‘U’ era begins for Ball State football
New head coach Mike Uremovich brings a championship mindset to program, emphasizing discipline, effort, and community as he focuses on bringing winning traditions back.
A new level of tenacity and excitement can be felt at Ball State University’s Scheumann Stadium and Fisher Football Training Complex since Mike Uremovich was named the 19th head football coach in program history in December.
Coach Uremovich arrived at Ball State after three successful seasons at Butler, where he led the Bulldogs to their first string of three consecutive winning seasons in nearly four decades. He has also spent six seasons as an assistant coach at Northern Illinois, where he helped guide the Huskies to two Mid-American Conference (MAC) titles in 2012 and 2018.
How does Coach Uremovich intend to build a championship program at Ball State? Learn more in this Q&A with the Cardinals’ new leader.
What can fans expect from a program that you lead?
“They’re going to see an exciting brand of football. We’re going to move the football on offense by running the ball, and we’re going to run through the ball on defense. We will be really physical on defense and good on special teams. And we can’t beat ourselves. We’re going to be a disciplined football team.”
On what pillars are you building this program?
“Championship effort, championship attitude, and championship accountability. Those three things require zero talent—but they require you to work at having a great attitude, great effort, and accountability every single day. We have everything we possibly need to win here. We’ve got a great facility next to Scheumann Stadium where you can train and develop championship football teams, and we have a community that wants to see a winner and support a winner.”
Ball State head football coach Mike Uremovich with his wife, Katie; sons, Michael and Drew; and daughter, Ella.
I believe we’re stronger today with Mike Uremovich as our head football coach. He is an exceptional leader and recruiter who cares deeply about his family, his players, and his staff.
What’s your ultimate goal with this program?
“Our goal always is to win a MAC championship. Now, from here to there, all types of things have to happen. But that will be our goal at the start of every season. Because if you win the MAC championship game, you’re going to a good bowl game, and your kids had a great year. If you’re in this conference, you’re trying to win it. In addition, our kids will get to go to Ball State, which is a great school. They’re going to have a great experience on campus. They’re going to be a part of the Muncie community. There are many things here they can experience outside of football. So, their experiences as student-athletes here will be better than they would be at most schools they’re considering attending.”
How do you plan to tackle roster reconstruction?
“There are so many layers to it. You’re recruiting the high school kids, and you have the transfer portal—which basically has two areas: the mid-year guys and the guys who will be in the portal coming out of our Spring practices. So, we’ll bring a couple of transfers. Some will be graduate transfers, but the bulk of the transfers we bring will be after Spring practice.
“The one thing you’ve got to make sure of in this environment is you can’t only take guys from the portal. We’re still going to recruit high school prospects. We’re still going to get kids in here and develop them. We’re a developmental program. After the development of the high school kids, you have to go to the portal and bring in players to address immediate needs. But we’ll start with high school players.”
What would be your message to potential recruits?
“We have a great opportunity here to do something special. And it’s fun to win. I love winning—but it’s really fun when you do it with a bunch of guys who haven’t had that success. You do it in a community that really wants to win and hasn’t won in a while. You do it with a bunch of coaches that know how to do it.
“It’s really rewarding to watch those guys sing and dance in the locker room after a big win after they’ve suffered some losses. It’s fun when you’ve been somewhere that wins every year and plays for the championship again. Watching kids win for the first time, get a championship ring, go to a bowl game, and do all those things is extremely rewarding for me. That’s why I coach, and that’s why I came here.”
Tell us a little bit about your family.
“My wife, Katie, was a nurse. She used to be a heart nurse. Now, she works as a legal nurse consultant. My daughter, Ella, is a sophomore at Butler University majoring in data analytics. My son, Michael, is a senior at Cathedral High School in Indianapolis and on the wrestling team. He’s trying to decide what college to go to right now. Finally, my eighth-grade boy, Drew, goes to St. Maria Goretti in Westfield, Ind. He plays every sport they offer in the CYO (Catholic Youth Organization).”
