By Brandon Folsom

Special to Detroit Free Press

Eastern Michigan coach Chris Creighton said the conversations he has had with recruits at the dinner table have been a lot different since April.

A report the university’s faculty and students read to the Board of Regents during an April 22 presentation called for the school to drop out of Division I football and find a different conference for its other sports.

The administration responded to the report the following week with an open letter saying it has “absolutely no plans to eliminate football or move into any other division or conference” while also stating it had never considered dropping football or lessening its support for it.

Creighton has dealt with the backlash from faculty and students ever since.

Whether it’s fielding concerns from recruits, maintaining morale in the locker room or speaking with the school’s alumni, the third-year coach has kept one thing constant.

“We’ve told the truth,” he said during EMU’s media day Saturday. “It’s pretty simple. Anybody can say what they want, but it doesn’t mean that it’s true. The truth is the program isn’t going anywhere but up.”

After too many close losses, Eastern Michgian eager to claw forward

Instead of just selling recruits on EMU’s stadium upgrades, including its two-year-old grey field turf, or the optimism of the Eagles removing themselves from the Ron English tenure in 2013 and moving forward in a more competitive manner, Creighton is defending his team.

The Eagles have already secured six verbal commitments for 2017, including three players from the greater Detroit area, but prospects have been skeptical since April.

Creighton said during in-home meetings with recruits, it’s something that’s always brought up.

“Eastern Michigan is a place they’ve been in love with and built relationships with, of course they’re going ask those questions,” he said.

Creighton, who was 3-21 in his first two seasons, said his team has rallied behind the administration following April’s incident.

Players such as quarterback Brogan Roback haven’t even thought about the matter since the administration offered its support.

“We’ve just put it behind us,” the junior said. “What we care about is what’s inside that building with the players and staff.

“We know what we’re capable of doing. We put all that to the back burner. You could say that would drive some people, but that’s not our focus. Our focus is doing what we’re capable of doing and focusing on that.”

That focus is on the team rebounding from a 1-11 campaign in 2015 and earning its first bowl game berth since 1987.

“We work hard,” Roback said. “Everyone who comes out here and watches knows it.

“That’s what we want to do. That’s what we want to display for everyone else, and I’m excited for everyone to see that this year.”

Athletic director Heather Lyke has broached the situation with open arms, fielding questions from concerned students and alumni, as has former interim President Donald Loppnow, current President James Smith and the Regents.

But Creighton said support from alumni and former players has been even better.

“It’s been the response to the riffraff in April from alumni that has been awesome,” he said. “People love this school and people love this football program.

“Guys put four, five years into playing college football. There’s life changing values, lessons, teammates, discipline, commitment, teamwork, overcoming adversity — it changes you.”

Some alumni have gone above and beyond in reaching out to the university.

“It’s been an opportunity for people to pick up the phone or write email and letters and let the current guys and our staff know that they believe in Eastern Michigan football, love it and want us to be successful,” Creighton said.

The Eagles open their season when they host Mississippi Valley State in a nonconference game at 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 2.