Daniel Bazuin was CMU's player representative at the National Football Foundation Mid-Michigan Chapter Kickoff Luncheon.

BATH, Mich. - Coaches from each of Michigan’s five Division I-A football teams may disagree about who has the best program in the state, but they all concurred in their support of the National Football Foundation at the 2005 Mid-Michigan Chapter Kickoff Luncheon on August 4.

Held at Eagle Eye Golf Club in Bath, Mich., the event gave Central Michigan University Head Coach Brian Kelly, Michigan State Head Coach John L. Smith, Eastern Michigan Head Coach Jeff Genyk, Western Michigan Head Coach Bill Cubit, and Michigan Director of Football Operations Scott Draper an opportunity to address the crowd of approximately 150 about their team’s prospects for the upcoming season, and each touched on the positives of bringing all five of the state’s Division I-A football schools together.

"I know each of the guys up here at this table are honest and ethical and great coaches," Kelly said. "It is an honor and a privilege to be a head coach in the state of Michigan."

Following the event, Kelly added, "The fact that we can get coaches from the five schools together to give access to the fans and the media is a great thing. College football means a lot to a lot of people in this state, and it's important that we continue to support this type of event to allow it to grow."

At the event, NFF Midwest Regional Coordinator Joe Owens presented the chapter its official charter. On hand to accept the charter were Pat Boog, Mike Volumar, who is the assistant athletics director of football operations at Michigan State, and Chapter President John Lewandowski, the associate athletics director for media relations at Michigan State.

“The Mid-Michigan Chapter’s Kick-Off Luncheon was a very creative and fun event that brought their membership together at the beginning of the 2005 football season,” said Owens. “I look forward to a bright future for this chapter and believe that they will do a wonderful job of carrying out the mission and goals of the National Football Foundation.”

The Mid-Michigan Chapter joins the Michigan Chapter, founded in 1961 and based in Detroit, in promoting the NFF’s mission in the region. The Mid-Michigan Chapter will hold its inaugural scholar-athlete banquet in November after the high school football season.

Chippewa Defensive End Daniel Bazuin was part of a contingent of players attending the event that included Michigan State quarterback Drew Stanton and Eastern Michigan quarterback Matt Bohnet.

Bazuin, a member of the Nagurski Trophy and Lombardi Award preseason watch lists, said, "This was a great event. It was a nice opportunity to meet some of the other players from around the state and hear the coaches speak about their teams. The National Football Foundation is a great organization and it was nice to be able to be a part of this."

The Michigan Wolverines host Northern Illinois on September 3 in their season opener.

The Michigan State Spartans will play Kent State in their first test of the year on September 3.

The Central Michigan Chippewas launch their 2005 bid on September 2 at home against Indiana.

The Eastern Michigan Eagles 2005 debut will take place at Cincinnati on Sept. 1

The Western Michigan Broncos travel to Virginia for a September 3 opener.

(Based on an article written by the staff of the Central Michigan Sports Information Office and excerpted with their permission.)