Adrian College Football

Joe Palka was named head coach of the Adrian College football program in November of 2023. Palka will serve as the 24th head coach of the program since 1900. The 2025 season will mark his second with the Bulldogs. In 2024, Palka led the Bulldogs back to a winning record, as Adrian finished the season with an impressive 6-4 overall record. Palka comes to Adrian College from Saline High School where he served as head coach of the football team since 2012. During his time at Saline, Palka totaled a career record of 112-21 with 11 consecutive postseason appearances and 18 playoff victories. Palka led the team to ten conference championships including a 58-game conference winning streak. Palka has acquired six District Titles, two Regional Titles, two Semifinal appearances, and was the 2014 State Runner-Up. Saline was ranked in the AP Division 1 Top-10 Rankings final poll in 10 of the last 12 seasons. While at Saline, Palka was named the 2021 SEC Coach of the Year, and the 2012 and 2014 Ann Arbor News Coach of the Year. Prior to Saline High School, Palka coached at Whitmer High School in Toledo, Ohio from 2006-2012, totaling a 59-17 record with six consecutive playoff appearances. From 2004-2006, Palka served as the Recruiting Coordinator at Eastern Michigan University where he coached three cornerbacks to the NFL. Palka's other collegiate coaching experience comes from St. Joseph's College in Rensselaer, Indiana where he was the head coach and defensive coordinator from 1994-1996

Al Leslie has coached Football for 35 seasons, 30 of them with Saline High School.  The past eight seasons, serving as the Special Teams Coordinator for Saline HS

Alex Knollman returns to Adrian College for his seventh overall season with the football team in 2025. He now serves as Offensive Line Coach and Recruiting Coordinator

Chad O’Brien '04 is back with the Adrian College football program for his seventh season in 2025. O’Brien previously served as associate head coach and the team’s

Coach Jake Terberg joined the Adrian College football coaching staff in the Spring of 2024. Prior to working at Adrian, Coach Terberg was the Film Coordinator at

Coach Jeb Palka joined the Adrian College football coaching staff in the winter of 2023. Jeb comes from Saline High School where he served as the Wide Receivers

Kirk Brackelman is in his second year as a Defensive Analyst for Adrian College Football, after joining the staff in the spring of 2024. He concluded his 31 year

Coach Malik Edwards joins the Adrian College football coaching prior to the spring season of 2024. Edwards is a seasoned football coach and player with a history

The Adrian College football office announced the addition of Ron Shiels in the winter of 2023. Shiels will serve as the new Defensive Coordinator. Shiels returns

Reim was named the Pass Game Coordinator in Spring of 2025, and was a part of an offensive staff that helped produce the most explosive offensive in Adrian College

Tyler Palka joined the Adrian College football staff as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in the winter of 2023. The 2025 season will be his second