July 7, 2025
Ferris State football team adds two assistant coaches as it prepares to defend national title
The three-time NCAA Division II National Champion Ferris State football team is elevating a coach and adding another to help the team gear up for the upcoming season and defend its title.
Bulldog head coach Tony Annese completed his fulltime staff by elevating Tyler Shreve and hiring of Drew Burton into new roles.
Shreve, a Ferris State alum, will serve as the Bulldogs' defensive line coach while Burton will help lead the offensive line.
Their additions fill the positions of longtime staff members Tesfa Smith and Sam Parker, who departed for NCAA Division I opportunities at Central Michigan University and Mississippi Valley State University, following last fall's national championship campaign.
"I believe we've found two outstanding candidates to replace two great professionals," Annesen said. "Tesfa and Sam were not only awesome coaches, but great friends who helped us win three national championships and we look forward to following their career paths.
"That being said, Tyler and Drew also have the ability to connect, inspire and challenge our student-athletes and I have no doubt they'll have a huge impact on our program immediately."
Shreve served under Smith as the Bulldogs' assistant defensive line coach for the past three seasons. He mentored a group of the nation's top standouts during the stretch and assisted with recruiting along with other program initiatives in addition to serving as a coach for the position group.
Prior to his time on the Bulldog staff, Shreve competed on the offensive line and helped Ferris State claim its first of back-to-back NCAA Division II National Championships as a senior in 2021 when FSU compiled a 14-0 record.
The Walled Lake Western product was a four-year letterwinner for the Bulldogs during his playing career and played a key role on one of the nation's top offensive lines. During his career from 2016-21, the Bulldogs won a national title, made two national championship game appearances along with five consecutive trips to the D2 National Quarterfinals or beyond.
Burton joins the Bulldog program after serving the past two years as the run game coordinator and offensive line coach at former Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference member Northwood University. Prior to his tenure at NU, he was the head coach at Powers High School in Flint 2022 after serving as the offensive line coach and run game coordinator at Saginaw Valley State University from 2018-21.
Burton's previous coaching experience also includes a stint as the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Alma College from 2014-17.
His 2016 team tied the school record with 28 rushing touchdowns and the 2015 team posted over 4,000 yards of total offense. His work at Northwood helped the Timberwolves' make major offensive strides in each of his two seasons in Midland.
Burton was the offensive line coach at Wisconsin-Stevens Point for four seasons and spent one year as the defensive line and offensive line coach at Grand Haven High School. He played collegiately as a guard at Grand Valley State University from 2003-06, helping the Lakers earn a national title in 2013 while appearing in all 15 games.
The Bulldogs will begin their 116th season of varsity competition this coming fall with their sights set on making a nation-leading 11th consecutive trip to the NCAA Division II Playoffs. The Bulldogs have made six national semifinal appearances along with four trips to the national championship game, highlighted by back-to-back national titles in 2021 and 2022 along with this past year in 2024 during the stretch.
Ferris State, which was picked first nationally in the Lindy's Sports D2 Preseason Top 10 Rankings, will open the 2025 season at home, hosting Pittsburg State of Kansas in a DII National Showdown on Thursday, Aug. 28, at Top Taggart Field.