Sources tell FootballScoop Saginaw Valley State is parting ways head coach Ryan Brady.
Brady just wrapped up his sixth season leading the program.
The move will come as a bit of a head-scratcher for those familiar with the work Brady has done during his time with the program.
Ultimately, the decision came despite five-straight winning seasons atop the program in perhaps the most competitive Division II conference in the country in the GLIAC, where perennial top ten powers Ferris State (D-II - MI) and Grand Valley State (D-II - MI) reside.
This fall, Brady led the Cardinals to an upset over a ranked Grand Valley State squad that opened the season among the top five teams in Division II. Brady and SVSU used a strong performance in all three phases to beat GVSU on the road in Lubbers Stadium 20-19 in a significant upset.
Three weeks later, Brady and Saginaw Valley took top-ranked and defending national champions Ferris State to double overtime before losing in an epic 51-45 shootout that served as the closest game the Bulldogs have played in all season (and arguably in years).
As it would turn out, that contest ended up being essentially the GLIAC title game.
They finished the year 5-2 in GLIAC play, losing that game to Ferris coupled with a loss to a Davenport squad that is always competitive under another former Ferris State assistant in Sparky McEwen, and finished second in the GLIAC.
Before taking over at SVSU, Brady served as a top assistant under Ferris State head coach Tony Annese, where he had the rare opportunity to spend time as a coordinator on both sides of the ball for multiple championship teams at Grand Rapids Community College and Ferris under Annese.
The close relationship with Annese stretches back decades, when Brady was a student teacher for Annese at Montrose HS (MI).
While at Ferris, Brady started off on offense developing a two-time Harlon HIll winner in Jason Vander Laan before moving to defense and was part of a program that went 75-15 with three GLIAC titles and deep playoff runs, and at GRCC he called the offense for a program that led the entire nation in scoring offense all three seasons while going 30-4 overall.
Sources tell FootballScoop Brady's success at SVSU came despite never being fully funded with scholarships, and they also have one less full-time staff position available compared to their other GLIAC counterparts.
On top of those challenges, sources share the program has faced budget cutbacks each of the last several seasons as well.
Even with those obstacles, the opening will be attractive to a lot of top-tier coaches, as Brady and his staff have done an impressive job recruiting the state and surrounding regions, and the opportunity to compete against the tops teams in the country multiple times a season will draw competitors eager for the challenge.
Stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.