Grand Valley State Lakers Football - History - 2000s - 2004

2004

The 2004 season opened the era of a new mentor as Brian Kelly left following the 2003 season to take the head coaching job at Central Michigan University. Chuck Martin became the fifth head coach in the history of the Laker football program. Martin won more games (10) than any of the four previous head coaches in their first year at the helm. GVSU went 8–2 in the regular season finishing 2nd in the GLIAC (Michigan Technological University won its first GLIAC title that year). They also played in front of the largest crowd (50,123) in their history when they played against Michigan Tech in Michigan Stadium at the University of Michigan in the "Bash at the Big House". However, since they were the lowest-seed (6th) in the Northwest region (the GLIAC had been moved out of the NE after other conferenced lobbied the NCAA), GV had to go on the road in the playoffs, again. They played the NSIC champion Winona State University at their field and won a hard fought game 16–13. In the second round, Grand Valley was able to beat Northwood, avenging a regular season loss, winning 10–7. Grand Valley appeared in their fourth straight Regional Final against a new, growing rival: North Dakota. In a hard fought game that the Lakers let slip away late in the fourth quarter (15–19), GV ended Coach Martin's first season at 10–3. The 2004 Laker senior class concluded their careers with a 51–5 record, including two National Championships and three title game appearances. The 51 wins by the Lakers senior class tied the D-II record for wins in a career. DT Keyonta Marshall became GVSU's first-ever three time All-American and now enjoys an NFL career with the Philadelphia Eagles. Grand Valley State continued to set single-season attendance records with a single-game average of 10,799 in 2004.

Several players earned honors after the season: Keyonta Marshall, DT – AA (AFCA/AP/Football Gazette/Daktronics/D2Football/College Sports Report); Scott Greene, PK – AA (AP/D2Football/Collage Sports Report); DeJuane Boone, DB – AA (Football Gazette/Daktronics); Lucius hawkins, DB – AA (Football Gazette/Daktronics/D2Football/Collage Sports Report); Demonte Collins, WR – AAHM D2Football.