| Title: | Head Football Coach / Quarterbacks |
| Phone: | 989.964.7315 |
| Email: | rebrady@svsu.edu |
Ryan Brady enters his fourth season as the head coach of the SVSU football team in 2023. He enters the season with an overall record of 20-13 through three seasons, after leading the Cardinals to an 8-3 record in 2022.
During his third season, Brady lead the team to an 8-3 record and a 3-3 record in conference play. Highlights included two top-10-ranked wins over the University of Indianapolis and Bowie State in the HBCU Classic Matchup.
During the 2021 season, Brady led the Cardinals to a 7-4 overall record and a 4-3 mark in conference play. Highlights included an Axe Bowl victory over rival Northwood on Homecoming weekend for SVSU. The Cardinals also defeated Texas A&M-Kingsville in the Annual Red Feather Classic game.
SVSU had 17 players earn All-GLIAC honors in 2021. Tommy Scott was the Offensive Back of the Year after leading the conference in rushing yards with 1,044 and ranking second in touchdowns scored with 12. Scott also earned First Team All-GLIAC for the second time in his career. Nick Whiteside was named the GLIAC Defensive Back of the Year and earned First Team All-GLIAC honors. He tied for first in the league in interceptions with four and earned All-GLIAC honors for the second time in his career.
Also earning First Team All-GLIAC for SVSU were wide receiver Casey Williams, kicker Connor Luksic, linebacker Victor Abraham, and offensive linemen Marcellus Anderson. Luksic was named GLIAC Special Teams Player of the Week five times during the 2021 season.
Earning Second Team All-GLIAC on defense were Marvin White, Javaree Jackson, Nathan Talaki, Victor Nelson, and Tim Kidd-Glass. On the offensive side, tight end Isaiah Johnson-Mack earned Second Team All-GLIAC honors as well.
Chad Galliard, Michael Woolridge, Noah Suber, Trevor Nowaske, and D.J. Summerville were named Honorable Mention All-GLIAC.
There were four Cardinals who earned All-GLIAC First Team honors for SVSU in 2019, including the GLIAC Defensive Lineman of the Year in senior defensive tackle Heath Williams. Senior quarterback Ryan Conklin, junior running back Nate McCrary and junior wideout Chad Gailliard joined Williams on the first team.
Sophomore wide receiver Casey Williams, senior offensive lineman Trevor Curle, and senior linebacker David Still were named All-GLIAC Second Team as well.
Heath Williams would add being named to the D2CCA All-Super Region Three Second Team and he was named to the D2Football.com All-American Second Team. He and Gailliard were both named to the Don Hansen Football Gazette All-Super Region Three Team as well.
Conklin led the GLIAC with 216.3 passing yards per game and 19 touchdowns through the air. McCrary was the first Cardinal to surpass 1,000 yards on the ground since 2013, as he ranked second in the league with his 1,060 yards and 10 touchdowns. Gailliard led the league with his 853 yards receiving and 10 touchdowns. It marked his third straight season leading the GLIAC in receiving yards. Casey Williams was the league leader in receiving yards per game, posting 81.3 yards per contest.
The Saginaw Valley defense ranked fourth in the league after allowing 24.1 points per game and led the way with 15 interceptions during the regular season.
Brady was named the 7th head football coach in the history of Saginaw Valley State University Football on March 21, 2019, and came to Saginaw Valley after serving as the co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Ferris State University.
At Ferris State, Brady has helped lead the Bulldogs to three GLIAC championships and four NCAA Division II Playoff berths in the past five seasons. Ferris State advanced to the national quarterfinals all the past three seasons, semifinals twice, and competed in the 2018 NCAA Division II National Championship game this past fall. FSU compiled three undefeated regular seasons and an overall mark of 75-15 with Brady on staff since the 2012 campaign.
Coach Brady began his tenure with the Bulldogs in the 2012-2013 seasons as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, helping two-time Harlon Hill Award winner Jason Vander Laan to GLIAC Freshman of the Year and All-GLIAC honors. He has spent four of the past five seasons on the defensive side as the Co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, leading Ferris State to an overall record of 48-5 with him at the helm of the defense. In the 2016 season, Brady served as the offensive coordinator, offensive line, and tight ends coach, helping lead FSU to the playoffs and a national semifinals appearance.
Brady coached at Grand Rapids Community College from 2009-2011 as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. The Raiders posted a 30-4 overall record in the three seasons and had the highest scoring offense in the nation all three years.
His collegiate career saw Brady play quarterback at Grand Valley State University, leading the Lakers to a national title game appearance in 2001 and winning a national championship with the 2002 squad. Brady served as the Lakers' quarterbacks coach on their '03 championship squad before going to Muskegon High School as a strength and conditioning coach in 2004. At Muskegon, he served as a student teacher for Tony Annese as well.
He served as the head freshman coach at Chesaning High School in 2005 and then took over as the offensive coordinator and QB coach at Montrose High School in 2006.
He moved on to become head coach at Perry High School in 2008 before joining the staff as quarterbacks coach at Grand Rapids Community College in 2009.
Brady led Chesaning to a state football championship as the school's signal caller in 1998 and was a first-team all-state honoree.
He holds a master's degree in educational leadership from Saginaw Valley State University and a bachelor’s degree in professional instruction from Grand Valley State University.
Brady and his wife, Jessica, have a three-year-old daughter, Isabelle.