Ball State hires Butler's Mike Uremovich as Cardinals' next head football coach

Ball State football sings its fight song to the crowd after defeating Central Michigan 24-17 Oct. 21 at Scheumann Stadium. The win marked the Cardinals' first Mid-American Conference victory of the season. Dalton Clark, DN
Ball State football sings its fight song to the crowd after defeating Central Michigan 24-17 Oct. 21 at Scheumann Stadium. The win marked the Cardinals' first Mid-American Conference victory of the season. Dalton Clark, DN

Ball State football has hired former Butler head coach Mike Uremovich as the program’s 19th head coach in its history, per Ball State athletics.

After going 3-7 this season, former head coach Mike Neu was dismissed Saturday, Nov. 16 with two games remaining. He was the first Cardinal head coach to be fired in the middle of a season.

During his nine seasons, Neu led the Cardinals to a 40-63 record.

Uremovich has been with the Bulldogs for three seasons, and in that time he has led them to a 23-11 record. While he was there, two Bulldogs were named the Pioneer Football League's Offensive Player of the Year in 2022 and 2023. Before his tenure at Butler, he was the offensive coordinator at Temple for three seasons (2019-21)

The head coaching job at Ball State will be Uremovich’s first head coaching job at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level.

Uremovich is no stranger to Ball State and the rest of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) as he was at Northern Illinois for three different stints. He was a graduate assistant from 2001-02 and was the running back's coach and special teams coordinator in 2012, the year the Huskies won the MAC Title. From 2016-2018, he was the offensive coordinator and helped the program win the 2018 MAC Championship and coached in two bowl games (2017, 2018).

Other stops for Uremovich include North Carolina State (offensive line coach, 2013-15) and the University of St. Francis (head coach, 2005-11). He also held smaller roles at Waynesburg College, Benedictine University, Providence Catholic High School and McCutcheon High School.

Should Ball State choose to keep the 2024 defensive coordinator Jeff Knowles, he would be a familiar staff member alongside Uremovich. The two coached together at Butler (2022-23), Temple (2019-21), Northern Illinois (2017-18), North Carolina State (2014-15) and the University of St. Francis (2008-11).

Uremovich attended Purdue University and graduated in 2000. He is from Gary, Indiana.

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