Startup football programs typically go one of two ways - they get the resources needed and thrive quickly, or the high hopes are followed by broken promises and the program folds almost as quick as they started.
If there are startup programs that should be copied, look no further than programs like West Florida (D-II) and Indiana Wesleyan (NAIA), where a commitment to necessary resources went from great initial hires followed by ordering helmets and jerseys to top ten national finishes in no time flat.
There are also programs like Finlandia (NAIA - MI), who was the smallest Division III school in college football. They tried to build a program in the woods of Michigan's upper peninsula and had gone winless since 2017 until the school announced earlier this year that they were being forced to shut down and not enroll new students.
Sticking in The Great Lakes State, Madonna (NAIA - MI) started a football program from the ground up back in 2000, taking the field for the first time in 2021.
Back in November, they excitedly announced plans for a new 5,000 seat athletic complex after partnering with Gold Star Football Club Detroit following official approval from The Vatican in Rome.
The stamp of approval from the Vatican was needed as Madonna is a ministry of the Felician Sisters of North America.
The plan, according to their announcement at the time, was for the stadium to host Gold Star Detroit FC (who was also funding the project), as well as Madonna athletic events, and also be a go-to entertainment event space for concerts.
Initially the stadium was set to open in the fall of 2023, taking the place of where a nearby soccer field was located.
However, earlier this week, the Detroit News shared that those plans are being scrapped, due to financial reasons.
Reports online share that the deal was being backed by a mortgage company, and the mortgage industry is going through a rough patch with interest rates and overall inventory hurting lenders more than originally anticipated this year.
So the Madonna program, led by former Michigan State receiver and former Eastern Michigan assistant Herb Haygood, now enters the season dealing with the disappointment of broken promises as they set out to improve on his 1-24 record heading into year four with the Crusaders.
Haygood and his squad will continue to play their home games at nearby Churchill HS (Livonia, MI) for the time being.