A feature story examines the remarkable year of the Wayne State University Warriors football team under the leadership of coach Paul Winters. For four weeks, the "Road Warriors" won four playoff games away from Adams Field before advancing to the title game - one step away from the national championship. The outcome of the final game against Pittsburg State was not a win for the Warriors, but it capped a year of culture change. "Wayne State was bad in football and the perception was it was going to remain that way," Winters said. "We could not think that way; we can't talk that way we can't act that way. We tried to make everybody who dealt with us expect more and demand more." Winters was named the American Football Coaches National D-II Coach of the Year. "He changed the approach. He changed the culture around here," said WSU athletic director Rob Fournier. "And I think that has trickled to the other coaches. Because of his personality, I think he relates to people and not just recruits. He brought back a winning attitude for all our departments. You can have other good programs but if football and basketball don't win, nobody pays attention to the others." Winters has been selected as one of this year's outstanding "Michiganians of the Year," an honor extended by the Detroit News since 1978.

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120621/METRO/206210333#ixzz1yQNzWGuB
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