Symbolization goes a long way for some college football programs. One Eastern Michigan Eagles tradition symbolizes the heavy loads they'll lift on the gridiron.
Eastern Michigan defensive back Tyrelle Deener led the Eagles onto the field in their Week 4 home matchup against the St. Francis Red Flash carrying the football program's green pipe wrench.
Can't wait to see @tyyshotcupid lead us out with the Wrench tomorrow!#ETOUGH ⛓️ #BET pic.twitter.com/9L0bB1pt9w
— Eastern Michigan Football (@EMUFB) September 21, 2024
The wrench weighs 51 pounds and has been a part of the Eastern Michigan football program since 2014, when Chris Creighton was named the 37th coach of the Eagles.
Creighton said the pipe wrench made its way to the program during his first preseason when one of the team's graduate assistants went to a local hardware store and told its company president the story of their program.
The president was so moved by the story that he gave the graduate assistant the wrench, which now stands as a pillar of the program's characteristics.
Once they received the pipe wrench, they painted it green to reflect the school colors.
Creighton said the pipe wrench represents a "blue-collar and hard-working" identity.
Eastern Michigan's theme during Creighton's first year was "Close the Gap." The wrench stood as a visual representation, with the two vises gradually closing as you use it.
Creighton says that every season he shows the team the wrench scene from the 1997 film "Good Will Hunting," when Will Hunting -- the main character -- is given a choice between a belt, a stick and a wrench and picks the wrench as his choice.
"That's a saying in our program that we know that there's going to be adversity and we're not going to look the other way. We're not going to run away from it. We're going to face it, fight it and defeat it and say 'give me the wrench,'" Creighton said.
The wrench also stands as a symbol of encouragement. Team members or fans who might have lost a loved one or are facing adversaries in their lives will frequently lead the team out with the wrench, too.
It also never touches the ground. During the games, the players keep the 51-pound wrench aloft as a constant reminder of the team's pillars.
Eastern Michigan is coming off a 37-34 win against the Jacksonville State Gamecocks, where Jesús Gómez kicked a walk-off 34-yard field goal in overtime.