2026 GLIAC Preseason Poll

[WayneStatesman]

It's pretty sad that Wayne State, located in an area with some of the best football in the state, can't do better. The fact Roosevelt is voted ahead of them is an embarrassment. I don't expect them to be Ferris or Grand Valley level, but there is no reason they should be better than every other school in the conference.

This has been a problem with Wayne State Football for as long as I can remember. A head coach like Wooster would have really helped in recruiting local talent to Wayne State IMO but that ship has obviously sailed and we are where we are.

[GLIAC2MAC]

What is the recruiting advantage Wayne has over other D2 schools in Michigan and Ohio?

[Bballfan]

What is the recruiting advantage Wayne has over other D2 schools in Michigan and Ohio?

Location being one thing. If you are looking to go to school in a big city, Detroit is the ticket.

They are also the third biggest school in Michigan. So if you are looking to go to a big school, that's another plus.

Location. Now, where the campus is located in the city might not be the best, but Detroit is much more accessible than many other schools in Michigan and Detroit.

I mean I know Grand Valley and Ferris are on another level when it comes to football. But the only reason to go to Tech is for a good technical degree (very good school for that). There is no reason to go to Northern, and I don't think Saginaw really has that much to offer either.

[GLIAC2MAC]

Location being one thing. If you are looking to go to school in a big city, Detroit is the ticket.

They are also the third biggest school in Michigan. So if you are looking to go to a big school, that's another plus.

Location. Now, where the campus is located in the city might not be the best, but Detroit is much more accessible than many other schools in Michigan and Detroit.

I mean I know Grand Valley and Ferris are on another level when it comes to football. But the only reason to go to Tech is for a good technical degree (very good school for that). There is no reason to go to Northern, and I don't think Saginaw really has that much to offer either.

I agree with you to a point, however, there is a lot more behind the curtain.

I like "Downtown Detroit", I enjoyed the city during the 4 years I visited often. That being said, the typical Wayne State student can't afford to live close to DT Detroit. Stay in the dorms you say? Sounds great, except that they don't keep them clean and the food is subpar even for dorm food. My son's position coach at the time actually asked him and his friends to live off campus with absolutely no assistance from the staff in finding a place that was affordable or safe. Car got stolen twice, girlfriends once.

Yes, the school is big, but the campus life is small. Not many people live on campus.

The whole place was disorganized from top to bottom, never had any direction and most the time the staff wanted someone else to volunteer to do their job.

I also agree regarding Grand Valley, Ferris and Saginaw,

[OldBison]

I agree with you to a point, however, there is a lot more behind the curtain.

I like "Downtown Detroit", I enjoyed the city during the 4 years I visited often. That being said, the typical Wayne State student can't afford to live close to DT Detroit. Stay in the dorms you say? Sounds great, except that they don't keep them clean and the food is subpar even for dorm food. My son's position coach at the time actually asked him and his friends to live off campus with absolutely no assistance from the staff in finding a place that was affordable or safe. Car got stolen twice, girlfriends once.

Yes, the school is big, but the campus life is small. Not many people live on campus.

The whole place was disorganized from top to bottom, never had any direction and most the time the staff wanted someone else to volunteer to do their job.

I also agree regarding Grand Valley, Ferris and Saginaw,

I wouldn’t want to live where they steal your cars and girlfriends.

[GLIAC2MAC]

I wouldn’t want to live where they steal your cars and girlfriends.

They could've kept her.

[DawgUp]

I wouldn’t want to live where they steal your cars and girlfriends.

Quiet...your players aren't even allowed to have girlfriends 🤫

[HBtoSV]

Location being one thing. If you are looking to go to school in a big city, Detroit is the ticket.

They are also the third biggest school in Michigan. So if you are looking to go to a big school, that's another plus.

Location. Now, where the campus is located in the city might not be the best, but Detroit is much more accessible than many other schools in Michigan and Detroit.

I mean I know Grand Valley and Ferris are on another level when it comes to football. But the only reason to go to Tech is for a good technical degree (very good school for that). There is no reason to go to Northern, and I don't think Saginaw really has that much to offer either.

I have been on and around the WSU campus several times and had a friend attend, I’m not sure its location is exactly a bonus. It might be for some looking for a big city feel, or local Detroit kids, but the bugs, such as crime and safety in general,
might out weigh the pros for some people.

You can get a great degree at WSU, but someone looking for something else has great options at Tech, SVSU, Ferris, etc. A lot of D2 football players are going to be looking for a degree fit too and a lot of the GLIAC schools offer certain unique things that could compel a prospect.

I would also argue the notion that SVSU doesn’t have much to offer. Aside from specific programs academically where they excel, they’re also have a beautiful, modern, safe campus with top rated dorms/on campus housing and dining. Much of the campus housing/academic and athletic facilities/dining is connected by a series of indoor walkways if you want to avoid walking from class to lunch to the weight room in a blizzard as well.

[NewEraWarrior]

I have been on and around the WSU campus several times and had a friend attend, I’m not sure its location is exactly a bonus. It might be for some looking for a big city feel, or local Detroit kids, but the bugs, such as crime and safety in general,
might out weigh the pros for some people.

You can get a great degree at WSU, but someone looking for something else has great options at Tech, SVSU, Ferris, etc. A lot of D2 football players are going to be looking for a degree fit too and a lot of the GLIAC schools offer certain unique things that could compel a prospect.

I would also argue the notion that SVSU doesn’t have much to offer. Aside from specific programs academically where they excel, they’re also have a beautiful, modern, safe campus with top rated dorms/on campus housing and dining. Much of the campus housing/academic and athletic facilities/dining is connected by a series of indoor walkways if you want to avoid walking from class to lunch to the weight room in a blizzard as well.

I feel compelled to add my personal WSU experience. As a former WSU player/experience, playing IN Detroit was absolutely a big draw for me. As a kid growing up, I loved every opportunity I got to come see a Wings, Tigers, Lions game in Detroit. I felt it was awesome to represent the city of Detroit through college athletics. Not to mention all the benefits of going to an urban campus; direct access to professional sporting events in the offseason, many internship opportunities with large organizations stationed downtown, multitude of entertainment options, etc. Other small schools can't offer that for students. For those unaware, Wayne State is located in Midtown Detroit, which is 100% better now than it was during my time on campus. There are legitimate destinations to visit in Midtown now, between restaurants, entertainment districts, shopping, etc. I can also attest, WSU's campus is safe, no different than any other college campus I would attest.

Now when you start venturing outside the campus....yeah you quickly learn where to go and where not to go. Is Wayne State perfect? Heck no. On campus living situations was probably below average compared to other GLIAC schools, although once we were able to move into apartments after the dorms, much more fun was had. We stuck together with other athletes most of the time anyways. I have seen the increase in dorms on campus now so hopefully that helps nowadays

[GLIAC2MAC]

I feel compelled to add my personal WSU experience. As a former WSU player/experience, playing IN Detroit was absolutely a big draw for me. As a kid growing up, I loved every opportunity I got to come see a Wings, Tigers, Lions game in Detroit. I felt it was awesome to represent the city of Detroit through college athletics. Not to mention all the benefits of going to an urban campus; direct access to professional sporting events in the offseason, many internship opportunities with large organizations stationed downtown, multitude of entertainment options, etc. Other small schools can't offer that for students. For those unaware, Wayne State is located in Midtown Detroit, which is 100% better now than it was during my time on campus. There are legitimate destinations to visit in Midtown now, between restaurants, entertainment districts, shopping, etc. I can also attest, WSU's campus is safe, no different than any other college campus I would attest.

Now when you start venturing outside the campus....yeah you quickly learn where to go and where not to go. Is Wayne State perfect? Heck no. On campus living situations was probably below average compared to other GLIAC schools, although once we were able to move into apartments after the dorms, much more fun was had. We stuck together with other athletes most of the time anyways. I have seen the increase in dorms on campus now so hopefully that helps nowadays

I'll agree with pretty much all of that. I guess my main issue is the football program and athletic department didn't treat Wayne State the way you just described. There was so much they could have done to get the city engaged, but I felt as if they didn't even try. They didn't conduct themselve like a program that wanted to be taken seriously.

[HBtoSV]

I feel compelled to add my personal WSU experience. As a former WSU player/experience, playing IN Detroit was absolutely a big draw for me. As a kid growing up, I loved every opportunity I got to come see a Wings, Tigers, Lions game in Detroit. I felt it was awesome to represent the city of Detroit through college athletics. Not to mention all the benefits of going to an urban campus; direct access to professional sporting events in the offseason, many internship opportunities with large organizations stationed downtown, multitude of entertainment options, etc. Other small schools can't offer that for students. For those unaware, Wayne State is located in Midtown Detroit, which is 100% better now than it was during my time on campus. There are legitimate destinations to visit in Midtown now, between restaurants, entertainment districts, shopping, etc. I can also attest, WSU's campus is safe, no different than any other college campus I would attest.

Now when you start venturing outside the campus....yeah you quickly learn where to go and where not to go. Is Wayne State perfect? Heck no. On campus living situations was probably below average compared to other GLIAC schools, although once we were able to move into apartments after the dorms, much more fun was had. We stuck together with other athletes most of the time anyways. I have seen the increase in dorms on campus now so hopefully that helps nowadays

There’s no doubt that Wayne State has a ton to offer (especially academically), and that the more urban environment you described is a draw for some people, including you.

My point was just a little bit of a pushback against the idea that it is a draw generally, as everyone is looking for something different. Your opportunity to attend professional sporting events is someone else looking at worrying about what happens if they turn down the wrong road, that’s just reality.

That’s not to say some more rural GLIAC settings don’t have drawbacks, of course they do.

One of the more unique things about D2 that still holds true today though is athletes are making choices about what school they attend based on some factors outside of athletics and NIL.

Want that urban setting you described, having access to big city entertainment, sports, dining? Head to WSU. Plan on being an eye doctor or pharmacist after football? FSU would like to have a word. Want a college town feel next to some of the world’s most beautiful and secluded natural beauty? NMU could be a draw.

That’s actually some of the beauty of D2 football that I feel like has been lost in D1. Yes, some of the GLIACs best players are going to hit the portal and split for D1 opportunities. But the fact remains most D2 players are really actually student athletes still, and they’ll make their college choices with some of these things in mind.

[NewEraWarrior]

All fair points. WSU's athletic department has so much potential and yet it feels like they barely scratch the surface. The partnership they entered with Pistons G-League is exactly what they should continue tapping into. Helped build them a basketball arena that can rival many D1 schools. Now they need to improve the product on the court with the women's side being better than the men's the past couple decades.

As pointed out, the urban campus could be a big hit for some but a drawback for others. Academics is highly regarded albeit it skews a little towards Grad programs. Nonetheless, the location in proximity to stellar suburban HS programs means there is no excuse for WSU Football to finish in the bottom half of the GLIAC. During my time, we heavily recruited the OAA, MAC, Catholic League, etc. and saw the most successful seasons in school history. For whatever reason, the recent coaching staffs have went away from that for no apparent reason. The recent downturn for WSU football is relatively simple, poor coaching/coaching staffs + poor recruiting strategies. Thinking you can turn a program around by emphasizing JUCO transfers is a shortsighted solution that does not build a standard or culture.

[mtsax305]

The JUCO transfers are just a part of modern college football. I don't mind the JUCO strategy if the program can balance it out with local talent and with good coaching who can communicate what the standard is and give the young men the tools to build that culture. Admittedly, I hadn't played school sports since Jr. High but I was in the band at WSU. We had a new director come in my sophomore year who set us a much higher standard than what we had previously, and there were A LOT of people that did not want to step up. I could be off-base, but I do believe that in situations like the team is in now, it's up to the staff to set the expectation early on, then let the athletes communicate that culture as the program (hopefully) ascends.

That was a really long way of saying I think having good coaching in place is going to be more impactful than having a different recruiting strategy than in years past. Winters' downfall was he could never get back anywhere close to the peak he took this team to. Couple that with an AD that couldn't see past 2011, and you arrive at 2022. Wheatley, we (at least I) we're sold on a name that could not actually deliver as a head coach. Some guys just don't have it. Isaac, everything I hear is he's pushing a new culture. We're gonna learn real fast how these guys take to it and how that translates on-field, along with just being able to get baseline talent back here.

[HBtoSV]

I don’t think you can build your program around JUCO transfers, but they’re obviously going to have a role in filling out your roster.

Personally, I believe WSU should focus on the strategy you mentioned, and that’s heavily recruiting the rich talent pool of metro Detroit. There are a ton of great football players who will it be at a Big Ten or MAC school who need a place to land, this should be WSU’s bread and butter. Then fill out what you need every year from the pool of JUCO transfers.

Northwood left the GLIAC, and that has a lot to do with their recent success. But they’ve also created an identity and in the meantime take a bite out of SVSUs apple. They heavily recruit the tri-cities and are very involved in the thumb region finding really good players that otherwise get overlooked because of where they play and the size of the schools. I can tell you as part of an HS football coaching staff in the thumb that Northwood has become very highly regarded as a place to steer our athletes and they’re always around.

Now of course, the problem for WSU is that Ferris and Grand Valley are also sniffing around Detroit. But there’s enough talent to go around that it should be the foundation for WSU. Something tells me a lot of area High School coaches are telling kids to avoid the program. Any new coaching staff should be mending fences with area high school staffs.

[mtsax305]

Not just JUCO, but keeping up relationships with guys that may not have panned out at other schools. Basketball has been able to do that and get solid contributors (now they just need to get over the .500 hump). I also have a gut feeling some bridges got burned probably post-2019 and never got mended with Wheatley. Looking over at The D Zone, it seems like these guys have already made an emphasis on getting local/Michigan guys to verbally commit early. Maybe there's been an effort to rebuild those relations and show that WSU is a great place to be at. Hopefully, they can keep these guys on signing day.