Before heading off to play at Michigan State, Don Spillers wants to help return the Detroit King football program back to the top of the city and state.
After a 7-5 2025 campaign that fell below the lofty standards set by the Crusaders over the last two decades, King players and coaches had to spend a long time looking deep within themselves to find out what it will take to get back to the winning ways they expect.
“King used to dominate in everything,” Spillers, a receiver and defensive back, told the Free Press at the Detroit Public School League football media day on Tuesday, July 28. “We used to be No. 1 in the nation. It’s unacceptable that we are not. So this year, we are coming in hungry, we are coming in hot.”
If a few plays in a few different fourth quarters went differently last year, the King record would have looked a lot different. Instead, uncharacteristic anxiousness permeated the sidelines in some of the biggest moments of the year. And a lack of discipline off the field created enough distractions to cut them off at the knees during the biggest games on the schedule.
They held a one-point lead over nationally-ranked Akron Archbishop Hoban in Week 2, but allowed a last-minute drive for a game-winning field goal. A fourth-quarter comeback in the restarted regular season game against Cass Tech was thwarted by two sacks on the final two plays.
In the city title rematch against the Technicians, King led in the third quarter, but gave up big passing plays late and was stuffed seven times when at the 1-yard line. It was King’s fourth straight loss to Cass in the PSL championship. The next week in a return to Ford Field, King gave Division 1 state champion Novi Detroit Catholic Central its closest game of the season, but still fell well short in a 26-14 loss.
In the playoffs, King got upset on its home field by Warren De La Salle, a traditional power who snuck into the 2025 playoffs at 3-6. Two seasons ago, King lost in the Division 3 state title game to Zeeland West.
After adding it all up, King coach Terel Patrick inspected every detail of the program – and himself – over the offseason to see what needs fixing.
“Discipline is a form of habits,” Patrick said. “I was truly proud of our kids but I was disappointed in our program last year. Because in times of conflict, we showed bad habits. We showed very bad habits and that is not the level of football that we are used to.”
Patrick, in his third year as head coach and 18th with the program, decided they had to get back to the very basics of developing their teenagers into well-rounded young men. Those habits, Patrick said, will always rear their head during crunch time in the fourth quarter, and they were not well equipped for that crucible last season.
“It is all about how you develop those habits that show up in the fourth quarter,” Patrick said. “I still believe we were one of the best teams in the Midwest, in the nation, last year, but 7-5 was inexcusable.
“Our game plan and what we do structurally offensively and defensively are going to keep us in games. And I tell my kids every year, coaches can get you to championships, but the kids win them.”
King has re-emphasized some basic principles and tiny details as non-negotiables this summer. Every player must be early to practice if they want to participate. No swearing or vulgar comments on the football field. Making sure every single hand reaches down and touches the white line during turns on sprints. Weight room and film room participation every single day.
While the message comes from the top down, King’s players are the ones expected to emphasize these details with their peers. Like last year, the Crusaders’ captains will be the ones starting practices with organized stretching and making sure things that need to get done are completed.
“We are going to be a more disciplined team this year,” said receiver/defensive back Darryl Flemister, an Illinois commit. “The coaching staff is on it. It is ‘yes, sir’ and ‘no, sir,’ no talking back, no cussing. Just staying mentally prepared as a team and off the field all season so we can all be on the same page.”
Patrick likened the changes to adding new seasonings to the pot of a tried-and-true recipe. The Crusaders have won six state titles since 2007, but know they have to continuously adapt with the times to keep the trophy cases at 3200 E. Lafayette well stocked and up to date.
“A leader has to look within and challenge themselves,” Patrick said. “The biggest challenge that I put on King football was really taking an introspective look at what we built over the last two decades. You don’t want to change it, but sometimes you have to tweak the ingredients. The ingredients in 2015 may not be the same ingredients you need in 2026.”
Patrick said the kids have had a good summer so far, but it remains to be seen if the team will be any different in crunch time. They will only be able to prove that under the Friday night lights.
The King players won’t talk about scheme changes or anything else. It is all about the re-establishment of discipline and habits of a championship team so the fourth-quarter collapses remain a memory of 2025.
“I don’t give a (expletive) what we run, but we will be the best at it this year,” Patrick said. “It may not reflect in the record, but it will in the reflect in the fourth quarter in how we play. If you focus on that, the goal at the end will be what it is.”
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Jared Ramsey covers high school sports for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at jramsey@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit King football resets habits after ‘unacceptable’ 2025 season
Reporting by Jared Ramsey, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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By Jared Ramsey, Detroit Free Press | USA TODAY Network
