by From Mike Neu to Mike Uremovich, Ball State football opened a new chapter Wednesday morning with the announcement that Uremovich will be taking over as the program’s 19th head coach.
Uremovich makes the transition from Butler to Ball State after leading the Bulldogs to three consecutive winning seasons. Leading the FCS school to new heights, Uremovich guided the program to its first-ever national ranking in 2024.
“Mike Uremovich brings a significant breadth of coaching experience from high school, small college, FCS, and FBS levels,” Ball State Director of Athletics Jeff Mitchell said of the hiring. “He has an extensive background in both coordinator and head coaching roles, and his recruiting connections are deep. What is readily apparent and what will excite our fans and players is the level of urgency and detail in his plan to lead our football program and return the Cardinals to the top of the Mid-American Conference.”
Initial reports suggest that the deal Uremovich signed is for five years, similar to the initial contract and contract extension Mike Neu signed in 2016 and 2021, respectively.
Neu, who was fired following the Cardinals’ Week 12 loss to Buffalo that guaranteed his fourth consecutive losing season, was replaced in the interim by the team’s offensive line coach Colin Johnson for the final two games of Ball State’s 2024 campaign. Neu’s release comes one year before his contract was set to expire in 2025. As opposed to paying Neu a salary of $705,000, not including potential bonuses, Ball State elected to buy out the nine-year head coach’s contract for $550,000.
For Ball State’s new hire, Muncie, Indiana, should provide a relatively familiar home given Uremovich’s extensive coaching experience in the midwest. Prior to his head coaching role at Butler, he spent three stints at Northern Illinois University in various roles and also spent time in Fort Wayne, Indiana, as head coach of the University of St. Francis.
“My family and I are extremely excited to be a part of the Ball State family,” said Uremovich. “I am thankful for the trust that President (Geoffrey) Mearns and Jeff Mitchell have placed in me to direct this proud football program. We are elated about the opportunity to help shape this organization and engage with the Muncie community. I look forward to meeting with the team, and I can’t wait to get to work.”
