INSIDE SLANT
Ball State knew the 2009 season would be something of an adjustment after losing significant talent on the offensive line, at quarterback and at cornerback from its 2008 team.
But the dropoff of talent at those positions—and the inability for other spots to adequately pick up the slack—clearly was more severe than many of the players and coaches thought it would be.
After going 12-2 in 2008 (including 12-0 in the regular season), the Cardinals came to the mid-point of the 2009 season threatening to post a 0-12 record. That startling reversal didn’t happen, but at 2-10 Ball State clearly did not have the kind of season it expected.
Youth and inexperience at quarterback, offensive line and cornerback was most responsible for the Cardinals’ struggles. The line didn’t consistently block for the run or pass, quarterback play was up and down, and the corners were burned often by opposing quarterbacks.
Ball State never fully recovered after losing its first three games, which going into the season it believed it would win.
The Cardinals fell 20-10 at home in their season-opener to North Texas, which won only one game the rest of the season. Ball State lost 23-16 at home to FCS school New Hampshire. The Cardinals then fell 24-17 at Army, which has only five wins, on a late interception that was returned for a touchdown.
Those results sent Ball State spinning.
“We got off to a terrible start, which dug us a hole we never got out of,” coach Stan Parrish said.
The Cardinals lost their first six games, bringing into question whether they would win at all in 2009. But they stopped that talk with a 29-27 win at Eastern Michigan on Oct. 24 and ended the year with a satisfying 22-17 victory at Western Michigan on Nov. 24.
Ball State got better as the year went on. Of its six MAC losses, three were by less than a touchdown to Temple, Ohio and Northern Illinois—teams that were among the four best units in the MAC.
Six of the Cardinals’ 10 losses were by a touchdown or less.
NOTES, QUOTES
Game Of The Year: Ball State gave one of the greatest rushing performances in its history Oct. 24 when it defeated Eastern Michigan 29-27. The Cardinals rushed for 463 yards, second best in their history. TB MiQuale Lewis ran for a school-record 301 yards, and backup Cory Sykes rushed for 204 yards. It was the first time in FBS history that a team had a back run for 300 yards and another back pick up 200.
Players Of The Year:
TB MiQuale Lewis—The senior didn’t approach last year’s school-record 1,736 rushing yards, but he did pick up 872 yards during a season when his reworked offensive line consistently failed to open running lanes. Lewis is waiting to hear whether he will be granted an additional year of eligibility because of injuries that caused him to miss significant portions of the 2006 and 2007 seasons.
OLB Davyd Jones—The junior emerged as a major playmaker on defense, saving his best for the game against Central Michigan on Nov. 18 when he made a career-high 15 tackles. Jones led the Cardinals in tackles this season with 100.
Fast Forward: Ball State coach Stan Parrish said this season would be a bridge to 2010, when he expects the Cardinals to return as a Mid-American Conference West title challenger. They have good players returning on both sides of the ball, including the entire offensive line, their top six wide receivers, three good tailbacks (if Lewis gets his extra year), the starting quarterback, and five of their top six tacklers on defense, including three starting linebackers.
Recruiting Trail: The Cardinals’ success in 2008, when they were 12-2 and advanced to a bowl game for the second straight season, was a boon to this year’s recruiting. They received oral commitments from 12 players by the time the 2009 season started, and they’re up to 18 commits coming out of the season. Ball State’s top recruit is CB Quintin Cooper, who fills a need at the Cardinals’ weakest position.
Quote To Note: “Our team never went south. I thought we always had a lot of character. We preach it every day.”—BSU coach Stan Parrish on his team playing with a purpose all year despite winning only two of 12 games.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
Players To Watch In 2010:
QB Kelly Page—The redshirt freshman struggled early in 2009, but gained steam at midseason with back-to-back 230-yard passing games. He suffered a broken thumb in the next game and missed the rest of the year.
MLB Travis Freeman—His great speed allowed him to make plays all over the field as a true freshman this season. Freeman finished second on the team with 94 tackles.
DE Robert Eddins—The junior was one of the hidden gems in the MAC this season. Despite constant double teams, he made 13.5 tackles for loss, seven of which were sacks.
Pro Prospect:
DE Brandon Crawford—He was the kind of consistent performer the past two seasons that might attract the interest of NFL teams. But the former Marine is 33 years old, and his advanced age by NFL standards could impact how teams view him.
Roster Report
• Ball State is in need of a tight end, a key position in its offense. Senior Madaris Grant was lost for the year with a torn ACL and has petitioned for an extra year of eligibility next season. Zane Fakes stepped in as the starter, but the true freshman experienced his ups and downs while trying to learn the college game on the run.
• TB MiQuale Lewis also has sought a medical hardship waiver, and could get an extra year next season. He missed half of 2006 with a broken collarbone and three-fourths of 2007 with a torn ACL.
• QB Kelly Page should be nearly 100 percent recovered now from a broken thumb suffered Oct. 15. He had surgery, and the recovery period was no more than six weeks, meaning he’ll be ready for the offseason conditioning program that starts in January.
