a 2025 D2Football.com Elite 100 selection and three-time GLVC Player of the Year winner.

Under Engle’s tutelage, Sukup set program records for single-season and career passing touchdowns, passing yards, and total yards. His 2025 season saw him rank first in NCAA DII in completion percentage (72.3%), passing efficiency (195.62), and yards per attempt (10.56). He ranked second in passing yards (3,695), passing touchdowns (41) and points responsible for (278), and finished fifth in points per game (21.4) and sixth in total offense (309.1).

Prior to UIndy, Engle was the offensive coordinator at NCAA Division III DePauw University for two seasons, from 2020-21. While at his alma mater, Engle also worked with both the quarterbacks and wide receivers. He helped the team to a 12-3 record over those three seasons, including the first North Coast Athletic Conference championship and the first-ever playoff win.

In 2021, Engle coached the NCAC Newcomer of the Year and first-team All-NCAC selection, in Jaylon Smith, who led the league in TD receptions (10) and yards per catch (24.0) and finished second in receiving yards (767). He also worked with two second-team all-conference selections, in quarterback Chase Andries and wide receiver Trey Shaw. Andries led the NCAC in completion percentage (.652) and passing efficiency (175.3 rating) while finishing third in TD passes (21) and fourth in passing yards (2,347) while Shaw ranked among the league leaders in TD receptions (second with 9) and receiving yards (fourth with 739).

Before returning to his alma mater, Engle had coaching stops at Florida Tech as the special team’s coordinator and wide receiver coach from 2017-19; West Virginia Wesleyan as the associate head coach, offensive coordinator, and quarterbacks coach in 2016-17; and Bryant University as the wide receivers coach from 2012-15.

He launched his coaching career as the running back coach at DePauw in 2011. A native of Terre Haute, Indiana, Engle was a team captain and all-conference quarterback during his playing career at DePauw. As a senior in 2010, he threw for 3,157 yards and 30 touchdowns while leading the Tigers to a Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference title and playoff appearance in 2010. He graduated with six school records and still holds the single-season mark for completions with 280 (2010). Engle received his bachelor’s degree in political science from DePauw in 2011.

Engle replaces Chesaning native Ryan Brady as head coach. Brady was relieved of his duties in early December of 2025 by Lewandowski, citing that winning seasons are no longer the standard of excellence for SVSU football.

“While our teams finished 7-4 in 2024 and 6-5 in 2025, the Cardinals failed to meet our expectation of participating in the NCAA Division II Playoffs, and in my judgment, the program was not moving in that direction,” said Lewandowski, who has been the school’s athletic department leader since October of 2023.

“I appreciate Coach Brady's seven years and six seasons of service to SVSU,” he said. “He worked tirelessly on the recruiting trail and attracted talented players to our campus while also elevating their performance in the classroom. He led our program with integrity.”

“Our program should be positioned to compete for GLIAC championships and NCAA postseason appearances on a regular basis. We want to meet our commitment to provide our student-athletes with a "Championship Experience."

Brady’s final career coaching record at the university was 39 wins and 27 losses over six seasons (2019-2025), with his tenure ending after five consecutive winning seasons.

Four Cardinals Earn All-Academic District Honors

Saginaw Valley State University’s football team had four student-athletes earn College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District® honors.

The CSC Academic All-District® Football Teams are selected by CSC members and recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom.

Graduate linebacker Christian Boivin (Traverse CityWest High School), senior running back Michael Jamerson III (Davison High School), and redshirt-sophomores, wideout Braden Hill (Charlotte High School) and tight end Drew Kaeckmeister (Swan Valley High School).

Boivin was the defensive leader for SVSU with 105 tackles (second-most in the GLIAC, along with 3.5 sacks, 8.5 tackles for loss, three interceptions, a forced fumble, and four pass breakups. He posted double-digit tackles five times, with 18 in the season opener and a two-interception, 15-tackle game in week 10. The second team All-GLIAC linebacker completed the Fall semester with a 3.77 GPA as he pursues an MBA at SVSU.

Jamerson finished as the team's second-leading rusher with 557 yards on 117 carries, averaging 4.8 yards per run and ranking seventh in the GLIAC for total rushing yards. The first team All-GLIAC running back scored eight total touchdowns, including a league sixth-best seven on the ground, and added 12 receptions for 82 yards and a touchdown. Jamerson earned a 3.61 GPA in the Fall semester.

Hill finished second on the team in receptions with 28 and totaled 400 yards receiving with four touchdown catches. His best performance of the season came in the opener when he caught three passes for 115 yards, including his season-best 57-yard reception that led to the first touchdown of the game and gave the Cardinals the lead. The business administration major finished the Fall with a 3.80 GPA.

Kaeckmeister saw action in 10 games for the Cardinals during 2025. He made seven receptions for 30 yards, including his first collegiate catch in week three against Northwood. Kaeckmeister had two games with two catches during the season. He finished the semester with a 3.60 GPA in business administration.

SVSU Head Football Coaching History

Frank “Muddy” Waters (1975-79) – 24-26-2 overall record

Jim Larkin (1980-82) – 9-22-0 overall record

George Ihler (1983-93) – 61-52-1 overall record

Jerry Kill (1994-98) – 38-14-0 overall record

Randy Awrey (1999-2007) – 63-40-0 overall record

Jim Collins (2008-18) – 45-56-0 overall record

Ryan Brady (2019-25) * - 39-27-0 overall record

Michael Engle (2026-) – 0-0-0 overall record

*Denotes 2020 season cancelled due to COVID-19