Josh Schumacher spent eight seasons building the Concordia Ann Arbor (NAIA - MI) program into a perennial contender for conference titles, top 25 rankings, and a coveted NAIA playoff spot.
If the Concordia name sounds familiar, it's because there are a network of them around the midwest at various levels, and Schumacher is now set to take over a completely different Concordia program.
Sources tell FootballScoop Schumacher, who spent this past season at Saginaw Valley State (D-II - MI) as associate head coach / special teams coordinator / linebackers coach, is set to take over at Concordia St. Paul (D-II - MN).
While at CUAA, Schumacher went 59-25, punching their ticket to the NAIA playoff five times. He led the Cardinals to back-to-back Mid-States Football Association titles in 2020 and 2021, won MSFA East Coach of the Year honors twice (2017 and 2020) and also took home AFCA Regional Coach of the Year honors during his squad's two championship seasons.
His rise to head coach at CUAA started first as the team's defensive coordinator during the program's build from scratch. His background on defense extends to the high school level, where he served as defensive coordinator at Faith Lutheran HS (Las Vegas, NV) from 2008-2012 prior to landing the opportunity to call the defense at CUAA.
The program had their first season in 2011, and while building from the ground up, it took until 2013 for them to get a chance to celebrate their first win. They had their first winning campaign in 2016 and cracked the NAIA top 25 for the first time, and then had a breakout 2017 season.
That season, Schu and CUAA went 9-1, with their only loss coming to the eventual national champion, and punched their ticket to the NAIA playoffs. They followed that up with a 10-3 season in 2018, making a run to the NAIA quarterfinals before losing.
Heading into the 2024 season, following months of financial difficulties and rumors of cutbacks to staffs and programs, Schumacher and his staff led the program through their final season as the school announced the widely unpopular decision that they would remain open as a school, but would be cutting all athletics.
Despite the impossible situation, the former 35 Under 35 selection led efforts to sign a solid signing class of 40 individuals, and led the team through an emotional final season before landing on staff at SVSU.
At Concordia St. Paul, he will take over a program that went 2-9 last fall, with their wins coming against Minot State (D-II - ND) and Southwest Minnesota State (D-II).
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