Trophy in the same year. This award is given to the All-Around best player in Division II football. An all-purpose, first team All-American, Josh Renel, was named in 2010. Both Joe Long (offense) and Jeremy Jones (defense) were named 2011 first team All-Americans. Long was also awarded the Gene Upshaw Award in 2011. Leon Eggleston was First Team All American in 2019. National Championship Runner Up After barely making the Division II Playoffs in 2011, the Warriors made it all the way to the national championship game before losing to the Pittsburg State Gorillas of Kansas. It was the first year that the football program had ever made it to the playoffs in their entire history. The Warriors won all of their road games, traveling across the country and ending up in Florence, AL for the playoffs. A tragic shooting and murder of a WSU player, Cortez Smith, inspired the team for success. Conference championships Individual award winners GLIAC Coach of the Year Dick Lowry – 1975 Paul Winters – 2006, 2008, 2019 GLIAC Freshman of the Year Joique Bell – 2006 Kevin Smith – 2008 Warriors in the NFL Wayne State has had six players drafted in the NFL. Notable Warrior coaches Norman "Happy" Wann – former head coach at Ball State Brian VanGorder – Defensive coordinator at Bowling Green State University; former defensive coordinator at Georgia and Notre Dame; Broyles Award winner Notable Warrior players Vic Zucco – former DB for the Chicago Bears Richard Byas, Jr. – former DB for the Atlanta Falcons John Sokolosky – former C for the Detroit Lions Paul Butcher, Sr. – former LB for Detroit, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Carolina and Oakland Tom E. Beer – former FB and LB for the Detroit Lions Joique Bell – former RB for the Detroit Lions Chris Fehn – custom percussionists, Slipknot References External links American football teams established in 1918 1918 establishments in Michigan American football teams in Detroit