A Look at the Rockets' 11th Opponent: Ball State
8/30/2006 12:00:00 PM | Football
Aug. 30, 2006
Muncie, IN - Year three of the Brady Hoke era at Ball State University ended with the Cardinals winning three of their final four games and being the only Mid-American Conference school to defeat both the MAC West Division and MAC East Division Champions.
Now, the time has come for year number four of the Hoke era.
"We have a lot of work to do," Hoke says. "This group is working hard and has worked extremely hard since the 2005 season ended. We have more depth this season than we have had in my first three years. That depth has created more competition at every position, which is a good thing. We have made great strides. I take great pride in being the coach of my alma mater, and this program is getting where it needs to be. Our ultimate goal is to compete for championships each and every season. We have the foundation set to begin the process."
The foundation of the 2006 Ball State football team begins at quarterback with fifth-year senior Joey Lynch returning after starting all 11 games last season.
"Joey Lynch returns as our No. 1 quarterback and it would be awfully difficult for someone to take his spot," Hoke says. "He is a fifth-year senior who has shown a great amount of leadership for this program. He is a consistent player with the football intelligence that comes from being a coach's son and being around the game his whole life."
Lynch passed for a school record 18 touchdowns last season, breaking the previous mark of 17 set by Mike Neu in 1993 and Dave Wilson in 1977. Lynch, the son of Indiana University offensive coordinator and former Ball State head coach Bill Lynch, completed 198-of-314 passes for 1,982 yards and a 63.1 completion percentage. His 198 completions and 314 attempts rank as the second best single-season marks in BSU history.
Lynch has passed for 3,155 yards in his career and enters the 2006 season with a .636 career completion percentage. He is ranked sixth among active NCAA Division IA passers in pass completion percentage. He is only the third quarterback in Ball State history to throw for more than 300 yards in a game twice in a career (397 vs. Central Michigan in 2004 and 306 at Western Michigan in 2005).
"One of our main goals on offense this season is to do a better job with pass protection and running the ball with more efficiency," Hoke says. "The quarterback is only as good as his offensive line. Even though our line has developed it needs to play more consistently and with more toughness. We have proven we can spread the ball out and we have some playmakers. We have to give the quarterback and the offense time to develop some plays and make things happen."
Ball State's offensive line returns four starters and the team's top tight end from 2005. Leading the returnees on the offensive line are starters Dan Gerberry at center, Robert Brewster at right tackle, Justin Schneider at left guard and Andre Ramsey at left tackle. Michael Steinhaus returns at tight end along with letterwinners Darius Hill and Brad Wilson.
At running back, Ball State returns two of its top three rushers from 2005 -- including Larry Bostic and B.J. Hill. Bostic played in 10 games and rushed for 196 yards with three touchdowns, while Hill managed 420 rushing yards and two TDs in 11 games.
"We have found our top two running backs in Bostic and Hill, but we need to solidify the No. 3 spot," Hoke says. "We have to be able to run the football better than we have. We have a lot of ways to move the ball."
One of Ball State's most intriguing offensive weapons last season was freshman Dante Love. Love played wide receiver, running back, quarterback and kick returner. He ranked fourth on the team in receiving with 19 catches for 185 yards and three touchdowns plus led Ball State, ranked third in the MAC and was 31st in the nation with a 24.8 average on kickoff returns. In addition, Love's 42-yard rush vs. Bowling Green was the longest rush for a Ball State player all season. The 2005 true freshman played in all 11 games and added three completions on seven pass attempts to his resume. In addition, he managed a 96-yard kickoff return for a TD at Western Michigan, and led Ball State with 74.7 all-purpose yards per game.
"Dante Love is one of our playmakers on offense," Hoke says. "We need to find more and more ways to get him the football. He combines with senior Terry Moss and sophomore Louis Johnson as our top returning receivers. We have a solid group of receivers who are not only learning how to make the big catches, but are becoming better blockers and helping with the special teams."
Moss led Ball State's receiving corp with 36 catches for 420 yards and a team-high four touchdowns. He averaged 11.7 yards per catch and 38.2 yards per game. Johnson was second on the team with 28 catches for 413 yards and one TD, while he managed a team best 14.8 yards per catch. Junior Dan Dunford tallied 15 receptions for 185 yards and one TD, while his 12.3 yards-per-catch average was third for the Cardinals.
The final piece to the offensive puzzle for Ball State is the fullback position where junior Seth Rainey, senior Brad Salyer, sophomore Chris Clancy and senior Garrett Bova all return as letterwinners for the Cardinals.
Defensively, Ball State welcomes the return of 26 lettermen, including five starters.
"We need to be a defense that creates more sacks on a consistent basis," Hoke says. "We need more sacks then we had last year, and we need more production from our down guys. We need to have a big improvement in this area. We have a quality group of players on the defensive side of the ball. They know what is expected of them, and we need to do a better job of coaching them. We have made a few position changes to give us some help in the defensive backfield. This gives more players a chance to compete at different positions, and more of an opportunity to play on the field. Our safeties have a lot more experience, but we have some young corners."
Leading the list of returning starters for the Cardinals are senior tackle William Wise, linebackers Brad Seiss, Wendell Brown and Bryant Haines plus senior safety Erik Keys and sophomore safety Trey Lewis.
Haines led Ball State with 83 tackles last season, while Seiss was second on the team with 81 tackles. Wise -- who had 31 tackles -- Haines and Seiss all tied for third on the team with seven tackles for loss. Lewis was third on the team with 74 tackles plus led the Cardinals with three interceptions. Keys was fourth on the team with 69 tackles, tallied three tackles for loss and registered one sack.
Other top defensive returnees include defensive ends Cortlan Booker and Riley Larimore.
Booker had 29 tackles, four tackles for loss and one sack last season. Larimore was second on the team with nine sacks, plus led the Cardinals with three fumble recoveries.
"We need to be playing with more confidence, practicing with more confidence and working out everyday with more confidence," Hoke says. "The attitude in the program right now is outstanding and it was all winter and spring. We have a lot of work to do, but the players feel good about themselves right now."
The special teams appear to be in good hands with the return of placekicker Brian Jackson, punter Chris Miller and longsnapper Michael Hay.
Jackson has connected on 32 field goals in his career, which ranks as the fourth-best career total in Ball State history. He ranks on Ball State's career lists for extra points made (74) and points (170). Miller was named to the 2005 Football Writers Association and College Football News Freshmen All-America teams plus was selected to the All-MAC First Team. His 43.78 average last season ranked first in the league and 12th in the nation.
For Hoke and his staff, the 2006 season will be a good guide for where the Ball State football program stands. Ball State will open the season with four of its first five games at home and will face three Big Ten teams among its non-conference schedule.
"The schedule is a good one for the fans with all of the early games," Hoke says. "We want our fans to come out and see us compete. It is important for us to get off to a good start. The conference will be as challenging as always, and having North Dakota State come to Muncie is a good game for us to play. The three Big Ten teams give us the opportunity to play two in-state schools and to visit one of the greatest college football stadiums in the country at the University of Michigan. The bottom line is we need to work hard everyday to get better at every phase of the game. The coaches and players are working hard. We need to play with toughness and we need to be more consistent."
