Noah Kim's return gives Eastern Michigan its first quarterback continuity in years
Eastern Michigan closed 2025 at 4-8 (3-5 in the MAC), stumbling through a rough opening stretch that saw the Eagles drop seven of their first nine before steadying late with wins over Northern Illinois, Bowling Green and Ball State. The defining development of the offseason is not a new arrival but a familiar face staying put: quarterback Noah Kim returns for a fifth year and a second season as the starter, giving the program its first true continuity under center in years.
That matters here. Eastern Michigan has cycled through quarterbacks almost annually for the better part of a decade, and 2026 marks the first time since 2017 that it brings back its starter at the position. Twelfth-year head coach Chris Creighton, who prizes offensive balance and roster stability, now gets to spend the offseason refining the playbook rather than rebuilding it.
Offense
Kim is the anchor. The senior led the MAC in passing a year ago, connecting on 61 percent of his throws for 2,817 yards, 18 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, and he enters the fall as one of the league's most experienced arms. A former Michigan State transfer, he became just the sixth Eagle since 2004 to start every game in a season, and he was named a captain for 2026. His command of the system, and his comfort with a staff and supporting cast he already knows, is the single biggest reason for optimism on this side of the ball.
Three of Kim's top four targets are back, headlined by senior Nick Devereaux, a third-team All-MAC pick after a 510-yard, seven-touchdown campaign that made him the standout skill player in this group. Around him, Harold Mack, Benson Prosper and Antonio Floyd give Kim a diverse, experienced set of options to stretch the field, with Mack having flashed a 179-yard outburst against Miami (Ohio) last season. Second-team All-MAC tight end Joshua Long projects as a featured piece in his junior year, a reliable move-the-chains presence who found the end zone three times in 2025.
The backfield has been rebuilt around newcomers, chief among them graduate transfer Braydon Bennett, who arrives by way of Virginia Tech after a productive run at Coastal Carolina. A stout 6-2, 215-pounder with a blend of size and speed, Bennett saw little work with the Hokies but piled up close to 2,000 career rushing yards and roughly 29 total touchdowns across his college career. He is the projected lead back and the most accomplished option in a room otherwise short on proven production.
The portal hit this unit hard, and the coaching staff has had to revamp it around its returning pieces. Center Nicholas Gallegos and left guard Joshua Anderson, both seniors, anchor the group and provide the interior stability everything else is being built around. Tyler McMillan, a massive presence at left tackle, and returning tackle Tyler Brumfield fill out the edges, but with only a couple of established starters back, protection for Kim is the clearest question mark on offense. If the line holds up, this passing game should be a step ahead early in the year.
Defense
The front is the biggest concern on the roster after the graduation of both starting tackles. Veteran end Carter Evans, a returning starter, leads the way, with Quincy Byas set to start opposite him on the edge. Inside, Javon Thomas and Jefferson Adam are the projected starters at nose, with Adam back after missing all of 2025 to a preseason injury. This is where the season may be decided: the Eagles surrendered a league-worst 232.1 rushing yards per game a year ago, and the front seven simply has to be sturdier for the team to contend for a bowl.
Barry Manning is the centerpiece here, a productive senior who paced the middle of the defense in 2025, finishing near the top of the team in both total tackles and tackles for loss even after being pressed into extended duty. Zach Mowchan, a senior who has fought through injuries the past two seasons, lines up alongside him and gives the unit a second experienced body. Manning's versatility is a useful chess piece, as he is also capable of sliding back to safety if the secondary needs him.
The back end is the strength of this defense, deep and experienced. Safety Bryce Llewellyn, a second-team All-MAC selection and the team's defensive MVP after a 102-tackle season, is the leader of a group loaded with returnees. Jason Marshall and Jaivian Norman round out a veteran safety rotation, while former Michigan State transfer Caleb Coley steps into a full-time starting job at corner alongside Caleb Dobbs. Cornerback depth, in particular, is a genuine asset for a team that ranked among the nation's better pass defenses last fall.
Kicker Rudy Kessinger is back after a solid debut, converting 17 of 23 field goal tries, including 8 of 14 from beyond 40 yards. Junior Daniel Hull, a onetime Missouri signee, is slated to take over the punting duties in his third year with the program. Devereaux adds value as an explosive threat in the return game, giving the Eagles a real weapon on hidden-yardage downs.
Overview and Prediction
The schedule offers a path. Eastern Michigan opens with a pair of winnable home games against MAC newcomer Sacramento State and San Jose State before back-to-back road tests at Michigan State and Wisconsin. FCS Lindenwood also visits, and outside of a trip to Ohio, the conference slate sets up favorably for a winning league record if the team can find its footing.
The consensus pegs the Eagles in the lower half of the MAC, roughly seventh or eighth, and there is real logic to the caution: an experienced quarterback and a deep secondary are offset by a made-over offensive line and a front seven that has to prove it can stop the run. Our read is that Kim and his returning receivers keep the offense afloat early, but bowl eligibility hinges on the front seven. Eastern Michigan must locate three wins beyond the softest touches on the docket, and the run defense is the make-or-break variable that decides whether Creighton's steady program gets back to the postseason.