Eastern Michigan hires Chris Creighton away from Drake
Chris Creighton, the man who helped the Drake football team rise to prominence, is leaving Des Moines — going from non-scholarship Division I football to the highest level of college football.
Creighton, the head coach for the Bulldogs the last six seasons, accepted the head coaching job at Eastern Michigan, a Football Bowl Subdivision school that plays in the Mid-American Conference.
Rick Fox, a member of Creighton's staff the past six seasons, was named Drake's head coach.
The 44-year-old Creighton replaces Ron English, who was fired midseason following a profanity-laced tirade toward his team.
Creighton, a well-respected, straight-shooting coach known for his poise and not allowing players to use foul language, turned in a brief but memorable career with the Bulldogs.
Creighton compiled 44 wins, the sixth-most in program history, and a .667 winning percentage, the highest in the Bulldogs' 120-year history.
He also led the Bulldogs to a share of back-to-back Pioneer Football League titles.
In 2011, he brought world-wide attention to the program by taking the Bulldogs to Africa for the inaugural Global Kilimanjaro Bowl, a trip that included service projects in orphanages and schools.
"These past six years at Drake and in Des Moines have been phenomenal," Creighton said in a statement issued by Drake. "Our kids' earliest memories will be from here and we have built friendships that will last a lifetime. I am so proud to have been able to lead the Drake football program.
"Leaving Drake is incredibly difficult, but I cannot wait to see the great things that this program is going to do in the near future. My family and I want to thank everyone who has been so good to us throughout these years, and we look forward to continuing those relationships."
A message left for Creighton was not immediately returned.
Creighton was warmly welcomed by an Eastern Michigan program that hasn't had a winning season since 1995 and has gone 2-10 in the past two years.
It was probably no coincidence that Eagles athletics director Heather Lyke pointed out Creighton's clean record in a statement released by the school.
"In Chris, Eastern Michigan will find an extraordinary leader who will be a great ambassador for our university," Lyke said. "During the search process, Chris' focus on positively impacting the lives of our student-athletes and building a championship program was most impressive. As a proven winner and head coach, Chris' experience with creating and sustaining success will inspire our student-athletes to elevate our football program to a championship level."
Meanwhile, a changing of the guard occurred in a meeting between Drake players and coaches Wednesday.
Drake athletics director Sandy Hatfield Clubb welcomed Fox as the new football coach in a statement.
"He and Chris Creighton have worked together to build a culture of integrity and excellence in our football program," Clubb said, "and he is the perfect person to lead the Bulldogs into a new era at Drake University. Rick brings experience, knowledge and a deep sense of caring to his work. I am excited for the future of our program under his leadership."
Tommy Birch writes for The Des Moines Register, a Gannett affiliate.