BLOG 54: Familiarity with Ferris, Indy coaching staffs

By Sandy Gholston

Ferris State head football coach Jeff Pierce talks to his players following a practice session (Photo/Sandy Gholston)

BIG RAPIDS – Ferris head football coach Jeff Pierce and Indianapolis head coach Joe Polizzi do not need media guides to learn much about each other.

Their history goes back quite a ways.

Pierce is in his 14th season as head coach of the Bulldogs while Polizzi is in his 15th as head coach of the Greyhounds. But, the history between Pierce and Polizzi trace back to Ferris when both men were assistants under 2008 Ferris State University Bulldog Athletics Hall of Fame inductee Keith Otterbein, currently head coach at Hillsdale College.

Polizzi (who has a career head-coaching record of 78-79-1), for two seasons, was Ferris’ defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach (1986-87). It was Pierce (with a career head-coaching record of 89-60-0) who actually replaced Polizzi as Ferris’ defensive coordinator in 1988 as Polizzi returned to his alma mater (Hillsdale) as defensive backs coach.

This season, the Bulldogs are 4-2 overall and 3-2 in the GLIAC while the Greyhounds are 3-3 overall and 2-3 in the GLIAC. Indianapolis is coming off a 27-23 home win over Northwood (Oct. 4).

This Saturday’s game will be the first time the Bulldogs and Greyhounds have played against each other since 2005. In that game, Indianapolis knocked off the Bulldogs in a low-scoring 7-3 at Top Taggart Field in Big Rapids.

Ferris leads the all-time series 15-11-1. Pierce is 5-4 in his career against Indy while Polizzi is 4-6 in his career against the Bulldogs.

If you have any questions, ideas or comments feel free to contact Sandy Gholston at sgholston2@netzero.com