Wayne State University Athletics

Football 8/22/2026 8:26:00 PM Jeff Weiss, Senior Associate Director of Athletics/Media Relations

Football Announces 2026 Captains

DETROIT -- First-year Wayne State University head football coach Terrence Isaac, Sr. has announced his 2026 captains for the upcoming season.

The 2026 WSU captains will consist of graduate student Ethan Gates (St. Clair Shores, Mich. / Lakeview), redshirt seniors Joe Clark, Jr. (Pontiac, Mich. / West Bloomfield) and Will Edwards (Cincinnati, Ohio / Winton Woods), redshirt junior Griffin Nowak (Livonia, Mich. / Franklin) and redshirt sophomore Max Edwards (Los Angeles, Calif. / American Fork HS in Utah).

Will Edwards and Gates will be on the offensive side of the ball, while Clark and Max Edwards will be on defense. Nowak was selected Special Teams Captain.

Gates has appeared in 25 contests in three seasons with the Green and Gold, making 10 starts (nine at right tackle, and one at left tackle). He was WSU's AFCA Good Works Team nominee as well as the Campbell Trophy nominee for the Warriors. Last year, Gates received the Deans' Award from the College of Education for having the highest cumulative grade-point average among all student-athletes in that particular college. He was also the recipient of the Courtney "Cortez" Smith Award.

Clark, Jr. played in all 11 games in 2023 (as a redshirt freshman) and again in 2025. He has made six career starts and totaled 31 career tackles (15-16). A GLIAC All-Academic Team selection in 2025, Clark, Jr. received membership into the National Football Foundation's Hampshire Honor Society last spring.

Will Edwards has played in 28 games in three seasons, making 18 starts (16 at right guard, and two at left guard). A GLIAC All-Academic Team selection in 2025, Edwards was selected WSU Offensive Player of the Week for the SVSU contest a season ago.

Nowak played in all 11 games in 2025 to earn his first collegiate letter. He scored 26 points on 14-of-14 PAT and 4-of-9 field goals. Last season, Nowak averaged 55.5 yards on 27 kickoffs with seven touchbacks. He earned GLIAC All-Academic Team honors for the second straight season in 2025.

Max Edwards appeared in three games as a true freshman in 2024, and all 11 contests in 2025. He has totaled 59 career tackles (27-32). A GLIAC All-Academic Team selection in his first-year eligible last fall, Edwards finished third on the squad in tackles (54) and assisted tackles (30) in 2025, while ranking fourth in tackles for loss (6.5).

Wayne State opens the 2026 campaign vs. Northwood on Thursday, Sept. 3 at Tom Adams Field with kickoff slated for 6 pm.

Prticipating in the ceremony which began on the field and then had to be moved to the locker room due to weather included Ashawn Butler (2015 captain), Michael Hall (2005 Captain), Keith Anleitner (1976 captain) and Tim Carpenter (1997 captain).

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

#14 Joe Clark, Jr.: DE; 6' 2"; Redshirt Senior

#4 Max Edwards: LB; 6' 1"; Redshirt Sophomore

#62 Will Edwards: OL; 6' 3"; Redshirt Senior

#76 Ethan Gates: OL; 6' 6"; Graduate Student

#40 Griffin Nowak: PK/P; 6' 4"; Redshirt Junior

Players Mentioned

#14 Joe Clark, Jr.
: 6' 2"; Redshirt Senior
: DE

#4 Max Edwards
: 6' 1"; Redshirt Sophomore
: LB

#62 Will Edwards
: 6' 3"; Redshirt Senior
: OL

#76 Ethan Gates
: 6' 6"; Graduate Student
: OL

#40 Griffin Nowak
: 6' 4"; Redshirt Junior
: PK/P