Nearly two years ago, on Dec. 1, 2023, Ashland University's football team played in the America's Crossroads Bowl – basically a season consolation prize between a Great Midwest Athletic Conference team and a Great Lakes Valley Conference side who do not qualify for the NCAA playoffs.
That game will be remembered for two reasons – the Eagles won it, 23-20, and now-Eagle senior defensive end
Michael Shimek started to announce his presence with a school-record four sacks.
"I wasn't even thinking of setting any records during that game," Shimek admitted. "I only heard about it after the game in the locker room. I would say that was a good stepping stone, which kind of catapulted me into a starting spot my junior year, and then help progress me here into my senior year."
Shimek has made it a habit of taking down opposing quarterbacks since – and will look to continue that when No. 18-ranked Ashland (10-2) goes to No. 1 Ferris State (12-0) for an NCAA second-round playoff game at 1 p.m. on Saturday (Nov. 29). He is a key cog in a senior class which is the first in program history to make three Division II playoff appearances.
"I'm definitely happy and very proud of what our senior class has been able to accomplish," Shimek said. "At this point, we are still very motivated, and I know myself and a lot of the other seniors want to make it to Round 3 of the playoffs. That's something that no team at Ashland has done."
One of the players whose record Shimek broke in the bowl game was College Football Hall of Famer
Bill Royce. By now, that's not the only one of Royce's marks Shimek has at least gotten close to.
He has recorded a nation-leading 17½ sacks this fall, along with 18½ tackles for loss, 55 total tackles (31 solo), three forced fumbles and two blocked kicks. Only one other player in Ashland football history has had more sacks in a season (Royce, 20½, 20 and 18½), and the tackles for loss number is second-most in school history.
Shimek's 35½ career sacks tie him with AU Hall of Famer
Sam Hohler for second-most in program history to Royce's 71, and because of previous NCAA statistics rules, Shimek's 47 career TFLs are most in program history.
"It means a lot, for sure, because you hear all types of stuff about Bill Royce and the legacy that he left here at this place," said Shimek. "It will mean a lot more once I'm done playing."
Said Ashland head coach
Doug Geiser, "A lot of pride in Mike for doing that. And he proved he belongs in that group. It's neat to see him get that recognition with all the greats in program history."
Those outside of the Eagle football program have taken notice. Just this past week, Shimek was named the Great Midwest Athletic Conference's 2025 Player of the Year, then a nominee for the 2025 Harlon Hill Trophy – the NCAA Division II Player of the Year.
Coming out of North Canton Hoover, Geiser recruited Shimek.
"You could see on tape that Mike was a tremendous player," Geiser said. "Did I ever foresee this? I can't take that credit. There may have been some other guys on his high school team that were more highly-recruited, but they said Mike Shimek was the guy who was the best player. And that was almost to a man.
"We're fortunate enough that this was the place he wanted to call home."
"I actually did not have a lot of choices, to be honest," Shimek said of the recruiting process. "Just visiting here and knowing the tradition that was behind this place, I just knew it would be a fit."
Shimek said the difference between his junior season and an All-American-type senior campaign this year was him being injured prior to 2024. Now healthy, Shimek has recorded at least one sack and one tackle for loss in each of the last six games. He has racked up seven games this fall with at least a sack-and-a-half, with a high of 3½ quarterback takedowns at Indiana, Pa., in the season-opener on Sept. 4.
While Shimek has turned in one of the top defensive seasons in program history, his defensive end running mate on the other side, sophomore
Elisha Baldridge, has had a strong season himself – 84 total tackles, 12½ sacks, 14½ tackles for loss and two forced fumbles.
"It definitely puts a lot of pressure on the other team's O-line," Shimek said. "It takes some pressure off of me, because if I'm not getting home to the quarterback, I know the guy on the other side will get there."
Ashland's 49 team sacks are first in NCAA Division II, and the Eagle defense is second in the country in total defense (tied, 244.8 ypg.), third in rushing defense (68.7 ypg.) and fourth in scoring defense (14.2 ppg.) – all for the 60-plus-year coaching veteran, defensive coordinator
Tim Rose.
"It all goes back to coach Rose," Shimek said. "He puts us in great, great positions to be able to make plays. And also, all the guys on the defense. They are just amazing. I love preparing every week during practice and going out there and showing what we can do on Saturdays.
"There's so many words I could say about him (Rose) that helped me throughout these four years be able to become the player that I feel I have become. I could run through a brick wall every time he has his pregame speeches."
Shimek's goal is to do a pro day in the spring to potentially play professionally, but there's at least one more college game to play – at least one more game to continue to cement his and his class' impressive legacies.
