Ferris State Football Going to the National Championship

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
And good morning. This is West Michigan's Morning News Steve Kelly,
Brent Kaita, Laurence Smith. For the fifth time in school
history and the fourth time in the last five years,
the Farris State Bulldogs headed back to the NCAA Division
two National Championship game. Coach Tony Anice joining us on
the liveline. Congratulations coach, and thank you for taking the

(00:23):
time today.

Speaker 2 (00:24):
Thanks thanks for having me guys, coach.

Speaker 3 (00:27):
Always good to catch up with your. Happy holidays to
you and the Bulldogs. And I go back to the
days when I first met you at Jennison High remember
that in the late nineties, and then Muskegan Grand Rapids
Community College. Now at Farris State. In his thirteen season,
all this guy does is build up programs and win.
And with that said coach, in eighty seven percent winning percentage,

(00:47):
one hundred and fifty two wins and just twenty one losses,
three national championships. You got all the buildings and stuff
going up there. What are you most proud of with
what you've accomplished as a coach at Farris State.

Speaker 2 (00:57):
Ultimately, it's you know, the great relationship ships I developed
with people, you know, just getting the text even this morning.
You know from from guys that I coach, you know
all the way through my career. But you know a
lot of fairest guys text and saying good luck and
love your coach and that kind of stuff. So those
are you know, those are relationships that you know last

(01:20):
a lifetime, and you know it just doesn't you know,
just isn't fairest guys too. It's just when you're in
this business for this long, I mean, what a career
and what an opportunity to impact young people and then
ultimately have great relationships with with the people you coach
for years and years and years, and the coaches and

(01:42):
and you know, the administrators and a bunch of people
that you know, it just builds just a great, you know,
family atmosphere.

Speaker 3 (01:50):
Coach share with everyone the story the talent pool that
you've built up there with you and your coaching staff.
As far as recruiting stuff is crazy, especially now with
the transfer portal and everything. But for people who don't know,
I mean, you guys, defending national champs preseason number one,
you're fifteen and o at this point, going for another
national championship. But did you really see this coming? Because
you lost some unbelievable talent, most notably Trinidad Chamblist Old Miss,

(02:12):
who was going to return as your quarterback in the
transfer portal to D one schools before the season even started.

Speaker 2 (02:19):
Yeah, yeah, you're right, Brett. It's uh, it really is
shocking to me what these young men have done. But
we lost Trinidad the old Miss. We lost a running
back to West Virginia, and offensive lineman to Iowa, and
offensive linmand to Michigan and a receiver to North Texas
on offense alone, So that's five guys that we anticipated

(02:39):
coming back, you know from from the last national championship
team and and yeah, and all of a sudden they're gone.
So uh yeah, it's it's mind boggling how our guys
have done this. You know, in defense, they lost three
you know, Stuffa is starting for West Virginia at lineback.
Mean I didn't mean West Virginia from Michigan at linebacker

(03:01):
and won the MAC Championship, so proud of him. And
Linto went to Tultson started at safety. So you know,
there's a lot of guys that left and had great
success and you know, but we're just grinding along. I mean,
our guys just don't don't look back. They don't look
back at what they've achieved. They don't look back at

(03:22):
who we lost, you know, guys like Carson Galker and
Brady Rose and Tam Allen, you know. I mean, we've
got so many great West Michigan guys who just you know,
they know what it takes to be great and they
pursue it every day.

Speaker 3 (03:36):
Tony set up this National Championship game because a lot
of people have never seen Harding University, even though You've
played him and o Grand Valley's played him. But I
mean this is like I think Ohio State and Indiana
that we saw at the Big Ten Championship game. I mean,
it's number one, number two, both unbeatens. They won the
national championship two years ago. You guys are defending champs.
So what do people see from Harney University when they

(03:56):
watched the game on.

Speaker 2 (03:57):
Saturday, Well, you see an offense that is about to
break the all time rushing record and the history of
college football. So nobody's rushed the ball for as many
hours as they're rushing for this year. They're a flexbone team,
you know, back back in the day, you know, and

(04:19):
when you talked about the Jennison days. You know, when
I had Mittcherima as a full back, we ran a
flexbone that was our offense. And then I took it
to Muskegan and you know, we won stage championships running
the flexbone there, and so you know, it's a great offense.
It's an option football. They're very good at it. And

(04:41):
then on defense, you know, they're number one scoring defense
in the nation. So, uh, it's a tough combination. When
when when they can run it that well, hold on
to the ball, and then defend the way they defend,
you know, they limit our possessions and and you know,
if you get behind them or it's a close game,
they just you know, they just take away the clock

(05:03):
and grind the ball out. So that's our biggest fear.
And so we got to be really tuned into their
systems and try to execute a really high level on
both sides of the ball.

Speaker 3 (05:12):
If there's someone that can figure out the Bisons, I
think it's the Anice family. And there's other anieceas on
his staff along with it. Coach Tony Knees Tony, best
of luck on Saturday. We've loved the ride again, don't
forget fans, you can listen to it. Ninety six won
the game three o'clock pregame, four o'clock Pick don at McKinney, Texas.
It'll be on ESPN two.

Speaker 2 (05:29):
Thanks Coach, Thanks thanks for having me, guys,