Bio Blast: Ball State Cardinals

The ball is teed up. Now we need to play the games. Week 1 of the 2023 college football season has arrived, and things will get going in the Bluegrass on Saturday when Kentucky hosts Ball State for the second-ever meeting between the two programs located just over three hours apart.

Mike Neu is now in year eight at his alma mater and owns one MAC title (2020). However, that is the only season that Ball State finished with a winning record under the former New Orleans Saints quarterbacks coach. With some star power returning on defense and some prominent backfield transfers added on offense, the Cardinals are hoping to make some noise in the MAC West this season.

Let’s learn some more about Ball State football.

Playmakers at linebacker

An argument can be made that the best starting linebacker unit in the Group of Five calls Muncie home. Defensive coordinator Tyler Stockton returns three starters in his multiple 3-4 scheme, and each could be a first-team All-MAC performer this season.

The unit is led by super senior Clayton Coll. This veteran is entering his fifth year in the program with 23 career starts. Ball State’s Mike linebacker was a team captain who recorded 110 tackles and seven tackles for loss last season. Coll had an extremely low missed tackle percentage (4.3%) and is an overall well-rounded player. Kentucky must be aware of No. 32 at all times. The flow will not be hard to spot.

Franklin Alumni Clayton Coll has taken the field for ball state! Good luck today Clay!! All of Franklin is behind you! pic.twitter.com/jH6sHl13CC

— Grizzly Cubs FB (@GrizzlyCubsFB) September 1, 2019

Next to Coll at Will linebacker is Cole Pearce. The former walk-on out of Greater Cincinnati is a preseason All-MAC selection as a super senior. Pearce tallied 85 tackles and 14 tackles for loss last season as a high-level producer in the MAC.

At EDGE, Sidney Houston Jr. returns for his redshirt senior season after recording 67 tackles and 7.5 tackles for loss last season. The former Division II transfer led the team in pressures (28) last season and is a well-rounded player at outside linebacker.

These three players are the backbone of what could be a very good Ball State defense in 2023. This group made 33 combined starts in 2022 and could cause some issues for Kentucky in Week 1. With a defensive line that has good size and five players returning who played 380 snaps last season, this scheme will attempt to keep its linebacker free to run and hunt.

Kentucky’s run game could be in trouble if the offensive line is unable to climb to the second level. Ball State has three linebackers that are Power Five caliber players. Each could make a big impact on Saturday afternoon.

Skill talent transfers

Ball State was hit hard by the transfer portal in the offseason. All-MAC tailback Carson Steele left for UCLA after rushing for 1,556 yards and 14 touchdowns while owning a bell cow role (24.1 attempts per game) for the Cardinals. Starting quarterback John Paddock left for Illinois after throwing for 2,719 yards and 18 touchdowns. Meanwhile, the wide receiver room was gutted by graduation.

To address some personnel issues, Mike Neu’s staff leaned into the transfer portal to find replacements.

— Marquez Cooper (RB, Kent State): The Maryland native joined Steele on the All-MAC team after rushing for 1,331 yards in Kent State’s spread tempo scheme. At 5-foot-8 and 189 pounds, Cooper isn’t the bruiser that Steele is, but his one-cut running style should be a good scheme fit in Muncie running behind one of the best offensive lines in the MAC.

— Layne Hatcher (QB, Texas State): The super senior is now on his fourth school after time spent at Alabama, Arkansas State, and Texas State. Hatcher has thrown for 10,080 passing yards in his career with over 2,500 snaps played. The 24-year-old is QB1 but will be making a significant scheme switch after playing in an Air Raid attack last season. True freshman Kadin Semonza pushed Hatcher throughout camp and nearly won this starting job.

— Ty Robinson (WR, Colorado): The Pac-12 transfer has a chance to become Ball State’s No. 1 option at wide receiver after recording nine receptions for 95 yards over the last two seasons at Colorado. Robinson (6-3, 193) brings good size to the outside. Junior college transfer Malcolm Gillie will also open the season as a starter.

This pro-style scheme that will play with heavy sets and condensed formations will be banking on a bunch of skill talent newcomers to produce immediately.

Rebuilt secondary

Jordan Riley returns for Ball State at safety after recording 96 tackles and a team-high 12 pass breakups last season. Splitting time in the box as a nickel and deep as a traditional safety, the third-team All-MAC performer in 2022 gives the Cardinals someone to build around in the secondary.

However, there will be some new pieces surrounding Riley. Tyler “Red” Potts will step into a full-time starting role at cornerback after being the top bench option last season. However, Potts was productive when on the field logging 26 tackles and five pass breakups. After that, there are unknowns.

Old Dominion transfer Damion Charity will open the season as the other starter at cornerback, but he had a hard time finding a role with the Monarchs. At the other safety position, Loren Strickland is a former Division II transfer who recorded 19 tackles in a backup role for Ball State last season.

This secondary is making a notable transition after ranking No. 10 nationally in passes defended per game (5.7) and No. 17 nationally in yards per pass allowed (6.2). Regression is likely coming.

Tight ends will be involved heavily

If you’re looking for Ball State’s best-returning players on offense, you may not have to look any further than the tight end room. The Cardinals got excellent production from a pair of freshmen last season.

— Brady Hunt: 46 receptions (62 targets), 498 yards, 5 touchdowns

— Tanner Koziol: 35 receptions (65 targets), 373 yards, 7 touchdowns

pic.twitter.com/UCBVSwTh2V

— Follow @TPortalCFB (@CowardlyDoggo) November 2, 2022

The 6-foot-7 Koziol led Ball State in touchdown grabs and Hunt quickly became one of the best rookies in the MAC after making the position switch from quarterback. The passing game will run heavily through these two, and we should expect many 12 personnel sets, but Mike Neu and co-offensive coordinators Jared Elliott and Kevin Lynch will use the tight ends in an assortment of alignments. The lack of receivers will be replaced by the tight ends.

However, Hunt is currently dealing with an ankle injury and may not be available on Saturday. That could severely limit this offense in Week 1.