Ferris State’s head coach Tony Annese will be suspended for Bulldogs first playoff game against GVSU

BIG RAPIDS - The Ferris State Bulldogs are back in the playoffs for the ninth straight year and they will be heading to Allendale on Saturday to take on the #2 Ranked Grand Valley State Lakers as they begin their playoff journey with hopes of threepeating as division two national champions. But head coach Tony Annese won’t be on the sidelines. He is serving his one game playoff suspension due to members of the Bulldogs football team violating stadium rules by smoking cigars after their national championship win last season. Annese can be in attendance at the game, he’ll just have to buy his own ticket but said on Wednesday, “I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”

Assistant head coach Brian Rock will be the acting head coach on Saturday.

Ferris State fell to Grand Valley earlier this year 49-28 at Lubbers stadium, even though Annese won’t be on the sidelines, he knows that his team will fight till the end.

“I’m trying to remind myself, one of my favorite quotes is, self-pity is one of the greatest forms of self-destruction. So, when I stop feeling sorry for myself and you know, it’s hard, you know, it really is hard, but, when I stop feeling sorry for myself and try to put it into perspective, I know my team, has my back, I hope they fight harder, than they would if I was on the sidelines and, you know, and I don’t play.” Annese Said.

For some of the seniors on the team, Olalere Oladipo and Xavier Wade what they’re going to miss most about Annese on the sidelines seems to be his motivation.

“His yelling, he’s going, go, go, go, go, go, he’s, you know, he’s always screaming Doing what not on the sideline.” Said Wade.

“Come on, defense, get aside, come on, Larray, get in the backfield. I’m gonna miss that, but I know his energy is going to be there. And we trust the coaching staff and we got; I got all the confidence in the world.” Said Oladipo.

Kickoff on Saturday at Lubbers Stadium will be at 1 P.M.